[3830] NERDS Field Day

[ROBERT PENNEYS]

I could go on forever but I'll spare you.  Suffice it to say that after an
enforced year off, when I went to ICOM and sidekick NY3C's daughter got
married last FD, we returned to the site of our victories. WX fabulous, 
took a new FT-920 from the store. Put up familiar 3 el 40 m wire beam and
a Fritzel, vertical for a spare never went up, variety of 6 and 2, a 706,
packet.  Yours truly proves conclusively for all time that he is an idion
or idiot for a change by not testing laptop bought at Timonium in Feb on 
12v car battery. It promptly dies after one hr reserve. Go to paper log then
steal computer off packet. The 920 had decided to have no tx. This is after
staying late at work to learn it and set up menus, etc. Suspected low voltage,
batteries. Furious ride back to store; worked there. Go figure. The guys had
wanted to keep it there to listen to strong signals on FD and had been 
reasonably obstructive on my taking it out. Chris K1SI having taken our MP
to N1NH. Took the 920 back to FD just to spite'm, as well as a 570 and an
870.

Moving right along. Our guys, being used to 440s, 940s and whatnot, didn't
like the Yaesu, particularly the rx audio. Who knows. Swapped it out in
the middle of the night with a 570 which they liked a whole lot better.
Had suckered in a satellite op and his whole stn who had stopped by the
store at 4PM Friday for a plug or something. He managed to work some 2M
but no birds. We attacked RS-12 relentlessly with many a squabble among us
but no soap. High point of FD, on last pass abt 1 PM Sunday, having tried
desperately on both CW and phone, manage to get one Q. Took two of us, one
to shout, one to turn VFO. At that point I had made everybody else shut up
so it was suitable NERD drama.

Visited local MD redneck repeater to the the guys I shoot with sometimes.
Took a couple teenage hams. Top off jeep, radio blasting (music that is).
Got there, they were having a great time, big setup, log on paper, cooking
who knows who ran over what for dinner. Thought I would sit in on some 
redneck CW. Try sending WA3SFJ manually for a while.

Had a great turnout by local nutcases and supporters. Rich N3YNP, unique
character to say the least, in his beautiful restored 42 Hudson with some
kinda mega stainless hand-made bugcatcher, 706 and mini-Airstream-like
trailer. Crabby co-NERDS, Chrysler autoworkers NY3C and WA3DCG. Legendary
scapegoat N3TU. Coupla guys who I had dragged from the store, were passing
thru from Chicago, you get the idea.

In any event, we proved we really sucked and got 321 Qs on CW, 349 on
phone, 1000 bonus points for abt 6K points even. 200 Qs down from last
time. If anyone else ever wanted to run hard on 80/40 CW, it would be
another story, but with this crowd it'll never happen. People gotta tune
various bands, work phone or whatever.

We survived our third Field Day, had a great time, gorgeous weather ( I
wanted to operate under the sun but they made me move the table back
under the shelter), great turnout and help from all. Guess we're stuck]
with the thing.

Tnx to all and N.E.R.D.S. forever!! Oh, we used our new call, W3TT....


Bob



          Bob Penneys, N9GG (recently WN3K)   Trustee, W3TT, W3JJ
                         As Seen in July QST! Eek!
        Frankford Radio Club - Perennial #1 Worldwide in Contesting
   Sales Manager, Ham Radio Outlet, Delaware - World's Largest Ham Dealer
 tel: (800) 644 4476      fax: (302) 322-8808     e-mail: rgp at hamradio.com

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