I have been getting a lot of questions about the condition of club Field Day site on Mormon Emigrant Road post Caldor Fire. I haven't driven the MET since the fire because I really didn't want to see the devastation left behind. I gathered up my courage and Nancy and I decided to take a Sunday drive to the location. Once you get past Jenkinson reservoir on MET the devastation is apparent. Hills covered in burnt out trees and piles of cut burnt trees. Almost all the ground vegetation, such as Manzanita is gone. The areas where tree clearing work is being done are just dirt.
At the Field Day site about 60% to 70% of the area is burnt. Some of the trees have survived for now but I don't know how safe they are. Lots of new grasses in the area that weren't there before, some have stickers that get into your socks and shoes. We did see some wildflowers. There is little shade and many of downed trees.
The Field Day location is 18 miles once you turn onto MET located on an original part of the MET, 38.6680 -120.2922.
Pictures pre-Caldor Fire
Pictures post-Caldor Fire
The July meeting had a good turnout despite the heat. Lots of good discussions were going on before the meeting started. We showed off the final dicission for the new club bages. Thank you Doris K0BEE.
Our Field Day Coordinator, Roger, W66AHU gave an update to the Field Day results and thanked all the participants.
We announced the Big Hill SOTA/POTA club event for Saturday, Aug20th starting at 10am. Jay, KE6GLA and Jordan, WC6J gave an overview of SOTA and POTA operations.
We had another successful Field Day at the Windmiller Farms in Apple Hill. In addition to Field Day, we also held our postponed holiday dinner on the Friday evening before Field Day. The dinner had 51 participants and was catered by Back 40 Texas Bar-B-Q. Everyone had enjoyed the meal and conversation and several lucky participations walked away with a door or raffle prize.
Field Day started with several technical difficulties to overcome. The band conditions were very poor the entire weekend and we had trouble keeping a consistent QSO rate. Most of our operators made a few contacts. We had official visits from our Section Manager Carol KP4MD and Frank KG6GWY the Communications Director for El Dorado County Sherrif.
At our May 2022 Meeting Bob, W1RH presented the history of Amateur Radio Call Sign issuing. Steve, W1SRD played some audio of phone pileups he observed from his TX5N Raivavae, Austral Islands operation. The radio club also elected its officers for the next year.
| President | Jay Harmor | KE6GLA |
| Vice President | JR Harmon | K6LBP |
| Secretary | Susan Keale | KM6NFP |
| Treasurer | Nancy Harmor | KG6PNP |
| Director | Tony Miller | W6QA |
| Director | Bob Hess | W1RH |
| Director | Alan Thompson | W6WN |
| Director | Don Brooks | KG6YST |
| Director | Jordan Heichman | WC6J |
| Director | Doris Wong | K0BEE |
| Repeater Trustee | Bob Hess | W1RH |
| Director | Jeremy Dean | W6TKD |