07/05/2004 | W3EOC This was our second year as an "F-Class" station. Again, we operated from the Chester County (PA) EOC. The QTH was our ARES/RACES room, next to the 911 room, "in the bunker". Even with a laid-back crew, we still scored 300 CW and 253 fone QSOs.

The roster included 28 hams (25 of whom operated) and 10 visitors. We had great food prepared in the kitchen next door. And the county provided us with a gormet breakfast on Sunday morning; sausage, egg and cheese croissants!~!~!

The new 75m/60m/40m HF fan dipole, in concert with the R8 vertical and the rotary beams for 20m/15m/10m and 6m on the roof, provided a fine set of transducers for Field Day. Stations were worked from the UK to CA, OR, WA and several VE7s. The county EOC guys were especially impressed with the DX contacts.

Our power was provided via the gigantic EOC UPS system that powers the entire Op Center. 460VAC line current is rectified and pumped into a huge battery bank. The batteries then power heavy duty inverters to supply line voltage to the entire 911 center. A huge diesel alternator stands-by for back-up. A second generator/power supply is used for emergency back-up for the rest of the county building.

Many "Thanx" to VE1FO for our satellite contact with the crew in Halifax. Using our manually-operated "Deep Space Howitzer" on the low-flying FM birds turned out to be quite a challenge. Next year, it's 'egg-beaters' and 'arrows'. The APRS and ATV demonstrations were also well received by the county officials. Light reading was provided; including 1920s Radio News, 1930s QSTs and Gernsback mags, a 1945 ARRL Handbook, and a correspondence course from the Nat'l. Radio and Television Institute c. 1932-1935!~!~!

We were able to stack up 1450 bonus points, and 1706 contact points, for a total of 3156. See ya next year. 73 de W3EOC. -- N3TR