
Youthnet NEWS 004
6/19/94
Alexis Leynes N9KYJ
E-mail: AlexN9KYJ@aol.com
BBS: N9KYJ@W9ZMR.IL.USA.NOAM

Topics:   Field day tips (For the young ham)
          
Field day tips and hints (for the young ham).
     Field day- (my) definition (adjective) it is two days in June
where a few or many hams gather and try to connect to other
stations across the nation with a separate power supply and station
under diverse conditions. If you would like to go to your clubs
field day, there might be a few problems for the young ham.
     Read on if your parents are not hams. If they are hams and are
going, my best of luck to you.
     If your parents like others I have encountered who are not
hams, they would probably ask what is field day. Ask a fellow ham
to help you. My definition for field day is 24 hrs of non-stop
communications, trying to sharpen one's skill in emergency
communications under diverse operating conditions. The usual field
day setup here in Chicagoland is a tent (or tents), with a station
in each, a power generator or two (maybe 8), a few dozen hams, a
bed or two, and of course food. Be strait with your parents. Tell
them that field day will help you enhance your radio operating
skills and resourcefulness, because field day is a time where you
are tested on resourcefulness.
     Now if your parents approve of you going to field day, but
they ask how long it takes, tell the truth. Field day is a two day
event. With setup on the Saturday morning, the kickoff at noon, the
long run through the night and packing at noon the next day (may
differ according to your club, void where prohibited). Your parents
might be asking that it might be dangerous out there for you at
field day. To tell the truth, it can be dangerous. A solution is to
have one of your parents come with you. Another if one of the hams
at field day is a family friend ask this person to talk to your
parents. It is better to be safe than sorry. I remember the time I
went to my first field day. It was cold, I was in a tent, I
operated all night and as a summary, it was fun.
     Field day is also a great opportunity to get your community
involved. Bring your friends along to show amateur radio at its
finest (if they don't want to go, tell them there will be food if
there will be some, but don't try to force them). This may show
what amateur radio is all about. 
     If this is your first field day, and you have never gone below
50 MHz, you will be in for a big surprise. Imagine a room of 10
people talking to each other (like the character Donald Duck) at
the same time. That is what you will hear on every frequency below
50 MHz SSB (might be a bit exaggerated for some area's). Generally,
the lower band frequencies are not this crowded. My point is that
you will learn how to "filter" out each random call out there on
frequency.
     This is just a bit of what I have about field day. I hope your
field day is a success and may you enjoy it.


Final note:
     I would like to thank all for your memo's via the Internet and
Packet. If you noticed that Jennie Finch N9SAK's callsign is not on
the header of this report, I would like to point out that Jennie
Finch has moved to another part of the United States (Rochester,
New York to be exact). If you sent a message to Jennie's E-mail
address or Packet address, please re-send it to mine. If you have
not yet received any response from me, please re-send the message.
I would also like to thank the many people across the country who
has downloaded these reports onto various phone BBS's themselves.

73's DE Alex N9KYJ Youthnet NEWS
