What’s the difference between Field Day in June and Winter Field Day? Well, besides not having Dots’ Chicken, there was about a 50-degree deficit. But the chili supplied by the Westerkamps and the Macons, plus all the donuts, cookies, cornbread, sandwiches, chips, and coffee certainly made up for the missing chicken, but we cannot be as enthusiastic about the temperature. However, the friendship and camaraderie helped fight any coldness and wetness.
We had a good crowd (at least 20 folks) and had several new hams participating on the bands. Glenn Rodgers (WI8O), Bob French (AC8ZU), Jim Gifford (N8KET), and Rob Desonia (WS8M) had HF radios working while John Westerkamp (W8LRJ) operated the 2m call-ins. Newer hams, Fred Stockwell (KE8ZPN), Victoria Ballweg (KE8ZNV), and Connie Gifford (KE8ZNT) tried their hands at HF on 20m, while other new hams worked 2m. We “tried” to make contacts because, at least on 20m, there were no open frequencies to call CQ–it was that busy and crowded. It was wall-to-wall pileups. But we had fun trying.
Jim Gifford, N8KET
