Field Day in North Carolina

The last weekend of June each year is the Amateur Radio Relay League’s annual Field Day. Field Day brings amateur radio operators (HAMs) out into the field to operate for a continuous 24-hour period under conditions similar to what they would encounter if they were called upon in an emergency. Power must be from a source other than the normal electrical grid, so generators and solar are brought into play. The goal is to reach as many other radio operators on as many different frequency bands as possible, and using as many different modes as possible, such as voice, digital, and morse code. For HAMs it is a time to get outside and have fun. I would normally join my club in Orlando, but since I am in North Carolina this weekend I am helping the Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Club operate out of Jackson Park in Hendersonville.

We spent the morning setting up antennas, tents, and power to be ready for the official start at 2:00. It rained like crazy around 1:00 but stopped just in time to get back on the air by 2:00.

Assembling the Hex Beam antenna (Home Made).

Six meter antenna (Home Made). First contact was in Mexico!

High Frequency Vertical Antenna (Made by Hustler).

Home made loop antenna that worked remarkably well.

Two Field Day constants: food and rain.