US East CQ FIELD DAY! Where ham radio meets overlanding

[NJRadioGuy]

QST QST QST Calling all overlanding ham radio operators who would like to consider combining a Field Day entry and a weekend of camping and adventuring over the June 25-26 weekend in northern Virginia, in the George Washington Nat'l Forest. The radio event runs from 2pm Saturday until 2pm Sunday, and we get together the day before (Friday, June 24th) around 3-5pm.

View Rally Point

 

[TheBison]

We're running the Buena Vista June Jam that weekend JJ4, and more than a few of us are ham guys. We're talking about setting up a station to promote ham radio and maybe try for a few casual contacts. We'll try to find you!

 

[NJRadioGuy]

We're running the Buena Vista June Jam that weekend JJ4, and more than a few of us are ham guys. We're talking about setting up a station to promote ham radio and maybe try for a few casual contacts. We'll try to find you!

If I can find a couple of folks to do this with me, then look for W2IRT, 1A or 2A VA. If not then I'll be stuck doing a 1E NNJ from home, but I'd much rather be doing this from a mountaintop somewhere!

 

[M Rose]

W7GRA will be participating from a remote camp in north east Oregon. We usually get every state but Maine and Georgia. Looking forward to hearing you all.

 

[dzahler]

Definitely interested. Been doing Field Day for years and the idea of combining overlanding fits with the ethos.

I can bring to the table an FT-857 and if we want to do bonus for QRP my KX3. Some wires & coax as well. Also have an EU3000i, but that's gonna be a bit heavy/overkill for what we need.

DE W2DZ

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Awesome! The inverter gennies are nice because they're very, very quiet. I have a bigger one that's just too big to transport, but the little ones are perfect for FD. I guess the number of radios depends on the number of people decide to come in join the fun. I'm hoping we can get maybe a half-dozen or more participants if we can get the word out. I've been doing FD on and off since 1979, and contesting seriously since about 2002. I normally go out with the Tri County club as a CW op, and I regularly make more Qs myself that the rest of the ops combined. So a couple of good CW runners from a nice high location and we can put up an impressive score, I think!

And for those reading this who've never done field day, it's incredibly fun, especially with a group of similarly-minded individuals. If you're new to ham radio (or just thinking about getting licensed, even) mentoring new ops is something that most hams enjoy, myself absolutely included. There's room for people with different radio interests, too: Morse Code, voice, digital, setting up the ad-hoc wireless network to connect the logging computers, setting up and testing out antennas, and so on. Couple this with a decent bit of wheeling (with plenty of other nearby trails) and being off the grid for a weekend and it's an ideal thing to do. It's also extremely family friendly. Kids are welcome to pick up the mic and see what it's all about.

 

[Rubicoma]

I wouldn't mind meeting you on Saturday for a bit to see your setup. Will you be setting up at or near Flagpole Knob on Saturday?

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I wouldn't mind meeting you on Saturday for a bit to see your setup. Will you be setting up at or near Flagpole Knob on Saturday?

That is the plan. I'm unfamiliar with the trails so I just don't know where we'll be able to find a good site, but my intention is top operate from up there somewhere near the top. I would ideally like to find a local ham who knows the area to help us out. You're absolutely welcome to come on by and lend a hand, operate if you'd like, or just hang out. If this is happening for sure I'll post to this thread closer to the date, and if I can get a cell signal from up there, the lat/long pair of our site.

Meanwhile I'm still looking for more folks to be part of this event. Experience not necessary, but appreciated.

 

[Rubicoma]

That is the plan. I'm unfamiliar with the trails so I just don't know where we'll be able to find a good site, but my intention is top operate from up there somewhere near the top. I would ideally like to find a local ham who knows the area to help us out. You're absolutely welcome to come on by and lend a hand, operate if you'd like, or just hang out. If this is happening for sure I'll post to this thread closer to the date, and if I can get a cell signal from up there, the lat/long pair of our site.

Meanwhile I'm still looking for more folks to be part of this event. Experience not necessary, but appreciated.

I've been on that trail a couple of time a few years ago but can't give any details. I know there are places to pull off. I'll try to spread the word on the local nets and I need to do a shake down on the Tacoma. That is a good trail for that and I'll update with any info I can get.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

That would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[Scubanickel]

Sounds like a great time added it to my calendar. Gotta see if I'm free this weekend.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

Lemme know. So far there hasn't been much interest and my go/no-go call will have to be the weekend before. I'd really like to make this happen!

 

[JeepingMike]

Great idea! Too bad I have to work the weekend. I hope it is successful and maybe I can join you next year.

 

[M Rose]

After a year of planning, testing equipment, and getting ready for the best Field Day ever, I am disappointed that I have to cancel… I might run have of the event from my home QTH, but due to an unforeseen tragedy I won’t be able to participate for at least the first half.
Have fun out there and still be listening for W7GRA and WF7S on all bands and all modes.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I'm probably going to cancel my own plans for this due to lack of interest. I can't do it alone (no generator, antenna supports, etc), which is why I wanted to get a bunch of rigs, each person bringing some components to put a good station (or two) on the air. I have a top-notch radio, power supply, feedlines, enough material for a couple of dipolios, but no antenna supports, guy lines, or a genny (or a big enough solar generator that would run a 100W transmitter for 24 hours).

 

[Prerunner1982]

Sorry to hear that, maybe by next year.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

I want to do this someday for sure. Very disappointed that I couldn't find any interest for 2022. I will be in Germany next year over this weekend, but I'll shoot for 2023.

 

[M Rose]

I'm probably going to cancel my own plans for this due to lack of interest. I can't do it alone (no generator, antenna supports, etc), which is why I wanted to get a bunch of rigs, each person bringing some components to put a good station (or two) on the air. I have a top-notch radio, power supply, feedlines, enough material for a couple of dipolios, but no antenna supports, guy lines, or a genny (or a big enough solar generator that would run a 100W transmitter for 24 hours).

I run 100 watts on a 2 AGM Deep Cycle batteries for field day every year… I bring my Genny, but don’t run it. Three years ago I had a random wire 60’ end fed antenna set up as a sloped only 30’ in the air at one end and 3’ off the ground at the feed point. This antenna worked ok, but I had to use a tuner… the fallowing year I used my FTDX10 with a 80m EFHW antenna set up as an inverted V with a maximum height of 30’ and a gain a minimum of 6’ at each end.

My mast is just 3 fence post top rails.
This year I was going to try and make a 30’ vertical, but never got around to it, and now will try to work the second half of the event from my QTH on solar power since I have other obligations that take priority over Field Day.

I want to do this someday for sure. Very disappointed that I couldn't find any interest for 2022. I will be in Germany next year over this weekend, but I'll shoot for 2023.

You can participate from Germany.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

You can participate from Germany.

I will be going to the Friedrichshafen ham radio show (the EU version of Dayton, which is always on FD weekend), then off to eastern Europe for 2 weeks afterward. No FD for me next year unless travel is still horribly screwed up.

My intention for 2023 is to do the Flagpole Knob Field Day that I was hoping to do this year, but I will have acquired all the necessary gear to do it solo in case nobody else is interested. Ideally a smaller radio than my K3s. I used to have an old IC-7000 that was ideal for FD, but a newer 7300 or similar would be great. two 30' telescoping masts, wires for 80 and 40, and a multi-band vertical. Power is the tricky part. Solar generators are still obscenely expensive for the type and size that would be needed for 24 continuous hours of 100W transmission. I would need at least two 1500VA units and that's well outside of my personal budget. I have a 750VA unit that is just perfect for my overlanding setup (Ecoflow River). I charge it off the Jeep, but will be getting solar panels this summer, but that won't be enough to power camp and radios for the full period, and I refuse to run QRP. Life is too short for QRP! A small EU2000i or similar inverter genny with a Rotopax full of fuel would be Plan B, but that takes up a ton of room.

This year I'll be part of a local club with the callsign of W2LI in Northern NJ. If you hear W2LI on CW, on any band, that will be me at the key.