A few  weeks ago, John, K3ON, Carl, W4EAT, Bill, K4VET, Paul, KD4OZI, and myself went to visit the widow of Marc Dworkin. Marc, WB2YSH, lived in Misenheimer and had most recently attended our 2004 December Christmas Party in New London. Tragically, Marc died of heart problems a couple of months ago.

We offered our help to his wife Marilyn in selling his equipment for a fair price. She accepted, and we spent two hours going through Marc's equipment and dismantling it. Marc clearly enjoyed Amateur Radio and had a nice shack. The job was not particularly difficult for us, but it was sad. By the time we had finished, all that was left were some bookshelves and other furniture. The only casualty was my arm which must have tasted sweet to a rather angry wasp.

Marc owned a good amount of equipment, and in the coming weeks we will be setting up an auction for his equipment. For some of the more valuable items, there will be a reserve. Those items not purchased by members of the club will be taken to a hamfest to sell. While it was an emotional task, I was proud of members of our club reaching out to aid a grieving widow. That day made me glad to be a ham and a member of SCARC.

K3ON and I had an enjoyable breakfast together at Breakfast Anytime in Albemarle before arriving at Chuck Morehead Park to assist in set-up. We were not the first at the Park.   W4KMA was already on site and in the process. As others, W4EAT, W4ALZ, K4MGA, KS4PG  N4NMS  WB4RGS arrived the equipment was strategically placed and testing began.  Everything was on location as promised and was working as expected.  Was it too good to be true?   NO!   It was a credit to the Field Day Team who got everything up and running, on time. AG4MB and WA4NLF were on hand to lend a hand.

Then the 24 hr Zulu said it was time to make contacts.  First team up was W4ALZ on phone and K3ON on logs.  The contacts flowed till the dynamic duo got to a point where they needed a break. (I was thinking they would go all afternoon long.)

AG4MB and WA4NLF made voice contacts and kept the log.

Then the dynamic duo were at it again.

NC Representative David Almond with his brand of 'Almond Joy' visited our site and observed first hand the scope and purpose of Field Day.  Later in the day The American Red Cross Executive Director, Jean Hendley, Stanly County Chapter stopped by for a visit.  We do thank them for their time and interest.

During the evening hours hams scattered about to eat.  Then the CW began. W9ZM was first up. He and KC4TDC adjusted the radios to accept the key and the dits  & dahs  chirped over the airwaves. Other night time operators and attendees included WB4RGS who used his own rig for CW, KE4KQQ, KD4RLH, KI4JDA, KI4BWS, KD4TLG, KD4OZI. And let's not forget W4EAT for his packet expertise. ( I sincerely hope I have not failed to acknowledge anyone who took part in this fun-filled Field Day. If I have, tell me, and please accept my apology.)

Sunday morning I was able to sample the coffee made by  KD4OZI.  Not too bad!  No wonder there was so much activity overnight.  And the contacts continued, right up to the 1800Z cutoff.

What happened next?  Take down, pack-up and clean up. (You know, actually leaving the shelter at the park cleaner than when we found it.)  WB4RGS and KE4KQQ moved tables and pushed brooms till the dust was gone. However,  I cannot tell you what KE4KQQ had to contend with to get a broom from the Park's pool house. But his perseverance was noted and his personal sacrifice appreciated by all those who helped in the final processes before vacating the Park.

What more can I say?  Perhaps I've said enough.

I had been able to attend a few Field Days in the past. In fact it was on a Field Day that I first met a few good hams including W4EAT and K4MGA who gave me a book 'Now Your Talking'. Shortly after, I became a Tech+, and things started happening. But Field Day 2005 was special because I was able to work with a terrific group of hams who actually made it happen. So a huge thankyou to all of you for a job well done. (But don't let it go to your head, boys.)

See you all on the nets.  And at Field Day 2006.  

Field Day Stanly County                  

                                                                                73,
                                                                 Bill Greene K4VET
                                                          Field Day 2005 Coordinator
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            The Log sheets Said
Call Used: K4OGB     GOTA Station Call: (none)     ARRL/RAC Section: NC     Class: 1A
Participants: 23     Club/Group Name: STANLY COUNTY  ARC
Power Source(s): Generator
Power Multiplier: 2X
Bonus Points:
  100% Emergency power                               100
  Media Publicity                                            100
  Set-up in Public Place                                   100
  Information Booth                                       100
  NTS message to ARRL SM/SEC                   100
  W1AW Field Day Message                            100
  Formal NTS messages handled - No.=16       100
  Site Visit by invited elected official               100
  Site Visit by invited served agency official    100
  Submitted via the Web                                   50
  Non traditional mode: PACKET                  100
  Non traditional mode: APRS                       100
                       Total Bonus Points               1,150

Score Summary:
                                   CW              Digital           Phone           Total
   Total QSOs              223                   0                 670
 Total Points               446                   0                 670   1116   Claimed Score = 2,232

Submitted by:
PAUL ROBINETTE, KD4OZI
833 HONEYSUCKLE LANE
MIDLAND,  NC   28107
E-mail: [email protected]

Comments:
(blank)

Band/Mode QSO Breakdown:
               CW          Digital      Phone
            QSOs Pwr(W)  QSOs Pwr(W)  QSOs Pwr(W)
      160m                                      
       80m                            271    100
       40m   33    100                280    100
       20m  190    100                119    100
       15m                                      
       10m                                      
        6m                                      
        2m                                      
      1.25                                      
     Other                                      
 Satellite                                      
      GOTA                                      
     TOTAL  223            0          670

-----------------------------------

Off to Gaston County
Arrival time: 12:54 P.M.
This ARES groups were truly worker bees.  All folks that I saw appeared to be busy setting up equipment and testing it out.  I missed Mike (KG4AWO) their E.C..  Mike was in his car pulling out of the parking lot off to get a backup generator.  Mike and I conversation was brief.  I did learn a lot about pulling up a tower (by watching), looks like that it requires a lot of pulling power.  Their packet was up and running.  Free hotdogs were being served to the worker bee's.  I talked with Milton (KC4YOT) and Gene (KC4IMC) both one of the AEC's.   I talk with them about what their expectation were for Field Day.  They hope to see a lot of their members and also hoped they would be a large turn out from the public for Field Day.  One of their goals was to get increase their chance of getting the public interested in Ham radio.  They of course what to expand the number of members in their ARES group.  They were not worried about points but hoped the experience of setting up antennas and equipment would be a good shake down for their ARES group for Field Day.  I also spent some time with their web master Paul (K4PJW).  End results, I took time to have a hot dog and a drink.  I had to look at the fire truck (big ladder job), the information booth as well as the equipment on hand. They had several community activities planned over the next 24 hours.  I did notice when leaving the Smoke House demonstration it, had nothing to do with barbeque.

Off to Union County.|
Arrival time: 2:09 P.M.
Nowhere near the size of Gaston county but they too had worker bees, busy and getting ready for their Field Day.  They had a late start but were making progress.  I talked with Steve (WA3RTC) the Field Day coordinator.  Steve introduced me to a couple of their newest hams.  I also spent some time talking with Vincent (KF4LVC) about antennas. two meter, 440 types.  Vince and Steve have been busy building a few antennas in the last several weeks.  Steve, was not worried about the 2:00 pm start time but was hoping for more folks to show up in the next 24 hours.

Cabarrus County
Arrival time: 4:58 P.M.
Cabarrus was set up at Fire Station # 3 and were in action.  My first view of the site was Barry (WD4ASW) attempting to make contact via satellite.  They also have their mobile trailer in action with Larry (K4CEB) making C.W. contacts.  The big, I again say big, RV that belongs to Cabarrus County, was in action.  Hosting their packet operations was Richard (W4LN) holding down the fort as the operator.  Compared to the outside temperature the RV must have been close to 45 degrees in temperature, poor Richard.  I did noticed that several of their ARES members came inside to get cold.  They were using a small crank up tower 80 feet in height as their main antenna.

Stanly County
Arrival time: 8:00 P.M.
New set up at one of the parks (Chuck Morehead) in Albemarle.  By the time that I had arrived it was starting to get dark and the day time operators were gone and the night time operators had started too arrived.  I talked with Bill (K4VET) the new EC of Stanly County as well as the Field Day Coordinator.  Bill said that they had a good day putting up the antennas and some what of a learning process on equipment set up.  They were running 1A.  Their packet station was set up and although points were a secondary it appeared that they were collecting lots of contacts.  I wished Bill good luck as I was somewhat tired and I was heading to the house, Bill reminded me that I had signed up for the night shift.  I explained the situation to Bill and he understood.  He said he would see me at 8:00 A.M. in the morning and handed me the microphone as he left for home.  Well they had a good turn out on the night time shift.  Two C.W. operators and several operators on the voice end.  For me it was a long, long night but a deserving one.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 I have been ask for my opinion on rating the Field Day efforts of the 6 county’s by a few of the counties involved in Area-12.  I knew from prior experience if I had to rate the groups it would be extremely difficult for me to rate each one and then compare their activities.  All the sites that I visited, the work was in progress and close to what they estimated their 2:00 pm first contacts.  Several sites were using new folk for their Field Day set up.  To me, new folks helping for the first time on their first Field Day set up are a real learning experience for them as ham operators as well as for any ARES organization.  Keep in mind that what we should be looking at is getting the ham radio operator experience during an actual emergency, to sum it up Know How.  When the chips are down set-up and operators are the key part to any ARES team.   It is a pleasure of observing the teaching skills of the experience folks as they pass their information on to the new folks.   I use the four R in rating any Field Day.   

R the people involved with/in Field Day?
R they truly interested in what is going on and what they are doing?
R they learning from their Field Day experience?
R they understanding what Field Day is really about, the real purpose and what Field Day is trying to accomplish?

A few sites had plans for obtaining bonus point by using the youth element achieved block.  I was impressed with this as for Amateur Radio to survive we will need more young people involved in Amateur Radio.  I believe that all counties were putting out great efforts to make Field Day a successful one.  I will not rank the Counties in numerical order but I will say that I was extremely impressed with Gaston and the Mecklenburg, (Wilgrove Park) group.  They seem to have it all together as well as well planed.  The only down side to the Field Day event was Packet.  It appears that the 146.010 repeater was extremely busy and folks were having problems sending messages on that repeater.  I was under the impression that the BBS would be deactivated during emergency.  I will get the word out that on Field Day the BBS should have a two day moratorium for Field Day.  We need to continue to focus on packet.  I'm not sure the full BBS bulletin board is the correct way to pass messages in case of an actual emergency.

I’m sure that all of you passed the test but hope that you really enjoyed this years Field Day.  I know that I’m proud of each of you for participating in this years Field Day event.  I talked with several of you at field but missed most of you at Field Day.  Let me say that I’m honored to be the DEC of Area-12 and thanks for all of your efforts and your commitments for Field Day.  For those of you that missed Field Day, we will have another one next year.  So put it on the calendar and title it “What Field Day Is All About) and I hope to see you there next year.

 

Field Day Area-12                       
 

                                                                          KD4OZI  - Paul
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Charlotte Observer
    Posted on Mon, Jun. 13, 2005

          
If you missed the CW vs Text Messaging on Friday's Tonight Show, you can see it here...............

http://users.vnet.net/egriffin/Ed/Morse_vs_Text.wmv

                                                                         73, Ed
                                                                      W4KMA
Late in Posting: 6/02/05

August
 7  -55^nd Annual, Winchester HF, Berryville, VA.   (178 MILES)
13 - 7^th Annual CFARS Swapfest, Fayetteville, NC
13*  - Tara HF & Computer Show, Huntington, WV   (328 MILES) 

December
  3 - GAARC Swapfest , Gaston NC   Talk-in 146.805(-)