Ok, STOP THE PRESSES!!!

FIELD DAY is on us tomorrow!

I have worked hard for 1.5 years using Zoom for meetings and writing these blogs to keep the club alive all throughout the pandemic where we could not meet or have field day! Now that our members have reached “heard immunity” (70% vaccination rate), we can meet with or without masks and have a REAL FIELD DAY safely!

Come out and enjoy the hobby and participate in the fun of Amateur Radio at Oakwood School. The Oakwood School is very committed to community service and understands the value of our services to the community in emergency situations. We are very grateful to Oakwood for generously sharing their facilities with us and for teaching the next generation the importance of giving back to their community. (There is a permanent ham station and tower on the premises) We start setting up at 9:00 am Saturday and then start transmitting by 2 pm and go for 24 hours on emergency power. A nice competative test of emergency communications that the ARRL sponsors. We have engineered Vertical Yagi antennas, Bobtail Curtain antennas and the usual beam and dipole antennas for the traditionalists, something for everyone.

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We have three of the Icom 7300 radios (thanks to Dave Wood for heading up the purchase) with all the fancy bells and whistles on them connected to computers running N1MM logging software, FLDIGI digital mode software, or WSJT-x software for FT8 mode. There is Phone and CW (morse code for the hard core members) to play with. I expect all members to make an appearance and sign into the guest book even if the visit is just for 10 minutes. Come on and make an appearance, get off the couch and DO SOMETHING! Covid-19 actually puts 19 pounds of weight gain due to inactivity, fight this!

For the crew that came early (9am) and set up the antennas: there are finger sandwiches drinks starting at noon. Water and drinks to keep you hydrated.

At 6:00 pm the dinner bell will sound! An eastern NC spread of Parker’s Barbecue with slaw, green beans and mac and cheese will be served. Other cooks have prepared a pot luck of other sides like Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Green House salad. For desserts, we have fresh fruits, Key Lime Pie, Cherry pie, Berger Cookies and what ever the ladies have cooked up for pot luck desserts. (Thank you Beth, Susan and Judy)

For those that stay into the late hours operating the radios and gaining points for the win: Snack bags, cookies, coffee (cold and hot) and soft drinks. Entertainment will be live and “radioactive”. Miss out on the fun at your own risk. I know I will have fun!

We have invited State representatives and other officials to visit so that the word gets out. Mark has published in the Daily Reflector announcements of this event (thanks Mark). You all need to spread the word of Amateur Radio and the good we do in times of need. Just look back to 1999 and Hurricane Floyd and how much Governor Hunt stated we helped save lives with our communications skills. This is part of the reason I became a Ham a year later after procrastinating since age 15 when I first was introduced to the hobby.

So lets make it a “Post Covid Celebration” and get on the air!

73 Peter, N4PVH.