We wish to THANK the family of Darrin "N9JPI" & Yvonne "KC9DCU" DeBard who hosted Field Day this year for the BCARA. Field Day stations were set up and operated by the following amateurs: Darrin "N9JPI", Tom "KB9UWR", Nick "KB9YUF", Jr "N9JSS", Chad "KB9OGJ", Wilson "N9YI", Steve "KG9LX", Brian "KC9BZN", Jack "KD9RI", Alan "KB9WQU", Eric "K9ZX", Jimmie "N9VXQ" . The following friends passed through the Field Day site visiting us on Saturday: Lloyd Jones - Tom KB9UWR's friend, Jeff Brown "KC9ANB" with his wife Amber and baby son Jared, Nick "KB9YUF's" great nephew Garret Larew, Charlie Harper "N9JUV", Mick Amick, Steve "KG9LX's" daughter Wendy Lipps, Yvonne DeBard "KC9DCU", Tom "KB9UWR's" wife Judy Mooney, Chad "KB9OGJ's" yl Kathy Saule, Rich Hornay
Field Day gives us a chance, as amateur radio operators, to set up communications and use them to talk to other stations located around the country and the world. Often stations are set up in odd locations which do not offer the comfort of our shacks we have at home. Using antennas modeled from large wire dipoles to full wave loops hung from trees, or setting up a yagi or beam for a more directional approach to making the contacts.
The stations are often powered by alternate means of power, rather than using commercial main power. Gasoline engine portable generators, wind powered generators, solar panels and battery packs are just a few power sources that come to mind. Amateur radio operators can provide communications during emergencies. Our THANKS goes out to Mick Amick for donating the use of the generator we used this year.
The antennas used this year were a full wave loop designed for 80 meters, a 40 / 80 meter dipole, an 80 meter dipole and a 40 meter Windom antenna. Lines was shot into the trees, using a slingshot and a traffic cone cut down and wrapped with fishing line. Once the fishing line is up and through the trees, then rope is attached and pulled back through the tree to pull up the antennas. These antennas were used on fixed base station set-ups.
Our fixed stations operated, CW and Single Sideband phone on 20 and 40 meters from Tom's "KB9UWR's" tent, JR "N9JSS" set his station up inside the barn operating Single Sideband phone on 40 meters, and Chad "KB9OGJ" brought his radio out and set up inside the barn office area operating Single Sideband phone on 15,20,40,80 meters. Giving us a total of 3 base radios. We tired to set up the barn office station using a couple of Kenwood TS-520 radios which didn't seem to work out well for us.
Wilson "N9YI", operated mobile / portable using various mobile antennas resonant for the different bands. He operated PSK31 (a digital form of communication) on 20 meters, Single Sideband phone on 40 meters and I'd bet he worked a couple of stations using CW as well. Wilson also managed to cook some bratwurst and sausages on a grill during some off radio time.
Sorry no one thought about bringing a camera for pictures for this years Field Day Event.
YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR CONTACTS MADE ON FIELD DAY 2003