WVARA Field Day 1996
Raising the Tower at HF Station #1

The club's "big guns" went into HF Station #1... the tower, the best antennas, and (among) the best operators. This station ran full-bore for all 24 hours. But before any of that could happen, the tower had to be raised...

[Setup photo: Telerex antenna assembly

Our Secret Weapon: The Telerex Beam

The Telerex TB6EM 6-element tri-band HF antenna was our secret weapon. It's huge! In the photo, on-the-ground assembly has just finished and people are standing back to take in the view. (There were several people behind the camera's view, too.) Standing in the photo from left to right are Larry Mattix KD6WJV, 15-year-old Daren Bowlby AC6NS, and Steve Henshall KO6NZ. The dog between Daren and Steve is "Bear".

Daren AC6NS was showing the most interest here because, with his 35wpm code speed, he was going to be the primary operator for the station. For most of Field Day, this was "his" antenna. In addition to operating, Daren's position in the Field Day effort was "Contest Manager", handling the registration and paperwork. He's also an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Association.

Larry KD6WJV provided the fire extinguishers for all the generators and stations at the site and helped with lots of tasks around the site.

Steve KO6NZ was one of the primary operators of HF Station #3, located in his VW bus HF shack.

The fact that this antenna was back in use is a story all on its own. This used to be at the club station until 1990. When the WVARA lost its club station at the Los Gatos Red Cross (because they moved to new quarters where they didn't have the space to spare) it went into "storage" at a member's house. Storage is actually a polite term. Even though it was rescued from the mud in 1993, it was still a corroded heap of twisted metal in February of 1996. When advice was given to junk it (and it looked like junk), Tom Server KB6LUC convinced a number of members and the club's leaders that it could be restored. Tom led the effort though at least five other members came to his place several times to help.

Field Day 1996 was the return to glory for the antenna. This page covers the raising of the antenna but it's also the culminating achievement in the restoration of an excellent antenna.

[Setup photo: telerex on the tower]

Attaching it to the Tower

Problem: There were two beams to be attached to the tower. The 20m beam easily went on the top before the tower was turned upright from the trailer. But the Telerex was much bigger than anticipated and couldn't be put on before the tower was upright (but not extended.) The idea that solved the problem with the equipment we had at hand was to use a pulley and hoist it up. Mike Polkinghorn KD6PUD was up the tower while everyone else pulled from the ground. By the time this photo was taken, Mike (on the left) had done the initial attachment. Then Ralf Erickson WA6CQA (on the right) joined to help secure it, since the wind was making it difficult for one person to do.

Mike KD6PUD was the "site dictator" (site planning coordinator). He brought these antennas and the multiband multioperator KD6PUD VHF contest stations up to the site.

Ralf WA6CQA is the club's Treasurer and brought many things to the site, most importantly including the rented portable outhouse. It was Ralf's idea to use the pulley to get the Telerex up there.

[Setup photo: ready to crank it up]

Ready to Crank It Up...

In this photo the tower is ready to crank up. The two beam antennas are prominently visible at the top.

In the background, the triangular-frame tower is Charlie AB6VS's repeater tower. It was not used because the Field Day rules prohibit use of permanent structures that are already used for Amateur Radio for the competition. Note that the crank-up tower will be the tallest on the property once it's up.

[Setup photo: way up there!]

Aluminum Overcast at HF Station #1

Once the tower was cranked up, it was an impressive sight. Aluminum filled the sky over HF Station #1.