Folow-up on Field Day

Well, it's over. Another Field Day done and put away. The setup takes as much as a whole day before start to get things into place. There are radio positions to determin and folding tables or picnic tables to locate and place. There the antennas to be strung between trees or poles, or where ever the ends of two wires can be attached. Then there is the power sources, usually portable generators, but sometimes batteries or solar panels. Generators need to be placed at a distance for safety and noise interference. Batteries and solar goes close to the radios. And then there's the food and cold drinks. Usually a BBQ is made up with pot-luck dishes brought, cakes and cookies and pies magically show up. Cold drinks - water and a variety of soft drinks - are iced down and set aside in large "Igloo" type coolers. A lot goes into this event. Yes, it's supposed to simulate an emergency, but since it's not, there's no need to be completely primitive.

At the end today, the take apart goes much faster. Most all of the food is gone, a few bottles of water are left, litter is picked up and disposed of, and all that's left is to take down antennas and disconnect radios. It goes much quicker than the set up.

One of the side benefits of participating in Field Day is the earning of points based on how many contacts are made. There is a weighted system of point earnings based on number of persons running a location, number of contacts per frequency used, distance of contact, and a couple of other ways to earn points. What does all this point earning get an individual or club. Nothing tangible, but bragging rights mean a lot to many of the participants. Being able to claim most points is a badge of honor. It lasts until next year, then everyone involved starts over.

However, some of the "Big Guns" always manage to get into the top rankings year after year. "Big Guns" are individuals or clubs who have extensive antennas, high power signal boosters, expensive radios, and a "go-for-the-throat" kind of attitude in making contacts. Some folks stay awake the whole time so they can stay on the radio. They eat sandwiches at the radio, take minimum potty breaks, and drink a lot of coffee. The two clubs I belong to are not Big Guns and have a relaxed attitude toward points. If they get points, fine. If not, oh-well, everyone had fun, and maybe learned something or polished their skills under less than perfect conditions.

So now we anticipate and plan for next year. We look over what went wrong and maybe how to prevent it next year. After all, this is a practice drill for a real emergency and things go wrong and ways to work around them are better found when it's not an emergency.

Well, I managed to stay out until about 01:00CDT. Late for me, but I got to both club locations and engage in a pleasant social intercourse with my fellow Hams. ._._.

Field Day

The annual amateur radio field day started at 13:00CDT this afternoon. It will run for 24 hours. During that time, many amateurs will make radio contacts with other amateurs world wide if conditions allow, in a simulation of an emergency. The idea is to see how well individuals and radio clubs can work without electrical power from the main grid, instead using batteries or portable generators, or even solar power. The antennas used are also set up as temporary devices. If there was an emergency in a local area amateurs can set up communications to areas unaffected and pass messages out and receive message back in assisting rescue efforts, law enforcement needs, first aid, and many other agencies providing support to citizens affected by the disaster.

Evidence of how effective amateurs are can be found in reports that came out of Katrina, the many on-going fires in California, floods in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and many, many other instances from the recent past and present. Amateurs have always been ready to assist their local communities in those desperate times. And now we are so much more dependent on computer operated systems of communications. From telephone companies and cell phones to law enforcement and local and state governments, all nearly grind to a halt when those systems fail. Amateurs with their radios and independent power can set up nearly anywhere and get vital info flowing to those needed agencies. And on top of all that, amateurs do it all for free.

So, I'm setting at home right now listening to the traffic on several frequencies. I have a couple of amateur radios since I'm a "Ham." My call sign is KD5MSW. Later today, I'll go out to one of the sites where a one of then clubs has set up and lend a hand at making contacts. I may wind up talking to someone in the next town, or across the state. If conditions are good, I may contact someone in Canada or Mexico, possibly somewhere in England or Europe.

When I go, I'll be sure to take plenty of water and bug spray. I'll stay late and try to stay awake while folks talk across the world all night. Time to grab a bit to eat and get ready. C U on the airwaves.

. _ . _ .