Page last edited 10 June 2014
Amateur Radio Field Day 2014
LARC’s annual Field Day 2014 event will be held at Izaac Walton Park this year. The park is located off Business 29 North in Madison Heights, VA. Directions and a map link at the bottom of this page.
Here’s the schedule for the weekend”
FRIDAY, June 27 — antenna setup begins around 2 pm at Izaak Walton near the clubhouse. Come out and watch the tennis ball launcher go 300 feet in the air, able to leap tall trees with a single shot. DRIVE INTO THE PARK SLOWLY, SPEED LIMITS ARE ENFORCED!!!!!!!
SATURDAY, June 28: 0800 — set up crews will begin placing stations, generator, tower, masts, network wiring, etc.
1000 — deadline for lunch sandwich order for workers from an eatery to be determined
1230 — Lunch picked up
1300 — Lunch delivered, everyone take a break
1400 — Field Day starts, feeding frenzy on launch time
1800 — Picnic supper for participants and guests
Contesting continues through the night
SUNDAY June 29: Someone gets a breakfast biscuit order and heads for Hardees
1400 — Operating ends, start tearing down
1600 — we should be finished and GONE, another one in the logbook
The following folks are our committee and subcommittee chairpeople:
Field Day Co-Chairmen are Jim KJ4GVJ and Geep WA4RTS
Public Relations Anna Bonda W4EQU
Safety Rick Brown NN4RB
Scoring and Rules Dick Hiner W4HMK
Geep WA4RTS — Phone Station
Antennas Bill Perkins KC4D CW Station & ops
Tower Crew Dave Mears and everyone else
Food Kay Brown N4KCB
VHF station & ops Dave Mears KD4EMU
Power Doug Harrington KG4DEZ
GOTA station Rick Brown NN4RB
Every year Amateur Radio operators from all over the U.S. and now several other countries set up stations to operate once a year for a 24 hour period at the same time under simulated emergency conditions.The idea is to set up remote stations with antennas, equipment, emergency power and anything else that is needed to operate a station in an emergency situation.The goal is to test your equipment and get knowledge, practice and experience operating in emergency situations.The best part of all of the is that we have a lot of fun doing this.
We contact hundreds of stations not only all over the country but many times all over the world.We use many different modes of communication using HF or High Frequency which many people know as short wave.We also use some VHF, Very High Frequency and UHF Ultra High Frequency equipment at times along with some Satellite communications and several digital modes such as packet radio and PSK31.
Though we gain a lot of experience, the best thing we bring from all of this is is the fun and fellowship we get from being with other ‘Hams”
Come join us and experience the fun firsthand. June 27-29, 2014
Directions to Field Day Site
From Lynchburg: Take Route 29 North Business through Madison Heights. Do NOT use the bypass. Continue through the business section of Madison Heights to SOUTH COOLWELL ROAD (Route 604). Turn RIGHT and continue for approximately 3 miles to Izaak Walton Road (Route 663). There is a sign that says (appropriately…) LANDFILL.
Continue about 3/10 miles down this road to Conservation Lane on your right, and the park entrance — the map says this is Izaak Walton Park Road, but the sign says Conservation Lane.
Continue SLOWLY down this road — the park officials are VERY strict about speed limits, so please observe them .
Continue down the road past the caretaker’s cottage on the right and a sign that says “Visitors Parking” until you go past the skeet/trap range on the left. The clubhouse is directly ahead on the right. Park on the asphalt, leaving room for everyone, please.
From Amherst: Take Route 29 South, NOT the bypass, and continue into Madison Heights. Turn LEFT on South Coolwell Road and follow directions above.