This ARRL Field Day, Rick NZ2I of Panama City and I will operate from site C33 at Eastbank Campground in Georgia on the East side of Lake Seminole. We will use my callsign N4KGL. We will be a two-operator, two-transmitter Class B Battery entry. Last year, we had success running five-watt QRP. I operate CW, and Rick operates FT-8. Each contact is two points, with a 5X multiplier, yielding ten points per contact. We will use virtually the same setup as in past years. The campsite accommodates my Buddihex 20 through 6-meter hex beam. In addition, there is green space for a 130-foot 80-10 MyAntennas.com end-fed. We will share the Buddihex with a Low Band Systems Quadplexor that allows two transmitters on different bands for the same antenna. The Quadplexor requires bandpass filters on the inputs. On FT-8, we will use the Icom 7100, which is reduced to five watts, and on CW, the Icom 705. Both rigs are hooked to Panasonic Toughbooks running N1MM logging software networked with an Ethernet hub. For power, we have a Bioenno 40 amp-hour battery for each rig. There is a solar panel charging each battery. We will try a satellite contact with the Arrow Yagi and the Icom 9700 for bonus points. The S.A.T. box controls the rig for Doppler. The operating point will be a clamshell-type shelter. Linda and I will sleep in our trailer; Rick will rough it outside. I have posted our location on the ARRL Field Day Locator site. If you are in the area, please drop by. ARRL Field Day starts at 2 PM EDT on Saturday and goes for 24 hours. All we need is good weather and propagation. Can you get involved in this year's ARRL Field Day? Wiregrass ARC will operate in Dothan, Alabama, and the Panama City ARC/ Bay County ARES group in Panama City, Florida.
I enjoy Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio, Field Days, QRP, satellites, and CW. I have many friends in the hobby that make it fun. I will keep you posted on what I learn about amateur radio on this blog.