Category Archives: Field Day

Club and member activities related to the Nashua Area Radio Club’s Field Day operations.

Activities, Field Day, On The Air

Field Day 2024 Presentation Tuesday June 4th

Greetings All, this coming Tuesday June 4th, we will be discussing the Field Day 2024 setup and activities.

Please join us Tuesday 7PM.  We will be going over the site layout, Schedule of events, Equipment layout, Field Day Bonus Points, and what to bring.  We’re planning on several youth activities, so bring the youth. OH, and FREE food.

What every, your level of license or experience we want to help you get on the air.  So please consider coming to the presentation and of course to Field Day.

If you can’t make the presentation, please mark on your calendar June 22 & 23 for Field Day.  We will start at 2PM and complete activities at 2PM on Sunday.  Please Sign up for operating times at:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tbsVtxvkATxNUlGudJ_fTZNDGHRvV3xQ4WDZpcxHo8s/edit?usp=sharing

At the Tech Night meeting on June 11th at 7PM we will focus on Field Day operations.

Tech Night will provide everyone with the knowledge of how to operate N1MM contact logging Software and we will also go over how to operate the radio.  The presentation will also include our Station Handbook.  It included cheat sheets for N1MM, radio controls, and how to make contacts. Also found in the handbook will be emergency shutdown procedures, and Safety guidelines.

Consider helping out with the setup that will start around 1PM on June 21st at the Hudson Memorial School.

Please don’t forget this is a CLUB (NARS & ARRL) sponsored event and encourages all of you to participate in the Field Day operations and setup if able.

Finally, if you can’t make Field Day in Hudson, NH, you can still help out the club by taking part in Field Day at home.  Any points you make can be used to help the club by putting “Nashua Area Radio Society” in the club field on your entry form.

Thanks,

Brian

W1XMM

Activities, Antennas, Education and Training, Field Day, General, On The Air, Station Equipment

NARS Winter Field Day Plans

Brian, W1XMM, has opened up his station for NARS members to operate Winter Field Day  (WFD) on Saturday and Sunday January 27th and 28th so that members can operate WFD with the club callsign, N1FD.  Brian’s station is in a great location, in Antrim, NH and should provide for some great operating.

What is Winter Field Day?

Winter Field Day is an annual event, sponsored by the Winter Field Day Association on the last full weekend in January to encourage development of emergency operating skills.  It is open to frequencies on the HF, VHF and UHF bands.  Here is a summary of the rules. The full rules can be found here.

  • All stations are limited to a maximum of 100 Watts PEP
  • QRP CW limit of 5 watts multiplier of 2
  • QRP Phone limit of 10 watts multiplier of 2
  • Each mode worked on each band counts as 1 multiplier
SteppIR DB18
SteppIR DB18 at W1XMM

W1XMM Station

The following stations and associated bands will be available at W1XMM:

  • SteppIR DB18 40/20/15/10/6m with an Elecraft K3S
  • SteppIR Vertical 80/40/20/15/10/6m with a Yaesu FT991a
  • Log Periodic 50MHz -1.2GHz
  • Inverted V: 80M and 160M (one cable out to both)
Log Periodic Antenna at W1XMM
Log Periodic Antenna at W1XMM

Great Opportunity for New and Experienced Hams!

This is a great opportunity for newly licensed or inactive amateurs to get some operating experience and a top-notch station.  Brian and other members will be available to coach those who are new to HF and VHF operating.

W1XMM Operating Equipment
W1XMM Operating Equipment

Emergency Communications

NARS member Jack Ciaccia, WM0G, who is also the ARRL New England Division Assistant Director for Emergency Communications and Public Service, is encouraging amateurs throughout New England to operate Winter Field Day to developer emergency operating skills.   

We have been challenged by the ARES group to also set up an NVIS antenna and communicate with other ARES operators at set times.  This would be both VHF/UHF and HF.  The ARES is going to use this opportunity to test their communication skills here in New England.

SteppIR Vertical Antenna at W1XMM
SteppIR Vertical Antenna at W1XMM

Join Us

Interested in joining us for Winter Field Day?  Please sign up by Thursday January 25th at 7:00 pm.  Here’s what you can do:

  • Sign up for operating times – See this Forum Post for the link to the sign-up sheet.
  • Join us on Thursday, January 25th  at 7:00 pm for our final Winter Field Day meeting.  See this Forum Post for the Zoom link.  Or contact Brian at [email protected] to get the details if you cannot make the meeting.
  • Show up at Brian’s QTH in Antrim before your operating slot.

 

Featured, Field Day, General, Space

Some Pictures from Winter Field Days Past

Winter Field Days past has been great for NARS over the years. We’ve taken many different approaches to doing it.

Winter Field Days Past
About To Stand Up Out Tower

We’ve used our towers and yagi antennas at many Field Days in the past. Sometimes, it’s been pretty cold and raw when we’ve been putting all of our antenna gear up.

Portable Satellite Ground Station

I really enjoy making contacts using satellites in space and we’ve used some of the satellite ground station equipment that I have as part of several Winter Field Day operations.

Want to learn more about Field Day? Check out our Field Day page. Brian, W1XMM is putting together a Winter Field Day operation for NARS members. You can learn how to join in the fun with Brian and the gang here.

Fred, AB1OC

Radio Amateurs Developing Skills Worldwide