This year we are destined to set up at the Burel Pavilion in beautiful downtown Auburn. I am already making plans to provide multiple mono-band beam antennas for the event, separate beams for 20, 15, and 10 meters.
If you are interested in helping out in this year's activities, drop me a note, and I'll get you hooked up. kj4ex@yahoo.com
In addition, the BARC Awards and Recognition Committee has approved awards for BARC Operators that participate in this year's Field Day event. Specifics on the awards are still being decided; possibilities include BARC Coffee Cups, BARC T-Shirts, BARC Hats, or perhaps an Antenna or two. Some of the basic criteria include active Radio Operations at the event, and overall good Ham Radio Operations and Spirit.
73's
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
Update - 6/26/10
Good Morning BARES,
Field Day activities have begun!!! Last night a group of club members gathered at the Burel Pavilion in downtown Auburn to assemble the wire antennas. At this point the 40 and 80 meter wire antennas are up and ready to go. We are meet at 7AM Saturday morning to start setting up tables, radios, computers, generators, and accessories. The trailer will arrive this morning as well and we will begin setting up the beams for 10, 15, and 20 meters. All of you who can help, please feel free to come out and give us a hand. We are in need of operators for the entire 24 hour period. We will have 5 HF transmitters and a VHF station. So there is plenty to go around.
Let’s have a great time!!!
If you have any questions, I will have my cell phone with me tomorrow. 404-520-0368
Steven Donellan N5SMD - BARES Vice President
Update - 6/13/10
Morning Team,
Getting ready for my day, always an adventure around here, LOL.
Final planning is underway, FD will be here before you know it. I have ordered some cooler weather, we'll see if it's in stock/store for us, and hope for the best : ).
A thought also came about headphones, while we will have a couple of spare pair around, with all the activities and CSX nearby, i encourage all Operators to bring their favorite pair. Each radio will be equipped with a splitter, for headphones and speakers to be used, so the Operators can hear, as well as other club members, loggers, and the public to listen in.
Will close on that note, I hope each and every one of you can set aside an hour or more to come operate the event.
73's and Stay Cool.
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
2010 FD Chair
Update - 6/12/10
Greetings BARES.
In two weeks some of us will be waking to Laura's (K4TGR) breakfast casserole, and a busy day ahead. We'll spend the morning getting the stations set up, antennas re-tested, getting ready for the long-haul FD Party.
It appears many of the COOKS have left the county, but the crews will need to be fed, so we'll come up with something. < ?? >
We also have a busy program coming up at the Club Meeting on the 22nd, we need a good turn out to get everybody up to speed for FD and administrative details for the Club to move forward with our ARRL affiliation.
Last Month, Cal Neff, K4JSR was the door prize winner, who will be next ?
I'm off to do some work outside before it gets too unbearable out there, everybody stay safe this weekend, stay cool, and THINK FD !
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
2010 FD Chair
Update - 5/31/10
Happy Memorial Day BARES,
Well the beams are tuned and marked for installation in a few weeks, and work continues on some of the PC's we'll be using.
The PC's and Radio's will be marked/tagged for their respective stations, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10 etc.
The tribander gave me quite a fit, the traps are almost all the same, except two. Last night I had to pull them all down (just the traps and tips) from the roof, and research how to identify each of the type of trap on the A3. Originally they are marked with stickers, but after years they come off. Anyway, after initially having the antenna resonate ONLT above the HAM bands, I quickly figured out there was one in the wrong place.
Now everything is ready, I'm going to color code each part, of each element. Due to the size, there will be a little more assembly that the 10 and 15 meter beams, and of course it weighs a bit more too.
I hope you COOKS are all getting signed up, first, I know I'm a GREAT COOK, and I don't want to have to take up all the spots LOL.
Rememner, we will be starting our Field Day setup (antennas) Friday afternoon the 25th at 4 PM at the Burel Pavilion in Auburn.
Anybody know what the grid square there will be ?
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
FD 2010 Chair
Update - 5/27/10
Greetings BARES,
Second only to my XYL and Ham Radio, my most favorite thing is FOOD (bet ya couldn't tell). So, I will be the Point of Contact for all the Club Cooks for Field Day this year. Still plenty of opportunities to sign up to cook or dish up your personal favorite delicacies, schedule with approximate times is below.
I know it's a ways out yet, but we need to get all the meals planned, even if it's just your name for now, let me know and I'll get you on the MENU.
Steve, Please put this up on the web site - Tnx - Bill
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
2010 FD Chair
BARES Field Day Menu 2010
Friday Supper ( 7 PM ) =
Saturday Breakfast ( 8 AM ) = Laura/K4TGR = Breakfast Casserole
Saturday Lunch ( Noon ) =
Saturday Supper ( 7 PM ) = Club Pot Luck
Saturday Midnight Breakfast ( Midnight ) = Bill / KJ4EX = Steak Fajitas, eggs, OJ, Milk, Coffee
Sunday Breakfast ( 8 AM ) = Bill/KJ4EX = French Toast, Sausage links, OJ, Milk, Coffee
Sunday Lunch ( Noon ) =
*********************************
* There will be Fresh Fruit, Ice Water, Iced Tea, Coffee and Cokes available most of the time too. (Bill)
* I have a screen shelter, that should provide some additional protection from flies and bugs too. This will probably be the serving area.
Update - 5/25/10
Well, got Davis's 10 and 15 meter beams tuned and taken down. Took the elements off the boom and left them intact with the measurements, settings, etc. Should be a piece of cake to put back together and get back up in the air.
The Cushcraft A3 is my next project, will be used on 20 meters so that's where I need to make it work. Had some minor tuning issues in the past, got around those with a tuner, set for midband and was able to work all of 20 SSB. Would like to get rid of the tuner, and have a direct line between the radio and the antenna, so have a little time to work on that.
It's mostly assembled so just a few items to reattach and we should be ready to start tuning.
Looking at the 6 meter beam today, thinking about putting that up about 22 feet or so, with a 2 mtr and 440 dual band beam about 5 foot over the 6, and then the Diamond X-50 for the repeater talk-in VHF. Rich said he has a 2 mtr SSB rig he would like to get on 2 SSB, so there's one.
For the talk in radio, can probably use anything, may hang my radio shack HT in the corner of the room (pavilion) with an external mike or something, for anybody to use as needed.
Worked on my good SWR meter today, quit reading reflected power, found a broken trimmer pot, not going to be able to fix that one. Will go through my parts boxes, and see what I can find, looks like it started out as a manufacturing defect.
Planning on running 10, 15, and 20 meters without tuners, 40 may be ok too without, and then only need to tune the 80- meter dipole cause the band is so broad.
Laura, do you have some idea for an antenna? I think the most activity will be on 40 and 20 so you could focus on those bands. I think you're limited to 500 QSO's towards the point count at least, but that could take a while too : ). If you want to build a 40 and 20 meter dipole/inverted Vee antenna, that would probably work very well, and it's simple to build. I have a spare 1:1 balun if needed, and some coax, etc., if needed.
40 years of being a Ham, and also a pack rat (electronics stuff only please) I got all kinds of cool stuff, most of which I will probably never use, LOL.
Y'all speak up, let me hear some thoughts, ideas.
Bill - KJ4EX
Update - 5/22/10
Greetings BARES,
This afternoon, Steve, N5SMD; Marty, KD4HLV; Laura, K4TGR; and Collin, KJ4UFC came and assembled the beam antennas for Field Day. This is the most time consuming part of the prep work. They will now be tuned and tweaked, then marked clearly for assembly on the Eve of Field Day in Auburn.
Good work Crew, Big Sigs this year !!
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
Update - 5/20/10
Good Evening Group,
Oh how rapidly the landscapes change, LOL.
Last night I attended a FD Webinar hosted by the Director of the ARRL Atlantic Division. I’m pumped, Field Day Full Speed Ahead.
Two significant changes in plans for the Club’s operation this year, are the inclusion of a GOTA station, which will be Captained by Laura, K4TGR, and using her call (right Laura?). : )
Second, and it’s really one of the most critical aspects of a Field Day Operation I learned (never stop learning!) is FOOD. We will be looking for cooks for Breakfast and Lunch, and it looks like we’ll have that Covered Dish Supper Saturday evening after all Sylvia. For give my temporary glitch for saying that we wouldn’t this year.
Both Captains will be the points of contact for their respective areas.
The GOTA station will be manned and operated by typically inactive Hams, and or anybody that wants to get their feet wet in the HF spectrum SSB.
We will be lining up those of you that have some culinary expertise in some special dish that you would like to share with the crews on-site during meal times. You’ll have to be there to experience each and every cooks specialty for sure.
IDEAS -
French Toast
Crepes
Chili
Tacos (soft and hard)
Ice cream (with brownies ? )
Cake
Spaghetti and Garlic Toast
Burritos
Wraps
Sloppy Joes
Steak and Eggs
Make the Voices STOP !! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill - KJ4EX
President, BARES
Update - 5/18/10
Greetings Club,
That sounds better, for now.
Yes, Field Day setup is only 37 days away now, as I write this it's 00:30 AM, just home from work, and will be up for a while yet.
We'll probably be operating 5 stations again this year, 3 of which will be with Club Radios provided I can get the mic gain problem with the ICOM fixed before then.
We'll be operating 80-40-20-15-10 on SSB, and at least one CW/PSK/RTTY station at which each contact will count as two points. I plan to have my TS-2000 and desktop PC at the site for this operation. May double as 10 SSB too.
We will be using Logic 8 for logging once again.
Since we will not have the benefit of a shelter/kitchen, there are no plans for a pot-luck type supper like last year, however that does not preclude the use of a grill for burgers, dogs, steaks, chicken or whatever, at some point.
We should anticipate plenty of heat, thanks to Mother Nature, I plan to have "some type" of air conditioned facility (RV, Tent, or whatever)(RV is up for Sale $5K) for heat relief as needed. And plenty of Box fans.
We will be in a HIGHLY VISIBLE location this year, and anticipate an increased visitor-ship. As such, we need to put on our best face.
We'll put up all antennas Friday the 25th, beginning at 4 PM. I will be on site for the full 48 hours, less a trip to the bathroom at the convenience store across the street, or a run to Subway for a sandwich.
Antennas will include an 80 meter dipole, a 40 meter dipole, and individual beams for 20, 15, and 10 meters.
For the CW/PSK/RTTY station, I plan on using a ground mounted Hy-Gain 5BTV, 5 band vertical.
Of course there will be a 2 meter station for repeater access, but I'm afraid there is no wireless Internet access in range per our web master.
We'll go over a list of items needed, and hopefully get a few volunteers to run power, antenna setup on Friday, Station setups, and more specific duties for a few.
Bring your ideas, and aspirations to the meeting next week. The June Club meeting will be final prep, as that Friday will be the GO Time.
I have also attached a file of the Rules for 2010. I have also included a file with a list of all the ARRL SECTIONS which are a part of the exchange, that is critical to gaining each and every point.
See you next Tuesday.
Bill - KJ4EX
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