DGE ARC Fall Field Day 2014

October 8th, David Collingham, our club trustee, was able to spend the day with both our fourth grade classroom students and our 4th and 5th graders who meet after school. It was an amazing fun filled day of getting to know each other and making contacts with our new Strike Force beam antenna.

After introductions and a quick review of proper calling techniques, David fired up the radio and the fun began. Students lined up anxious to have a turn at the mic. They sat down with a partner. While one student attempted making contact, the other waited and listened carefully, in anticipation of hearing a call sign emerge from the speakers, so they could write it in the call log. After a handful of students called "CQ", the responses finally began to happen!

The contacts just started rolling in, one right after the other! 60 contacts to be exact! They were from as far east as New Jersey and as far west as Japan. We were also lucky enough to hear a conversation that was taking place in South Africa. For those students that were new this year, it was just exciting overall to make contacts. But for the students who were returning from last year, the excitment was double! They could hear how clear our contacts now were, since using our new beam antenna that was donated by Bob Grimmick. A big thank you to Bob for his donation and another thank you to David Collingham for a magical day on the air!

Pictures illustrate how much fun making contact can be!