ARRL Field Day with the Chicago FM Club
June 26, 2010
The weather was cooperative for the most part, Sunday was another story with a storm that blew in during the morning hours, but luckily this year it wasn't 90 degrees out with heat indices of 100+. Bob (KB9SAR) & Tina (KC9CMO) headed over to Stan (NK9A) home to pick up the club beam antenna Friday, the day before the event, to save time and travel. We got the beam for 20 meters along with the, mast, rotor, 160 meter Loop & lots of miscellaneous equipment in totes. We loaded the equipment into the truck, and tied the antenna down on the roof rack, and waited until morning time. I got up early and started our day by picking up all the ice, lots of bottled water, soda, hamburgers, bratwurst, the grill, and all the fixin's, and away we went to our Field day location with the truck fully loaded to the gills!! Upon our arrival we had a crew of club members, and the public works employee by the Village of River Grove setting up the boom on the bucket truck raising the 20 meter beam up about 60 ft. Talk'n about team work, the crew had everything set up in less than 2 hours !! BIG Thank You goes to NK9A , W9XB, KB9YEK, N9IHZ, KC9CMO, WA9FTS , N9VKY, N9KTW, N9PA (for making arrangements), And the Village of River Grove for the bucket truck use.
Stan (NK9A) strung up a new homebrew Loop antenna from tree to tree for 160 meters, Rick put up a G5RV, and Bob (KB9SAR) set up a 2m and 440 station for the Talk-in on 146.550 simplex. Radio Rick brought his computer for logging contacts as well. Hap Holly from the Rain Report also showed up to the event with his wife. Shortly before making contacts at 1 pm, out came the BBQ Grill, and we started cooking. Thanks for putting the grill together and bringing some Tab to drink "WA9FTS"! Thanks to the club, and several people who remain anonymous for donating money towards the grill & food, you know who you are, and thank you once again. Thanks also go out to the following operators who operated radios in the day, the evening time, and overnight. W9XB, NK9A, KC9LRZ, N9CBE, KB9SAR, N9VKY, K9VO, WA9AYQ and lastly the best CW operator on the planet. Tim WD9DZV. We made over 300 contacts in 24 hours!!! All though we had a lot of static crashes on many bands, we still pulled it off.
*** SPECIAL THANK YOU'z Goez out to Tom "N9IHZ" for buying the sweets, the hotdogz, home made baked beanz in a slow cooker, The Rye Breadz, and bringing out more electric fanz to cool us members down, and for making biscuits & gravy'z in the morning for those operators who pulled an all nighter. We will Never forget your good gesture to the club Tom !
** BIG THANK YOU Goes out to Kristy Wondolkowski , her mom Vicki Wondolkowski, Shannon & Heather Wondolkowski, for helping out with cooking, food preparation, donating ice, beers, and miscellaneous foods in addition to what the club and other members provided. Thanks again, I can't wait until Radio Expo to see you again with all that great food you guys cook up.
Special Thanks to The Village of River Grove Public Works for providing the bucket truck, the Park District for letting us use the Gazebo and there grounds. Additional Thanks also go out to Pioneer Press for being there to interview us. Photos and an article will be published in the local newspaper about our club and the Field Day event soon.
To all the rest of the people off the streets, the neighborhood, the on-lookers, and members who stopped by and supported our event, there were approximately 40 visitors and staff total. Thank you for being there! Those who didn't show up from last year - well - you missed out I guess.
Stan (NK9A) Field Day Chairman
Radio Rick (W9XB) Assistant
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