TRO Field Day 2005 

By:  Doug Lee - KC5ZQM TRO Activities Chairman

You know you've had a busy Field Day when you go to work the following Monday, a co-worker says hello, and you say "didididit didit!"  Well, I can't say that has happened to me, but I know the feeling!

            By the time I got to Leake Park, Fred Williams KD5NBR already had his camper and his copper J-pole set up.  Ed Compos K5CRQ soon arrived with cookies and fruit pies, the PR kit, and the new G5RV antenna that Gary Parham KC5ZQP bought for the club.  Later, Mark Thrash WB5MBK and John Brudvik KC4URD got that antenna up in the air and, and Steve Miller AA5V got it connected to his ICOM IC-706 Mk IIG.  Mark WB5MBK and John KC4URD also got the club's old G5RV up.  Ed K5CRQ mounted a connector on some feedline, and thus the club's Yaesu FT-920 was on the air.  Meanwhile, Mark Conklin N7XYO assembled his new Cushcraft VHF/UHF beam, which he used to make some 6M SSB contacts Sunday morning

            At first the HF bands seemed pretty quiet.  When they did open up, it seemed like wall-to-wall pileups!  Patience and persistence are the key to working through the crowds.  At one time, I grew tired of using the hunt-and-pounce (and pounce and pounce and pounce...) method on 40 meters on the Yaesu and went to calling CQ on a clear frequency.  I managed 8 or 9 contacts that way.  Not exactly a pileup, but I'm still learning the DX game.  I later bagged 12 contacts the same way on 20M using Steve's radio.

            Zach Miller K5BCT set up a portable packet station on 2M, and also tried some HF packet on the Yaesu.  A few bad connectors gave him some problems, and I'm not sure if he made many contacts.  He did get some voice contacts on 40M Sunday morning.

            I was glad to see some of our newer members, and some of their family members, come out and get on the radios.  John Grace KD5VSB brought out his wife and daughter, and even they snagged some contacts!

            The food was plentiful, and great!  Fred KD5NBR did a terrific job cooking the burgers and dogs for the picnic, and pancakes Sunday morning.  Lynn Adair's brownies are sooo good, they'll make a chocolate addict out of anyone!

 A big THANK YOU goes out to the following:

Ed Compos K5CRQ, Mark Thrash WB5MBK, Steve Miller AA5V, Mark Conklin N7XYO, John Brudvik KC4URD, Ben Joplin WB5VST, Lynda Griffin KE5FAS, Merlin Griffin WB5OSM, Craig Wooten KD5CUZ, Gary Parham KC5ZQP, Rob Coughlin KE5BGX, Michael Gauldin KE5EHI, Zach Miller K5BCT, Joe Iverson KD5KKZ, Richie Shroff W5OKL, Mark Roberts KD5SMF, Fred Williams KD5NBR, Annette Williams KE5EHV, Brian Gnad KB5TSI, Don Ferry KC5DYV, Mike Darrol KD5RJZ, John Grace KD5VSB, Mary Dean KE5EHQ, and Mary O'Roark KE5EHR for attending and/or participating in this year's TRO Field Day event.

            I would also like to recognize visits by Lloyd Dawes KA5KIQ, Bill Brunton KA0SEP, Brad Smith WA5PSA, Richard McCellan K6GRD, Jack Schmidt W5ZXM, Ken Williamson, and Steve Keller.

Doug Lee - KC5ZQM 06/28/2005