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The MARC Field Day Page
A short review of Field Day weekend by Terry Russ - N8ATZ Thanks to lots of hard work by many club members Field Day 2008 was another big success with everyone enjoying good company, really nice weather, lots of contacts, some especially great food and loads of FUN !. From setup Saturday morning to teardown Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed yet another great weekend communications exercise. As always lots of great memories are generated with each Field Day and many of which are captured in "Kodiak Moments". I hope you enjoy this special Field Day Memories Page, I have also included a few pictures from the archive from past Field Days ! (June 28, 2008) -- As in previous Field Day events, setup on Saturday morning worked like clockwork thanks to many years of experience and practice. The clubs EComm Trailer in place, antennas and our multiple operating stations up and operational well before the 2:00 PM start time. If this were an actual emergency, we've already proven we can setup and establish communications in short order. Special thanks to club members Scott - KC8ZCT and Sarah - KC8ZCS for making a store run to make lunch run for us after setup was completed. Each year our primary goal is to out perform the previous year and make sure everyone gets a chance to operate regardless of skill level. This year we again had a great turnout in both members and guests with many new people experiencing H.F. operating for the first time. Unfortunately, Mother Nature invaded our camp and sent a thunderstorm to test us just after the start of the event. Thanks to our core of dedicated Skywarn Spotters, we were advised of severe weather heading our way. Always with operator safety in mind, went radio silent when the severe weather hit. The weather passed, we checked for damage, only the Ecomm Trailer door blown off its hinges and it was back to business. Our main CW station was operated by our two first rate operators Perry - W8AU and our resident Secret Weapon Igor - K8INN. These two Herculean operators combined to keep the old Bencher paddles smoking throughout the event. But, Field Day is also about learning and both encouraged many of our younger members to gain some great contest experience and overcome the fear of the key. I saw many smiles from folks who made their first Morse code Field Day contacts. Yes, this really is what it's all about. The main phone station in the trailer is always a flurry of activity. Along the main operations console is our HF phone station with operator and logger. The secondary console includes both 6 & 2 meter VHF stations. Thanks to good antenna's and station setup we were usually able to work..em if we heard..em, which makes for a fun time. Headphones for all operators keep the noise level to a mild roar. Our 50 foot pneumatic mast make raising the wire & VHF antenna's a snap. Our VHF stations were kept pretty busy over the weekend as band conditions remained decent over the weekend. Even if you're not a die hard contester Field Day is an event for all operators. There's a certain excitement about making a contact with another FD station that is hard to describe. Just look at the faces of some of our operators to get an idea. Thanks to great effort by Dan - N8DZM our resident Satellite operator we also snagged 2 satellite contacts, more than enough to earn us extra bonus points as well as generating lots of interest in this exciting mode. The GOTA or Get On The Air station has also done well over the past several years and has given newer club members a chance to experience Field Day from a more relaxed perspective. I know for some of us "old Timers", this is nothing new but for a newly licensed amateur a Field Day contact is something you will remember and always provides incentive to upgrade. Community interest in our Field Day exercise is always high and we thank the many visitors who stopped by to see our station in action including Paul Manson, Massillon City Councilman at Large. Public Safety also was in attendance with club members Joe Herrick - WD8BGW, Captain of the Massillon Police Department and Perry Police Officer Tim France - WB8HHP. Also thanks to Melissa Seibert from the Stark County Red Cross Chaper who also toured our various stations. As always we thank our hosts for the weekend, Stark County Parks and Recreation Department who stopped by to check up on us and who always gives permission for us to operate from there the entire weekend. We are one of very few groups who have been given this consideration but they understand and support Amateur Radio and are glad to assist us with this weekend exercise. Field Day is also about demonstrating our hobby to the public, that's one reason we setup at Petro's Park. Many visitors dropped by after reading about our event in the local newspapers. People are always fascinated by our hobby and Field Day gives us the perfect opportunity to "show off" our abilities and what we do best. Our information table contained news about Field Day, our club activities within our community, pictures of the club in action and Certificates of Appreciation from several local civic organizations. This year we were especially proud to display the Appreciation Day letter from Ohio Governor Ted Strickland who officially recognized the vital role Amateur Radio Operators play in emergency communications preparedness plans for the nation, state and local government agencies. We also demonstrated Winlink 2000 from our Field Day site. Messages were sent to our Section Manager and several county agencies detailing our weekend event. Again this year the Winlink community also exchanged Field Day greetings to stations all over the United States and Mexico. Over 75 stations participated this year again showing the effectiveness of this new emergency communications mode. Field Day is also about learning. Could you setup and begin operating on short notice ? Many of our younger members learned first hand how to string wire antenna's, erect a tower, proper grounding and operating skills, all great training for emergency situations that really prove our net worth to the community. Unfortunately the inclement weather forced us to cancel our now annual Field Day Fox Hunts as well as grounded our famous W8NP Field Day Blimp. Next year for sure we'll make up for it ! A highly active Field Day group like ours also looks forward to yet another great Field Day tradition ... The Great Field Day Feast !. New head chef Mike Palmer, KD8ENV with assistance from Dan, N8DZM cooked up a fine batch of burgers, chicken and hot dogs. Club members supplied all the other great foods that go with this type of event, baked beans, pasta salad, potato salad, and plenty of munchies and some great desserts. Speaking of great desserts, I hope you got a chance to have a look at our MARC 2008 Field Day Cake. Can a feast possibility get any better, I can't think how. This is also our time of fellowship among our many friends and family, and it all comes together for a perfect summer time evening event. After dinner we were treated to a fine technical demonstration on Antenna design & theory thanks to club member Mike Sciarini - WA8MKH. Mike's presentation was very informative and allowed us to apply for another Field Day bonus. As darkness falls on Saturday night the true "Die-Hards" take over to keep the stations humming throughout the night racking up contacts. Led by Scott, N3JJT and Igor, K8INN plus a select few, we had a great midnight operating crew. Sunday, June 29, 2008 -- Let's not forget Sunday morning breakfast either. Special thanks this year to President Scott - N3JJT and First Lady Kathy for providing a fine breakfast for the midnight crew. This extra effort sure pays off and keeps us going until afternoon tear down. Have I forgotten anything ? Probably. It's hard to recapture the fun of a Field Day weekend in only a few paragraphs. If you didn't make it over the weekend you missed a great club event filled with lots of fun. We especially thank the many members who came back at tear down to lend a hand. The sign in sheet had about 50 members and guests attending this years Field Day event, a great turnout ! I heard it said by a visitor that they thought we had about the nicest bunch of Field Day folks that had ever visited. I think that comment really says it all. Great weather, great operating, great food, great friends. That sounds like the makings of a great Field Day and a great club !. Previous Field Day Memories ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Mighty 2006 MARC Field Day Crew !
Perry - W8AU assists Sarah - KC8ZCS
Bob - N8DVS working on the GOTA Station
The Information Table Greeted Visitors
The Front Mast With our Phone Tri-Band Beam
Don - W8DEF (R) Logs While A New Operator Takes a Turn
Dan - N8DZM Tries For a Satellite Contact
Sarah - KC8ZCS May Be Our Next CW Op !
Mike - WA8MKH (R) Discusses Field Day With Jason - KC8LIN
The EComm Trailer Main Station Slowly Takes Shape
Michelle - KC8ZEJ Learns The Proper Cranking Technique From Jim - WA8GXM (R) and Wade - WD8MIU (C)
The CW Beam Is Up And Ready For Action !
Hey, Is Anybody Gonna Give Me A Hand !!
EComm Trailer Main HF Beam Is Ready To Send Up !
Jim - WA8GXM (L) and Steve - KD8ACF Prepare The VHF Antennas
Brian Carbenia (L) From The Stark County EOC Looks On As Jim Demonstrates our Computer Logging Program.
Sarah - KC8ZCS (L) and Michelle - KC8ZEJ on the VHF Stations
OK, What Happened To The Blimp ? I Left It Right Here !
Our Annual Field Day Feast is Legendary !
Perry - W8AU (L) Chats With Rev Les - K8CP (C) and His Dad Les - K8LP
The Mighty W8NP Blimp ! -------------------------------------------------------------
The CW Station slowly take shape
Our one man CW powerhouse Igor - K8INN
Our Info Table Welcome Sign with a special Field Day message from President Bush
The Winlink Communication Station
Brian Carbenia (L), Assistant Director of the Stark Co EMA toured our Field Day event.
The new pneumatic mast with antenna's ready for deployment
N8ATZ Explains our Field Day Setup to Stark Co EOC Deputy Director Brian Carbenia and Stark Co Red Cross Emergency Services Staff
Our GOTA Station staffed by Scott - KC8ZCT, Sarah - KC8ZCS and Sarah's Dad Steve - KD8ACF
Visitors to the CW Station Scott - N3JJT (L), Wade - WD8MIU and Steve - KD8ACF -------------------------------------------------
Stark County Parks & Recreation Department (our hosts for Field Day) Chief Dan George paused for a picture while taking it all in !
WA8GXM & K8INN Setup the CW Station Mast
The CW Beam Antenna is ready to launch !
The CW Station is up and going !
Time to setup EComm 1 - Our Main Phone Station
Time to make some contacts !
The Main Station Antenna Assembly
The Phone Station Beam Antenna
Phone Station Beam Ready to Launch !
Old Glory Flies Proudly over our Field Day Site
Our Newest Club Flag Thanks to Don - W8DEF
Come On Gang, Is It Time For a Break Already ?
OK Already, Do We Have to Hold These Guy's All Weekend ?
Next Comes the Information Table to Setup
Back to EComm 1 for the Main VHF Tower
Alright Everybody, One, Two, Three - Heave !
Haven't I Seen This Image at our Nations Capital ?
The Information Table Ready for Visitors
Our CW Secret Weapon - The Mighty Igor, K8INN
Igor With Logger Charlie, KB8STV Racks Up Contacts
The Phone Station With Scott, KC8ZCT Logging and
Gary, WC8W Op.
Gary Logs While Igor Racks Up More Contacts !
Dan, N8DZM Working Satellite During Field Day
The Satellite Antenna Array
The Tower Setup on EComm 1
The Business End of the VHF Station Setup with Operators Gary, KC8IHR, Jim, WA8GXM and Aaron, K8ARN. Contacts were made on 2 & 6 Meters
The Phone Station Operators Were Always Busy
The GOTA Station with Sandy, K8FUN & Byron, KF8UN
Not The Biggest Antenna At Field Day But Close !
Time to Hoist The Blimp With an 80 Meter Longwire and ATV Camera
W8NP Airship Lifts Off From Pad 9
Field Day Is Also About Antenna Projects. Here Don Explains His New UHF Mini Beam Antenna
The Annual Field Day Feast Is Started By Head Chef Dan, N8DZM
Club member Tim - WB8HHP of the Perry Police Department, one of our Served Agencies, stopped by to survey the station setup.
Don - W8DEF gets ready for the coved Field Day dinner bell !
Nighttime Operation From W8NP
Hey Dale, Do You Need Any More Antennas ?
Aaron, K8ARN Logs Our VHF Contacts
Sarah & Scott Enjoyed The GOTA Station. Sarah Snagged Our 100th Contact Sunday Morning
The MARC has been participating in Field Day almost as long as we have been an organized club and probably even before that. Pictured below are a few clips from Field Day past that I found in my archives. Some of you may recognize some of the participants, it may even be you !
THE END !
This page was last updated on 12/31/09 Site best viewed in 800 x 600 Resolution
2010 MARC |
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