VMIRC’s Delightful 2011 Field Day-- “Best Yet!”

36 amateur radio operators and elected officials attended Vashon-Maury Island Radio Club’s 2011 Field Day Saturday and Sunday.

The formal objective for Field Day is:

To work as many stations as possible on any and all amateur bands (excluding the 60, 30, 17, and 12-meter bands) and to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions. Field Day is open to all amateurs in the areas covered by the ARRL/RAC Field Organizations and countries within IARU Region 2. DX stations residing in other regions may be contacted for credit, but are not eligible to submit entries.

On Vashon we mainly treat it as a great social event to encourage prospective hams, give hands-on practice to new hams without their own radios, test our mobile communications trailer, educate officials, promote ARRL and amateur radio in general, make some contacts with remote stations, and perhaps most critically, to socialize! It is a highlight of the year.

Apparently the batteries got tested Saturday, when the main power wasn’t hooked up – or noticed for some time, until the battery alarms came on. Also John Galus performed some technical maintenance/fine tuning on the antenna shown the the right – using a couple sticks selected for their electrical and mechanical properties. (Our antenna had much greater reach than the professional one just behind!)

Thanks to the many volunteers making it possible, but especially key instigators Sharon Danielson, Georgia Galus, and Jim Tharp.

For all the photos of this year’s (& previous year’s) field day, simply join the VMIRC group at Yahoo: it is free, fun and fascinating.

I see we’re up to 98 members – help us get over 100!