We would like to thank Don W0AF for hosting a successful Saturday summer picnic. There were two HF stations operating during the picnic.   Hams were eating chicken and beef while the turkeys watched in relief. Although someone mentioned there were six wild turkeys before the picnic I seen only four when I arrived. Was that really chicken in the bucket?

The Southwest Iowa Amateur Radio Club (SWIARC) and the Heartland Hams joined together for a 2016 summer picnic with field radio operations. The event had been announced here and on the Heartland Hams web site. This was a social event with lots of good food including BBQ, potluck, and desert. It would have been in all practicality impossible to leave hungry.

Two HF amateur radio stations were operational during the event. The timing was a fortuitous opportunity as the 20th was also a contest weekend.   Due to a very active North American QSO Party (NAQP) we were easily able to make many contacts from our portable HF operations.

“CQ Picnic Day… CQ Picnic Day…”

Our primary station produced 63 contacts in 23 states and 3 DX contacts. The DX contacts were: Venezuela, Costa Rica, and the US Virgin Islands.

I think this guy flew in from Costa Rica after the QSO!

Rob reported, “Today’s SWIARC picnic was a huge success.  Burgers, hotdogs, fried chicken plus all the sides.  A good number of hams shown up.“

Another attending ham said of the event, “These get-togethers are always a great way to get to know area hams better. I learn something new about a ham each time I attend one of these.”

Bill KD0FJR used his portable VHF/UHF station as a call-in before and during the event.  We got to see his miracle good luck radio, the little Yaesu that could.

Someone asked, “Where the heck is ZQG?”

Any more updates and comments will be posted here as time permits!  Submit your own pictures!