[SCCC] N6MI Field Day report

Thu Jun 27 01:16:14 EDT 2024

For Field Day 2024, Tom's Garage ARC (N6MI) set up camp at Tecuya Mountain (Kern County, DM04, in the Los Padres National Forest).

Our 2A SJV team included: Tom, K6VCR; Drew, N7DA; Larry, NB6E; Chef, KN6OGP; Greg, KI6RXX; Shane, K1BTW; Broden (17 years old and promises to get his license soon); and Scott, N6MI.

We set up right next to a smooth dirt road about 1.5 miles from the nearest pizza joint. (Thanks for the pizza, Drew.) Many folks drove by our operation. We were visited by a few strangers, one SOTA ham, two park rangers, and (by invitation) a senior officer of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. We always had off-duty hams to chat with the visitors.

One primary station was set up in Tom's trailer (40/15).

The other primary station was set up in N6MI's converted television news van (80/20/10). See n6mi.com for photos of the van.

Six meters was operated from KN6OGP's trailer.

Two meters was operated from KI6RXX's truck.

We did not put up an antenna on 160.

We worked 5 hams on 80 CW, using 100 watts to an inverted vee.

We worked 203 CW and 66 LSB contacts on 40 meters -- using 100 watts to an inverted vee. Tom said that he missed the two element 40 meter yagi we have used in prior years.

We worked 641 CW, 1 FT8, and 341 USB contacts on 20 meters -- using 100 watts to a JK C3S triband yagi at 60 feet (two elements per band). This easy to assemble antenna was mounted on the pneumatic mast of N6MI's van.

We worked 415 CW and 589 USB contacts on 15 meters -- using 100 watts to a six element yagi at about 50 feet (on an AB-577 mast). Yep, six elements. Sweet.

We worked 26 CW and 47 USB contacts on 10 meters -- using 100 watts to the JK C3S triband yagi at 60 feet. Ten meters was tough going.

We worked 43 FT8 contacts on 6 meters -- up to 100 watts to a five element yagi at about 20 feet. Six meters never opened up.

We worked three FM stations on 2 meters.

We ran a GOTA station (N7DA). Shane and Drew made 389 contacts -- using 100 watts and a mutli-band Alpha Delta dipole. Their station was set up on a card table under a pop-up canopy.  N7DA served as the coach. Next year, Shane is moving over to a big station and Broden is going to (he says) get his ham radio license. Broden is 17 and has other commitments, but we want him to be ready to serve as the officer of the radio club at his college.

Did I mention the food? Chef set up a great spread for Friday's lunch and dinner. Then he cooked waffles on Saturday morning -- apples, strawberries, authentic maple syrup, and whipped cream were available. (Next year, how about fresh squeezed orange juice?)

And about that chatter on Field Day...

I don't recommend yet another change to the Field Day rules. There are plenty of folks to work during the contest. If a ham is happier working from home, I'm glad to encourage that ham to get on the air and work us all. But there more adventure in the field.

Thank you for the contacts.

73,

N6MI
J. Scott Bovitz
bovitz at bovitz.com