FARS Field Day 2012

[160Mtr Balloon Antenna]
[FARS Field Day 2009]

The Foothills Amateur Radio Society is participating in the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) 2012 Field Day event on Saturday June 23^rd and Sunday June 24^th.

The event is open to the public and visitors are welcome from 12 Noon until 7PM on Saturday, June 23^th. Field Day is an opportunity to see Amateur Radio in action and even participate. Learn about ham radio by participating.

You may print this FARS Field Day flyer to share with friends and colleges. It includes a description of FARS Field Day with a convenient map and directions to our event site on June 23^rd.

Quick links

• Sign up
• Directions

You can download a copy of the 2012 Field Day Rules [pdf] [49K], or the complete 2012 Field Day Package [pdf] [602K].

Here's an Article on the FARS 2007 Field Day from "100 Watts Magazine" a Thai HAM radio magazine. Thanks Nimit, KI6JLD.

John L. Gaffey, WS1EA has written a helpful primer for organizing your own Field Day event.

FARS is operating in the 3A category, with three HF radio stations on emergency power at a temporary location. We plan a total of five operating radio stations:

• HF station operating Single Sideband (SSB) voice on 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m;
• HF station split between operating CW (Morse Code) and PSK31/RTTY (keyboard) on 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m and 10m;
• HF station operating (SSB) voice on 80m and 160m;
• VHF/satellite station (not counted in category number);
• GOTA (Get On The Air) station (not counted in the category number);

Field Day Captains

AA6PZ	Paul, AA6PZ, is our HF-SSB captain for 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m. The station transceiver is a Ten-Tec. We operate 20, 15, and some 40 meters during the day, and 40 and 80 meters at night.
KN6QI	Mikel, KN6QI is our station captain for the CW/Digital station. The transceiver is a Kenwood FT-570S with HamScope and MM-TTY running on a laptop for PSK31/RTTY operation. We operate mostly 40, 20, and 15 meters during the day, but 40 and 80 meters during the night.
KA6MZE	Phil, KA6MZE, is our HF SSB station station captain for 160m and 80m operation. Phil is also the overall Field Day captain.
K6XOX	Nimit, K6XOX, is our VHF/Satellite station captain. The VHF station is an ICOM IC-910 for satellite and VHF 2-meter operation. We operate on 6m, 2m, and 70cm.
NE6RD	Michael, NE6RD, is our GOTA station captain. This station is for non-Hams and new Hams to try out an amateur radio HF radio station. Under guidance of our control operator, our guests work contacts with amateur radio stations throughout the United States, Canada, and further.

Visitors

We welcome visitors from the general public to visit our Amateur Radio Field Day between 12 Noon and 7PM on Saturday, June 23^th.

You do not need a license or previous experience to participate

You do not need a radio license to operate our Get On The Air (GOTA) station. This is a great opportunity to experience amateur radio by doing it. Our control operators guide our guests so that they can make their their own radio contacts. Those who have held an amateur radio license for less than a year are also eligible to operate the GOTA station.

Information for Participants

We are using WriteLog logging software this year on all stations this year except for the GOTA station which uses paper logging.

Sign ups (login required)

To sign up to volunteer/operate/bbq at the FARS Field Day, click one of the links below to get started. You will need to login to the site to proceed. If you are not already registered, just click the Register link on the login page to register.

Directions to FARS Field Day site

• Take Interstate 280 towards the Los Altos / Mountain View border.
• Exit onto Foothill Expressway and head south (~1/4 mile) following signs to Rancho San Antonio.
• Turn right onto Cristo Rey Drive (first light).
• Follow Cristo Rey Drive until you reach a traffic circle (~3/4 mile).
• Take the second exit from the circle marked with a small brown sign that says Park.
  This is the continuation of Cristo Rey Drive.
• Go shortly past Rancho San Antonio Park entrance and turn right into the Maryknoll (private) driveway.
• Pass the gate, turn right and park next to the Eucalyptus trees.

For GPS use 23000 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos, CA for your destination.

If you end up at the seminary building, you went too far. Go back to Cristo Rey drive and head back to Rancho San Antonio Park. Enter the drive across from the park.

Our Field Day operation is located in the large open field next to the parking area. Please do not disturb the Seminary residents located in the buildings northwest of our location. They have generously allowed us to use this location on their property for our Field Day operation.

A more detailed view. Notice the traffic circle you must pass through. Follow the sign that says Park.
The correct exit to continue on Cristo Rey Drive can be confusing, so if you miss it, return to the circle and try again.

And finally this view shows detail of the traffic circle. Note that the entrance for FARS K6YA Field Day site (right turn not shown on the map) about 50 feet past the entrance to Rancho San Antonio Park. If you have a 2m radio, you can get talk-in directions on 145.27- (100Hz PL).

More information

FARS 2009 Field Day Pictures.

FARS 2008 Field Day Pictures.

FARS 2007 Field Day Pictures.

FARS 2005 Field Day Pictures.

FARS 2004 Field Day Report; pictures July 2004 Newsletter.

FARS 2003 Field Day Report; more pictures July 2003 Newsletter.

FARS 2002 Field Day Report.

Pictures from the 2001 FARS Field Day.

Pictures from the 2000 FARS Field Day.

Pictures from the 1999 FARS Field Day.

Pictures from the 1998 FARS Field Day.

Field Day information at the ARRL's web site.

Story in Los Altos Town Crier on the 2001 FARS Field Day.

Copyright © 2012 by FARS