Having a field day.

     Once a year, usualy   the last weekend in June, HAM radio operators from the US and Canada get together. The goal of field day, is to practice setting up communications as if it was an emergency.

     Thousands of HAM radio clubs get together in parks, and other public areas. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network SATERN, is one of those groups.

     SATERN covers emergency communications for the Salvation Army. This particuler SATERN  group covers San Bernardino and Riverside counties in southern California. 

     The SATERN group set up four HAM radio stations. One on 10 meters. One on 20 meters PSK Didgital mode. One on 40 meters CW or morse code, and one on 15 meters morse code.

     The extreme hot tempertures were a factor in only making a hand full of contacts. But, friendship and learning as you go were the order of the day. 

     The three wire antennas were built on the fly, to match SWR of the band they were covering. And to top it all off, hamburgers were the lunch of the day.

     Field day lasts 24 hours from 11am California time Saturday, to 11am Sunday. The SATERN group pulled up steaks about 5pm. 

     If you are a licensed HAM, SATERN runs a 2 meter net on Keller Peak Repeater 146.385 on Sunday nights 8pm local time. Guests are encouraged to check in.