This Weekend In RadioSport | 2010 CQ WPX CW

Finally, the weekend is here, and time to enjoy RadioSport in the shack relaxation zone. It is all about ham radio fun.

Contest on!

2010 Field Day

The Beach Boys Amateur Radio Club went to work on Saturday morning and rested five hours later after prepping antenna systems. I was tired and a few aches reminded me that taking care of myself is really important. Our team enjoyed its morning and afternoon beneath the solar disc with the blue Pacific over our shoulders. The day was ideal for tackling Field Day logistics and preparation.

We are passionately committed to our project goals such as ham radio fun, operating outdoors, learning, and deploying a competitive signal from our location. The Beach Boys Amateur Radio Club is an informal group letting our enthusiasm for the hobby drive our organizational goals.

Tower.
Our antenna systems arrived to include a 30 foot tower, a tri-bander, a vertical, a VHF quad, and a flat top dipole. The biggest challenge inside the project is the tower. We brainstormed safety principles and focused on the tower base plate. It required 3 foot steel stakes with clips and washers. The team concurred that a stake system in addition to proper guying will maximize our safety.

Our next goal is a practice run at deploying and guying the tower with the tri-bander attached to the rotor mast while keeping safety in mind at all times. Additionally, keeping the rules out in front of us, the entire system is dissembled prior to Field Day operation.

Flat Top Dipole.
Ham radio fun picked up momentum after a pair of operators slung rope into a pair of trees for the flat top dipole. Theoretically, launching rope into tree branches as easy on paper as it seems, is not a straight forward process. It was work and required a few attempts before achieving success. The moment was sweet when we fired up a TS440S on 40m lower sideband and logged a Nevada along with a California station.

The buzz around the work party, "What was the signal report?"

Vertical.
Another team of operators deployed our vertical antenna system for operational testing on the low bands. It's intentionally positioned at the furthest end of our site to thwart cross band interference. There is nothing more discouraging when stations begin interfering with each other. It is the fast track to frustration.

Counterpoise is everything for a vertical. Pundits may say otherwise, however, I advocate wire beneath one's vertical. We have the benefit of a large metal-like cage near the feed point surrounding this antenna as an added bonus. The antenna analyzer data suggested reasonable standing wave ratio although I'm learning how-to calculate efficiency.

Additionally, we will deploy a rudiment counterpoise system of quarter wavelength radials or near quarter wavelength given our on-going debate. This system will be above ground but not equal to the height of the feed point.

Conclusion.
The Beach Boys Amateur Radio Club party benefited all those in attendance. We tested two out of three antenna systems, assembled the tower with rotor, improved base plate security, and ended the day exhausted. Everyone enjoyed working outdoors, getting their hands dirty, and learning about antennas in preparation for this year's Field Day.

73 from the shack relaxation zone.

3830 Claimed Scores | 2010 NS Summer Ladder VIII | Low Power

Atlantic Single Operator.

• N4AF | 51 Qs | 39 Mults | 1,989 Points [PVRC].
• NO3M | 46 Qs | 36 Mults | 1,656 Points [NCC].
• W4OC | 47 Qs | 35 Mults | 1,645 Points [SECC].

n = 12 scores submitted in this division.

East Central Single Operator.

• N9CK | 53 Qs | 39 Mults | 2,067 Points [SMC].
• K8MR | 45 Qs | 35 Mults | 1,575 Points [MRRC].
• N8EA | 46 Qs | 33 Mults | 1,518 Points [MRRC].

n = 13 scores submitted in this division.

West Central Single Operator.

• N3BB | 58 Qs | 42 Mults | 2,436 Points [CTDXCC].
• WD0T (@KD0S) | 55 Qs | 39 Mults | 2,145 Points.
• K0AD | 49 Qs | 39 Mults | 1,911 Points [MWA].

n = 10 scores submitted in this division.

West Single Operator.

• K7SS | 53 Qs | 34 Mults | 1,802 Points [WWDXC].
• K7BG | 46 Qs | 36 Mults | 1,656 Points [Northern Rockies DX].
• W7WHY | 45 Qs | 29 Mults | 1,305 Points [WVDXC].

n = 6 scores submitted in this division.

NCCC in CA/NV Single Operator.

• N6RO | 56 Qs | 38 Mults | 2,128 Points.
• K6VVA | 52 Qs | 35 Mults | 1,820 Points.
• N6ZFO | 49 Qs | 33 Mults | 1,617 Points.

n = 7 scores submitted in this category.

The fastest 30 minutes in RadioSport continues as the prime time weekday event on the WA7BNM schedule. Meanwhile, N3BB adds one more into his win column, while leading the Central Texas DX and Contest Club to its third banner position. A job well done!

One might take notice that the Mad River Radio Club is beginning to field a team of serious talent such as K8MR and N8EA. Perhaps, an operator within this group, may challenge N3BB's center court domination and fast break offense? I'm looking forward to next week's Ladder results.

73 from the shack relaxation zone.