We set up both the communications and tower trailers at the CFMA’s Swap Fest in Springfield, VT. We had three goals – creating awareness of our club locally, testing the newly completed systems and HF beam, and having fun. We accomplished all three! From the time we unhooked the trailers until the time we were on the air on 20 meters was right around a half hour (no one had a stop watch). In another 15 minutes, Alan AE1H had his Cloudwarmer NVIS dipole system set up and on the air. All on the trailer’s yet unfinished battery system!

The certificate for best limited multi-op entry is from last January’s VHF contest effort at Bill Burden’s house. It was a small effort compared with past years, but apparently enough to be the biggest and best entry in Vermont. Local interest in the contest has fallen off in the last few years, making TSRC’s effort the default “heavyweight.” It was much the same this year.

In a few words, it was fun, but it wasn’t what we expected. The weather cooperated in that it didn’t rain, and it wasn’t terribly cold or damp. No sun either. Our station worked quite well. Our first contact was a Canadian station, the second in Ohio, and the third in Germany, all on 20m. We were on the primary US Islands calling frequency, 14.260, but the only other Island-related station was one of the USI founders, K3USI down in Virginia. All told, we made six contacts during the four or so hours we spent on the island. Not a very active group, apparently.

It was a warm one today and unfortunately the warmer weather brings out the mosquitoes. Dave WA1ZCN, Alan AE1H, and myself W1SKE are working hard to get the trailer all wired up for NEAR-Fest in a week. The day is half over and there's still a lot more work to be done.