Field Day 2004

The location for Field Day 2004 was the Twin Bridges State Park in the northeast corner of Oklahoma. The park is located at the confluence of the Neosho and Spring rivers at the north end of Grand Lake. Our site was high on a bluff between the two rivers. To see a locator map of the Twin Bridges area click here: Location Map

The weather was perfect all weekend with no rain and relatively cool temperature. Most of the photos below are "clickable" to view a larger image file.


"Radio Row" at Twin Bridges State Park.	Some of the 4SQRP gang relaxing in the shade. That's Gene NØMQ, John KBØISE, Larry ABØAH, Billy KØCIY and Jay KØETC in the photo.

Gene NØMQ, Bart WØIIT and Joe WØMQY came out on Thursday and selected our FD camp site early. Many other 4SQRP'ers arrived on Friday evening to help get things set up. Joy NQ5R and Walter AG5P brought the "Chuck Wagon" loaded to the brim with food and the kitchen facilities.

Tommy WD5AGO set up two portable microwave stations and demonstrated CW and SSB on 5.6 GHz. His equipment consisted of homebrew transverters and 2 meter SSB/CW transceivers for the IF chain.


Tommy WD5AGO calling CQ on 5.6 GHz SSB. The horn antenna is in the foreground.	Joe WØMQY is rotating the 5.6 GHz horn antenna on the other end of the microwave path.

On Saturday morning, Larry ABØAH and John KBØISE demonstrated a radio controlled model airplane. The plane was home built from house construction foam and is powered by a small electric motor.


Larry ABØAH and John KBØISE with a home built R/C plane.	In less than a minute, that little electric propelled place was 200 feet in the air!

The high point of the Field Day was the incredible campfire artistry of Joy NQ5R and Walter AG5P. They handled the cooking chores for the whole weekend and they were really appreciated by the whole FD team! Thanks Joy and Walter! Also, everybody brought contributions for the table including Jeanette's famous "pink stuff" desert and Bart's Roman numeral salad and chocolate cake. Pretty good eating!


Joy and Walter in the "kitchen" preparing lunch for the gang.	Sunday morning breakfast of biscuits and gravy. Yum Yum.....

Once 1800 UTC arrived, we got going on the air in class 4A using callsign WØCH. All stations operated from battery power.


Bart WØIIT is pounding brass in the shade.	Jay KØETC is testing a new coaxial vertical antenna for 20 meters. Once a choke balun was added to the feedline, it worked like a champ. Jay made lots of contacts using his new SW20+ transceiver.

Joe WØMQY working 20 PSK. Joe reported that the PSK segment of the band was wall-to-wall signals!	Jim WØEB working CW using a brand new K2. Less than a week ago, the K2 was a box of parts in his mailbox!

Tom N2UHC set up his 20 meter CW station in the shade behind his camper trailer.	David W2AYY visits with Jay KØETC.

Dave WØCH making "pure solar" contacts on 20 meters. A solar panel powered the SST transceiver through a simple voltage regulator with no battery in the circuit.	Jim WØEB made these neat 4SQRP buttons for all FD participants. Thanks Jim!

Equipment and parts for sale, swap or giveaway on swap table number 1.	Even more goodies on swap table number 2.