Field Day

 The TRARC Field Day Operation has concluded for this year 2023. It was held at our traditional site at the White Oak Park Water Tower Site, located just off of Muse Lane/Carpenters Lane-White Oak PA, on June 24th and 25th. Our Field Day coordinator this year was John Moskala K3CRO. We operated as class 5A, which describes 5 transmitters operating on generator power. There was also support from quite a few club members with both the setup and tear down of the operation. We setup the various tents and shelters on Friday evening (10 helped with that). We had 14 club members and 10 guests sign the various rosters. We also had an active presence on social media via Facebook, provided by John Moskala K3CRO.  It was great seeing and talking to our ARRL WPA Section Manager Joe Shupenis W3BC who visited us on Saturday afternoon. Food and refreshments were provided and prepared by Bill Powers KB3WP and his staff consisting of Geno Boyd WA3IOU and others. 

All stations logged their contacts using the N3FJP Field Day Software. Digital operations used the WSJT-X and JTAlert software. New this year all operating positions used computers connected to a WIFI central network logging system operated by Jim Bricker N3JHB. Also new this year was the use of a quadplexer system which allowed several field day stations to use one antenna-a Hustler 4BTV ground mounted vertical. Other field day antennas included an 40 meter and 80 meter inverted vee antennas, and an end fed half wave antenna. Our Field Day scores have been tabulated and sent to the ARRL for publication in QST magazine. There were 8 operators who reported their contacts were:
Mike Telling KC3UNE (281), Jim Bricker N3JHB (131), Bill Hetrick N3LQC (110), Bill Powers KB3WP (91), Ed Trax WB3LHG (57), Tim Costello KC3ANX (54) Chuck Gessner W3ON (53), and Steve Forsthoffer W3SHF (18).

Unfortunately there were no cw contacts during this tears field day. But we more than made up for the lack of cw contacts by a large increase in digital contacts this year. 597 this year, as compared to 252 last year. Digital contacts count as two points for each contact, the same as cw contacts.  

The weather did cooperate as we had mild to warm temperatures, with just a slight rain episode on Saturday. Sunday the weather was great. The staff from White Oak Park Maintenance did a great job getting the grass cut a few days before field day.

Below is a list of current and older TRARC Field Day scores.            

            Score  CW  Phone  Digital  Total Bonus  GOTA Call 
            Points Qso Qso      Qso     Qso   Points   + Qso     Participants Class
2023    3934    0      198       597       785   1150 None             13                 5A               
2022    3650   114   508       252        874   1170 None             30                 4A
2021    2670 0      442       119        680   1310 WA3AHC 20  9                  4A
2020    5112     ?      ?          ?           1474  ?       None             4                  1D
No Remote Operations a/c Pandemic Restrictions. There were 4 op's who operated from home as class 1D and reported
their field day scores.  They were:            
WA3HAE=755      3070     WI3R=164       796        WU3U=253      790         W3ON=302       456
             Score CW Phone Digital Total  Bonus  GOTA             Participants Class
2019 = 2174     0   662      0            662   850       None              18                  3A
2018 = 2272   50   591      0            641   890       N3JHB 20       22                 3A
2017 = 1386   61   571      0            632                KC3IXI 20       19                 4A
2016 = 3640  750  320      0           1070               None               20                 3A
2015 = 1758    26  428      0            454                None               25                 3A
2014 = 1594    23  376      0            399                KB3JLT 0        24                 2A
2013= 2280    151 503      0            654                None               25                 2A
2012= 3004    ?     ?         ?            844                KB3YRW         24                 4A
2011 = 9870 ?       ?         ?            2580              None                25                 7A