Dear GBARC, well another summer field day challenge is fast approaching. At the club meeting April 23 we resolved three things: 1) Doug VE3DGY volunteered to be the FD coordinator this year, 2) we agreed that the field day team has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the club, 3) we agreed to hold the event at a local conservation area rather than a more public place or somewhere deep in the woods. Two spots were suggested, a)Marvin is looking at the Rotary Campground in Paisley, here is his report:
The Rotary club owns and operators the "Seasonal
Rotary Campground", Which is currently open. I spoke to the manager and
she said she would have no problem if we wanted to setup Field Day and
operate in the camp ground on the Weekend of June 22-23. She said she
thought our Field Day activities would be of great interest to others in
the camp ground. However, she likely thinks we'd be paying the day rate
for our sites.
Normally there are lots of empty spaces in the campground toward the
back, so it would be easy for those with trailers to setup and operate.
Assuming we could get permission to operate on those sites without
paying the day rate.
I will be speaking to another member of the Paisley Rotary, who I know
personally, and discuss needs of our group more specifically. My pitch
will be that we're practicing emergency communications along with
thousands of other HAM's across North America and see if he'll let us
use some part of the site for free.
I will double check to see if all sites have hydro. There are trees
along the river which are tall enough for stringing up wires and the
site is pretty level so would also accommodate the tower mounted beam.
The Rotary also operates a building known as "The Palace". This is close
to the ball diamonds on the south side. This building is available for
rent and has indoor washrooms. It is a large open space where operators
could setup. However there are only one of two trees in that area, and
none very near the palace which would make slinging up a wire antenna
more challenging. One reason to operate in or near the palace would be
to have washrooms near at hand.
There are some reference photos in on the following webpage.
https://paisleyrotary.wixsite.com/paisle...ound-c23g2
b) Doug was to look into the Grey Sauble conservation area just north of Inglis Falls outside Owen Sound, I did stop by there end of April and made application. The lady said we could use the space but they would have to confer about overnight stay of the trailers. I haven't heard back from them.
As official pooh bah for this event I am opening up the forum for comments on the location. Currently I'm favouring Paisley, it's a drive for those of us in Owen Sound, but it gives the guys in Port Elgin a break. Please post your opinions.
Lastly Tom VA3TS needed someone to pick up the antenna tower, not sure if Dave(IWI) or someone agreed to help with that. Let us know.
PPS: There's been some changes to the regs, I'll go over them and post the key points.
The Rotary club owns and operators the "Seasonal
Rotary Campground", Which is currently open. I spoke to the manager and
she said she would have no problem if we wanted to setup Field Day and
operate in the camp ground on the Weekend of June 22-23. She said she
thought our Field Day activities would be of great interest to others in
the camp ground. However, she likely thinks we'd be paying the day rate
for our sites.
Normally there are lots of empty spaces in the campground toward the
back, so it would be easy for those with trailers to setup and operate.
Assuming we could get permission to operate on those sites without
paying the day rate.
I will be speaking to another member of the Paisley Rotary, who I know
personally, and discuss needs of our group more specifically. My pitch
will be that we're practicing emergency communications along with
thousands of other HAM's across North America and see if he'll let us
use some part of the site for free.
I will double check to see if all sites have hydro. There are trees
along the river which are tall enough for stringing up wires and the
site is pretty level so would also accommodate the tower mounted beam.
The Rotary also operates a building known as "The Palace". This is close
to the ball diamonds on the south side. This building is available for
rent and has indoor washrooms. It is a large open space where operators
could setup. However there are only one of two trees in that area, and
none very near the palace which would make slinging up a wire antenna
more challenging. One reason to operate in or near the palace would be
to have washrooms near at hand.
There are some reference photos in on the following webpage.
https://paisleyrotary.wixsite.com/paisle...ound-c23g2
b) Doug was to look into the Grey Sauble conservation area just north of Inglis Falls outside Owen Sound, I did stop by there end of April and made application. The lady said we could use the space but they would have to confer about overnight stay of the trailers. I haven't heard back from them.
As official pooh bah for this event I am opening up the forum for comments on the location. Currently I'm favouring Paisley, it's a drive for those of us in Owen Sound, but it gives the guys in Port Elgin a break. Please post your opinions.
Lastly Tom VA3TS needed someone to pick up the antenna tower, not sure if Dave(IWI) or someone agreed to help with that. Let us know.
PPS: There's been some changes to the regs, I'll go over them and post the key points.
Doug McDougall 
