Phil DeJarlais account of the club beginning and first Club Field day event

Anoka County Radio Club - The First Field Day

June 23-24, 1956

(Note: Pictures of the event at http://acrc.visi.com/gallery/acrcfd56)

The Anoka County Radio Club was organized January 10, 1955 at the home of Bernt Westeren, W0SER.  Mayne Menke, W0DXZ was President.  Bernt Westeren, W0SER was Vice President and John Lonski, W0BSI was Secretary and Treasurer.

In May, 1956, Don Marcy, W0HEN and Phil DeJarlais, W0JHS joined the club.  Phil was Civil Defense Radio Officer at the State CD center at Anoka and looking for operators to help with the upcoming June CD tests.

Incidentally, during those tests, the northern metro area suffered a Nuclear strike and our station was knocked out so we went home early!   The CD center was later moved to Mankato because of that possibility. 

The CD center was located on the second floor of the American Legion Clubhouse then located on the Greenhaven Golf Course grounds in Anoka.  When the subject of a Field Day for 1956 came up, Phil volunteered the use of the CD equipment and site in Anoka.   Three tents were set up along with antennas and a tower for two meters.   Tall trees provided shade and antenna supports.  We used three Viking II transmitters and three National NC 183D receivers on 80-40 and 15 meters and had a GE FM rig on two meters.

The following operators took turns operating.  George Collier, W0EG; Vic Felix, W0QHT; Dick Menke, W0DXZ;  John Lonsky, W0BSI; Don LaSalle, W0BNS; Bob Waldhoff, K0CKT, Bill Bunce, W0SGY; Dick Zabel, W0HUX; Don Marcy, W0HEN; and Phil DeJarlais, W0JHS.   Sorry if I missed anyone but time dims ones memory.   W0DXZs XYL was chief cook.  (The cake was pretty good!)

The Boys on 40 CW had 92 contacts.   Other activity was on 75 phone and 15 meter phone.   We worked into St. Cloud on two meters along with local metro two meter stations.

Power was supplied by a 15KW Onan six cylinder generator located about 100 feet down the hill from the operating location.  It was a gas hound!  We got some free gasoline from one of the local distributors.  I think it was Skelly, for which we were duly thankful.

It was such an exhausting adventure that no more field days were planned for many years!

Phil DeJarlais    W0JHS