KB5TX

Field Day

Field Day is an annual amateur radio exercise, widely sponsored by IARU regions and member organizations, encouraging emergency communications preparedness among amateur radio operators. In the United States, and in Canada, it is typically the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in both Countries, with over 30,000 operators participating each year. Field Day is always held over the last full weekend of June.  KARS has been participating in Field day since 1981.

ARRL has permanently adopted most Field Day rules from 2020 and 2021.  Forget all you once knew.

• All Stations were limited to 100W PEP.

• Class D stations may work all other Field Day stations, including other Class D stations, for points.  Class A, B, and C stations may operate as they please.

• An aggregate club score will be published — just as it was done last year. The aggregate score will be the sum of all individual club member scores.  All used the full name of our Club as Kendall Amateur Radio Society in their score submission to ARRL

• KB5TX scores will be posted here when they become available from ARRL.

• See <http://www.arrl.org/field-day-rules> for latest rules.

Field Day 2022:

Field day was complicated this year because the bike ride, "Tour de Boerne" occurred on Field Day Saturday.  We were asked to provide communication late in the game, in fact too late to have any input about this event conflicting with Field Day.  Nevertheless, the Club decided the event was too important to "blow off" and decided to do both.  Fourteen KARS members provided volunteer radio communications support for the bicycle ride through the hills and valleys north of Boerne, Texas, on Saturday, June 25.  Several areas of the ride’s three routes had marginal to no cell phone service and our participation seemed to be appreciated by the ride organizers.  See Community Activities for pictures.

Our general concept of operations was to form a communications team to cover the ride; the remainder would set up for Field Day and commence on time.  Others would arrive at the K5NOF ranch as soon as they could.  Many chose to operate from home that evening and night..  It was obvious to all there was no chance to go for score, so we set our objectives as follows:

• Give members new to Ham Radio the opportunity to see how to set up in the field.
• Give members new to Ham Radio the opportunity to see various rigs in operation.
• Give members new to Ham Radio the opportunity to observe a skilled operator in action (digital, phone and CW).
• Give members new to Ham Radio the opportunity to sit in the seat and try it themselves.
• Focus on learning and congeniality.

                     

K5NOF

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WA5UBO & KG5YOX

KD5JVH & K9ROD

K4OCE & Clan

Steve Schwarz

N7RF'setup

Digital and CW contacts count the most for score and in 2018 we had a core group of CW operators to assure a respectable score. Total CW contacts this year totaled 413.  Digital and SSB for another 243.  Total score for this year is 3124.   This placed KB5TX third in STX, Category F.

We hope to do better this year and we did.  Total CW contacts this year 290.  Total digital 132.  Total Phone 42.  QSO points 886 for a preliminary score for 2019 plus what we will receive for battery contacts, GOTA, Media Coverage and so on.  Our final score will be posted here when received from ARRL

We use Field Day to teach our new operators on-the-air skills, and try to provide on-the-air experience to as many as we can. We want our new members to operate! Interested in CW?  Join Al -- K5NOF.  No, you don't have to use his left-handed bug.  He'll have a key or paddles for you to use.  Questions?  Email Al at k5nof@arrl.net.