{"id":292,"date":"2015-06-26T14:42:52","date_gmt":"2015-06-26T18:42:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/k8cpa.com\/wp\/?p=292"},"modified":"2015-06-26T14:56:45","modified_gmt":"2015-06-26T18:56:45","slug":"field-day-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/k8cpa.com\/wp\/?p=292","title":{"rendered":"Field Day 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"2015
ARRL Field Day 2015 logo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is field day? Well, I will let the ARRL or the National Association for Amateur Radio explain it<\/a>:<\/p>\n

ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth
\nweekend of June of each year, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with
\nfriends to operate from remote locations.<\/p>\n

Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!<\/p>\n

It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles. While some will treat
\nit as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent
\nopportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency,
\nas well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.
\nThe contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio gear in
\nabnormal situations and less than optimal conditions.<\/p>\n

We use these same skills when we help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fund-raisers such as walka-thons;
\ncelebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums \u2014 these are all large, preplanned,
\nnon-emergency activities.<\/p>\n

But despite the development of very complex, modern communications systems \u2014 or maybe because they ARE so
\ncomplex \u2014 ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it
\nreally matters. Amateur Radio people (also called \u201chams\u201d) are well known for our communications support in real
\ndisaster and post-disaster situations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, I suppose you are wondering; how come you are not out somewhere operating with a club or in a tent? Well, the simple answer is, that I do not do well in tent situations and I really do not have the money to go get a camp site. Now, the reason why I do not operate field day with a local club is because at the local club around here<\/a>, you have to be a member to operate and you have to get on a list to operate.<\/p>\n

This presents a problem for me; because for one, I am not a member of that club, nor have I ever been and most likely will never be either. The other problem is, that I actually like to operate and not just sit around and look at a bunch of old people. I know Field Day is not a contest, but, it is an operating exercise; and not a sitting around looking at people exercise. Therefore, I choose to use my own station, at the house I live in. That class is 1D and I am in Michigan.<\/p>\n

Here’s a video of me, talking about my field day set up:<\/p>\n