Field Day June 2015

Not being part of any club at this point, I planned to see the activity from where I was this weekend. My family has a boys camping trip every June on the last weekend in June every year. We've been doing so for over 35 years! 40+ family members, 2-80 years old. This year it was WET! very WET!!

I was planed  to bring my HT (Baofeng UV82) and my FT 817nd to test out from the wilds of Neversink NY. I brought all my antennas to try out. The weather wasn't very cooperative. With the Sun doing its thing for the past two weeks I didn't expect the bands to be in the best of shape. I had no computer setup, everything came out of a small bag... Really portable.  For antennas I had the extended rubber duck to the HT, and my 2M JPole and mag mount dual band for the truck.

2M wasn't the best... Although there is a repeater in the area, I wasn't able to pick up anything. I was running Simplex but I think the HT wasn't setup for the repeater. I did hear one or two on 2M but too weak to make contacts.

I still haven't been able to hear anything on 2M on the 817... I'm suspecting a dead 2M band on the radio. So far Ive only been able to notice receive function that the is dead. This week Ill try to test the xmt output, to try and narrow down the issue. The other bands showed signs of reception, the S meter was. Still getting all the pieces needed to function portable. Before I mount the mag antenna on the roof and run the cable permanently I need to get a cap for the base for weather protection...

But the weekend was wet... VERY wet... rained Sat and Sun... so my first field day effort was all of a half hour. Next year if I reach my goals... I'll be doing HF and morse... at least SSB...  So the TO DO list grows for my Ham Radio hobby.... more antennas, finish the manual tuner kit I just got, install the mag mount 2M/70cm antenna. Think about a mobile antenna for HF, setup a portable HF longwire, make a 70cm jpole, this time with twin lead, get a laptop or UDOO/Raspi running Linux for field use. I have an old Osborne 1 waiting to be converted into a field box for all sorts of radio use. I have all sorts of ideas for antennas..I Want to keep it light for the beginning so I can also backpack to a location of choice. Then a transportable for the truck... using a tire base plate to mount a vertical (screwdriver like antenna) or a better longwire arrangement.