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FIELD DAY 2010

THUNDERCHIEF

THUNDERCHIEF

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OK, I have seen a lot of chatter about a NES try at field day. This thread is to coordinate that effort.

First we need to figure out what we want to do. This being our first FD (as a group) I think that it should be mostly a layed back event, i.e. we are not going to try to actually win, we just want to participate and have a social gathering. But, we need to figure out as a group what we want to do.

Then, we need to figure out WERE we want to do this, what class we want to enter (how many radios, what kind of electric power) and the list goes on.

I may update the OP as information comes in.

/John
 
I have a 100amp 12v PSU, and a Lambda with two 18amp 12v outputs, both of which I'll volunteer for our field day.

Depending on the date of field day this year I might also be able to provide a location as well if we're not going to incorporate a range day.
 
I know NOTHING about what goes on during a Field Day... So I'm in.

But do we want to do a trial run? Patio was talking on the air today about maybe meeting and talking to see what each of us can offer.

I'd be willing to put up my Mantown at my house for a meeting if people don't mind driving to North Attleboro.
 
Perhaps we should keep it simple and enter as Class A, so we can run generators instead of worrying about battery operation for 24 hours, and we won't be limited to 5 watts, which can be frustrating.

Here's the description for Class A:

(Class A) Club / non-club portable: Club or a non-club group of three or more persons set up
specifically for Field Day. Such stations must be located in places that are not regular station locations and must not
use facilities installed for permanent station use, or use any structure installed permanently for Field Day. A single
licensee or trustee for the entry is responsible for the group entry. All equipment (including antennas) must lie
within a circle whose diameter does not exceed 300 meters (1000 feet). To be listed as Class A, all contacts must be
made with transmitter(s) and receiver(s) operating independent of commercial power mains. Entrants whom for any
reason operate a transmitter or receiver from a commercial main for one or more contacts will be listed separately as
Class A-Commercial.
Click to expand...

BTW, here's the last Field Day I participated in back in '91. This is my station, 15 meter CW in a rented camper on top of Mt. Wachusett:

Field%20Day%20Station.jpg


field%20day.jpg
 
Last edited:
Antennas -- Are we going to stay with simple wire antennas or are we going to get a little more elaborate with portable towers? John, you mentioned something about towers in our conversation on Paxton?
 
I have to double check a few things, but I believe I can offer my house and yard as our base of operations. We have a generator, so we could operate the entire time on generator power.
My front yard is 1140ft above sea level, so you could damn near lay your antenna wire on the ground and still do well (note I said "damn near" [wink]).
I'll need some advance warning if you guys want to go ahead and setup here. I'm in Gardner, north/central MA.
 
Turbocharged said:
I have to double check a few things, but I believe I can offer my house and yard as our base of operations. We have a generator, so we could operate the entire time on generator power.
My front yard is 1140ft above sea level, so you could damn near lay your antenna wire on the ground and still do well (note I said "damn near" [wink]).
I'll need some advance warning if you guys want to go ahead and setup here. I'm in Gardner, north/central MA.
Click to expand...

That's generous! How much yard do you have? Enough for as many tents as there are stations (count on at least 5)?
 
I'm in and I can offer:

1) 29' travel trailer to house at least some of us for the day if the weather is foul
2) portable mast at ~30' (rotator? spin the mast by hand!)
3) 5kW generator
4) I have a small 2m yagi
5) I have a 17' high gain vertical 2m/70cm antenna

Assuming our location needs to not be at a QTH (it is field day after all)... I could get us Monadnock R&G very likely (kind of buried in low hils...). They have room for camping. Alternatively I might be able to get us access to 1250' peak covered by hay field in Winchendon near my home - I can hit Gray ME from here.
 
tele_mark said:
I'd say FD at a gun club would be a big plus! It would make daytime operating "interesting" for the phone ops though.
Click to expand...

We could move away from the line. I expect generator noise will be more of an issue than gun fire. Winchendon R&G would be another choice (I'd need to renew my membership there). The pavilion would provide great cover and the huge field is there for antennas etc.
 
matt said:
We could move away from the line. I expect generator noise will be more of an issue than gun fire. Winchendon R&G would be another choice (I'd need to renew my membership there). The pavilion would provide great cover and the huge field is there for antennas etc.
Click to expand...

The generators don't really bother you that much, and normally they're placed at least 50 feet away from the operating position. Just try to remember what the noise level was at the NH Pumpkin Shoot standing in line waiting for food while everyone was shooting. Of course, there probably won't be an NES shoot going on, so the noise level should be manageable. The ops can deal with it with headphones. My comment was more or less thinking about the reaction of the ops on the other end!
 
oh yeah... I'm assuming this is an all day/overnight adventure.

I'll bring my smoker too. Brisket, pulled pork, or both? (I don't do chicken... It never comes out right...)
 
I'm in, I can operate pileups and dupe like a champ. Cut my teeth on contesting with VU2MML at WPI with the "Brute" back in the early 80's, good times [smile] I can also supply antennas and feedlines if needed. I have an old 6m 30' 5 element "Long John" that has only been used for field days as well as an assortment of junk. I also may have access to Asnebumskit as a site but I'll have to check.
 
I have a fairly large front yard, and a decent size back yard. This spring I intend to grade the back yard to eliminate the slope, so that will be more usable room. Though we don't need to set up sleeping space for every person in attendance. The idea is to run 24 hours straight, so sleep will be in shifts. There is plenty of room for a tower, and plenty of trees to put up wires in. We can run the radios out of a trailer, out of tents, out of the garage, or in the basement. You guys can choose that.
It's an urban setting, so it's up to you guys as for what kind of setting we choose.
I also have a 5kw generator.

No mater where it is, myself, my 70watt 2 meter radio, and my 12v power supplies are in.
 

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