What part of town are you in? On Wed, Jan 21, 2026 at 9:26 AM Lone Wolf via BVARC <[email protected]> wrote:
> 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]/ > -- Richard Bonica C: 281.935.7222 Email: [email protected] Freq: 147.000 - DMR - Digital Mobile Territory: NE Fort Bend CERT, CST, EST, WEB EOC, HSEEP, FEMA PD, Wilderness First Aid, CPR, Extra Ameture Radio
________________________________________________ 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]/
