Hillsdale County Amateur Radio Club  

Notes From the Field Day Planning Session
May 25th, 2004

We had a good meeting last night and are getting our collective act pretty well together.  I just wanted to share some info. with you all and make a couple of requests.
 
We're planning on a Team Leader approach this year in order to more effectively utilize our volunteer manpower.  Dan will be in charge of the tower raising and he & Jeff K. will get the cyber-service set up; Jeff K. will also be overseeing the WiFi link; I'll be the "ramrod" [An appropriate designation for a gunsmith, eh?] for the interior layout (& we actually have a floorplan ahead of time this year!).
 
We're going to have two HF stations, which will be separated from each other to avoid crosstalk and confusion (headphones with splitters will help with this, too), a digital station and a 2M setup for local comm.  We'll have CW capabilities, should anyone be brave/foolish enough to give that a shot.  We're looking at packet for our demo. station and accepting any other ideas or suggestions.  While we're not planning a designated GOTA (Get On The Air) station, all of our rigs will be available to anyone interested in taking a crack at ham radio.
 
What we need are some specific volunteers for specific tasks, specifically - setting up the various stations and their respective antennas, as well as operating and logging.  Doug is going to bring (& assemble?) his GAP and Milt & I are experimenting with a practical use for that steel cable.  We're also going to have an operating schedule/signup sheet to spread the load (I mean, the fun) around some more.  We'll need some folks who'll be ready to start talking & logging at 2 p.m. on Sat. - while others will still be finishing setups and making that 2nd (3rd?) run back home for the whatchamathingie they forgot - and we'd like to get some of you "night owls" lined up for the graveyard shift.  Sunday morning (before, after or instead of church) is another good time to join in the event, and we can always use another hand or two with teardown, packup, cleanup and transport.
 
The schedule thus far is as follows -
 
8 a.m.:  breakfast at Sigman's for those so inclined (assuming you packed up the night before!)
9:30 - 10: unloading and arrangement of equipment
10 : start settin' up!
2 p.m.: commence Field Day operations, continuing until
2 p.m. Sunday: shut 'er down and start the disassembly and repacking; tidy up the place and head for home
 
Dan plans on having his trailer there for naps and whatnot, but we'll be on our own for meals and refreshments.  All donations (including having family members make a pizza, sub, burger or whatever run) will be greatly appreciated.  We'll have a table and cooler with munchies and pop & water, but don't count on the professional, in-house catering we enjoyed last year.
 
I've got enough folks lined up to send in the T-shirt & pin order, so anyone else who's interested should let me know ASAP.  See http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?category=Pins%2C+Patches%2C+Maps%2C+Gift+Ideas+%26+Supplies...&words= - top for more info. (& I noted that the 3XL shirts are back in stock); you can also get pins from past years, in case you missed out on commemorating past participation.
 
I'm Attaching our flier/info. sheet (in both color and B&W versions, depending upon your generosity and capabilities) for duplication and distribution.  These are also useful when soliciting donations and publicity.
 
Please contact Dan or I with any requests, suggestions, ideas, donations or voluntary offerings.  73  KC8PMC