Outing:VHF NFD 2014

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[[|]] | Current Outing:

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Outing (to be) held from 09:00 on 2014/07/05 - 15:00 on 2014/07/06 in/on Off A339 Northwest of Basingstoke

VHF National Field Day 2014

Anyone is welcome to join us, whether to spectate, operate the contest stations, or just to chat! Follow G3KMI on Twitter for updates.

We will be using G3KMI/P on 6m, 2m and 70cm.

Keep an eye on MET Office Forecast

See Lessons Learnt from last year, photos from last year.

Location

We will be using a fantastic hilltop near Basingstoke site with permission from the landowner through Basingstoke ARC, the site is ~160m ASL and has great views from north-west through to south-east.

Locator: IO91KH

Google Map

People

Henry

BRING SLEEPING BAG

Morse

Tyler (?)

Phil

Bands

50MHz

Restricted for the first 8 hours of the contest, under G3KMI/P.

Kit

FT920 (Phil)
10m mast
6m Beam + Coax
Tent (morses?)

144MHz

Restricted under G3KMI/P.

Kit

IC7400 (Richard?)
Voice Keyer??
10m mast
2m Beam + Coax
Caravan

432MHz

Low Power under G3KMI/P

Kit

FT-897 (Noel)
12V 10A PSU (Phil)
10m mast
70cm Beam + Coax
Masthead Preamp + Injector
Tent (TBC)

Planning

Preparation

Investigate SDV under Wine (Phil) - Works but clunky, suggest native/vm
3G Wifi + IRC
Production of CQs for Voice Keyer

Kit

Radio Kit

FT920 (Phil)
PC speakers for FT920 (Phil)
Power supply for the FT920 (Tyler)
Mains Extension leads (morse, Phil)
RCD + Current meter (morse)

Group Kit

Tables - more are better (morse has one, Phil has one)
Chairs - more are better (morse has three, Tyler has one, Phil has one)
2 Operating tents (need to be able to stand up, morse has one)
Sleeping Tent (Phil)
Mosquito repellent (morse anti-mozzi candles)
Laptops (EVERYONE)
Logging software (sdv)
Cameras (Phil, Tyler)
Batteries and chargers for Cameras
Steady Cam mount (built by Tyler)
multi battery charger (Tyler,Phil)
G3KMI banners (Phil)
Lighting - (morse has two LED desk lamps (mains+12v))

Food - (morse)

Bread
Bacon
Sausages
Burgers (+ buns?)
Eggs
Margerine
Large pan
Pesto
Ketchup and Mayonnaise
Lemonade/Cola
Tea/Coffee
Milk
Sugar
Cake
LOTS of water

Beer - BYOB

Menu:
  Lunch: Bacon Sandwiches
  Dinner: Pesto (bacon optional)
  Midnight snacks: Vintage Pot noodles
  Breakfast: Fry up (bacon, sausages, eggs)
  Lunch: Bacon Sandwiches

Individual Kit

Waterproofs
Boots
Towel
Sleeping bag if staying overnight
Foam mats or camp-bed
Mug and Cutlery
Suncream - if it fails to be wet
Change of clothes if it is very very wet.
Petrol contribution - if you have an appropriate container.
Mosquito repellent
Headphones + adapters (Tyler has 2 adapters)
Torches + batteries
Laptop each?

Lessons Learnt from last year

Henry should prepare, bring a sleeping bag...
Phil has hayfever

The generator is quite loud - longer power cables to allow us to put it further away.
packing the car took far too long - do it the night before
antennas should be further away from each other - we should at least test the interference by deliberately transmitting at each other.

it was hot, bring more water - freeze the water bottles
bring cool bag, the fridge wasn't big enough for everything

operating in a gazebo may be cooler than in tents - air flow.
we should have more specific quantities of food (pasta:water)
we need a measuring contraption for food (mass/volume)

don't leave the back of Phil's car open - the battery goes flat
remove the fuse from Phil's car's interior lights

check PSUs don't drop too much voltage during transmit

align the rotator arms with north
mark north on the floor

have a separate sleeping tent from any other storage

bring a spade to move farming by-products

hi-viz the tent guys (and masts) for moving around at night (glow sticks?)
same goes for power cables