07/05/2002 | KP4ES Hi,my name is Angel and this was my second year participating on Field Day here in Puerto Rico. This year the focus was to go for the simple way: dipole antennas and the Ten-Tec Scout 555, only 50 watts, because the club wanted to setup a station that simulated conditions of operation during an emergency (that's one of the reasons for Field Day)to have an idea of what to do for the REAL thing.
I arrived at 9:40 am at the grounds of the Bacardi Corporation in the city of Catano when Mario, KP4NNC was beginning to unload the equipment. Then came Jose,KP4WX; Charlie,WP3JA; Carlos WP4AOH; Danny,WP4F and Javier WP4DX to the help. We first mounted the cover fpr the generators and then set up the masts to mount the dipoles and for last the stations with the computers.
Later at noon Tony, KP4IA came with his Amateur Television equipment for the demostration of this mode and Jaime, KP4DR for the satellite and packet work. I did bring my VC-H1 for the SSTV demo, and my Kenwood TH-D7(A) came in very handy since it was used for a portable packet demo.At 2:00 pm we were ready to operate; I did SSB mainly on 20 meters, where the big pileups were heard. At 5:00 pm our Section Manager Victor Madera, KP4PQ came to see how we were doing and this year I didn't let him go without a photo session with me!
During the night even a net was taking place which we call the Net of "La Polilla" (means like termite), a new group, ran by Fernando, WP4KS. I did sleep a little and woke up at 12:30 am and kept working 20 meters; it was so crowded that had to "search and pounce" (I sometimes felt I was on a DX contest), it was the best way; stayed up until after 4:00 am and then to rest. Woke up at about 6:30 and on to help Jaime with his 2 meter yagi to work satellite as the human "rotor", he did 5 contacts and the last one was the farmost, Illinois. Then up to continue on 20 meters and later to help copy the W1AW message on the same band. The most remote stations I worked were 2 from Hawaii, very strong!
Then at 2:00 pm Mario finished operating and on to dismount; and since it was easier this year, we finished at 3:30 pm and all to our homes. Despite some problems with propagation on 15 and 10 meters we did have a good time with friend that maybe I won't see til next year; for the next, big plans for ATV!
Hope you liked this perspective from Puerto Rico; if you want to see more of this and other groups active on Field Day go to http://prarl.org/FieldDay_2002.htm Until the next one 73's -- WP3GW