David Crawford, KF4VXJ, of Raleigh, NC will generally send to W1AW reports on the strength and quality of our transmissions.

In this instance, he sends a link to a news story about the Raleigh ARS Field Day operation.

He, along with Robert Starkenburg, W4TTX, are shown making some QSOs during the event. Gary Pearce, KN4AQ (also shown in the video) is the PIO for the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society (http://www.rars.org) .

The news story is located at, http://news14.com//Default.aspx?ArID=596984

Thanks, David!

All weekend the weather had been relatively hot and humid, and T-storms were popping up willy-nilly all over the state. One can tell T-storms were about simply by the amount of QRN (static crashes) heard in the headsets.

Anyway, mid-afternoon Sunday I step outside W1AW, ready to head home after a long, exciting time operating Field Day with my buds. During a casual visual inspection of the antennas and towers, I look up to see one of the oddest cloud formations I'd seen in many a year.

These pictures don't do the formation justice! The rippled areas actually had some significant depth to them.

On the way home the rains came. And, unlike what Charles Dickens wrote in A Christmas Carol: "The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did"--these rains were not handsome!

Could have been worse, I s'pose!

Anyone care to identify this type of formation? (Maybe a funky Mammatus cloud derivation?) Please feel free to email me at nj1q@arrl.org.

The Newington Amateur Radio League (NARL - http://www.narl.net/) is a close partner to the League. One reason is that a number of ARRL staffers are members. In fact, our own Mary Hobart, K1MMH (ARRL Chief Development Officer - http://www.arrl.org/development/ ) is NARL President.

It is for these reasons (and a few others) why we offer on the blog a few NARL Field Day photos.

WOW!!!

15, 10 and 6 meters were open all over the place! Why can't it be like that when I have visitors here during normal operating hours? Golly!

So maybe the bands are NOT DEAD--Just everyone thinks they are!

We did pretty good, considering. We made just under 1100 QSOs using CW, SSB and RTTY. We were active on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meters! I wanted to work some satellites as well. Just never had the chance...

I want to thank Katie, W1KRB, Sean, KX9X (aka "Joe Cool"), Carol, KB1QAW (aka "Mad Contester"), Bill, NC1L and "yours truly" for operating W1AW for Field Day. Thanks also to George, W1RN for stopping by and running some CW for us. And, a special thanks to Carol's daughter Alexi (aka "20-point") for the moral support, and for getting on the air, too!

Thanks also to Carole, N1NAM, Penny, N1NAG and Tyrique, N1TJH for their operating W1AW just before Field Day. I believe they even had a spot on the local news channel! :-)

Also, thanks to Maritime Radio Historical Society Station K6KPH for sending the W1AW Field Day Bulletin on Sunday. It's certainly appreciated!

Within a few days, I should have ready some stats about our activity.

Until next year! Or, until the next operating event at W1AW!!!

73,

Joe, NJ1Q

Well, here it is, 0242z at W1AW. Katie W1KRB just read the W1AW Special Field Day Bulletin with such flair and panache, it was hard to contain our emotions. I'm certain there's an Oscar in it for her. Bill NC1L has been on 20m RTTY all day, and has been working all sorts of fine folk. He just logged a ZL4, which made him shout, "Golly!" Katie W1KRB is currently spinning the dial on 40m SSB, and Joe NJ1Q is checking out 80m. As for me? I've been checking out 6m and 2m SSB/CW all day, which has mostly been slow, which is why I am the one typing this blog. I did have some good runs on 40 CW earlier in the day, which was loads of fun.

I can't say the day on 6 meters was a total loss...I managed to work CN8KD in Morocco for an all-time new country for W1AW on 6m. Still it would have been nice to have a good sporadic-E opening to the Midwest. Ah well...as Sir Mick once sang, "you can't always get what you want."

One of the things we enjoy is the thrill we hear from stations we work. "Wow, W1AW! Nice to work Headquarters!" We love hearing that. Yes, folks, we're just a bunch of hams that like to get on the air and have fun, just like you.

I've uploaded a few more photos for your viewing pleasure. Keep those QSOs a-comin' and don't let that generator go dry in the middle of a great run! And be sure to thank all your ops who stay up all night to work 40 and 80 meters...they are the unsung heroes of many a Field Day operation.

73,

Sean KX9X