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.
SARC will have a radio operations tent like past years with tables and chairs set up inside it. This tent will be provided with emergency power to operate the radios, computers, and lights in it.
Antennas will be set up mostly to the west side of the radio operations tent with coax cables run from the antennas back to the tent. Yes, there is space for more antennas.
This year, SARC will operate four HF stations, one VHF/UHF station, and one Get On the Air (GOTA) station.
SARC has a number of Amateur Extra licensed members who will operate as control operators so those with Technician and General licenses will be able to operate on Extra frequencies. Those without a license will be able to operate with control operators. The term “operate” means touch the equipment and transmit and receive with it.
The GOTA station is specifically targeted at new Technicians, but unlicensed people can use it as well with a control operator.
If you have problems getting on some bands at home due to restrictions, this is your chance.
You may participate in as much or as little of Field Day as you want.
You do NOT need to commit to the whole weekend. You can commit to the whole weekend, but you do NOT have to commit to the whole weekend.
Yes, we will be participating in the ARRL Field Day Contest part for points, but we intend to have fun first, experiment and learn second, and, last, earn points.
We do not plan to win our category. Hence, there is no pressure on making contacts. Mostly, we do the contact part just to see how well we do wth a laid back attitude.
Don’t forget: we are an eating club with a radio problem. If you can only come to a part of Field Day, arrange to be there at 6:00 p. m., on Saturday, June 24, 2017, for Grady’s BBQ.
