Episode 19: How We Made Field Day Our Best One Yet
Published: July 9, 2026
YouTube: https://youtu.be/m5aILG8IEd0
Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2438895/episodes/19466291
Summary
The Everyday Ham crew recaps a July packed with operating, starting with the 13 Colonies Special Event and a solar storm that made chasing all thirteen stations a real challenge. The heart of the episode is a rethink of ARRL Field Day, where the South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club traded the rustic cabin for a community open house in town, complete with public signage, a Get On The Air station, and new operators making their first HF contacts. James, Jim, and Rory also give an honest first look at the Buddipole BuddiHEX hex beam and break down the coming showdown between the Icom ID-5200 and Kenwood TM-D750A mobile radios.
In This Episode
The Everyday Ham merch store, plus a retirement shout-out to Rodney AE5TX
Around the shack: Jim's Monroe Ham Swap finds (Icom ID-51 Plus, Alinco DJ-S40, and a Mirage amplifier), and James on the Kenwood TH-D75A vs the Yaesu VX-6
Chasing the 13 Colonies Special Event through a solar storm, including a D-Star scramble for the Great Britain bonus station
Remembering Ken Villone KU2US, the event's founder
South Lyon's Field Day, reinvented as a community open house in town
Is Field Day still relevant? A community-first take, the public signage that worked, and setting realistic expectations
Welcoming brand new Technician Cruz KF8GNL to HF
An honest first look at the Buddipole BuddiHEX hex beam
Radio news: the brewing Icom ID-5200 vs Kenwood TM-D750A showdown
Chapters
0:00 Welcome and Shack Updates
4:44 Monroe Ham Swap Finds
8:52 Kenwood TH-D75A vs Yaesu VX-6
10:32 13 Colonies Special Event
22:30 South Lyon Field Day, Reimagined
29:17 Is Field Day Still Relevant?
38:45 Signage and Getting Newcomers on the Air
48:13 Buddipole BuddiHEX First Look
58:35 Icom ID-5200 vs Kenwood TM-D750A
Mentioned in This Episode
Rodney AE5TX, recently retired friend of the show (met through the Everyday Ham Discord and at Orlando Hamcation)
Cruz KF8GNL, brand new Technician who got on HF at Field Day and bought his own HF rig days later
Frank NF8M, Rory's longtime friend and Elmer, who ran CW at Field Day
Ken Villone KU2US, originator of the 13 Colonies Special Event (Silent Key)
Shane KF8BWN and Mike W8MCV, crew who helped raise the BuddiHEX
13 Colonies Special Event: https://www.13colonies.us
ARRL Field Day with the South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club (W8EDH), Class 3A, 1,193 QSOs
Monroe Ham Swap (Metro Detroit)
Icom ID-51 Plus, Icom ID-52, and Alinco DJ-S40 handhelds
Mirage VHF amplifier (a former MFJ sub-brand)
Kenwood TH-D75A: https://www.kenwood.com/usa/com/amateur/th-d75a/
Yaesu VX-6
Icom IC-9700 and Icom ID-5100
Buddipole BuddiHEX with the 7m Mastwerks mast: https://www.buddipole.com/buddihex2.html
Icom ID-5200 and Kenwood TM-D750A (both upcoming mobiles)
California QSO Party, Tokyo Ham Fair, and Friedrichshafen Ham Radio
K8MRD, "Is ARRL Field Day Becoming Obsolete?": https://youtu.be/8Wvy0m1SL5Y
Episode 7, our earlier Field Day conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsKXY9sPL9k
Everyday Ham South Lyon Field Day walkthrough: https://youtu.be/hcXOOwiPnr0