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News last updated: Fri, June 20, 2008 at 2:22 AM ET
San Francisco Section News - June 2008
CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day!
Yep, it’s that time of year again with one of my top two favorite operating events, the other being California QSO Party. The clubs in the Section are gearing up for a another rip roaring Field Day.
Starting from the north, the Humboldt ARC is putting on their annual FD at Woodley Island with invitations out to all the surrounding Hams. The have a great crew and arrange tours of the National Weather Service station. Of course the food at the pot luck and Sunday breakfast is outstanding and plentiful.
Per their President, Tim Hanna WB9NJS, the Willits ARS will be teaming up with the Mendocino County Amateur Radio Communications Service and holding a joint Field Day at Low Gap Park near Ukiah. They will use FD with a GOTA station to get the 15 hams recently licensed active and engaged in their new hobby.
The Sonoma County Radio Amateurs will be setting up this year at Youth Community Park in Santa Rosa. This is a return to a familiar site where they are putting up the usual array of antennas and planning festive meals as a social gathering.
When I last talked to Jim Hill K6UUW, past president of the Valley of the Moon ARC, they were going to set up again in Maxwell Park and operate on battery power.
The Redwood Empire DX Association is teaming up with the Marin Amateur Radio Society again at the Marin Rod and Gun Club at the foot of the Richmond/San Rafael bridge. They did this last year and the location is one to be envied as it is right on the water. Talk about over water take off angle.... I heard that the Saturday dinner cooks are working on a gastronomic fantasy for the participants.
And, the San Francisco Amateur Radio Club is returning to Robb Hill in the Presidio. The club has used this site for several years which is an old military radio site offering an elevated location for their antenna farm. They may be joined by the Cathay Club.
Remember, to add 100 points to your score, be sure to send your Field Day message to me via any station that will receive it. Please be sure that it is in NTS format (good practice). Also, if you want a report of your club’s Field Day in the Section News, send me an article with pictures. I’ll get it in.
On May 28th, Hams from Lake and Mendocino counties ran a joint training exercise with hospitals and public health clinics. The drill involved a simulated mass casualty and hazardous material contamination incident. The radio traffic included simulated messages involving inter-county victim transportation. Stations were active in a number of medical facilities. The drill was well executed by the hams in both counties. Way to go, everyone!
Members of the San Francisco ARC helped out with the annual Bay to Breakers run. The San Francisco Hams do this every year as one of their public service events.
Hams from Santa Rosa and Nevada provided radio and APRS support for the Santa Rosa Police Department’s first run in the 24th annual Baker to Vegas law enforcement relay foot race. PIO Jeff Basham KK6JAB, who previously has assisted the team supporting the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and is a volunteer with the SRPD, offered the help and was instrumental in organizing the team to do the job. The team assembled from scratch portable radio packs with APRS for temporary installation in the rented support vehicles (lots of duct tape!) And planned for just about any vehicle configuration. Then they made the road trip to Las Vegas for all the fun and consternation of the event, and, of course, Las Vegas! Team members included Jeff, John Breckenridge WB6FRZ, Pat Coyle KG6JSL, Rich Freitas KF6SZA, Jim Lee KE6VGV, Jim Robinson KE6UAR, Dave Santori KF6CLG, and from Nevada, Jay Peskin KE7EGO and Jack Larason KE7HTY. The hours were long and the food was not what they were used to during the event, but before and after the event.....well, it was Vegas. And, the SRPD team would have been first to cross the finish line (but not win as it was a staggered start) if the race officials had not stopped the runners (with SRPD in the lead) just outside of Las Vegas because the in-town race stages were not ready as the runners were ahead of schedule. SRPD finished 16th out of 28 in their class, which is outstanding for a first time running team. Outstanding!
I went to the Northwest Division SeaPac convention n Seaside, OR, this month. It is a terrific convention with lots of exhibitors, an outstanding swap meet with a multitude of goodies, and informative seminars. The city of Seaside is the star attraction as it is a tourist destination with great shops and restaurants. Think about SeaPac next year if you plan to visit the Pacific Northwest.
And while I’m on the subject of conventions, please remember the annual San Francisco Section Convention hosted by the Humboldt clubs. It will be held September 26-28, 2008. Keep watching www.humboldt-arc.org for all the details as they unfold.
I want to take a moment to thank those clubs that routinely send me their newsletters or emails about their activities. Those clubs are the Humboldt ARC, Willits ARS, Lake County ARS, Sonoma County Radio Amateurs, Redwood Empire DX Association, Hamilton Wireless Association, Marin ARS and the San Francisco ARC.
More news as it comes in! Have a safe and fun Summer!
73, Bill
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