You are either already subscribed or there was an error
Your entry has been submitted
Sorry, your entry could not be submitted
Having a Field Day with Ham Radio
2009.06.27
Today was the annual "Field Day" with ham radio operators from all over the country. Whoever contacts the most operators in 24 hours wins. The South Jersey Radio Association rigged up a field and planned on being there non-stop. "Listen only" radios and postcards from around the world greeted visitors.
Click here to add text
Today was the annual "Field Day" with ham radio operators from all over the country. Whoever contacts the most operators in 24 hours wins. The South Jersey Radio Association rigged up a field and planned on being there non-stop. "Listen only" radios and postcards from around the world greeted visitors.
1
Unlike today's ever-shrinking electronics, in radio bigger is still better.
Click here to add text
Unlike today's ever-shrinking electronics, in radio bigger is still better.
2
The newbie camper.
Click here to add text
The newbie camper.
3
How to get air-conditioned campers in the field. Nice.
Click here to add text
How to get air-conditioned campers in the field. Nice.
4
A reference to the occupancy rate? (No, the outhouse wasn't really rigged up. Ham radio humor.)
Click here to add text
A reference to the occupancy rate? (No, the outhouse wasn't really rigged up. Ham radio humor.)
5
Jerry met us inside the newbie camper.
Click here to add text
Jerry met us inside the newbie camper.
6
Jon helped Steve make a few calls. "CQ Field Day, this is Whiskey Two Echo Alpha!"
Click here to add text
Jon helped Steve make a few calls. "CQ Field Day, this is Whiskey Two Echo Alpha!"
7
The newbie cheat sheet. Since there was a certain way to say things, and we didn't know what it was, it was a big help! Even with the cheat sheet we needed prompting from Jerry and Jon.
Click here to add text
The newbie cheat sheet. Since there was a certain way to say things, and we didn't know what it was, it was a big help! Even with the cheat sheet we needed prompting from Jerry and Jon.
8
Then it was my turn. I’m smiling so big because a photographer to my far right wanted to get my picture “for the publication.” I had just sat down - it was the first time that I had ever seen a ham radio - and he had entered the camper about five seconds later. I tried to duck but he said he wanted to get a picture of “the student.” So I posed. That was one fast promotion.
Click here to add text
Then it was my turn. I’m smiling so big because a photographer to my far right wanted to get my picture “for the publication.” I had just sat down - it was the first time that I had ever seen a ham radio - and he had entered the camper about five seconds later. I tried to duck but he said he wanted to get a picture of “the student.” So I posed. That was one fast promotion.
9
In another camper, some serious radio-ing was going on. Three operators in this camper were calling out to other operators non-stop. The signs refer to the wavelengths they were using.
Click here to add text
In another camper, some serious radio-ing was going on. Three operators in this camper were calling out to other operators non-stop. The signs refer to the wavelengths they were using.
10
Such a beautiful summer day (sans humidity) is rare here in NJ.
Click here to add text
Such a beautiful summer day (sans humidity) is rare here in NJ.
11
The obligatory shot of “loved one in front of a landmark.”
Click here to add text
The obligatory shot of “loved one in front of a landmark.”
12
Thanks to Jerry's help, I reached some operators from other states. What I didn't know at the time was that calls from newbies were part of the competition. Even with word-by-word prompts from Jerry, the lingo was still a bit hard to follow. "Q R Zed" meant "who is calling me?" The nice people out there who heard me say "carazay" (until Jerry spelled it) were very forgiving and replied, "Congratulations and welcome to ham radio."
