FARS - 2023 Field Day

2023 FARS Field Day [2022] [2023] [2024]

[160M Balloon Antenna]

[FARS Field Day 2009]

The Foothills Amateur Radio Society is participating in the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) 2023 Field Day event on Saturday June 24^th and Sunday June 25^th.

This event is open to the public and visitors are welcome from 11 AM until 9 PM on Saturday, June 24^th. Also on Sunday June 25^th from 7 AM until 11 AM. Field Day is an opportunity to see Amateur Radio in action and even participate. Learn about ham radio by participating.

COVID-19 Safety:
Recommendations for the safety of our attendees:

Participants are encouraged to have a current COVID-19 vaccination before attending an in-person activity.
Participants may want to wear face masks at our meetings and events.
Participants may want to maintain social distancing.
Participants should not attend an in-person activity if they are feeling ill, or are at particular risk.

We plan to have a Get On The Air (GOTA) station where new hams and unlicensed people can operate an amateur radio station.

Field Day Rules and FAQs:

Field Day Rules (online version)
Field Day Rules (brief) [PDF] [92K/7pgs]
2023 Field Day Packet [PDF] [691K/38pgs].

Or visit the ARRL's Field Day site.

Quicklinks

Sign up
Directions

Here's an Article on the FARS 2007 Field Day from “100 Watts Magazine” a Thai HAM radio magazine. Thanks Nimit, HS1IFU/K6XOX.

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

FARS plans to operate in the 2A category, with two primary HF radio stations on emergency power at a temporary location. We plan to have four operating radio stations:

HF High Band station operating Single Sideband (SSB) voice, CW, and Digital on 10/15/20 meters during the day and 40 meters at night;
HF Low Band station operating Single Sideband (SSB) voice, and CW on 40 meters during the day, and 80/160 meters at night;
VHF/satellite station (not counted in category number);
Get On The Air (GOTA) station (not counted in the category number);

Field Day Captains
KA6MZE	Phil, KA6MZE is our Radio Officer and in charge of Field Day.
AA6PZ	Paul, AA6PZ is the captain for HF high band station. The HF High Band station operates Single Side Band (SSB) Voice, CW, and Digital on 10/15/20 meters during the day, and 40 meters at night.
KA6MZE	Phil, KA6MZE is the captain for our HF Low station. The HF Low Band station operates 40 meters during the day, and 80/160 meters Voice and CW at night.
KA6MZE	Phil, KA6MZE is the captain for our VHF station. The VHF/UHF station operates VHF/UHF voice on 6 meters, 2 meters,and 70cm, and possibly above.
WU6P	Nian, WU6P is the captain for our HF CW Digital station. The HF CW station operates CW on 10/15/20/40 meters and digital modes.
W6VYC	Dave, W6VYC is the captain for our HF GOTA station. The GOTA (Get On The Air) station operates HF. The GOTA station is intended to get new/inactive radio operators on the air. This station is meant to allow non-licensed persons a chance experience amateur radio by doing it.

Visitors

We welcome visitors from the general public to visit our Amateur Radio Field Day between 11 AM until 9 PM on Saturday, June 24^th. Also on Sunday June 25^th from 7 AM until 11 AM.

Participant Information

We used WriteLog v11 logging software on all stations. The logging systems were networked together using a wireless LAN based on DD-WRT running on a set of WRT54G WiFi routers.

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. It's free!

Setup	The setup crew starts at the field day site at 12PM on Friday June 23^th.
Takedown	The takedown crew starts at 11am on Sunday June 25th.
BBQ	The BBQ starts at 5PM on Saturday June 24th. Attendees should pre-register and are expected to bring a side dish to share.
Operate	Field Day operations begin at 11am Saturday and end at 11am Sunday.

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 was 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.

[Field Day Map]

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.

[Field Day map 2]

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).

[Field Day map 3]

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.