Wow, what a great story, Dave. I didn't work field day this year but I'm
sure I will again one of these years.
It's always been one of my favorite contests and for all the reasons you
mention. Congrats on what was obviously a big ham radio success. Lou
wa3mix Williamsport, pa----- Original Message -----
From: "David Simpson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: Who Among Us Operated Field Day
> I had a fabulous time working Field Day with the Warminster
> Amateur Radio Club, here in the Philly area. We ran in class 7A, and I
> worked the one CW station for all bands. We had only two CW ops. I was
> either on the air, or logging for the other op, 22.5 hours of the time.
> Between the two of os, we racked up over 600 CW contacts. This was the
> first FD in 38 years that I've done with a club, or with a couple of
> friends in a backyard at somebody's house, and it was as much fun as I
> remembered it being.
> I learned something important from the experience, too, or
> perhaps was somehow reminded of something that common sense would
> suggest. I joined the club just this year, in January. It's a club of
> about 130 dues-paying members, about sixty of whom turn out for the
> monthly club meetings. I wouldn't say they were unfriendly, but I was
> having some difficulty figuring out how to get to know them. Of course,
> with a group that size, you have to run fairly structured meetings, if
> you want to get anything done. So, members sit at several long tables
> during the formal part of the old and new business and the featured
> presentation. There's usually a ten-minute break for coffee and
> doughnuts and the 50-50, but when the meeting is over, people usually
> head for their cars.
> I told myself to be patient and to give them and myself at least
> months to make a decision; I reasoned that the $20 for membership
> wouldn't be a big loss, if I walked away.
> I almost didn't go to Field Day, because any inquiries I made at
> the June club meeting about getting a ride from home or a train station
> near the FD site got very vague "I'm sure we can figure something out"
> responses. And three days before the contest, I hadn't received the
> vaguely-promised contact info one member said he'd send with the phone
> numbers of people I might call in my area.
> I got on the club web site, found the last newsletter, and
> located the phone number of the FD coordinator. He volunteered to pick
> me up from the train, and from that point on, things took a turn for the
> much better.
> When we arrived at the site, there were perhaps ten guys putting
> up tents and antennas, setting up generators, etc. I wasn't sure how
> much I could help them (although I think I'll be much more comfortable
> next year, now that I know what goes on), but I did notice in a short
> time that they had forgotten several items from the barn where they keep
> a lot of their gear. No one had brought rope, a sledge hammer, duct
> tape, so I offered to start a list on my Braille Note for next year.
> Every time they discovered something wasn't there, someone would yell,
> "Dave, add gas cans (or the 2 32-foot masts, or whatever) to your list."
>
> By the time we broke out lunch, I knew things were going to be fine.
> And then, once I met the two "hams" for the CW station, I knew I was in
> for a great weekend. Dale was a real go-getter, totally psyched, like
> me, to stay up all night and work everyone we could. Bill, the team
> captain, doesn't work CW, but he turns out to be one of the most
> generous, thoughtful people, a great team leader who makes sure everyone
> has a job, and that they fit in. Thanks to some people on this list who
> suggested the n3fjp logging software as the most JAWS-friendly, I
> purchased the suite of programs from Scott's web site on Tuesday morning
> and had my passwords by that afternoon. As luck would have it, that's
> the same program the club uses, so we used my laptop at the CW tent, and
> I was able to do logging when I wasn't on the air.
> I tell this story, because I know how hard it can be to try to
> break into a new group, especially when disability figures into the mix.
> And my fortunate experience, this time, is no guarantee that it will
> always turn out well. What I can be certain of is that, in the future,
> when I make my venture into another new group of some kind, I can recall
> this one, remembering the initial discouragement, awkwardness, and
> lackluster enthusiasm, and that it took patience, persistance, and
> getting involved with smaller groups of people working on a common task
> to break the ice.
> I can't wait to get to the next meeting to see my new friends.
> With Field Day over, we'll have time to talk about the rainstorm that
> just about washed us away, or whatever those nasty bugs wrier that bit
> like hell, afterward, or how wide open 40 was at night, when we had
> pile-ups on our CQs, so that it felt like we were on a DX-pedition, more
> than on a Field Day outing.
>
> Dave Simpson
>
> W I 3 Y
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Duke, K5XU
> Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2008 10:42 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Who Among Us Operated Field Day
>
>
> Just curious after the fact, how many of us operated Field Day with a
> club
> or group of friends out in the field this year?
>
> I know at least one other list member ran a cw station for his club
> throughout the event.
>
> I put in several hours at my club's cw station yesterday, with about an
> hour
> off for lightning and 2.5 inches of rain that caused the 40 meter ssb
> tent
> to collapse.
>
>
>
>
>
> Mike Duke, K5XU
> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
>
>
> --
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