Field Day 2026

Location: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Participants: KC7BEY, W7JMP, AI7X
Plan and Pack List
Log sheets

“Welcome to the Lodge”, You hear as you enter the site. There may not be taxidermied game hanging from the walls, no timbered ceilings or ski gear, but the respite from the rain, the food, a warm fire, and a chance to hunt QSO’s is all you need to be convinced it’s a lodge alright.

Two years hiatus, and we chose to revisit our 2022 location. We didn’t manage more QSO’s, but we set up our site well and the entry and exit into the forest was not plagued by steep grades or blown tires as happened two years before.

Anxieties rose the week prior to Field Day, with forecasts that as much as half an inch could pour down each day and ruin the proceedings. Our fears subsided the day before as the predicted rain reduced to a tenth of inch and finally we experienced only mild rainfall. Borrowing a 10’x10’ pop-up shelter went really far to make us comfortable.

With pinpount precision mason' s line was strung over 100 ft into the trees to support a 130' long doublet. Garrett’s new drone enabled it, a payment for completing someone’s taxes that keeps on paying off. We confirmed the antenna worked the night before with a QSO on 80m CW. Its height was confirmed three different ways tobe 99’ high at the feedpoint, by measuring tape on the feedline, drone, and a spotting scope.

Garrett continued our tradition of antenna experimentation by revisiting the 20m Moxon. Three years prior we had limited success with one hanging over my tent like the Sword of Damacles, but he was determined to do better. 15 minutes prior to start we had a 20m Moxon erected with 1.3:1 SWR and the convenient ability to rotate it on an aluminum mast. Incredible! This antenna was a consistent performer and often was better than the high doublet.

We also hung a low 40m dipole, oriented north-south, for better coverage up and down the west coast into California. This proved useful in numerous A-B tests.

We happily welcomed John with us this year, since he hadn't joined a Field Day in several years. He has this portable mast he'd been meaning to erect for a couple years and we helped him set it up with 2m beam.

He also experienced the Saturday Night ‘party’ on 75m phone. Often by that time of night other operators have relaxed to point of getting to chat with them about their setup and you end up working nearly every station in the PNW. It' s often downright hilarious. I think this the occassion where the high 80m doublet really shines.

Last, but not least, pictures of Field Day food!

All in all, yet another great Field Day!

Created 2 July 2026.
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