With Field Day coming this Saturday and Sunday, this will be our final update before the event. Contact the Field Day team if you have questions at fieldday@sbarc.org.
Set-up & Break Down:
The operations team and those planning to set-up their own station may begin work at 7:00 AM this Saturday. You may drive your vehicle onto the field to unload gear. If you do drive onto the field, please use the auto ramp located at the pedestrian cross-walk. Driving onto the curb/sidewalk at other locations may damage the concrete.
Once vehicles have been unloaded, please park in the “Palm” parking lot, just West of Chase Palm Field. Those planning to operate after dark Saturday may park in the small lot across E Cabrillo Blvd from our operating area – please contact Warren or Mike if you require nighttime parking.
Field day operations officially begin at 11:00 AM Saturday and end at 11:00 AM Sunday. We must be entirely vacated from Chase Palm Field by 3:00 PM. This will allow ample time to enjoy the Field Day picnic before we pack-up our equipment.
Operating Details:
We expect a good turn-out, nicely spread over the 24 hour operations window. And, we identified a third club transceiver so operators will have a choice of ICOM IC-7300 and Yaesu FTdx-10. What a good opportunity to compare two of the better transceivers on the market today!
Please bring your own Key if you plan to operate CW during the contest. You may also wish to consider bringing a pair of headphones.
As for logging QSOs, Jim – W6JFE, has prepared three laptop computers with N3FJP logging software. We will provide instruction sheets for N3FJP, as well as for the Field Day “QSO Exchange” (callsign is K6TZ, section is Santa Barbara (SB)). We will also have traditional paper logs on hand for those that prefer them.
For those operators licensed within the past year, as well as those that have not worked HF for a while, please plan to operate as a “GOTA” (Get On The Air) operator. GOTA QSOs bring a scoring bonus! Please ask Warren – KN6ZZI, Mike – K6QD, Jim – W6JFE or Michael – K6RQV for instruction. Hint: GOTA QSOs are worked the same as regular station but with using the callsign K6SBA, instead of K6TZ).
Public Relations:
Levi has issued a nice Press Release to the Santa Barbara media. And so, we may well be visited by news media, in addition to the general public.
Please wear your SBARC badge! Doing so make it obvious which of us are radio operators and club members. Wearing a badge will also lend an air of professionalism to our presence during Field Day.
Please bring your HTs. We will use them to coordinate amongst the group, and also to demonstrate our repeater network, in the event of public interest/inquiry.
We will have a public information table facing E Cabrillo Blvd. The table will help steer members of the public to a safe location (away from antenna masts, guy-lines, and feed-lines). The table will also hold reference materials on SBARC and amateur radio. Please encourage visitors to move to this location during conversation. Please also accompany visitors in the event that they wish to view radio stations & antennae.
If you will, please try and spend some time at the Public Information Table. This will help SBARC make best use of our time in the public eye.
Weather and Meals:
Sunny warm days and cool evenings are forecast. We will have sun-shades covering the club stations and public information table. Do bring sunscreen and hats though as you won’t be under cover all of the time. And, bring warm clothes if you intend to operate Saturday evening/night time.
Meals have been arranged for Sunday breakfast (JoAnn – KA6RPN is preparing breakfast burritos), and Sunday lunch (Steve – AK6CE is bringing a grill, hotdogs & hamburgers, and summer trimmings for our picnic lunch). Importantly given the sun, Les – KN6CKG, is bringing beverages! Given the relatively few participants on Saturday evening, we will order take-out food to suit preferences of those present. Please note that donations are encouraged to cover the costs of these meals – look for the donation box near the food service table.
