The July club meeting started with a loaded question: How did you get interested in ham radio? The stories were unique, and yet demonstrated some common themes. Most attendees became interested in amateur radio when they were young, many were in and out of the hobby, and all were happy to be active today. There were several items of old and new business, including a quick recap of how we did with the 13 Colonies Special Event.
Rob W8HAP gave an informative, detailed summary of our Field Day performance. We were successful in achieving most of the bonus points available. Overall, we completed 1,155 QSOs spanning 22 hours of operation. We made contacts on four continents (NA, EU, OC, and AS) and in 10 CQ zones.
Other highlights included:
*Contacts with 48 states, missing Oregon and Alaska
*Most contacted states were Florida and Illinois
*Contacted 17 countries, including Ukraine, Turkey, and Tonga
*Most contacted countries were USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico
*GOTA station had several visitors, with 23 contacts
During the discussion of Field Day there were many views expressed regarding things that went well and areas where we could improve. Most of the discussion revealed that we are delighted with the amount of energy, dedication, and perseverance demonstrated by all involved. Considering the challenging weather conditions, most felt the stations ran well. Everyone enjoyed the networked logging, specifically the ability to see where other stations are operating and the number of QSOs each station had completed. We had at least 19 visitors, a reflection of an increased emphasis on advertising. The discussion of operations ended with an action plan for ways to improve next year.
As this was the first time many of us had been together since Field Day, stories of funny incidents, serious challenges, and good food were shared. The event is truly the highlight of our year, not only in terms of the size and length of the event, but also for community-building and creating shared memories. Field Day 2025 provided a strong foundation for moving into upcoming summer and fall radio events.
Written by Marion W1GRL
W1TU 