Planning and preparations for Winter Field Day are now underway.
We will again meet at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, Bald Eagle Pavilion, for this annual event. This is one of the two largest and most popular nation-wide events in Amateur Radio. We hope for a large turnout for this event—both club members and interested non-members alike are cordially invited.
This event will begin at 8 AM Saturday January 27 with the setup of our 3 HF operating stations (SSB, CW, and digital) and antennas. In addition, we will have a UHF/VHF station and we hope to have an active satellite station as well. The event will continue uninterrupted through mid afternoon Sunday, January 28. Actual radio communications will occur for 24 hours, from 2 PM Saturday through 2 PM Sunday.
Attendees will be given opportunities to get on the air during the contest on our SSB station, and if well acquainted with CW and/or
PSK-31/RTTY, on those stations as well.
Additionally we plan to have one or more VHF Fox hunts on site. Bring your handheld radio to participate. If you don’t have one available, we may be able to provide a loaner or two.
For demonstrations we will have an active, hands-on magnetic loop antenna display which should be of great interest to those who wish to operate on HF from HOV residences, etc., with limited antenna possibilities. There will also be additional displays, such as a live monitor of our QSO activity and a working demonstration of our remote HF station.
Those who wish can stay overnight and take advantage of increased radio availability in the wee hours. You must provide your own camping-style accommodations for this , whether with a tent, camper (parking should be ample), or on the pavilion floor (air mattress or cot highly recommended).
Restrooms will be available, and food/drinks will be available upon registration. We will provide the details for that on a future announcement and on our website at www.w4bug.org .
Questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed by Joe, NX4T at mcgee3543@bellsouth.net .
Hope to see you there.
Joe McGee, NX4T
GCARA Vice President, Field Day Chairman.