Field Day 2021…One for the books!!!
Last years’ Field Day was…well…you know…kinda discouraging.
This years’ Field Day was a record breaker. Lots of activity and many showing up to see what a TARC Field Day looks like. If you weren’t there…you missed a good one.
We thought it might be a washout with the rain and thunderstorms, but it quit about 10 AM and only delayed setup an hour or so. After a few hours of partly cloudy skies the clouds took over and it was a very pleas-ant afternoon, except for one brief shower. The TARC Comm trailer was there with 20 meter and 40 meter stations using Icom 7300’s. Bob, W5RAB was working 15 meters out of his motorhome. Paul, WB5ANX the ARES Emergency Coordinator for Tulsa County had his new screen room up and he was working the ARES station with the ARES go kit on 80 meters. At 3 PM, Paul was net control for the 2nd annual ARES Field Day net and had 44 check-ins from all over the SuperLink system includ-ing Edmond, Ponca City, Sallisaw, Tahlequah, along with Rogers Coun-ty, Pittsburgh county, Osage County, Tulsa County and Creek County sites. Tulsa Area Emergency Management and the BA Emergency Man-agement group checked in. Mark, KG5ZZV was working satellites with his new automated satellite mount on the front of his vehicle. When he wasn’t working satellites, Mark was sending NTS message traffic. Ann, K5AEB was working the GOTA station and helped 9 people, some li-censed and some not, get on the air and make contacts. She was also do-ing double duty as the Field Day coordinator. She did a GREAT JOB!!! Way to go, Ann!!! And no Field Day would be complete unless there was a BBQ dinner from Rib Crib. Thanks Steve!
There was a lot of interest from folks wanting the get licensed and join the club. Check out the pictures on the W5IAS website, go to the Mem-ber Corner, Photo Gallery, Field Day-2021 and if you have any Field Day pictures, please e mail them to me and I’ll add them.
Many thanks to Ann and all who participated and made this Field Day absolutely awesome!!!
Past Events…
The Tulsa Tough Bike Ride is also in the books. Bart, N5TWB and Ben, WB5VST coordinated a great event. The Race Officials, riders and volunteers were impressed and grateful for our help with communica-tions and the SAG work that we did. Of course, driv-ing SAG in a new Escalade, Audi or Lexus was pretty cool, too!
Future Events…
The July TARC meeting will again be at the Keplinger Hall parking lot, however, we found a nice shady spot directly across the street from the parking lot. Lots of shade and its quiet. Keeping with the Field Day theme, we’re going to be talking portable operations. If you have a go box, bring it out so all of us can see it. There are a lot of club members that would like to try portable operating and this meeting will be a good opportunity to talk about it. If you have a portable antenna, bring that out, too.
The August 17th TARC meeting will be the ICE CREAM SOCIAL!!! Location is the first pavilion on the left as you enter Chandler Park. Talk in is the 145.110 repeater.
The September 21st TARC meeting will be held at the TCC campus (remember the battery demonstration? Same campus). Wes Lee with the Oklahoma Mesonet will be discussing the Mesonet network and how they work. A must see if weather is your thing! Talk in is the 145.110 repeater.
Route 66 on the Air is scheduled for September 11th through the 19th. This is TARC’s chance to be on the receiving side of a pile-up.
The Tour de Tulsa is scheduled for October 2nd. Should be nice and cool this time of year!
Opportunities to help promote ham radio
We’re still looking for Net Control Operators and Loggers for the TARC weekly net.
If you have an idea for a program at a club meet-ing, let me know! Nothing is off the table.
Check out the TARC website at w5ias.com and see what’s new. Pictures of Field Day have just been added and we’re looking for pictures from other TARC events. If you have some gear you’d like to buy or sell, you can do that on the website as well.
Are you a new ham or maybe don’t have your li-cense yet? Go to w5ias.com, click Join, New Ham Roadmap for help.
Be safe, be a good friend, get on the air!
Mark
WA5MA
President Tulsa Amateur Radio Club