Winter Field Day – Too Damned Cold This Year

Yeah, I'm bailing.  With lows in the mid-20's up at Wright's Lake, it'd be no fun tent camping.  Living in Florida, I just don't have the cold weather clothing and gear for this.  I've already fought an ice storm this week and don't have it in me to huddle in the bottom of my sleeping bag to survive the night, when I should be at the radio raking in the 80 and 40m contacts.  Also, LiFePO4 batteries really don't like sub-freezing temperatures.  In fact it's pretty easy to kill LiFePO4's in those conditions.  So yeah, that's it, I'm not wimping out, I'm doing it for the batteries.

Turning to a backup plan, I'll operate from home this year.  Looking over the list of objectives, (1) operating 100% on alternative power, (7) copying the WFD special bulletin, (9) using multiple modes, and (11) six hours of continuous operation all look feasible.  It's not what I'd planned – and I really, really wanted to hang up that slim jim antenna and make some 6m contacts – but it's not nothing either.  Plus, I get to go to the farmers' market at Scipio Creek and the BBQ cook-off here in Battery Park this weekend.