FIELD DAY 2020

FIELD DAY 2020 - COVID19 2020 GAME CHANGER

No secrete here, the COVID19 concerns have impacted everything to include some of our Ham Radio activities.

One of my favorite is the Annual Field Day event held every June.

This year I should have been set up on Mt. Bigelow just North of Tucson Arizona at a cool 8900'. Covid19 was not going to impact this weekend trip, however our local Bighorn Fire at greater than 100,000 acres did. Back up plan was to travel about an hour North to the Picacho State Park. History has it this was the furthest west the Civil War had exchanged gunfire. Look it up.

Not long ago, my Brother KI7OFN as well as my Son KI7LLD and I had hiked Picacho Peak for a SOTA event, of course that was in Feb., a bit cooler and I was younger. Be Careful on this mountain if you decide to go. Almost cant carry enough water and there have been several who have died trying to make it back to the car.

Brutal 24hrs in the field.

111* in the shade

134* off the parking spot black top

Dry wind out of the west at about 40mph.

MFJ Big Ears antenna would not tune, was way too hot to even bother with.

Set up the ATAS120 on the 857D at ground height, worked OK but not what I wanted.

Steak in the cooler? Spoiled due to head off the lid even though the beer floated in cold ice.

Did enjoy a nice QSO on 6m with K7EME for about an hour. He is local net control for the Sidewinders on Two group in Arizona 144.250 Sunday mornings at 8:30am. Had I not had such a rough night I would have made sure to check in on 2m with the ELK antenna at 23'. Next time Doug.

Luckily I did have 110v available. Called it quits, hooked up an electric fan and called it a night. The air rolling across a good sweat is actual cooling.....

Up at 5am Sunday, packed in no time and sitting at the Dairy Queen just up the road enjoying a peanut buster parfait. Yep, I love field day.

Until next year, 73 everyone.