Too late for the 2018 ARRL Field Day but I pitched the tent anyway. It'll give me a bug-free zone for the 4th of July!

Chris LaFrance does it look familiar? Yep, it's the one I swapped tents with you! This tent must be a least 20 years old now. 🤔

I pulled it out of deep storage and then set it up to air out. Setup took almost an hour, I remember when I could erect it in less than 15 minutes unassisted and eight minutes with help. Had a few rain showers and it's still dry, but I think I'll reseal the seams before repacking it back up next week .

The XXL wide directors' chair in the picture was a Father's Day gift from the step-daughter and her family. (Thanks Calla Cobb and crew!😘 ) It's nice to have some sports / camping gear that was actually manufactured in this century! 🤣

Got my green radio go box packed. Just need to fill the Igloo cooler with ice and beverages, pickup some brats, rolls and chips. Find an old grill and buy some new charcoal. I'll then be all set to deploy and operate QRP picnic portable in the back yard!

2018 ARRL Field Day

A Ham Radio contester I'm not.  Now another ARRL FD has passed and I was only able to participate as a 1D ME with my BITX40 with a HB 40 meter dipole antenna.  Only five contacts in two half hour segments on Sunday. Even with the favorable 40M band conditions.

I usually tune to a strong CQ. I let someone else answer first so I can get the callsign, class and section of the CQ station entered into the log. When I finally answer the CQ all I have to do is press a button to log UTC and verbally respond with my callsign, class and section. repeat their info, confirm my info, give thanks and wish them good luck.  This laissez-faire method of operation requires a lot of set-up time so even with the brief 30 second FD contacts I use about 5-7 minutes to get ready for the next QSO. Not a winning contest strategy for sure.

Thanks for your FD QSO's! I did log your callsigns in my QRZ logbook.

As seen by the log, all my contacts were to the SW at 200-400 miles of my QTH in Maine. I assume single hop daytime propagation. While I heard NH, VT, CT, RI, PA and MI  I just could not make myself heard.  Well maybe next field day I'll be able to put in some real time and effort.  My tentative plans include a HB 40M loop, 45-50W Linear Amp, Rasp-Pi3 running xlog and an Emergency Power Generator. Maybe actually getting the Coleman tent up in the back yard!
We'll see if my ambition, patience and allowance will stretch that far.

PS: Shout out to Bill Meara & Pete Juliano for their mention of me on "Soldersmoke Podcast" #205 posted Saturday.  Both pleased and embarrassed!  I have to renew my efforts to get some productive bench time and actually finish a couple of projects I've started.