As I’m writing this, I’m sitting out at Shavano Park City Hall where the San Antonio radio club is set up under the big pavilion. Lots of digital logging systems. Running voice and computer. There are cables everywhere, antennas everywhere. Just had some folks show up who were interested in learning about ham radio. Within the first 15 or 20 minutes, they got her son on the radio, using the GOTA station.
As of today, the day before Field Day weekend, almost all of the local clubs have canceled their field day plans and a few of them are planning to use the amended rule that lets the members operate from their homes and congregate the point for a final score.
The San Antonio Radio Club (SARC) is canceling their field day operation, after originally planning to do a smaller version over at Joe Bruno’s place on FM 78. The members have decided that operating from home would be a safer bet.
The Radio Operators of South Texas (ROOST) Club will be holding a normal, but perhaps scaled down, Field Day event at their clubhouse. No camping overnight as they normally have done in past years. Masks are required to be worn for any visitors. Radio equipment such as microphones, headsets, etc., will be sanitized between operators. See their website, www.w5ros.org, for location and details.
Alamo Area Radio Organization (AARO) has decided to cancel their participation in field day. Individual members may be operating from their homes.
Kendall Amateur Radio Society (KARS) has canceled their group Field Day event, but their members will be operating from their homes.
Guadalupe Valley ARC (GVARC) will not be holding a field day operation this year. They are looking for alternate locations to hold VE Testing, but they think their July session may not happen either. They have resumed their Saturday breakfast tradition, but attendance is limited due to the restrictions on how many people the restaurant can hold under the current government orders.
Medina County (McARC) will not be holding a group field day, but their members will be operating from home under the new rules.
I had the fortunate experience to visit 4 of the 7 area Field Day sites on Saturday, June 22, 2019. The first three were visited during daylight hours, enabling me to fly one of my drones to get some unique perspectives. The 4th site was visited after dark and I was unable to fly while up in Boerne visiting KARS ham club.News media picked up SARC’s eventhttps://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/san-antonio/news/2019/06/23/san-antonio-participates-in-amateur-radio-nationwide-exercise?cid=share_clipI’ve uploaded 3 videos to YouTube and will share them below… Read the rest of this entry »
Field Day is a nationwide ARRL sponsored event on the fourth full weekend of June where many local ham clubs set up in a field environment to simulate the operation of amateur radios under emergency conditions.
While there is a contest aspect to Field Day, the real objective is to give members experience operating in an austere environment like those that may be faced in emergency situations.
It’s that time of year again to start up those generators, dust off those solar panels and charge up those batteries. Oh, and get your temporary antennas tested and move those radios from the boxes over to the field day location of your choice.
ARRL has a list of registered Field Day sites nationwide at this link, http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator , but some clubs choose not to get registered prior to the event weekend. Just put in your city / state in the search bar to find your nearest event location.
Note: Any contact information listed below was found published at the ARRL site locator map, or was provided to me for this purpose. None of the email links are live, so you will need to cut/paste in order to send that person an email about their event.
Don’t expect many of them to be checking their emails frequently during the weekend, they will likely be on the radio instead. Most will have a station monitoring 146.52 simplex to gain contacts in that manner.
Side Note: The San Antonio Radio Club (W5SC) will be holding a morning VE Test Session on Saturday, June 22nd, at the Great Northwest Public Library (Near Grissom Road and Timberwilde) beginning at 10am. While walk-ins are welcome, preregistration is requested via email at hamtest@gmail.com.
Pat AD5BR will be conducting the exams with her VE team. There is the usual $15/test attempt fee payable in cash and you will need the usual ID and proof of existing license (if upgrading). Please contact Pat AD5BR for more info.
This is the last chance in the San Antonio area to upgrade to General before the question pool changes on July 1st.
Area Clubs whom I know are conducting Field Day Events, include:
Our FOURTH event—sponsored by AC5RN and K5USN, and in memory of K5LKY SK
We will be there all day so stop by when it’s convenient for you!
Please join us at Fischer Park in New Braunfels Apr 27th (Saturday)
What we will provide:
• Operating stations that you are welcome to operate!. One VHF/UHF/SHF all mode station and one HF Station. WH2ACT can demonstrate Yaesu System Fusion.
• A covered pavilion in a beautiful park on a hill with tables and power from a 4 outlet plug.
• Talk in on 147.000 (-) 103.5hz or 146.52 simplex. Call KA5UAO (STEVE) for directions. Enter the park off Old McQueeny Rd.
What you may bring:
Please feel free to bring your own operating equipment or antennas but keep in mind we have limited space and we will just need to coordinate operations amongst ourselves so we don’t damage ears or receivers by operating on the same bands!
AC5RN will coordinate operating bands.
Bring what ever comforts, food and drink, family, pets, etc you need or desire.
Again Apr 27th, Saturday!
Please help spread the word!
Ronnie and I will begin setting up our stations around 7am (ish), and will be in the park throughout the remainder of the day and evening weather permitting. Come and visit and stay as long as you like!
Head on over to the park for some fun!
73,
Mark AC5RN, Ronnie K5USN
Our goals:
To promote amateur radio to the public and to potential future hams.To provide opportunity for any ham to operate on new bands and modes, exercise portability and set up, or operate without HOA antenna restrictions!To promote comradery amongst hams and have fun.
The annual amateur radio field day weekend is coming up this weekend on June 23rd 24th . There are gonna be multiple sites around the area where the different ham clubs are going to be setting up.
Following is a summary of local area clubs Field Day 2018 plans:
SARC – Setting up at Shavano Park City Hall starting Friday at 3pm. Operating for 24hrs starting 1pm Saturday. Having a BBQ catered by Grady’s 6pm Saturday.
KARS – See website at KB5TX.org for directions to and schedule of activity.
HCARC – At Our lady of the Hills Sports Complex off HWY 27 just past the airport if traveling North toward Kerrville. Take exit 454 off I-10. Operating 24hrs. Shrimp Boil at 6pm Sat.
ROOST – Operating from their Clubhouse as usual. 7201 Palm Park Blvd.
MCARC – Setting up at Castroville City Park. Running 24hrs
AARO – Setting up at American Legion Post 300 at 3290 Grosenbacher Rd, just past the Bullet Hole. Running 24hrs starting at Noon on Sat. Planning to run 15 stations.
I’m just going to refer you to the different websites for more location information.
Kendall Amateur Radio Society in Boerne (KARS/KB5TX)
http://kb5tx.org/Field_Day.htm
Alamo Area Radio Organization (new field day location) (AARO/AA5RO)
Http://aa5ro.org
San Antonio Radio Club (SARC/W5SC)
Guadalupe Valley Amateur Radio Club (GVARC) at 3485 River Road. Same location as prior years. Talk-in on their 147.000 repeater in New Braunfels. (-, 103.5 tone, I think)
Radio Operators Of South Texas (ROOST / W5ROS) will be operating from their clubhouse on the SE side of San Antonio, off Hwy 181. 7201 Palm Park Blvd.
South Texas DX Contest Club has a club location near Bandera, TX, referred to as the Goat Ranch. I’m not sure about the details or if they have active plans.
Medina County Amateur Radio Club had a great setup last year in a clubhouse for a neighborhood association. This year they will be at Castroville Park. Http://mcarc.org.
You can find out more field day sites at ARRL’s website, http://arrl.org
The South Texas DX and Contest club will be holding a Field Day Operation at their club station in Bandera, TX.
Location: Bandera, TX (contact info below)
Time: June 24th 1pm CDT – 9am CDT June 25th
The STXDXCC will be running a multi-transmitter “D” (Home Station) operation with a focus on Side Band and CW. Operators of any license class are welcome.
For details contact Marty Meyers W5MRM at info@w5rta.net or call or text 210-602-0371.
Greetings to all HCARC members and interested friends,
Field Day is almost here. The annual emergency preparedness exercise
starts this Saturday at 1:00PM local time and continues to Sunday at
1:00PM local time.
The objective is to contact as many stations during the field day period of 24 hours. The HCARC will be operating at the Our Lady of the Hills athletic complex just off Highway 27 and west of the Kerrville airport on Peterson Farm Road where there is a blinking yellow light.
All club members and their friends are invited to attend. There will be an evening supper of chicken fajitas with the usual condiments starting at 6:00PM.
Field Day 2017 is nigh upon us! June 24-25th. We will be operating for the full 24 hours, 1300 hours Saturday thru 1300 hours on Sunday. Members will be arriving earlier, around 0930 hours, to do some permitted preliminary setup and arrange for logistics.
All SARC members are encouraged to participate in Field Day. Yes, you can bring all of your own equipment, but you don’t have to bring all of your equipment or even any equipment.
We welcome visitors of any type. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t a club member or a non ham operator. Everybody is welcomed.
Our location will be at Shavano Park’s City Hall, outside in the parking lot. The address is 900 SaddleTree Ct, Shavano Park, just off of NW Military Drive, north of De Zavala Rd, and inside Loop 1604.
Howdy neighbors,
Some of the guys and gals in the N5OAK Oak Hill ARC (based in South Austin) will be operating from a small farm near Luling for Winter Field Day on January 28th and 29th, and I thought I’d extend an invitation to all of the fine folks in the area to stop by for a visit.
We’ll be running CW, digital modes, and voice on 160m-70cm, through a variety of antennas and rigs, so if you’d like to join us, you’re welcome to come see what we’re up to and hang out for a while, and you’re also welcome to operate from any of our stations. You are also more than welcome to bring your licensed and unlicensed friends and family.
When: January 28th thru 29th, 1 PM to 1 PM
Where: 125 Horseshoe Bend, Luling, TX 78648
What: WinterFieldDay.com
Who: Everyone is invited (hosted by members of the N5OAK ARC)
If you have any questions, please email me at blake.ormand@gmail.com, or give me a call at 512-699-3644.
Hope to see you there!
73,Blake Ormand K5URU
Buda, TX