Ashe County Amateur Radio Club

My number one driver for the trip was my wife Rhoda. She also inherited the camera for taking these pictures. Thanks to Rhoda for helping
me during this years Field Day, "turn right Rhoda, I said right, no not here back there".

First stop Mecklenburg
City Of Charlotte, North Carolina
Ashe County Amateur Radio Club

Arrival Time: 9:30 a.m.

When I arrived they were having breakfast with their grill master being McDonalds. They had two operators assembling beams antennas but were on a breakfast break.

CW site when they tested it from this site had interference thus they moved the site about 200 yards from their current site. They are using a wireless set up for logging callsigns back to their master station a antenna designed by W4MLN - Marty. They had sever participates from different counties and a different state including a couple from Wilkes and a couple of folks from Virginia (5 miles) from the boarder participate in their FD, more folks to come around noon and thru out the night. They had media coverage in the local paper as well as the day before with a half hour slot of time on their local AM radio station on Ham Radio.

Plan to operating as a 3A station using HF, PSK, 6M packet, CW and 2 meter call in frequency for how to get to their location.

The Club President Ric, KI4DUR spent time with me and kept telling me that it was cool at their location and where I was going was going would be a lot hotter. Ric about convinced me to stay for their Field Day event and just enjoy the coolness of the air in the mountain. He kept telling me they were property available in their area and he might be able to get me in their Club. I ask him if the house were air conditioned he does know for sure but thought that someone may of had one on their area.

I hooked up with Adam-WK4P their Field Day Co-ordinator at the CW site. Again a number of folks working to get the station on line I was at this site for an hour and half. I really enjoyed myself and had a good time but overstated my visit so my driver (Rhoda) and I were off to the next Field Day site.

Soapbox for W4FD is now posted on the ARRL site. Score was 4066 and was submitted last night. Had operators from NC, TN, and VA, longest distance traveled to operate with us was 125 miles (Danny KI4UAQ).

Left Click on the mouse will enlarge the pictures.

W4MLN - Marty
Wireless guru and big on antennas

Adam WK4P, at least he's good for something. Jim W4UX the CW guru, club Prez

Rick KI4DUR

Adam is the 24 hour wire holder. The team
said that all that is required is fan him, feed him, and give him short potty break

Paul - KD4OZI
A.S.E.C. Western Branch