Author: ruminator

Field Day 2026 AAR

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This is an aerial view of the south part of Desert Creek Dry Lake, our Field Day expedition site.

Field Day 2026 has now come and gone. Here is my after action report for the deployment.

Planning: In my case, there was a lack of planning. Work kept me very busy for first third of the year. Once that report was delivered, I found myself in a cycle of catch-up. Although less intense, there were many projects that needed attention that were delayed because of the hard deadline from the critical project. As a result, I had little energy left over from work to plan and prepare for Field Day.

That said, I still determined a plan for my travels to and from the selected site, a brief meal plan so I could provision the camper, and general care of the camper before taking it out for the first big run of the year.

I bought a new Ford truck this year, specifically to tow my camper. After struggling with the 4Runner being my tow vehicle (my only vehicle), I had a notion that I want a little bigger travel house. I do NOT want anything near the size of a fifth wheel as I find those ugly and they are unlikely to be manageable for many of the places I like to camp. But, something a little larger than the hard side is desirable because I want a little more room and a fair bit more storage.

As it stands, the hard side is acceptable, barely. There is insufficient storage for more than a few days afield. It lacks a grey water tank and the black water tank has limited capacity (a few days). There is insufficient storage to keep things put away, which is a requirement for a small house. It lack sufficient insulation should temperatures fall much below freezing (probably 20-25oF is pushing it). I have frozen the water several times since I bought the camper in 2019.

Therefore, a replacement is in order an that demands more tow vehicle. So, I bought a truck with more than adequate capacity because I never want to drag a long pull at 35mph again. In addition, I do not want to damage the 4Runner, which is still a solid vehicle.

I was able to pull some basic maintenance on the camper. My buddy helped me check and pack the wheel bearings and confirm that the brake shoes remain adequate. I sanitized and flush the water system. I reprovisioned the propane tank that I use to run the gas grill. I wiped down the interior surfaces and checked that the fridge operated on electricity and gas.

I assembled my radio station, which was based on my ancient Yaesu FT-897d. I often use it for POTA activations and I like the way the rig runs. I have an LDG tuner affixed to the rig, so it will match just about any antenna. I decided to use the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 deployed as a Delta loop, which I have now used several times for POTA activations. The station computer was my MS Surface Go 2 with a small external keyboard. This computer is often used for field deployments, although I usually log POTA activations on my phone.

I made a grocery list and made the trip a day or two before leaving. Groceries went directly to the camper to reduce the likelihood of missing something when transferring materiel from the house to the camper.

I threw some clean clothes into a bag and gathered a few things (including food) for The Girl. I also made sure that my logging program, N3FJP Field Day Log, was updated.

On loading day, I staged everything at the door so I could keep track. It took me about an hour to stow things in the camper and the truck.

Travel Out: I decided to leave an extra day early because this Field Day would be my mini-vacation until later in the year. So, I rose, took care of my usual morning obligations, and took the remaining few things to the rig before recovering the camper to travel configuration and make a few last passes through the house to ensure nothing critical was left behind.

The Girl watched nervously, knowing I was preparing to leave and wanting to go with. She obediently stayed on-place (on the sofa), though. But, I could feel her eyes on me with each trip to the rig.

Hook up was easy with the advanced backup camera of the new truck. I pulled the camper from its spot and drove to Industrial Way, where I stopped to close the hitch latch and do another walk-around to confirm everything was secure. I also used the opportunity to check camper lights before heading out.

We drove down to Minden to refuel at the Maverick there. I have a new Nitro card to use and save a few bucks on fuel, but it was my first time at the high-flow pump and there was some confusion about my PIN. So, a trip into the store was required to get the pump activated so I could refuel. I think this problem is now sorted, but have not refuled yet.

We drove out toward Topaz Lake and took the cutoff to Wellington at Holbrook Junction. The truck pulled the camper effortlessly. The rear-view mirror is high enough to see over the camper. The towing mirrors are wonderful and visibility from the truck is outstanding. What an incredible upgrade this was. *%#$ing expensive! but wonderful.

I took it very easy on Risue Road to avoid beating up the camper. The truck will easily muscle the camper, so care is required. The truck has a Trail Mode that functions as a trail cruise control and I was able to keep my speed down to under 5mph where needed and a little faster but still under 10mph where the road was better. Doggo danced and chirped with excitement as we entered the National Forest and she could see chipmunks and other critters.

We arrived at camp about 1400h. It was pretty hot, mid- to upper-80s and I was a little concerned that I had not brought the generator to run the A/C. I shrugged, though, and hoped that the weather would be a little cooler. I picked a campsite, rolled the rig around to point the galley/dormer south, and parked.

I got The Girl out for some exercise so she would be calm while I deployed camp. Well, I hoped she would be mostly calm, anyway.

Here is a view of camp from the southeast.

Setup: I unhooked the camper and leveled it with the hitch stand, then pulled the truck away. Then I went about deploying the camper and getting the interior setup before starting on outside work.

I was unable to erect my EZ-Up alone. I think I now have solo-deployment figured out, but the EZ-Up is currently trashed and unusable. That is a foreshadowing.

With camp basically setup, I put my outside chair and folding table in the shade of the camper (lacking the shade of the EZ-Up), and deployed a beer and a snack. Doggo hung out with me, keeping a sharp eye out for invaders and begged nibbles from my snack. I offered her a beer but she declined.

This was my opportunity to just let go of everything building up to this point. A major project was complete and billed out. Another report was in review. Other work was pending and would have to be dealt with, but there was time. So, I simply took time to be and listened to the wind blow, the bird call, and a whole lot of quiet.

I left the VHF/UHF rig turned on in the truck so I could hear any traffic in case someone called. I had absolutely no phone service. The Starlink Mini was not yet deployed and I was not very interested, nor did I need Internet access at the time.

As evening approached and the Sun drifted down toward the west, it cooled a bit on the playa. The Girl and I made a circuit around the perimeter so we could both get some exercise. After our outing, I opened another beer and made some supper. I did remember to turn off the radio in the truck so as not to run down the batteries.

It was cold, or at least felt cold the first night out. (That was Wednesday night.) It felt good and The Girl was quite snuggly. On cool nights, we share our warmth with each other. A good friend once told me “It’s good to have another beating heart in the house.” He is right.

Thursday morning dawned and I roused at morning twilight, as I usually do when camping. I made a coffee and stepped outside, glad to have brought a cover. I watched the Sun shine on the mountain to the south (visible in the image at top) and enjoyed my first coffee. As I prepared to make my second, Doggo roused about and asked to go out. So I carried my mug and we walked to the sagebrush line so she could hunt and relieve herself.

I made some breakfast, leftover refritos y arroz with a fried egg (over medium) tossed on top. I had a leftover bite for her as well, which she gobbled with joy and then finished her kibbles. We got out and made a circuit around the playa before I deployed my antenna and setup the FT-897 on the outside table (in the shade).

By mid-morning, I heard a call on the truck’s radio and answered. The other half of the crew was on the way and I got an ETA. They arrived before noon, so we walked over to greet and offer help with camp deployment. None was needed, so we left them to their work.

Here is a view of camp from the north.

Friday afternoon I started working on getting digital modes operational with the FT-897. I have a Digirig Mobile I bought for the rig and have the 9,600bps data cable as well. Yaesu has a hardware set maximum speed for these rigs, with a choice of 1,200bps or 9,600bps. There is a software setting to control data speed as well. But the cable configuration provides a hard limit on throughput. Of course, 9,600bps is plenty for amateur radio use.

The struggle that I had, however, was working out how to get all of the pieces talking to each other correctly. I find Winder$ extremely had to manage sound for radio radio use. There are too many different software components that affect audio in and out from the computer to the radio. The radio settings are relatively straightforward. They are critical to get right, however.

It took a couple of hours of hard work and some Internet research to achieve some success with WSJT-X, JS8Call, and Winlink. Levels into the computer were still weak and only fixed when I turned on AGC in the Winder$ sound control for the Digirig device. This was counter to my research.

The Starlink Mini saved the day. I was able to do the required Internet research to make things work together in some reasonable (if non-optimal) fashion.

I used my Bluetti power station to provide DC power for the Mini and work well. The Mini is stingy with power consumption, running about 20w when under moderate load. This means that the Bluetti could power the Mini for a bit more than two days without recharging the Bluetti. I also built a Anderson Powerpole to DC plug that permitted me to charge the Bluetti from one of my 120w foldable solar panels. It was easy to keep the Bluetti charged.

Field Day: Field Day was unremarkable, mostly. With only the two stations and three operators, we forewent the traditional startup net on the 2m/70cm bands. I kind-of missed that. I spent the day switching mostly between CW (Morse Code) and digital (FT8) modes, running a frequency in FT8 and playing search-and-pounce in CW mode. Normally I have more traffic when running a frequency than I did this time. My Montana buddy was unable to hear me (we could chat using the Starlink Mini). I did send a couple of Winlink messages, but had difficulty finding a Winlink node that could hear me (and vice versa).

I took a supper break and broke bread with my friends. Then I returned to the radio and continued working until about 2200h local. I hit the rack and went right to sleep.

When I woke, again with the morning twilight, I rose and made a coffee. I also turned on the FT-897 and listened a bit. As usual, the Asian broadcast stations were audible on the 40m (7MHz) band. They do not seem to have a presence on the lower portion of the band, so code and digital work well.

Over coffee I continued to work stations a bit, but did not make a lot of contacts.

Doggo woke and wanted a morning outing, so I made another coffee and we got out so she could do doggie things while I enjoyed my coffee. The air was cool and I enjoyed to morning golden hour while she hunted rodents. Her business done and my coffee nearing the end, we returned to the rig. I made some breakfast and fed her.

I continued to work stations the remainder of morning until my time ran out. Then I shut down and we walked over to visit our friends.

I forgot to mention that late Saturday afternoon the wind collapsed my EZ-Up. The tarp I had deployed to provide shade when the Sun was at a lower angle was too much lateral stress given the wind. The scissor beam on the upwind size bent laterally. Even with the tarp removed (losing a good portion of the shade), the wind was sufficient to continue the collapse. I finally had to remove the tent from the frame and roll the frame onto its top. The skeleton looked like a dead spider. It meant I had to work indoors and my camper is a solar collector.

Recovery:

I left my radio setup and thought I was activate the park one more time (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest) before quitting. I waited until the day turned over (GMT) and worked enough stations to make an activation.

We all shared a meal to celebrate another successful Field Day. It was a fun time together and these are good people. Sera and I got in another circuit of the playa before we turned in for the day. I do not recall doing much Sunday evening. I chatted with my Montana buddy over Signal a little.

Monday morning we repeated our morning rituals. I did get out my drone and flew it around the playa while the wind was down. I wanted to capture some video footage and a few aerial still images. I then started tearing down the radio station and putting camp away.

While putting things away, my buddy came over and we stowed the EZ-Up. We got it to fold up so it could be put in its bag and stowed in the truck. In other words, the dead spider was recovered.

On our way out, we paused for a little fun. I brought a .22LR long gun and a handgun. We scavenged a few tin-can targets and played for an hour or so. I think I shot about hundred rounds of ammunition and the little rifle is a blast.

After policing up after ourselves, we headed home. I think it takes as long to travers Rissue Road as it does to drive the highway home. We did pause in Wellington, Nevada for lunch at The Glass Onion. It is a good place to stop and the food was excellent.

The remaining trip home was also unremarkable. I do enjoy dragging the camper with the truck. There is no more struggle with the trailer. The truck has more than adequate power and torque. The low-end power of the diesel engine pulls exceptionally well.

Lessons Learned: Every deployment brings at least one lesson learned. Field Day 2026 was no exception. In fact, I think I learned a couple of valuable lessons.

  • Even when I am busy with work or other duties, I must set aside time to plan and prepare my camper, radio equipment, and software before leaving for camp.
  • Part of that planning is building a punch list for each category of necessities and then checking it as I collect and stow needed items.
  • It is useful having Internet service in the field. Even if access is light-duty (limited bandwidth), problems that require research beyond what is at hand need the Internet now. This might not have been true before the Internet Age, but it is certainly true now. I do not think the digital setup problems I had with the FT-897 would have been solved with just the radio’s manual.
  • Be sure to document the deployment, even the ugly parts. A camera (cellphone at a minimum) and drone (for aerial imagery) are handy for this purpose.
  • Digital modes with some radio equipment are non-trivial. Setup of WSJT-X, JS8Call, and Winlink for the FT-897 was quite different from my experience with the Elecraft rigs. In fact, I am not confident that I have the system correctly, or optimally, configured as I write. More work is needed here and this is work best done before it is needed1. My friend was a lot of help debugging the problem, too.
  • Field operation is fun! Even without the challenge of configuring digital modes for my rig of choice, there were still a few problems to solve. Solving problems in the field is a necessary skill and will be vital in a real emergency deployment.
  • My camper needs and VHF/UHF rig installed in it with a readily deployable external antenna.
  • I had an insufficient number of USB C cables with me.

End the end, it was a good outing to celebrate Field Day 2026 with good friends. The playa is a good place to camp. The weather was cooperative, even if the wind folded up my EZ-Up. I love to camp and get away from city noise and energy. Doggo loves to go. I love my friends.

Life is good.

Here is a view of camp from the south-southwest.

Logan Shoals

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It’s been a bit since I last stopped here for a hike down the the lake. It was hot today and The Girl was hot and dusty after our Spooner Summit hike. I decided to take her to the lake to wash and cool off. It was good. Capture with Pixel 9a.

The last week or two has seen a lot of days that are hot for western Nevada in June. These days feel more like what we experience in August. Some might say this represents global warming, but I understand that this is weather, not climate. Anyway, it has been hot.

The Girl and I have taken our daily hikes to an elevation of about 7,300ft. It is generally much cooler there and the pines provide substantial shade. Depending on the time of day we get out there, I might zig-zag through the shade the tall trees provide and avoid the direct Sun in between. The light-colored DG reflects a lot of heat, so it is a kind of double-whammy when walking in the Sun.

One day after our hike, The Girl was pretty hot. (Well, she is always hot, but I mean over-heated.) I decided to take the truck down to Logan Shoals and hike down to the lake so she could cool off in Lake Tahoe. This avoided a lot of construction on US50 and gave me an opportunity to visit a favorite place in the area.

There were not too many people at the location, we parked readily and started the hike down to the lake. There are many trails bushwacked through brush, but they can be steep and a bit treacherous. We got down with no mishap and found place to work our way down to the lake.

Sera was a little tentative about the boulder scramble, but she got down to the water and had a nice drink. Then she laid down the rock she was standing on and got wet up to her midline. That cooled her substantially.

We worked our way back up the hill, which was a pretty good climb. I sent a text message to a colleague about possible lunch, but she was buried with deliverables. So The Girl and I drove home via Kingsbury Grade, which gave me some more practice with the truck and a cool ride home.

All in all, it was good outing and good day. Life is good.

4Runner Awning

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A few weeks ago I assembled another tarp-based awning for my 4Runner. The Kelty Wayfarer does not make the cut. The material is so light and thin that infrared radiation from the Sun passes through. Although it makes some shade, it does not block insolation heat.

My Toyota 4Runner has been my primary vehicle for more than ten years. I bought it when Wife was sick and we were making a daily trip to Truckee during the winter for her radiotherapy. She was struggling in and out of the sedan and there was enough snow that I wanted more capability.

When I started playing radio I found myself in a group of light adventurists who like to do field operations. So the 4Runner got a few upgrades so I can better negotiate trail driving and then started pulling a small camper.

I learned that I really like camping, and in particular, dry camping. There are so many places to go here in the west where camping is free and unencumbered by developed campgrounds. I also learned that I like state campgrounds, particularly when the sites are spread out.

In any event, for a couple of years, I used an emergency tarp (5×7) to make some shade. It was OD on one side and aluminized on the other. What made it effective as an emergency blanket (tarp), made it effective for desert shade.

Sadly, though, it was light duty and after several deployments it failed. Instead of pressing my second unit into service, I abandoned the approach. Most of the time, the 4Runner’s hatch provides enough shade if it is just me. However, if I have a guest, then it is cramped.

I tried a Kelty Wayfarer, which hangs off the back of a SUV. However, the material is light and thin. Although it provides shade, it does not block infrared from the Sun. Therefore, it is still hot under the canopy.

That lead me full circle. I bought a 6×8 reflective tarp (heavy) and a couple of telescoping poles. I have suction mounts for the rig. I am able to quickly deploy good shade/shelter from the 4Runner (and I think the pickup as well). I bought a second tarp to double up or to add a lean-to for additional shade/shelter on the sunward side.

This approach works. Shade is good, particularly in the summer desert Sun.

I am so grateful. Life is good.

Busy Again

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At elevation, the late spring Lupine is blooming. These are a favorite wildflower and remind me of the bluebonnets in Texas. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-06-09 10:33:23, Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4, 1/1000sec, f/4, ISO-400, light DxO editing.

I find myself in another busy period. Fortunately, a number of projects rolled off the active list. Some of them went inactive and others are complete or at least nearly so. A slow-paying client finally paid their bill so I had a large influx of income, which replenished my bank account.

It turned hot here in Carson City — too hot for June and more like late August. I have new window fans and they are much better than those that they replaced. They are quiet enough and keep my place mostly cool enough. The shade sails are up, which mitigates the direct Sun on my apartment and reduces the heat load some. The portable swamp cooler keeps the living room under 80F most afternoons and I can tolerate that.

The forecast for today is a high of near 100F. This is unusual for Carson, but not unheard of. I might decide to take the truck out for a long run late this afternoon. I need to drive it at highway speed for a half-hour to clear the exhaust filter. Yes, I now have a diesel-powered Ford F-250. I decided that I do not want to pull my camper with the 4Runner any more. I want to keep the 4Runner in excellent mechanical condition (as it is) for use as a daily driver and for day trips for radio (or other) play. The truck will be used for camping trips or travel.

I plan to take The Girl up to Spooner today for our walk. There are wildflowers blooming at 7,500ft. The image of the Lupine was made in the eastern Sierra while hiking The Girl. We both enjoyed that walk and it is always cooler up there.

The hike will be after my dentist appointment. It seems that I have a tooth problem that needs attention. I do not allow dental problems to continue. Chalk that up to experience.

Field Day comes the end of next week. I have a few more things to do to prepare, but am looking forward to a few days camping with friends. I am not all that focused on making a lot of contacts, but want to have some radio fun and take a few days away from the desk. Camping with friends is always a good thing.

Although I am busy, I take time to be grateful and to pray. Life is good.

Postscript: An entry about Ki came up on today’s on-this-day. She was recovering from removal of a number of skin lesions nine-years ago (2017). The cancer finally got her and I still hate that. She was a great dog who came into my life at a time I needed her the most. And two-years ago (2024), Sera posed for me atop a old deadfall while we were hiking up at Spooner. She is a great dog and we have a good time together. Both of these companions make (or made) my life better. Canine companions are a gift from God.

Yellow

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It is the time of year for flower images. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-06-10 11:21:32, Fujinon 35mm f/1.4, 1/2000sec, f/4, ISO-400, in-camera Velvia simulation, SOOQ with slight crop.

It has been a minute since my last post. Between various tasks, there just was not enough energy left over to write anything. Good news — after months of not paying their bill, a client finally did and put a chunk of cash into my account. I was getting a little concerned that they might stiff us. But they paid. Good.

I am happy to have that one behind me. It is possible that it will reanimate later, but I hope not.

I am looking forward to Field Day this year. I plan to camp with friends at Desert Creek Dry Lake. I think that was our FD site three-years ago.

The truck will not be fully outfitted in time, but that is OK. I am slowly working out what I want to add to my truck and it will take a little time to acquire the equipment and get it installed. The bed liner will be sprayed in Monday. That will be the first step.

I spent a lot of time the last couple of weeks researching maintenance issues with the new truck. The primary item is that US diesel fuel is out of specification for the fuel pump used by Ford. Therefore, supplementation of the diesel fuel is required to ensure sufficient lubrication for the pump. Fortunately (for me), my sales agent at the Ford dealership pointed me in the additive direction.

The other issue that came up is the abandonment of a defined service interval in favor of a sensor and indicator. Vehicles have had service intervals for as long as I can remember. The standard service interval has also been always dependent on the service level of the vehicle in question. Those that see heavy service require a reduced service interval.

A YT content creator, The Motor Oil Geek, has several videos on oil change frequency and the impact on engine wear. He recommends, based on testing, an oil change early in the engine’s life (maybe 500-1,000 miles), then a second after several thousand more miles. These remove residual particles from the build and provide a refreshed filter as well. He also suggests that a regular-period service change also be followed instead of relying on the vehicle’s sensor/algorithm.

I am careful to follow Toyota’s service interval recommendation for my 4Runner. Although I did not use a break-in service for it, the oil was renewed every 10,000 miles. Other maintenance items (coolant, transmission fluid, transfer case, differentials) was also changed. The rig now has 235,000 miles on it and does not use oil or leak. This speak to the quality of Toyota manufacturing. It is a pity they do not offer a diesel pickup in the States.

The Ford pulls the little camper effortlessly. I will no longer be lugging up hills. Moreover, I will replace the little trailer with something just a bit larger this year or next. I want something capable of handling colder weather (the current unit does not) and that provides just a little bit more living space. On my month-long travels, the little camper is a bit cramped and I want more space for when I am working.

The adventure continues. I am liking my truck a lot. It is a lot more vehicle than the 4Runner and requires some adjustment in driving style. I am even more careful choosing a parking spot. I do not mind walking from the rig to the store or whatever.

For the moment, I intend to keep the 4Runner as a daily driver. It seems a bit wasteful to have two vehicles, though. So, we will see.

In any event, I am very grateful. Life is good.

Carson City Showers

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After supper, The Girl and I drove out Goni Road to watch the showers spilling over The Hill. I came away with a couple of decent captures. Captured with ILCE-7M3, 2026-05-21 19:37:42, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8, 1/80sec, f/8, ISO-100, processed in DXO Photolab 7.

Last Thursday evening, we had some showers spill over the Sierra Crest into western Nevada. The Girl and got caught in a light shower on evening walkies and hurried back to the house. We were lucky and caught the edge of the shower, so we were not wet; just damp.

Juan’s Mexican Grill in the Comstock Casino on Goni Road runs Taco Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am nearly always up for some Juan’s tacos, salsa and chips, and a Modelo. I decided that I needed tacos in my face and The Girl decided she wanted to go with. Since it was cool, I thought “Why not?” and so put her in the rig.

The showers were still spillover The Hill after supper, so I decided to drive up Goni Road to see if I could get a decent capture. I had the Sony A7iii, a few Nikkor prime lenses, and The Girl, so up the hill we went.

We stopped just short of the entry gate to the cinder mine and pulled up. I got her out to sniff about (but no hunting permitted) and looked around myself. I then retrieved the A7 and a Nikkor 50mm f/2 and made a few captures. I decided that a wider lens might improve the composition and swapped the 50mm for a Nikkon 28mm f/2.8 and made a few more captures.

After a few minutes, I was cold, so we loaded back into the 4Runner and continued to watch the scene — me for the view and The Girl for critters. As the light faded, we headed back down the hill. On the way, I noticed a woman with her camera on a tripod, looking over Carson. I stopped, then called out “Any luck?”

“Maybe,” she replied.

“You can’t do any good unless you try, right?”

She smiled back at me, “Yep!” I wished her good luck and left her to her art. The Girl and I returned home, where she got her kibbles and I put on my comfies so we could settle on the sofa (after she ate). If I do not go settle on the sofa in the evening, I get pressure. She will come tell me that it is time for snuggles.

I reviewed my images and decided there are no portfolio grade captures in the set. I do not think any have enough drama and I do not have the editing skill to force it. Still, I am satisfied that I made the effort to get out.

I spend part of my evenings on the sofa. I will either watch some Netflix/Prime, or read. I will finish the last book in The Expanse series soon. Those have been enjoyable and I love the stories, settings, and characters. It will be sad when I finish my first read.

On a sad note, I learned that a lawyer I did a project for a few years ago abruptly died. I needed a reference for a possible project and reached out only to hear from his widow that he passed. He was not an old man by any stretch.

Life is definitely fleeting and subject to change. Enjoy every sandwich as a favorite musician once said. Too soon the last sandwich is eaten and we fade from view. I am grateful. Life is good.

God bless…

After supper, The Girl and I drove out Goni Road to watch the showers spilling over The Hill. I came away with a couple of decent captures. Captured with ILCE-7M3, 2026-05-21 19:30:49, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8, 1/100sec, f/8, ISO-100, processed in DXO Photolab 7.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

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On walkies with The Girl, I noticed this collection of signs. It reminded me of an old song. Captured with ILCE-7M3, 2026-05-19 11:00:02, Nikon Series E 50mm, 1/3200sec, f/1.8, ISO-100, processed DXO Photolab 7, Velvia 50 film simulation.

I decided to carry the Sony A7iii yesterday when I got The Girl out for a walk. I knew it had a Nikon lens affixed to the body, but did not take time to check the lens before we headed out the door. When I did remove the lens cap, I noticed that my Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8 was attached to the camera.

It is a decent lens, especially given its price point. But it lacks the better coatings of the Nikkor lenses that I have in my collection. I shrugged and decided to use what I brought. (And that was the only lens that I brought.)

So, we walked one of our shorter loops because it was late and I had a couple of appointments to prepare for. Along the way, I noticed this group of signs. Immediately, the classic song Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign filtered in my consciousness, my innate tendency to free associate kicking into gear.

So, we paused for me to make a few captures, then continued our walk.

When we arrived back home, The Girl headed to bed for a nap and I looked through the few captures. I chose this one for posting.

And, although the Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8 is a good enough lens, I have better Nikkors in my collection. The Series E can go to someone else. In fact, when we arrived home, I mounted the Nikkor 50mm f/2 AI on the Sony.

It was a good walk and a good outing. I also remembered a very clever song from long ago. Life is good. I am grateful.

Field Day 2025 — AAR

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This was my last sunset for Field Day 2025. It was a good trip. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-29 19:22:55, 18mm, 1/320sec, f/4.9, ISO-100, SOOC.

Introduction: My desire was to go camp for Field Day 2025 and spend the weekend being outdoors and playing some radio. I knew the bands would be busy, if space weather was good, and that I have been cooped up at the house too much.

Preparation or the lack thereof: I started readying the camper a few weeks before the departure date. I made sure things were working. I refilled the potable tank after the (work) trip to Summit Lake. I checked the refrigerator and did some light cleaning.

What I did not do was select a site. I considered going to one of our old favorites (there are a few). Of those selections, several are within a couple of hours of home, which was doable and preferred. But, a week or so before departure, my buddy suggested Fletcher Spring, which is out near the Aurora Mine in the direction of Bridgeport, California. He indicated the road was slow (washboardy and rocky), but not too bad. There was (non-potable) water at the spring and a nice place to camp.

“Are you planning to come out and camp?”

“No, I don’t feel like loading up the camper. I think we’ll come out for lunch on Saturday.”

“OK. I don’t plan to get started seriously until after noon. I’m not that serious about the contesting part of Field Day; I just want to play some radio and enjoy being outside.” I also just wanted to be away from the house and away from the desk for awhile.

I asked for a pin and a route, if he had one. He sent me a GPX file. I processed that and stored it in my Garmin.

I made a meal plan and grocery list. The grocery run did not take long and the camper ‘fridge was cooling, so I stored the dry goods in the camper and the perishables in the house fridge. I also assembled some personal items (clothes and dopp kit), plus some technical tools for the weekend.

Departure and Trip: I was anxious to get out of town and so I rushed the packing and loadout. After my appointments for the day, I finished the final bit of loading and then hooked up the camper to the 4Runner. The Girl and I headed south to Holbrook Junction and then east to Smith Valley. We took the Bridgeport Highway and turned off on the appointed dirt road and slowed way, way down.

The 20 miles or so from the pavement to Fletcher Spring took a long time to traverse. Most of it was pretty rough with either washboards or rocks. I was able to make 30mph over a couple of miles of the road, but most of it was 10mph or so.

We made it to the site about 2030h. There was just enough daylight left to pick a spot and deploy the camper. I did manage a short walk for The Girl and I during the growing twilight. I was mindful that there might be mosquitoes with all the water.

We settled in for the night with the windows open (thankful for screens) and enough cool air as the desert cooled down after the long day.

It was then I discovered I had forgotten my Kindle. There was no cell service, either. I checked in with my friends and family via inReach so my people would know that I was safe and on site.

I prepared to take a shower to wash off the day. The final loadout, the trip, and the comper deployment left me a little sweaty with some stress sweat. When I switched the valves to bring the water heater online, I discovered a leak in one of the T-fittings for that piping.

It did not look readily repairable. I did not have PEX tools and parts in the camper. There was another lesson.

So, I made some hot water on the range and had a spit bath. I then settled in for the night.

Radio Deployment: The following morning (Friday), I rose, made my coffee, and made some breakfast. I brought some left over refritos and arroz from a previous meal out, which are very, very good with a fried egg or two. I did share with The Girl, who always enjoys my leftovers.

I then began assembling my station. I decided to use the Elecraft KX3 and KXPA100 indoors. I knew that I would operate after dark and I did not want to be outside because of the mosquitos. I also knew that I had already setup the KX3 for digital operations and wanted to send some Winlink messages as part of Field Day operations.

That is when I discovered that I left the power adapter for my Surface Go at home. The adapter normally lives in the case for the SG. I made changes to that kit sometime over the last couple of months. I moved that adapter out and probably left it on my desk. Fortunately, I brought a Bluetti power supply (solar generator — ha!) that has USB C ports and so I was able to power the computer from that power source.

I setup my Yaesu FT-897D on the folding table outside for daytime operation. It has the LDG YT-897 ATU attached to it that makes a very nice field radio.

When I attempted to connect the Yaesu to the logging computer, I found that the cable I *thought* was a CAT cable is only a programming cable. So, there was no connecting the radio to the computer for logging. This meant I would be split logging partly on the computer and partly on paper. So, there would be extra (very tedious) work to complete my Field Day log and dupe sheet.

I finished my Friday staying out of the heat. There was enough shade from the old cottonwoods near the spring outflow that the camper was shaded in the afternoon, which significantly reduces the heat load on my house. I also had the Magic Fan running and brought a Ryobi battery-powered fan and both of those units help a lot.

Saturday dawned and I was up with the Sun. That is my way when we are camping. I made my first mug of coffee and sat down at the table to enjoy it. I turned on the general receiver and listed to a Reno AM station. It was a little crackly inside the camper, but I moved it around a bit until I got a decent enough signal. I cannot recall what they were talking about, but it was talk radio and I enjoyed hearing the voices.

Doggo snoozed on the bed, not ready to get out yet. But, that would change soon enough and she would start pestering to go out and check for critters.

I started some bacon while I enjoyed my coffee. The fat would go over Sera’s kibbles (she is very sleek) and I would share a bite of bacon and maybe a bite of egg with her as well. I cook my bacon slowly over medium-low heat, which reduces the curl and popping. It takes longer to cook at this setting, but the result is much better. (At least, that is the way I like my bacon cooked.)

The smell of cooking bacon caused The Girl to raise her head and look at me. She knows what that means. She likes her food.

I worked though my first coffee while the bacon sizzled, then started my second mug. About the time the bacon finished, the Aeropress was ready and the eggs had warmed to room temperature. So, I poured the bacon fat over her kibbles and started my eggs. While they cooked, I pressed my second coffee and got ready for breakfast.

I sat at the table with my breakfast and coffee after putting out her food. I heard her work her way through her kibbles over the voice on the radio while I enjoyed my own breakfast. I then gave her a bit of bacon and a bite of egg.

Outside, it was warming and the sun on the camper warms the interior quickly. I put the dishes in the sink after wiping them out and we headed out for a short walk.

While not the spring head, this is just downstream a few meters. There was plenty of water from the spring. I can only image what a Godsend this was for pioneers and other travelers. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-27 18:07:15, 4.5mm, 1/80sec, f/2.8, ISO-100, SOOC.

I rotated all the solar panels to maximize the energy catch, then sat down at the Yaesu, my outdoor station, turned on the radio, at started spinning the VFO. I heard a few POTA activators calling, so I made a few contacts on phone and CW modes. While I tried to work one activator, I heard him say “It’s time to get started… CQ FD CQ FD.” I glanced at my watch, it was 10:59:30h and he was early.

How do I know this? Well, I wore my Casio G-Shock GWM-5610, which synchronizes (or attempts to synchronize) to WWV (the world time radio station) every night. I checked and my watch had synchronized early Saturday morning. My watch was correct to within a second. The operator was early by about 30 seconds.

What can I say… I am an engineer and like to be accurate.

Operations: Although I knew my friends would arrive around noon for lunch, I decided to get started anyway. As I scanned the 20m band, I started hearing more callers announcing their availability to take a call. I tried on phone a few times, and made a couple of contacts. But, the frustration of fighting the (phone) pile-ups grew rapidly and I switched the Yaesu to CW mode and moved to the bottom of the 20-meter band.

There I was much more successful and started logging quite a few of the runners. I find it a lot easier to make code contacts than phone.

I also listened on the 15m and 10m bands. I worked a few stations on the 15m band, but heard nothing on 10m. I do not think that the 10m band was open during Field Day. But the stations I heard on the 15m band were quite strong and easy to work. There also seemed to be less competition on the 15m band for some reason.

I checked on Doggo now and again and made sure she was close and had water. Once we get in our morning hike/walk, she is usually good to stay nearby. I really appreciate having her near as she provides a lot of comfort and is someone to talk to.

Nearer noon, my friends arrived on their motorcycles and she ran over to greet them. I turned down the radio and sat back in my chair to socialize a bit. We visited while she pestered and it was good to catch up.

They retrieved their lunch from the cooler one carries on the luggage rack of their motorcycle and I retrieved munchies from the camper. They graciously shared part of their sandwich with me. I found out that I had left my roast turkey slices and Swiss cheese at home in the refrigerator. Another lesson…

We spent an hour or so together with few interventions by the mosquitos. They decided to head out for the rest of their ride. I watched them leave with a mixture of emotions. Once again, The Girl and I were alone.

That change in state always affects me emotionally, at least a little. Although I am an introvert by nature, there is still a social aspect to my personality. I do not have, and have never had, a large social circle. I favor a small group of friends that I spend time with. We do not have to share the same interests, although that helps. But, there is always some kind of energetic connection. I do not understand it; but it exists.

So I spent the rest of the afternoon moving my outdoor station around to keep in the shade and chasing runners. Most of my contacts were on the 20m band, with a few on 15m. As the afternoon drew into evening, I shut down the Yaesu and moved indoors. The Girl and I did get in a short walk before that move.

I started wrestling with Winlink and the KX3 station. The VARA HF modem was not working correctly. That was strange to me because it had been working the last couple of times it was used. I turned on my Internet (Starlink) and did some research and finally got it sorted.

I then proceeded to send Winlink emails to the state emergency communications coordinator and a list of friends I knew operate Winlink. That would permit me to gather some easy Field Day points.

I also learned that there must be a Winlink best practices guide somewhere out in the Interwebs. Or, if there is not, there should be. It is clear that I need training for Winlink field operations and some additional repetitions.

I also realized that I want to be able to run JS8Call (another digital mode) in the field. That is also going to take some work to get my skills up. There also should be a best practices for JS8 field operations (probably home operations, too).

About 1700h there was a knock on my door. I looked at The Girl, she did not look too alarmed, although strongly curious. And there I was, no shirt (too hot) and no one has accused me of being pretty.

I answered the door, to find two young people looking up at me. The girl (not my Girl) said “Do you mind if we camp in the area next to you.”

“Of course not, there is plenty of room.”

“Some of our party can be pretty noisy.”

“I take my hearing aids out when I sleep. I doubt you will bother me.”

“Are you sure, they can be pretty rowdy.”

“I think it will be fine. I really don’t mind at all.”

They seemed reassured and headed off to begin setting up camp. They had tents and a couple more vehicles pulled in over the next half an hour, some bringing old pallets to provide firewood.

I was curious, of course, but did not think there would be a problem.

I finished futzing about with Winlink. It took nearly a half-hour for the dozen messages to send over the 40m band. The bit rate was very low and so there was a problem my setup, propagation, or both. It was a lesson.

I made some supper and fed The Girl. The neighbors started ramping up their campout/party. I could smell some wood smoke and hear them chatting and laughing.

I then turned back to the radio and continued chasing station. There were a lot of runners on the 20-meter band, a few still operating on 15m, and then the 40-meter band started to liven up.

I gave up for the day about 2200h local. I turned off the station, and took care of the evening ablutions.

I woke a couple of times, as I normally do, and could hear my neighbors. I did not think them obtrusive. They were just young people being young people.

I later wished I had gone over and introduced myself to the group. It would have been the neighborly thing to do and I could have reassured them that they were no bother.

I woke early, as usual. The coffee was good. The smell of frying bacon was good. Breakfast was good.

I worked a few stations while my breakfast made. After breakfast, my neighbors were already on the move and it did not take them long to clear out. I moved outside to the Yaesu and continued chasing stations, after getting The Girl a morning walk around the springs.

It was a good morning and I added contacts to my log.

Recovery and R&R: After operations concluded, I put away the Yaesu and cleaned up much of the radio equipment. I left the KX3 station indoors setup in case I wanted to chase a few SOTA or POTA activators. I made a bite of lunch and got The Girl out for another walk. This gave me a chance to clear the cobwebs and make a few images.

We returned to camp and I moved the folding table to the shade. I got out my old Bose Soundlink speaker, my journal, my log, and my notes and sat down with a bottle of Cab. I threw out an old furniture blanket I keep in the rig for The Girl and she arranged herself so she could keep overwatch and nap.

I listened to music the rest of the afternoon. I spent time reflecting on the weekend, on life as it is, and what I learned from this expedition. Many of those thoughts found their way into my journal and into my notes.

Many memories of Wife came to me that afternoon. I reflected on our life together for all of those years. There is a certain melancholy that accompanies such reflection as we had always thought I would eventually retire and we would spend our remaining time together doing stuff together. That was not to be, though. And, such is the nature of life. It is inherently uncertain, but for certain things. It is changeable. It is fragile.

I made some notes about my experience with this Field Day. I know there are more things I need to learn and to practice. As written many times in this on-line journal and at least as many in my paper book, one reason I am an amateur radio operator is for emergency communications. Although I have interest in serving the community, my primary goal is to be able to contact my family and loved ones if or when commercial communications fail.

So, I still have work to do in this regard.

As the Sun fell toward the horizon, I realized that the mosquitos had gotten to me. That caused a few interesting words. I moved my things into the camper and recovered the folding table.

The Girl and I made another round through the Fletcher Spring area to get some exercise and to make a few more captures while the light was pretty.

Departure: Monday morning I rose, made coffee, and spent a little time waking up. The portable radio I brought along received a Reno station well enough that I got a little news. It is also nice to have a voice in the rig.

After coffee, I decided I did not want food. I just wanted to break camp and motor on home. I figured I might find some food along the way (maybe Smith, Nevada). So, I got The Girl out for her morning constitutional and carried the little Olympus along, just in case I found something interesting.

She checked all her favorite places for something to chase. I swatted a couple of persistent mosquitoes. After making our circuit, I put her in the 4Runner while I did that last of the chores associated with breaking camp.

Then I started the 4Runner. I was greeted with a miss from the engine, the Check Engine light flashed, the Traction Control light was solid, and the 4-Lo light flashed. This was a wrench in the works I did not anticipate.1 I did the standard checks, found nothing obvious, and decided to try to limp home.

After hooking up the camper and making sure the lights and brakes worked, we headed out. It was going to be a long slow haul to the highway anyway. I could tell that the miss was real and that the engine produced less power than normal.

That made me think about those long pulls out of Smith Valley and Holbrook Junction. I shrugged to myself, “There’s no sense borrowing trouble before I need to.”

Sure enough, the pull from Smith Valley was done at 30mph. I did not push the engine hard as I did not want to cause any damage. The pull from Holbrook Junction was not so bad, although a lot of vehicles stacked up behind us and several made very dangerous passes in their impatience2.

I was relieved to get home. I parked the camper and then the 4Runner. It did not take long to unload, so I did. Then I put most of the things away and settled in to recover from the weekend.

My buddy Greg called in the afternoon and I told him the story. “Oh, rodents!” he said. “I’ll bring my OBD scanner over this evening after supper and we can check it.”

“Thank you.”

Sometime around 1900h he arrived. We read the codes from the 4Runner’s computer and confirmed the miss and a couple other problems. On opening the hood, we found a chewed through wire and a nest. I had a jumper wire with alligator clips on the ends and he jumpered the broken wire. The miss went away.

“Why don’t you come over in the morning and we’ll try a repair. Earlier is better before the heat rises.”

“How about 0900h?”

“Yeah.”

“See you then.”

At least I knew that I was probably not faced with a huge problem.

Repairs: I drove over the next morning and it took us a couple of hours to clean out the engine bay, repair the chewed wire, and clean up another wire from which rodents had removed some of the insulation. I made a short test drive and everything seemed normal.

So, I took my buddy to lunch.

When I got home, I ordered my own OBD scanner.

Lessons Learned: Once again, on a significant deployment, I learned some things. Some of my problems were my own fault for rushing the deployment.

  • Follow the plan. I let myself get ahead of myself. I did not write a full punchlist to check off things like food, power adapters, and personal items (like my Kindle). The plan is as important as anything on the punchlist.
  • When in an area where there might be rodents, leave the hood raised at least a few inches. That will discourage them from crawling up in the engine compartment to build a nest (and chew wires).
  • Be sure to check the camper equipment, even it worked correctly during the last deployment. My water heater worked fine when I used the camper for a work project just a few weeks before Field Day. The T-fitting at the water heater broke sometime after that trip.
  • I fumbled my Winlink exercise. There should be a Winlink best practices guide in existence. I need to find it, or make it. Then I need to practice with Winlink in the field. This is important, because being able to send and receive Winlink email messages is part of my preparedness plan.
  • JS8Call is one of my digital radio tools. I use it at home sometimes just so I know how it works. But, there is a lot more to the tool (and an update now) than what I have used it for. So, I need to take it out and run it in the field for practice. If there is a best practices guide, then I need to study and practice.
  • The FLDIGI suite is another set of digital tools for ham radio. I trained on them (KA7FOO did the training, RIP), used them on the ORCANET (back when it was running), but have not used them in a couple of years. There is benefit to having these tools available, particularly when propagation is poor enough that voice communications are not reliable. So noted.
  • Part of this digital experience is to have the equipment and tools prepared before going to the field. I now know that I should have a CAT cable and Digirig (and cables) ready for the Yaesu FT-897D (and the FT-857D that is in my inventory). These old radios are solid, field capable, and I have filters for them. They will remain in my inventory and be used.

I found working on my log was a pain-in-the-ass. I futzed around with N1MM+ and N3FJP’s Field Day log software, trying to find an optimal way through the process. In the end, I used ADIF Master (a freely available program) to do the final editing of my log in preparation for uploading it to ARRL for processing.

Despite the frustration (mostly with myself) and the vehicle issue (damned rats), it was a good Field Day and a good outing. I continue to learn about radio operation and camping.

I also realize I should have girded my loins and ran a frequency instead of hunting and pouncing on other runners. I just did not want to work so hard.

Life is good.

1I did recall thinking on the trip out that I put a lot of trust in a more than ten-year-old vehicle with more than 200,000 miles on it.

2I am increasingly annoyed at the impatience of drivers. Too many times, now, impatient drivers have passed me at locations where it is not safe. Several times, this caused them to cut in on me, dragging a camper, because they did not leave enough room or had the visibility to make the pass. This is a lack of care about their own and other’s safety on the road. Their impatience turns into a problem for me. Fortunately, I generally anticipate the problem and take care to have room to stay safe.

Although I would not drink unfiltered water from Fletcher Spring, The Girl’s immune system is much stronger than mine and she did drink. Captured with TG-7, 2025-06-27 18:08:31, 7.84mm, 1/80sec, f/2.9, ISO-200, SOOC.

US-2634 Mormon Station SP POTA AAR

ruminator4 Comments
After activating the park (just barely), I paused to make a photograph of the station before I put it away. Capture with Pixel 9a.

After a quick run to the dentist to have a tooth checked, I decided to stop by Mormon Station SP for a quick (ahem) activation. I figured that I would have time to play a little radio and still get some work done.

Ah, well, the best laid plain of mice…

I chose the Yaesu FT-817ND for the rig and the PreciseLoop SOTA magnetic loop for the antenna. I carried the entire station over to a park bench in one trip. That is one of the good things about QRP (low-power) radios — there is not much equipment.

It did not take long to setup. I tried to check into the 40m Noontime Net, but the small loop antenna is not efficient on the 40-meter band and 5 watts is not enough power to compete with full-power stations. So, I gave up. (Hint: foreshadowing…)

I spotted myself and started calling on the 30-meter band (10MHz) and took a call right away. Then I was in for a long dry spell before someone else answered my call on the 20-meter band.

I will not make light of it: This was a difficult activation. I had limited time and was running only five watts. While I do not have accurate data, my experience is that the loop antenna is not very efficient on the 30- and 40-meter bands. That means that my transmitted signal is less than five watts, perhaps by as much as half. The antenna is more efficient on the higher bands, though. And in my experience, the 20- and 17-meter bands are money for park activators.

I try to run on 30-meters because 10MHz often propagates near vertical, which means that stations less than 500 miles from my location have a chance at hearing my signals. I will usually make a few contacts within that range and try to accommodate close-in hunters who want to play.

I continued calling on the 20-meter band for quite a while — it seemed like an hour but was probably only 15–20 minutes. I moved to the 17-meter band and tried there as well. I think I picked up a call before getting bored and moving back to 20 meters. I worked a small pile-up and my buddy called while I was in progress. Once I worked that pile-up, I returned his call.

We chatted while hunting for a band that he could hear. At the time I think I had four contacts (out of ten required for an activation) and was a little discouraged. But, he provided two more log entries on 20- and 17-meters, which lifted my spirits a little.

It was about that time that 20- and 17-meters seemed to open up, and with a contact or two on the 15-meter band, I found myself with 10 contacts. I decided to try for one more, in case I busted a call, so I continued for a few more minutes until I worked another station.

In the end, I did not give up and had 11 contacts in the log after about an hour and a half of operating. I knew it would be a challenge because Mormon Station SP is a challenging park for low-power operations. At least, that has been my experience.

There is not much room to put up an antenna. There is a lot of audio noise from the Genoa traffic. There are a lot of dogs in the park. This was a challenge for The Girl, but she did well with a couple of exceptions.

I think I should try a different antenna. If I move away from the sidewalks, a vertical might be deployed. I would really like to deploy a resonant antenna that does not rely on a ground system but on tuned radials. It would be more efficient and when running low-power, that matters.

It will try a couple of experiments to test what works better, if anything. I am OK with that.

All in all, it was good day. Life is good.

Edit: Regarding the magloop antenna, I learned something on this outing. I tune a magnetic loop antenna by listening for the peak in static while adjusting the tuning capacitor. I have the FT-817ND set to display power output. By sending a series of dits (dahs will work too), I can fine tune the match by adjusting the capacitor for maximum power output. I learned where the capacitor setting should be (approximately) for the bands I use so I can get close on the match, then fine tune. That makes using the magloop faster.

I also learned, or remembered, that I should keep a set of earbuds in every radio kit. The ambient noise at Mormon Station SP is moderately loud, mostly from passing traffic. It can be difficult to pick out a weak signal.

The Hook Bill

ruminator
I call them hookbills or Hook Bills although I do not know what they are called. I just enjoyed watching them work for their supper.Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 21:58:45, 420mm, 1/1800sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.

Part of the show at Pismo Beach was a few of these birds. I do not know what they are called, but I call them “Hook Bills”, for an obvious reason. They were working the surf right at the leading edge, probing for a bit of supper. I watched them follow the water out as the wave retreated, using that bill to search a few centimeters into the sand.

Eventually, each came up with a bit of food. Again, I could not identify what it was that they were eating, but they were definitely finding supper.

They provided me with some late afternoon entertainment… and a few good frames.

It was a good day. Life is good.

I watched these birds work the surf, looking for supper. They all got lucky once in a while. Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 22:07:38, 420mm, 1/2400sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.