Well, another Field Day is over. I heard a lot of very nice comments, both in person and via social media. People are impressed with the size and scope of our presence. And it IS impressive, from the big tent, to the 20 stations, the antenna farm, members working satellite passes, visits from Boy Scouts and even our Congresswoman. I’ve never been to another club’s Field Day, but I did see a lot of Field Day photos on Facebook. Nothing I saw even comes close. I posted some photos to CVARC’s Facebook page at the end of Day 1, and then I shared the post with a couple of ham radio-related Facebook groups. Ultimately, the post was shared a total of 18 times, reaching a total of 6,265 people, as of July 15.
I’m reluctant to single people out for fear of forgetting someone, but I wanted to thank the Field Day planners, those who brought the tent, trailer and generator, the people who helped with set-up and tear-down, the band captains, those who set up the computer network, the people who came later in the day and worked through the night, the problem solvers, the people who kept us safe and safeguarded our equipment, those who brought food and drink, and those who brought family and friends. Field Day is truly a team effort. Thank you all!
At the end of it all, CVARC and its 20 stations scored a total of 6018 point, with 2768 QSO points and 3250 bonus points. Wow! I don’t know about you, but I came away from Field Day feeling invigorated, and with a new excitement to get on the air.
Enter 13 Colonies. Yes, I spent more than a few hours, between July 1 and July 8, trying to work 13 specific stations representing the original 13 colonies, and their two bonus stations. I was able to get 11 of the 13, and four of those were by using CW. It’s certainly harder for those of us on the west coast, especially if you’re only using 100 watts. But being able to use modes other than phone is definitely helpful. Two of the 11 have already confirmed on Logbook of the World. I’m still waiting on the others, some of which I still need for Worked All States. When did this become one of my goals?
I also added all the State QSO parties to my calendar. It’s a lot easier to make contacts when there are more operators on the air. The Maryland-DC QSO Party is on August 11 and 12. Hawaii, Kansas and Ohio start on August 25. Can’t wait! Who’s in?
73,
Stu-KK6VYS