Well it’s that time of year where it is cold outside and it’s Winter Field Day 2021. Days like these are usually best spent indoors playing radio.

This year Winter Field Day was something that almost slipped by me, AGAIN! I did little preparation for this event.

I knew that my wife and I were going to be traveling to Colorado to see family. On Saturday, when the event started I made a few contacts around the QTH but we had severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings.

In fact, it’s not a “true” field day without thunderstorms and severe weather correct? I had to unplug and call it quits after 15 contacts.

Sunday was going to be our travel day of going across Kansas. What better way to go across Kansas than to do it with WFD in the mobile!

My Mobile Setup

My setup of HF antennas for the mobile is not elaborate at all. It consists of a 20m, 40m, and 80m Hamsticks and a homebrew induction coil with taps. I ran my old ICOM 706 with the LDG z-100 plus autotuner to help out with the SWR.

For the most part I can get pretty close with the taps on the induction coil. Either way you look at it I am compromised on my antennas.

I ended up operating for 3.5 hours in central Kansas at the picturesque Coronado Heights Castle. Then I ended up making 32 contacts on 20m & 40m combined. I call this WFD 2021 a success.

Operating from an otherwise unusual place using an unusual setup in adverse weather conditions. The 25-35 mph wind was brutally brisk. The windchill was in the teens.

Overall, I did like the challenge of operating from the mobile. The signal reports that I got back was good from some distant stations.

Indeed, I am looking forward to the next Winter Field Day in 2022!!!