IMPORTANT: Keith W6KME is holding “a class on using FT8 in a crowd and on the mode in general; lots of good tips.
If you plan on using FT8 at our K6MEP Field Day this year, you need to attend this zoom meeting!
When? June 4th Wednesday 7pm – 8pm
Where? Zoom
Meeting ID 821 6511 8996
Password 662071
Keith will educate us on how to run FT8 to be a good neighbor to our fellow Field Day participants
For folks that have participated in our K6MEP Field Day in recent years, you know that in-band interference from other modes has been a problem, especially voice from CW and FT8. For some SDR based rigs, even strong out of band interference can be a problem. A big reason is from not having proper antenna spacing. I’ve been told that K6MEP was a leader in the past as far as setting up Field Day equipment and antennas to minimize interference with each other. Today we are more of a free for all – set up is focused on ‘where can I fit physically’ vs ‘where should I be to minimize interference’. With multiband antennas and autotuners, folks can also move around to different bands easily. Nobody wants to work a dead band, but if you switch, you might now be that neighbor that is wiping out someone else’s ability to make contacts.
We’re not changing anything this year, there just isn’t enough time, but I do plan to do experiments during the quiet periods at Field Day (late night) to prove to myself what is possible. That’s what Field Day 2025 is going to be for me – figure out how everyone can play nice together RF wise for next year.
What are your Field Day goals?
May 2025 Highlights
May 9th – John Kitchens NS6X gave us a talk on the latest ARRL News, followed by Pat Anglum N6XTM telling us his journey with SDR using a Hermes Lite2
May 17th – A big day with a VE session in the morning where we gained 2 new hams to the hobby. Afterwards we had another one of our monthly ‘Portable Operations and Help Session’. I have to say that I VERY much enjoy these once a month Saturday get-togethers in the picnic area. Not only do we get to play radio, but we also have been helping new hams out, teaching them how to program their radios and how to use them with a repeater. They also get to see and hear what HF is all about. It’s exciting to see new faces come and see what ham radio is, AND get their questions answered. I wish we could do this every Saturday.
June 2025 – What do we have planned?
June 4th, 7pm via Zoom – “Using FT8 in a crowd” by Keith W6KME. See details at the top of this ‘Pres Says’. If you’re going to run FT8 at Field Day, you need to attend this meeting!
June 13th, 7pm – Our next club meeting where Geoff N3CFX will give us a talk on QRP. After the break, we’ll be planning Field Day 2025.
June 14th, 11am – 2pm – our next ‘Portable Operations and Help Session’. Held in the picnic area of Grace Lutheran Church, come and bring out your Field Day 2025 setup and get all the kinks and bugs worked out. I will bring fire (charcoal) and water, so if you want to make your own personal picnic out of it, bring something you can cook for yourself. We’ve had generous folks bring extra food, but if you want to guarantee to get something, bring your own grub. Unless you’re a seagull, then you might get something tasty if you can fly away fast enough. (Inside joke here – ask Robert KM6RSS about it at the next club meeting).
June 27, 12pm Friday – Field Day 2025 Setup!! Come out to Oxnard College, parking lot B, claim a spot and set up your antenna.
June 28, 11am – Field Day 2025 starts!
- Fun, food, activities (T-hunt anyone?)
June 29, 11am – Field Day 2025 ends!
- More fun, less food, cleanup and teardown
June is here! Field Day is right around the corner. See you all at the next club meeting!
Dave AI6VX
