Hi all,

Just wondering how many folks participate in Winter Field Day? (winterfieldday.org) I know up in our colder climate in Minnesota we enjoy the extra challenge of cold weather operation.

What you're setups like?

Best of luck! 73

-m
KB0TNG

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Re: Winter Field Day
By: Matt Jurcich to All on Fri Jan 09 2026 21:02:30

Hi all,

Just wondering how many folks participate in Winter Field Day? (winterfieldday.org) I know up in our colder climate in Minnesota we enjoy the extra challenge of cold weather operation.

Not really sure what I'll be doing this yearas I don't have the rig I had last year.

What you're setups like?

Most times I go out into the field with a local club, but the guy I go with is unable to go this year and not having him with me would make this much less fun if I do go.

Tom
KF4YEY
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Hi everyone,

Are any of you planning to participate in Winter Field Day?

73,
Sean KS4TD

... Opportunity always knocks at my door... then runs away.
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I will be working it from home.

I have to, I have to see if one of the organisers will actually DSQ me, when I got in a "pissing" contest over one of their bonus points being poorly worded.

"Operate six continuous hours during the event: Emergencies may last days or even weeks. You may be expected to man a radio station between 4-12 hours if you are operating alone or in shifts. Can you sit and operate for extended periods of time with enough backup power? This does not necessarily mean you are making contacts the whole time, but you are in front of the radio, monitoring and ready to pick up a microphone
if you are called. OM x2"

So, in order for me to claim this, I have to hold my bladder for 6 hours, or claim to take an HT into bathroom, and be ready to grab it mid piss if someone calls CQ on my frequency? How about makig this a bit more sensible, like breaks can be no longer than x minutes as indicated in the log? Like other contests do for single op entries.

I guess I will have to submit pictures of the piss jugs....

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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Re: Re: Winter Field Day
By: Rug Rat to Sean Dennis on Mon Jan 12 2026 20:38:44

...claim to take an HT into bathroom, and be ready to grab it mid piss if someone calls CQ on my frequency?

Any way to make your HT VOX-enabled?
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On Mon 12-Jan-2026 11:27p, Mortar M.@1:124/5016.0 said to Rug Rat:

Any way to make your HT VOX-enabled?

Possibly, but I refuse to take a radio into the bathroom with me!

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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Re: Re: Winter Field Day
By: Rug Rat to Mortar M. on Tue Jan 13 2026 12:37:10

Possibly, but I refuse to take a radio into the bathroom with me!

Heh, don't blame you. I cringe a bit when I see...well, hear...people in public restroom yakking on their phone while doing their business. That's just tacky. Worse, they often have their speakers on so I have to hear both sides of the conversation, not to mention the person on the other end has to hear whatever's going on in the john. No class, low-brow people.
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On 09 Jan 2026, Matt Jurcich said the following...

Just wondering how many folks participate in Winter Field Day?

Northwest Ohio here. Our club organizes for the event every year, and we run both sheltered (with portable heat and battery power) as well as out in the open, depending on what each participant is interested in.

We've historically had pretty good turnout: about a dozen operators (and a few visitors) along with wives bringing food to make it well worth our while.

We're definitely ready for another cold winter day with good, hot food!

73!
Randall
WZ8Q

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On 12 Jan 2026, Rug Rat said the following...

I guess I will have to submit pictures of the piss jugs....

Let me know before you send out the QSL cards for that event. :)

73,
Randall
WZ8Q

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Hello Matt!

09 Jan 26 21:02, you wrote to all:

Just wondering how many folks participate in Winter Field Day? (winterfieldday.org) I know up in our colder climate in Minnesota we enjoy the extra challenge of cold weather operation.

I plan to join the local club at their Winter Field Day. My actual participation may depend on the weather (It hasn't snowed here since January 25, 1999). I am hoping it is dry. It was sunny and 60F degrees today after the morning Tule Fog burned off.

I may take our travel trailer to the event so I can set up a packet station and send messages to the State OES. I may also make attempt some data modes; Winlink over VARA HF and/or via my packet BBS atop a +7500' ASL mountain. However, if I haven't made all the preparations before this weekend event, I will have to stay home as we are traveling with the trailer a couple of days after the event and the missus says the trip is more important.

I haven't decided which radio to take: my Yaesu FT-991A, my Icom IC-7100, or a Yaesu FT-857D for the packet stuff. (I am using a FT-857D for the W6RAY-10 Winlink Gateway as part of one of the packet BBSes) The easiest will be the FT-991A since it's the easiest for me to connect to my computer, whether it be a Windows 11 laptop or a raspberry pi, one of which I have Craig's KM6LYW DigiPi installed.

For antennas: I have a few different wire antennas as well as a DX Commander Classic. I plan to add the Classic to my home station as I have had good luck with DX in the past. It is not currently up at the moment due to some anticipated work being done in the back yard.

The club has a crank-up tower mounted to a trailer and a tri-band 3-element yagi antenna along with a couple of wire antennas. I was trying to find some photos on the Club's web site of the tower in use, but they seem to not be available. We also have use of two Icom IC-7300 radios for the event. We use a local farm's "Pumpkin Patch" where they have a corn maze and a pumpkin patch during October on the southern edge of the city. It is the same location we have our Field Day in June (2024 and 2025 the temperatures was well over 100F).

We usually run (in the summer) 3A SJV (San Joaquin Valley) and I sure it will be similar this month. The Club's call is WA6BAI, The Tulare County Amateur Radio Club (A 501(c)3
group)

I could go on, but it's getting late and I am likely boring you.

73 de Ray
Visalia, CA DM06ii
W6RAY/WRKZ506

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then only left-handed people are in their right mind.

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Hello Sean!

10 Jan 26 22:24, you wrote to all:

Are any of you planning to participate in Winter Field Day?

See my reply to Matt, who asked the same question...

73 de Ray
Visalia, CA DM06ii
W6RAY/WRKZ506



... Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6!
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Re: Re: Winter Field Day
By: Ray Quinn to Matt Jurcich on Mon Jan 12 2026 20:19:36

I could go on, but it's getting late and I am likely boring you.

Hams are gear heads. What could be better? :)
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Heh, don't blame you. I cringe a bit when I see...well, hear...people in public restroom yakking on their phone while doing their business. That's ju tacky. Worse, they often have their speakers on so I have to hear both sides of the conversation, not to mention the person on the other end has to hear whatever's going on in the john. No class, low-brow people.

Makes me uneasy also. Always made me want to do some extra flushing so
the person on the other end knew where their spouse/SO/subordinate was
calling them from.

---
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LOL. just start yelling, "WHO DOES NUMBER 2 WORK FOR!!!"

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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Re: Re: Winter Field Day
By: MIKE POWELL to MORTAR M. on Wed Jan 14 2026 08:56:00

Always made me want to do some extra flushing so the person on the other end knew where their spouse/SO/subordinate was calling them from.

Heh, I do that too, but It's probably a moot action. Given the accustics, the call-ee hears that tinkling sound and'll know exactly where he's at.
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Winter Field Day will be taking place this weekend.

I am seriously considering giving this year a pass, considing my dislike of the WFD committee and with the current HF conditions. Unless they clear up on Saturday I think I will be firing up Flight Simulator...

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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