ARRL Field Day

     Field day is an annual event where we setup portable operations out in the field and simulate an emergency situation where we attempt to pass messages using alternative power. This includes using generators for the larger operations. For extra points, you can run completely solar power, such as I do, and simulate an indefinite operation.

     I take it a bit further and head to as remote location as I can without any support and setup my antenna taller than normal and operate as much of the 24 hour period as I can. The bands are very crowded and making contacts is complicated by all of the traffic. It is a very good simulation of what the bands would probably be like in a real large scale emergency. The first year I did it it was overwhelming, but have since learned how to work through the traffic. Without this event, I probably never would have acquired that skill.

Field Day 2016

In 2016 I once again returned to the San Rafael Swell of Utah. There was a heat wave going on, so I was not sure if I was going to head to the mountains to escape the heat, or try this high spot in the desert. As it turned out, a cool front came through during the event, and the weather was perfect. I talked to some guys who did go to the mountains near me, and they were cold all night. So my timing was perfect, and there was the least bugs I have ever experienced there.

This year I had a new antenna to add to the arsenal, and this was the first item I setup. It is a portable folding hexbeam. It is not too difficult to setup if you take your time and carefully unfold it to allow the wires to 'fall out' into the proper place. Here I can be seen unfolding the antenna readying it for mounting.

I assembled the antenna on an umbrella stand then moved it up to the military mast antenna. I place it low on the top of the tripod on a single piece of fiberglass military mast, then add aluminum pieces up one at a time to raise the antenna to full height. I also additionally had an 80m doublet fed with ladder line just below the hex beam.

Once I pushed it up and tied off the guy lines, I pointed it east and was ready to go.

I also tightened up the 80m doublet to some short trees and tied it off in an inverted v fashion

After the antenna was setup, it was time to get the station in place. I have an ARB canopy on my truck now so I stretched that out and added some camo netting to provide a bit of additional shade. A portable table and the KX3/KXPA 100 combo put in place finished the station off. I tied into the solar system with 4awg welding cable, and was ready to operate.

The overall camp layout was at over 7000 feet on the edge of a mesa with clear horizons to the east and the west providing a great operating location.

Field day itself was busy with me operating alone, so there was not much time for pictures. I did take a proper break, however, to have a wonderful dinner by the camp fire and enjoy the view.

The location was amazing, and I had a wonderful time. I completed 453 SSB contacts, despite the poor band conditions on anything higher than 20m. I was very pleased with the results and also enjoyed the location. Another successful field day!