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Speak Out: Field Day Experiences and Suggestions:

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AA2JZ on 2008-07-23
After being in an "active" club in the north, working FD in a NFL club was a "lame" experiance. Few members appeared, even fewer stayed to operate....(nap time ya know)...and the bonus points for youngsters (?), not unless the youngster is under 65. It was OK, but I'll manage my activity better next year.

W2KYM on 2008-07-02
W8TER - Great posting about what field day really should be about. Unfortunately, some radio clubs and individuals make it a ultimate fighting ham event. One club in my area had it so that if you didn't make a certain amount of points during your shift, you were never allowed to run field day again. Also if you were not in their "clique", don't even bother to show up, much less operate.

AI2IA - I hope your "green" field day worked out well for you. This is an idea that will be very popular from now on. I am sure that the prices for gel cells will go up since the demand will be higher now.

My field day.... My club got a concession stand trailer loaned to us for free, had 2 rigs, vertical, G5RV, 2.5K generator, 5 gallons of gas, good weather (dodged some thunderstorms), meat and soda, couldn't beat it. 40 CW was hoppin'!

K8WZS on 2008-06-30
My suggestion ....is for that DUMB rule that class "D" stations can't contact and LOG another class "D" station be scrapped !! DUMB DUMB DUMB !!I am sure in an emergency someone on emergency power will be grateful that a ham at his/her home QTH was able to contact another ham at his/her QTH and make a bad situation better ! If your an ARRL member call your HQ and tell them this DUMB rule has to go !! I wonder who the hell came up with that anyhow ? 73

W8TER on 2008-06-01
I have been field day chairman for my club since 2000. One thing that I have learned is the club you are with is either a contest club or it is not. Field day is not a contest but it is treated like one. My club does not contest but rather we setup emergency operations and work on our gear so that should an emergency occur, we will be ready. What makes our field day fun is that a lot of the older members will come out, not to operate, but to reminisce and ragchew eyeball to eyeball. I try to make accomidations for them such as indoor plumbing and not too far of a distance to walk to get to the site. Of course they are really attracted by the free food and the ambiance of being around ham radio gear and listening to the grey line pass. We usually score somewhere in the lower middle of the pack but I don’t mind because the most important thing to me is to make sure we can get on the air and be effective and to get as many hams to come out even if they don’t get on the air.

Field day is what you make it. I want to make it a time that hams will remember and make them put it on their list for things to do next year as well.

Best regards.


Steve, W8TER

KI9A on 2008-05-31
Yep, with that $4/gallon gas, it would really suck to make long 10 mile round trip to visit your local FD site..

VE3RTS on 2008-05-29
My most memorable experience happened when I was out on my motorcycle and noticed that it was field day. I stopped in and watched a ham operating CW from a tent. He called CQ for a while, then got a reply from a ham down in Texas. I don't know why, but hearing that morse through the speaker struck me. The fact that someone three thousand miles away could cause the dits and dahs to sound in this fellow's receiver made quite an impression. Six months later I took my code test and passed.

AI2IA on 2008-05-28
With $4 plus for gas, I will sit in my own backyard with a couple of 12 volt batteries, a table, some rigs, and my own antennas and work them as they come.

Any curious passerby can inquire. We are in for a long, tight money squeeze. If you are on a fixed income, get thrifty now!

KC6WGN on 2008-05-28
Make it like month of March or April. In Nevada,during June its very hot...Thanks..my opinion...

WA4UF on 2008-05-27
Make darned sure your batteries are good! I was operating solo battery powered from my inlaws' cabin up behind Pigeon Forge, and discovered to my chagrin right at the start that all my gelcells, which tested good 2 weeks prior, were dead. I had to scramble down all the twisty roads and dive into the hellacious Pigeon Forge traffic and snag a big trolling battery from Wallyworld. :-)

K1CJS on 2008-05-27
My funniest? The year I was appointed the PR officer. I set up signage and put up fliers--nobody had done it before, and the old timers told me I was wasting my time.

Well, surprise, surprise! We had five times as many visitors as we used to--all thanks to a waste of time!!!

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