Sorry to hear about the cancellation. I’m new and would like an expert to show me how to hook up my rig and what to do (tuning, SWR, sequence of events, power level, etc).
Is there any other gathering coming up (indoors or out) where I could bring my stuff and get started? It doesn’t have to be for long, but I won’t turn it on (the first time) without someone knowledgeable telling me it’s safe. The equipment is too expensive to fry on Day 1. :) Thank you. BTW, I still haven’t received my antennas. Hope they get here soon. Wolfgang KJ5NPH Sent from my iPhone > On Jan 21, 2026, at 06:36, Richard Bonica via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote: > > > <image.png> > > Hello BVARC Members, > > I owe you a little insight into how we arrived at the decision to cancel this > weekend’s Field Day — and yes, I did in fact lose some sleep over it. > > I spent a good part of the night staring at weather forecasts, maps, and > mental checklists trying to figure out how we could possibly run Field Day > safely. While there’s no lightning expected, the forecast helpfully includes > heavy rain, strong wind, cold temperatures, and the very Houston-specific > phrase “possible ice.” > > At that point, the weather stopped being a forecast and started sounding like > a survival scenario. > > In the military, there’s a process called Organized Risk Management (ORM). I > used ORM to weigh the benefits of Field Day against the risks. The conclusion > was simple: > There is no version of Field Day where the reward outweighs soggy coax, > frozen fingers, sliding trailers, broken gear, or explaining to spouses why > we thought this was a good idea. > > Field Day is supposed to test emergency communications — not become an > emergency. > > That said, we’re still a radio club, and we still take care of our own. > > I encourage everyone to: > > Keep an ear on 146.88 MHz > > Check in, say hello, and see who’s around > > Listen out for any BVARC members who may need help, information, or moral > support while the weather tries its best > > This is also a great opportunity to get on the air from home and maybe invite > friends or family to sit in, listen, and even make a transmission. There will > be other hams on the air, plenty of friendly voices to talk to, and it’s a > perfect low-pressure way to let someone new experience what amateur radio is > all about. > (As always, unlicensed operators should transmit only under the supervision > and control of a licensed amateur.) > > Think of this as “Field Day: Couch Edition.” Same frequency, warmer feet. > > The good news: the BVARC Hamfest is still very much happening, and now might > be the perfect time to start preparing for it — preferably somewhere dry and > climate-controlled. We will absolutely need volunteers, so if you’ve ever > wanted to help the club without standing in cold rain, your moment has > arrived. > > Thank you for understanding and for trusting the decision. We’ll reschedule > Field Day when Houston remembers that winter is supposed to be mild and > weekends are supposed to be fun. > > Until then: stay warm, stay dry, stay upright, and keep the radios on. > > 73, > Richard Bonica, KG5YCU > President, BVARC > > PS: If you already packed for Field Day, feel free to set up your antenna in > the living room, log a few QSOs, and proudly tell your family you’re > “operating portable — indoors.” Bonus points if you still wear your Field Day > hat. > > ________________________________________________ > Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club > > BVARC mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org > Publicly available archives are available here: > https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
________________________________________________ Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club BVARC mailing list [email protected] http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org Publicly available archives are available here: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
