Field Day Prep

This is a page that will change year to year… 2026 right now.

Table of Contents

Photos of site taken June 25th 2026

Wow… Somerset County Parks cleaned up the Rockingham site very well… nice gravel surface shown in photos below. There is still some mugwort growing on the edges, and we do need to clear a space for the sign on 518, but it’s lots easier when the county does all the mowing!!.

Overall site:

Here’s the old infrared image of the site when the building was there. Note that the gravel parking area is only half of the big square, the further west part is now overgrown and full of briars. North is up.

infrared satellite shot of Rockingham as it appeared in the 1990s
Click the image to enlarge it..

Rough Plan for stations

This is my idea of how we might set up… very similar to last year. lines indicate possible dipole hangings. Putting tents in the shade is a good thing.
The Driveway is all cleaned up thanks to the Somerset County Parks Dept. PortaSan shade tree shown at center. Note it’s out of view from the road.

Looking across the main area (Shady Station and Shady Side.)

“shady station” is a place for a canopy or tent or just a table. The Shady Side is a big area where we will eat and operate overnight.

At left is the “Shady Station” area. Cushla set up a table there one year. A Canopy would be good for rain showers.
At right is the “Shady Side” area, between the big bush and the rock wall — for Food and HF Tent
Closeup of the Shady Side… lots of space for the tent and dining canopies… canapes?
The park folks cleaned much further back in to the shade this year, so let’s use it!

The Sunny Side and the back Rock Wall (VHF, Digital)

In the center of the image is the VHF Corner… it’s hot and sunny, but the highest point in the park.
We can put a 2/440 vertical up, hung from the tree above
We can also put the 6 Meter antenna here.
And a 20-15-10 triband, perhaps

Looking down the driveway and a shady place for Tizzy or GOTA

The tree that grows out over the gravel could provide shade for a GOTA station and/or Tizzy.
(the contrast doesn’t show the size of the shaded area.)
Antennas can slope to the tall tree to the left of the car, down the hill. possibly OCF Dipole? An antenna put up in that direction is perpendicular to other antennas, minimizing overload.

Panorama from 2023

This 360 degree panorama from 2023 shows a blue tent in that north corner, with a blue canopy toward the entrance road, and lots of canopy tents over on the shady side. About dead center in the image is location J, which John used for the digital station last year.

Rob, Charlie and John at John’s digital station.

Power, Logging, Food

HF stations should use N1MM+ We have the wifi centrally located in the Logs/Filters canopy

Power usually is on the shady side between Shady Station and the HF, with wires running every which way (and a filter near the generator)

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