Ham Radio Annual Field Day

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Not this year, but have many times. One year a group of us camped in the middle of nowhere New Mexico and had a blast with field day. Most years, at a park with a group of us and alot of barbeque going on. We sponsored Kid's Day in New Mexico three different times and used our preschool building. That was also fun.
 
There is one going on in my area, but not really very close to me, in a park. There is camping available. I am house sitting with two dogs or I might consider going over. Actually, I might go over. We are predicted to get rain, but I like being out in rain. Time will tell if I go or not.
 
I wondered how many of you are ham radio operators
I have the lowest level license - Technician - but I am not active much. I only have handheld VHF/UHF radios. And only do FM voice. I'm a member of the Longmont club ("LARC") and attend many, but not all, of their meetings. Which unfortunately are still mostly on Zoom video calls. I won't be going to Field Day, even though LARC is doing a club gathering for it.

I was in the middle of a LARC class for my General license when covid hit, and the class was canceled. And it still hasn't been rescheduled. In the meantime, I have lost interest somewhat. If/when they reschedule classes, I will be up for getting my General license. I could just read the book, study a little, and pass the test. But that is not appealing to me. Since I'm not into HF (yet), General doesn't gain me anything. But the classes LARC runs are not simple book-learning, instead they are lots of hands-on work and practical work with radios. So you really learn a lot beyond just what is needed to get a specific license. A hands-on class would no doubt spark my interest to set up an HF rig and up my game. But right now, bleh, I just have no interest in doing that on my own after book learning to upgrade my license.
 
I'm going to try try to get out. There's at least one station near me. I did put together a mobile setup with my G90, Chameleon EMCOMM III antenna, a 16aH battery, and solar panels/charge controller.

Here's how you can find nearby field-day stations: Field Day Station Locator

Haertig, I strongly encourage you to get your General and get on HF. It's another world from FM on VHF/UHF and gives you a lot more options to set up emergency communications. If you can't attend a class in-person, you might benefit from HamStudy.org: Cutting edge amateur radio study tools. That's what I used to get my tech and general. It's free and effective.
 
My area is running 3 locations, One in a park, and 2 EOC stations, one at Red Cross EOC and one at the County EOC

I'll be running a class D station for at least a couple hours, and class E for a bit sometime during the event, and I'll stop by the park location and shoot the breeze for a bit.

Might even run into @kd4ulw on the air, we have contacted each other on HF :)

If somebody wants to see the rules, they are here: Field Day Rules
 
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Field day is a good time for Hams with a tech license, or one who hasn't gotten into HF yet to check out what HF can do. Non Hams are welcome as well. Wh en I ran our EmComm group we held a Field day event on most years and always set up a station for non ham folks to work. Seemed to always get a few try it out and an occasional one would go for their license afterward.
 
I don't operate anymore and sold off all my own designs and self-built 1950s-style homebrew station several years ago. I am still licensed but see no reason to operate. I have been an extra class for 45 years and licensed for almost 60. I built my first radio at age 6. My dad and some of his cousins were hams and all builders and designers. I was never one much for talking other than CW. I operated mostly high-power AM until I gave it up. When living in the mountains and homesteading, I used a homebuilt qrp xcvr since it was 12 volt. With a 4-wave length V beam at 40 meters, I could work the world.
 
I don't operate anymore and sold off all my own designs and self-built 1950s-style homebrew station several years ago. I am still licensed but see no reason to operate. I have been an extra class for 45 years and licensed for almost 60. I built my first radio at age 6. My dad and some of his cousins were hams and all builders and designers. I was never one much for talking other than CW. I operated mostly high-power AM until I gave it up. When living in the mountains and homesteading, I used a homebuilt qrp xcvr since it was 12 volt. With a 4-wave length V beam at 40 meters, I could work the world.

Welcome, and impressive.
 
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