Field Day 2010 - Day 1 - Viola, ID

We had a fabulous weekend for Field Day 2010. Temperatures in North Idaho were in 70-80F with bright blue, clear skies and nary a raindrop in sight.  Woohoo!

Since I belong to 2 clubs in the Moscow-Pullman area I decided to participate with both clubs this Field Day. So on Saturday I joined my fellow hams in the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories radio club (K7SEL).

We set up shop at N7CE in Viola, ID. Great location with lots of room to spread out, set up an antenna farm, rigs and other assorted Field Day gear. I arrived at about 0830 PST to get things started.

Here are Joseph and Ron getting a station and logging terminal set up set up in N7CE's "shack":

Feed lines run in through the wood insert in the window on the left. Battery power was on the floor, right below the laptop.

We operated phone, CW, and PSK-31 on Saturday and did a credible job, once some minor battery charging issues were resolved.

Got the chance to help set up antennas, rigs, feedlines and more. Really enjoyed it.

Here are a few more photos of set up and operating at N7CE:







Here is one operating position just about ready to go. Just had to run feed lines in from outside.

As for antennas, we had quite a range.

Below you'll see a nifty telescoping fibreglass pole we made into a 40 meter vertical. Light winds made it a cinch to set up and guy and it did a credible job for us, though not quite as good as the ladder line-fed dipole that was rigged up.

Here's the fibreglass vertical, ready to go, complete with pink safety strips to avoid "clotheslining" problems. Note the amazing view out beyond.

We had a small crew throughout the day on Saturday. We typically had a two-man team running on 40 and 20m. One operator and one logger. 

We would alternate between phone and CW when we rotated operators and loggers. 

We had one visitor to the station, see below, so we had an opportunity to show a non-ham what ham radio is all about and how the Field Day worked.

In the next photo, N7CE takes time to explain what all the fun is about to our visitor, Prasad. 

N7CE also had an opportunity to QSO with his brother who I believe was in New Mexico. 

At about 1700 PST I had to head home at attend to things on the homefront.

Just before I left we took some time to get the 6 meter antenna up for the night crew. 

The next photo shows the 6-meter antenna before we got her raised up. 

 Here's the 6 meter antenna after we got it mounted and ready for action.

Had some great chow, thanks to N7CE and his friend.

This was my first real Field Day experience since I began in ham radio back in the 1960s. I had been to a couple of Field Days but had never actually participated like I did here.  What a blast!

Then I headed home to Moscow to get ready for my 0400 PST wake-up call and rendezvous with fellow Palouse Hills Amateur Radio Club members at the Latah County Fair Grounds just east of beautiful Moscow, ID.

Luckily for me, the fair grounds are in walking distance from my QTH.

For details of my Sunday Field Day adventures read the next post. 

73!

N7RCS over and out.