Field day is an amateur radio event held annually across the United States
and Canada the fourth full weekend in June. This event promotes the
hobby by increasing the awareness of amateur radio, testing and honing the
skills of the operators to making contact points for each communication link
established during the 24 hour event, practicing emergency preparedness by
running stations on battery power and in remote locations, setting up antennas,
radios and operating a variety of modes. Modes are the various ways
used by amateur radio operaters to communicate messages. These modes
include voice, computer links, photos, TV, APRS and CW.
We locate in an area on the Mogollon rim, near Happy Jack, AZ.
The campground is equipped with lots of space to setup and camp with tents,
RVs or in the back of your Explorer.
The first step is to layout the dipole antenna kits, run fishing lines over
the trees, feed string back over the trees, then pull ropes back across the
trees to hold up the dipole antennas. We assembled 80, 40, 20
and 15 meter antennas.
Here is the 15 meter dipole for station #2. A coax runs up the middle
to the antenna which runs 10 feet in both directions from the middle. The
ends are supported by nylon ropes which are non conductive. The flagpole
in the distance cannot be used since the rules do not allow to use existing
or permanent structures.
On the air! Dusty is logging the entries using a laptop computer and
Eric is adjusting the radio getting ready to make his first contacts on station
#1.
The boys are playing football while the girls are playing on the swingset
and the sand pile.
Mark and Clark are manning station #2. Clark is using single sideband
(SSB) voice on 15 meters. SSB is a very efficient mode for voice communication
because the bandwidth is only about 2 KHz which allows hundreds of people
to be using the frequency allocation amateurs have on the 15m band. This,
however, is still a challenge, since over 1000 amateurs around the country
are competing during field day during a 24 hour period.
Erik's 40m inverted dipole uses a two center posts to support the middle
of the antenna. The dipoles are attached down near the ground by strings.
A second dipole is placed behind the first one and reflects the energy
from the first one. This concentrates the majority of the energy toward
the easterly direction thus boosting the efficiency of the communication links
in direction of the majority of our anticipated contacts.
Since we run 2A category, we are allowed a third station that runs on the
6m band. At 50 MHz, between TV channels 6 and 7, 6m is more of less
a direct line of sight communication link than a broad band link across
the country as with the longer wavelengths of 10m to 80m. This band
is challenging and requires loads of patience in getting those rare DX contacts.
Joe logging another contact on the 6m band.
The 80 m dipole is 120 feet long. The middle is supported by a rope
between the two trees near station #1.
Station #1 is inside the white tent. The solar panels keep the batteries
charged during the day. Station #2 is in the distance on the right.
The 6 m station is located in the middle near the camper in the background.
Paul proudly displays the W7MOT banner during field day.
The MARCA field day group included Clark, Paul, Joe, Mark, Pat, Paul, Ron,
Bill, Erik and Don (WA7RLL, our most capable leader).
The willow fire, near Payson, AZ, could be seen as we drove back to
the valley. Wildfires in Arizona are quick to start and incredibly awesome.
This fire is burning in a remote wilderness area in the Matzalzal mountains
across from Mt Ord.
