Govnr' Dick Hill 2009 Summary                          27 July 09
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                                                           WB4APR

Participants:  WB4APR Bob Bruninga
               WE4APR Bethanne Albert-Bruninga
               WA4APR AJ Bruninga
               KC2UML Rorie Shaffer

We didn't get to parking lot till about noon and didn't get to
the top of the tower and the D700 on the air till maybe 12:30.
Camelback and MD mountain were seen almost immediately.  THen
a few minutes later we saw one from Greylock.

The next 2 hours were spent stringing the 3200' of #22 wire back
down the hill to the car for power for the laptops.  Finally
got power about 3 PM.  Eventually, around 3:30 we also heard 
White Rock Cliffs once they got their D700 configured.

GDHILL:   D700 TX on Medium power packet and UHF:

Antenna:  single dual band vertical (3 dBi and 4.5 dBi)

Schedule: DIGI on Air on battery about 12:45 and heard MD Mtns
          and Camelback immediately.  Greylock within the next
          halfo hour or so.  White-Rock Cliffs not till 3:27  
          No PC power until 3 PM. Quit at 4PM.

Echolink: net not joined because we were too late.

Received SW to MD Mtns all 9 bars packet
Received RX SW to MD Mtns all 9 bars on 445.925 voice
Received RX NE to Cmlbck only 3 bars (but reliable)
Received RX NE to CmlBck only 1 bar on 445.925 voice (needed HPwr)

GOOF:  We pre-programmed the D700 to act as a digi and as the
TNC for our APRSdos setup.  Occasionaly when we cycled power,
we may have forgotten to set our PATH on the APRSdos to HOP7-7
meaning some of our packets would only be heard in adjacent
sites, and not distant sites.

COMMENTS:

We also used 445.925 for our own site simplex, as we spent 2 
hours lugging stuff and pulling 3200' of wire up and down the
hill.  Probably drove the adjacent sites nuts...  Though with the
lack of long-haul packet traffic, at least maybe it gave them
some entertainment...

Echolink?  I think this is an area where we can all learn a lot.
This is a great system for long distance coordination, but I
admit, I have never used it from the mobile either, and so we
have a lot to learn.  I was unable to find a guru to write up a
good plan for us so most of us were working in the dark.  But
getting those ECHOLINK and IRLP Beacons into every digipeater so
we can SEE the OPEN ones while we are mobile, makes it as simple
as 123456 to call  home, and #to finish the QSO.  What could be
a greater asset to the mobile operator!

I have no info on the Echolink 11AM to 12 test, since we had not
even started climbing the mountain until after it was over.

This was a great first year.  We will definitely plan for this
next year along with trying to get other long haul trails
interested.  At Field Day, we don't get no respect, never have
in 20 years.  Im tired of that.  Lets make this a great annual
event for VHF and Packet!

Bob, Wb4APR