Eyeball 2009 was held in Vista, CA (sunny southern California) from Friday July 31st to Sunday August 2nd, 2009. Vista is located about an hour south of Disneyland (Anaheim) and about 45 minutes north of Sea World (San Diego). The Pacific Ocean is about 10 minutes west and the Palomar Mountain Observatory is about an hour to the east. The 2009 Eyeball was held on the 55-acre Vista Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum grounds with approximately 55 members, spouses, harmonics and guests in attendance and by all accounts a great time was had by all.
There was plenty of open space on the grounds for a two-element phased vertical on 80m facing NE and a four-square array on 40m, which gave really good coverage for working the nets.
RV, semi and tent camping without hookups was available on the grounds and we had the whole camping area to ourselves. A campsite with hookups was only 5 minutes away, and there was also camping at Oceanside Beach about 15 minutes away. Those wishing to camp on the grounds were able to show up anytime during the week since the site was essentially ours for the week and there was plenty of room to spread out at the camp sites and to put up antennas. There was a dump station and water available for re-filling water supplies. Generators were permitted at the campsite until 11:00 pm and quiet generators (like the Honda EU2000) could be run all night.
Check out the results of the 8th Annual Mobile Shootout - 2009 - Vista, CA. Results of Past Mobile Shootouts are also available.
You can visit the Gas and Steam Engine Museum Site located on the grounds where Eyeball 2009 was held.
Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to our hosts, Loren Hunt (AD6ZJ) and his wife Melody for a wonderful Eyeball.
