Texas Army MARS

Fall Field Day

November 6 & 7, 2009

I had planned with Fred Lozo, AK5U, AAR6LE for several months to do MARS Field Day together.  He has a nice homestead in old San Patricio, Texas.  We decided to set up in his back pasture and see if we could rough it, and still function as communicators.  I got there about 2 pm on Friday, and Fred had already set up the screen tent and his sleeping quarters.

Here the sun was setting and we had just finished the antenna system installation.  Note Fred's functioning wind mill. This is a close up of the Max-Gain HK8-HD 50 foot mast extended to about 36 feet.  We were using an 80 meter dipole with 300 Ohm ladder line for the feed.
This was the morning of the second day.  Note how the bottom of the mast is stabilized at two elevations. This shows the 300 ohm feed and Fred's house and tower.
This shows how we supported the ladder line just before it entered the tent. This shows how we got the ends of the dipole about 10 feet off of the ground.
Moon and mast. Fred sitting at his radio, and his 200 Watt solar panel.
   
The link coupled tuner that we used. We ran two Elecraft K3s with laptops.  One did MT63 and the other did Pactor I with an old PK232.  Fred's batteries are to the lower right.
Home Sweet Home for two days. Me operating.
Fred during night shift. Weenie Roast after net closed on Friday night!  Nancy Lozo, KE5WWH, preparing the chili.
The Honda 2000i worked very well.  Two fifty foot 10 gauge extension cables were used. Old power - new power.
This was the sleeping quarters.  My oversize tent cot on the left and Fred's custom setup on the right.  With enough padding the tent cot was quite comfortable.  In the morning everything was soaking wet from the heavy dew. Here Fred is preparing breakfast.  He blends and grinds his own coffee.
Here I am operating. Notice my friend on the power supply.  We kept him well fed.
 
Fred's special sun shade for his laptop.  
 

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