Tiny Elephant's Contest CornerThe Latest Contest News -
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Tiny Elephant's Contest CornerThe Latest Contest News -
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Field Day 2000 for NARC is going to be different in a lot of ways compared to what it has been for many years. Throughout the 90s NARC has led the country in pulling together the largest Field Day group anywhere. We proved that we knew how to operate too, winning Field Day outright 4 years in a row. Years of setting up in the same field with the same crew and the same equipment have allowed us to build up the efficient operation necessary to sustain the magnitude of our exercise. Our crew of operators devised new tricks each year to coax more contacts out of the bands. The kitchen and meals have grown substantially from “field flies” and pancakes to a Saturday night feast that makes it hard to jump up and run back to operating.
The first Field Day of the new millennium finds NARC operating from a new site with a new set of challenges from site survey, station layout, power grid lay down, and new kitchen crew. It will also be the first Field Day in 10 years without Buzz, KA1MOJ, our gracious host who passed away in February. Those of you who are new to NARC can check the April 2000 NARC Bulletin column by Mike, K7CTW, to find out how much Buzz meant to the club. It seems only right that Fletch, N1MEO, Field Day Commander wants to dedicate this year’s Field Day to Buzz.
Field Day 2000 will be held at the Hollis High School just a few blocks from Buzz’s farm. Fletch and company have done some initial surveys of the area and picked out tower locations. It is going to take a lot more than us “old-timers” to make Field Day a success. A lot of us find ourselves working a lot more hours than we care to. I know that I won’t be able to spend the whole 3 days supporting Field Day as I have in the past for work-related reasons. I’m willing to set up a station for one of the bands and let a new club member get his feet wet operating in a contest. I’ve had the honor of operating from several super contest stations, including being the other end of a pileup, so I’m willing to give someone else a chance.
At each club meeting I find that the club total membership has increased. In a club the size of ours, it is easy to feel intimidated and edged out by the regulars. Hey, you got a mouth, use it. How about stepping up to participate in Field Day? We can use folks who let their fingers do the talking, talk as fast as K1NR, have ears like N1NYT, design antennas, bench press 300 pounds, climb towers regularly (or would like to) - in short, everyone in the club.
The list of activities for Field Day is as varied as amateur radio itself. Top Band enthusiasts can tackle the challenge of making contacts during the current sunspot peak when the high bands are cooking. This looks like the year to rack ‘em up for 10 and 6 meters so a lot of folks who have been limited to these bands can have their place in the sunspots. Avid VHFers can enjoy harvesting contacts with most of the New England metropolitan areas from our QTH. Early-morning ducting over greater distances may also be possible if conditions are right. If you like HF and VHF, why not try your hand at communicating with the OSCAR satellites? Packet enthusiasts can digipeat through nearby peaks. Amateurs interested in APRS, ATC, or SSTV can set up a demonstration of these modes to give the club some bonus points.
NARC has been fortunate over the years to have the resources and the commitment from members to make the most of these opportunities. The year 2000 finds us faced with a new set of challenges after years of a cozy arrangement. In the spirit of Field Day, lets make this year’s event one that Buzz would be proud of.
73, de K2TE