By Roger Stenbock – Editor
Swansboro, California: Hi, let me tell you about the exciting annual field day organized by the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) for amateur radio operators, also known as hams. This year, on June 24th, the whole country came alive with Field Day festivities. It’s like an open house for ham radio enthusiasts! Over 40,000 hams across North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places, showcasing the amazing science, skill, and service of ham radio to our communities and nation.
Field Day is an awesome combination of public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical expertise all rolled into one spectacular event. Believe it or not, this tradition has been going strong since way back in 1933, and it continues to be the most popular event in ham radio.
Right here in Swansboro, our radio operators have been actively participating in this event for years. This time, we held it next to the Swansboro airport, and it was a blast! We had plenty of visitors who dropped by to check out the excitement.
Two of our ham operators were Robert Kirkpatrick (KI6HNA) and Roger Stenbock (W1RMS). These guys were on the move, operating their stations with around 100 watts of power. Rob even set up his station using a solar panel battery and a Magnetic loop antenna, while yours’s truly opted for a battery pack and an impressive 66-foot end-fed antenna at about 20 feet high – erected with the help of a friendly neighbor. Talk about creativity – as my XYL commented – LOL!
After sorting out a recalcined oscillation on one of the transmitters, we managed to make over 30 contacts on single sideband (SSB) with stations all the way from the west coast, including places like Utah and Colorado. It was fantastic to connect with fellow hams and share our passion for radio communication.
We also had a couple of visitors who showed a keen interest in our hobby. They had so many questions about what it takes to become a ham radio operator. Luckily, there’s a wealth of information available at https://www.arrl.org/ for anyone eager to dive into this fascinating world.
We had an incredible time at this year’s field day, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event right here in our Swansboro community. Make sure to mark your calendar and join us for another memorable experience. Take care, and remember – 73!
Community Blog 