One Field Day experience

[AC0PR]

I thought I'd share my latest FD experience and post it and hopefully generate some more posts. This site is a great idea, although we need some more activity, so feel free to comment!

While WB7SGL listed Field Day as a possible "how to" subject, I'm not sure I want to label my particular experience as a "how to." But, this is what I did for 2011 Field Day:

I decided I needed to go out to someplace not really familiar and far away enough from home that I couldn't just hop in the pickup and go get something missing--to make myself plan out a little bit better and make it more realistic for an actual deployment. I wanted to be completely independent for power, equipment, etc. just to see if I could do it and be fine. I just had Saturday, so no plans for an overnight stay. So, I made a list of things to bring which included the following: Screened shelter, table, chair, stocked cooler, solar generator (I put it together, would include photo if I figured out how), radio (I use a Yaesu FT-857, small, easy to move--also had an HT), tuner, power supply, antenna (had a few, but opted for G5RV), headphones, coax, cw keys (with homebrew switch to change to different ones), computer for lookup/logging, Signalink USB (for digital, but didn't end up using it), clip board (with paper log, dupe sheets, band plan, map, cw cheat sheet, etc.), misc. tools for setup, and my radio bug-out bag (I keep a day pack with extra rope, coax, tools, connectors, cw key, wire, ladder line, tapes, markers, HT batteries, notebooks, etc.). There was probably more, but that's the basic list.

As I was going to be running off of my solar generator, I wanted to run qrp to not overly drain my deep-cycle marine battery in the solar generator. Plus I've been working on getting much better at cw, so decided to just stick with that during Field Day. The generator (80 watt panel) did great with the radio and the computer, as well as charging my phone. I got to my chosen place a few hours before the official time started for setup. Glad I did, I ended up needing almost all of it .The antenna was the main issue, I was going to use a tree to get it up, but kept getting hung up. I finally hooked into a horiztonal pole at the end of a light beacon. Since then I have acquired poles to be self-supporting.

I played search and pounce the whole time since I wasn't willing to try and pull out really weak signals with the local qrm I had. I ran at 5 watts for the duration which ended up being only about 3 hours of actual on-the-air time. I made 50 contacts and had a blast. Nothing impressive, but I was happy to have done it myself, run qrp, use my homebrew solar power generator with success, and have a good time.


You can see a photo of FD 2011 for AC0PR's station on qrz at http://www.qrz.com/db/AC0PR.

Thanks and 73,
AC0PR

[wb7sgl]

Ok, Michael, you totally rock!

I didn't make it out this year, too much going on and couldn't clear my calendar.

Your setup is great! I too am using a solar generator but I need a larger panel and a higher quality charge controller. I learned this spring that the charge controller sips power while not being charged, I left the battery in the garage disconnected from the PV panel and when I went to use it, it was down to 10V .

I built a go-kit recently that deserves it's own post, when I get it up here I'll reply to this with a link to it. I am excited to get to use it real-time I joined Colorado ARES District 24 and am looking forward to some public-service deployments.

Glad to hear such good work getting done! You are an inspiration and your post is a great addition to the site, thanks for taking the time to share the information!

If you want to attach files to posts, you can use the "Attach:" feature below the text area, it's in the "Attachments and other options" section. Once an image is attached to a post, you can copy it's link, edit your post and add the image inline.

73 and RWH!
WB7SGL
Rob

[wb7sgl]

As promised, I added my write-up of my Go-Kit so here's the link.

Rob