The Coconino Amateur Radio Club held it's annual ARRL Field Day June 27-28, 2009 at Summitt Fire Station #33, in Coconino County, approx. 3 miles north of Flagstaff, just off of N. Hwy 89. This event was held in conjunction with the Northern Arizona DX Assosciation.  Field Day was well attended and a good time was had by all.

What is Field Day?

Depending on who you ask, you may get several different answers.  For some it's a contest, a  chance to hone their long distance (DX) skills by contacting as many distant stations as possible in a 24 hour period.  For others it's an opportunity to perfect their emergency preparedness (EMCOMM) skills.  Operating on alternative power sources (generators, solar, battery), operators practice operating on marginal, or worse, conditions, to provide communications in the event of an emergency or a disaster.  It is also a great opportunity to make the public more aware of the role amateur radio plays in the local and worldwide communities.  The general public and local government officials get a chance to see amateur radio in action.  They even have the opportunity to make  "contacts" via the Get On The Air (GOTA) station set up for this very purpose.  This is also a very effective way of recruiting new people into the ranks of amateur radio.  And as much as anything else it is a social event .  A chance for neighbor to meet neighbor,  and an opportunity for amateur radio operators to share their passion with their community and their fellow "hams".

Our Gracious Hosts , the members of Summitt Fire
Station #33.

Mandy Metzger, Coconino County Board of Supervisors inspects the Get On The Air (GOTA) station manned by Bob Wertz, NF7E.

Mandy Metzger, Coconino County Board of Supervisors discusses amateur radio with Scott Martin (L), KE7BIT and Joe Hobart (R), W7LUX.

Scott Martin, KE7BIT, Erv Perlstein, KE7QFI and Joe Hobart, W7LUX confirm a new contact.

Coconino Amateur Radio Club communications trailer.  The morse code (CW) station was set up here.

Joe Hobart, W7LUX and friend at the long distance (DX) radio trailer provided by the Northern Arizona DX Assosciation.

When all is said and done you can't get on the air without an antenna, or two or three.

Al Traber, KF7HSD, Pat Traber, KE7QFG, Kay Perelstein, KF7BRV and Erv Perelstein, KE7QFI ready for tear down at the end of a long day.

All photographs on this page were taken by and remain the exclusive property of Jayne Abram, KF7JEV, and may not be used without specific permission.