The Cara ,(Cheltenham Amateur Radio)club field day took place this weekend it's literally just down the road from me(about 500 yards). Tents were set up, camper vans parked up and antennas of all sorts sprouted out of the ground and there were transceivers and receivers from modern to
old military. An excellent barbeque was laid on for Saturday evening and there was some six meter and HF contesting going on throughout the w/e
The weather was brilliant for the weekend. Warm temperatures and dry conditions has made it exceptionally good this year and there was a large number of club members who have been out and about. It was nice to catch up with fellow members all addicted to the same hobby as me, sometimes a good chat and a drink boosts the radio morale.
The six meter DX competition was a bit disappointing with only 62 contacts throughout the two days and you have to admire the perseverance and patience of those guys.
But across the way from them the HF field day competition (24hours non stop)made some excellent contacts with some 800 stations.
The Contest competitions are not what I remember from the old days. Computers seem to rule the roost and are used on a regular basis for logging and for tuning up and down the bands. I've never been in to contesting much but from what I saw they can be quite exciting, 24hrs of split shifts with lots of go getting without much of a break, even so, I still have to say not for me! However, one interesting thing came up especially for me was that the HF boys were using a K3 transceiver for their contest and it was nice to see it there for the first time and put through its paces. Comments about the radio were good but not good enough for me to decide to move from the FT2000d to a K3!
I t was nice to see some old military radios in serious action and I must admit I'm tempted by a small purchase in the near future of something like a Clansman radio. I saw two old versions, one for the mobile (Land Rover ops) and one for the standard infantryman, both nice radios, but if I had to choose I'd probably go with the mobile version.
Antennas, tents, camper vans and car parks!
The weather was brilliant for the weekend. Warm temperatures and dry conditions has made it exceptionally good this year and there was a large number of club members who have been out and about. It was nice to catch up with fellow members all addicted to the same hobby as me, sometimes a good chat and a drink boosts the radio morale.
The six meter DX competition was a bit disappointing with only 62 contacts throughout the two days and you have to admire the perseverance and patience of those guys.
But across the way from them the HF field day competition (24hours non stop)made some excellent contacts with some 800 stations.
The HF contest tent
The Contest competitions are not what I remember from the old days. Computers seem to rule the roost and are used on a regular basis for logging and for tuning up and down the bands. I've never been in to contesting much but from what I saw they can be quite exciting, 24hrs of split shifts with lots of go getting without much of a break, even so, I still have to say not for me! However, one interesting thing came up especially for me was that the HF boys were using a K3 transceiver for their contest and it was nice to see it there for the first time and put through its paces. Comments about the radio were good but not good enough for me to decide to move from the FT2000d to a K3!
The six meter contest tent
I t was nice to see some old military radios in serious action and I must admit I'm tempted by a small purchase in the near future of something like a Clansman radio. I saw two old versions, one for the mobile (Land Rover ops) and one for the standard infantryman, both nice radios, but if I had to choose I'd probably go with the mobile version.
G0NXA at the two meter DX Rig
There were a couple of radios put aside for the ordinary amateurs just wanting a tune and play and we made some good contacts throughout Europe and the UK. The weather definitely played its part in getting everyone out and it was nice to catch up with some of the club members I rarely see.
There were some brave souls camping in the field, but I must admit it wasn't for me but as I live literally just up the road it was a no brainer!! In fact I had one visitor at the house who thought I was the field day!
One chap (Chris) had brought his one man tent and set it up without much fuss in a quiet corner and he was busy all day chatting on forty to various amateurs across Europe, sounds like a well spent weekends radio work!
Chris a the controls of his rig without a blissful care!
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