Field Day

[N0SZE]

I worked this years Field Day with my club. I ran the phone station like always, i am a veteran contester. Today I ran across this station in 4 land says i was on his frequency, Well I am sorry but that station was in the wrong and he told me i had to get off his frequency. Personally i was there before he was. Finding out he was running a kilowatt on me. This guy just appeared on my frequency. Normally i would back down but not this time because i know i was in the right from the beginning. I think they ought to prohibit stations from running a kilowatt on field day. You guys with amps are killing the other stations from running a sucessful field day. We have a great antenna and it was up at 85 feet.Anyhow i had to get this off my chest http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[wg7x]

Want some cheese to go with your whine?

QRM happens! How you deal with it seperates the good operators from the bad.

Which are you?

PS: I like cheese!

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Gary

[K0RGR]

It can be really hard to hold a frequency with 100 watts. That's why there's a power multiplier. Personally, I think the multiplier should be a bit higher. There is also nothing worse than a KW station who has an S9 noise level on receive. You can call him forever, and eventually you figure out that he can only hear other KW stations.

But, stop for a moment and think about what Field Day is all about. We're practicing for a real emergency. In a real disaster, wouldn't you want to have a kilowatt if it were available? We had two KW stations going, too.

I got a bit hot under the collar when a WB0 stole the frequency out from under the youngster I had running the GOTA station. It was the first time we'd been able to do any kind of a run, and mister KW decided he wanted the frequency, so he just took it. Some folks have NO class. But this is nothing new, it's the 100 watt way of life.

[AG3Y]

We had been on a frequency for over 15 minutes when a big mouth station came on and insisted that we were on "HIS FREQUENCY" ! What do you think we did? Just kept transmitting and working our little pileup!

Normally, I would apologize and move off in a situation like that, but 15 minutes on one frequency in such a popular contest as FD is an eternity, and we DID have a good pileup going! I was a pure and simple case of someone trying to steal a good thing for his own, and I wasn't about to back down.

I did hear at least one KW class station that must have had a high receive noise level. It can be very aggravating because he was louder than anybody else on the band for the time we were trying to work him, but he did NOT hear us, in spite of our repeated calls.

On the other hand, there were stations so weak that I could have sworn that they would not be able to hear us in return, and they came back on the first call and got our report correctly almost immediately!

This FD was my buddy's first experience with his brand-new Icom 706MK IIG, and he had an absolute blast with the rig! I made the trip from Maryland to Alabama almost for the sole purpose of being here during the FD weekend. That activity, along with visiting the Space Center in Huntsville and all the other tourist-iy things we have been doing this week have made this a vacation that we will long remember!

73 Jim

[n9zxk]

Could this be the start of the end of Field Day... Could Be

[kc2prn]

Hey I'm the new guy and I had fun learning from the best. Trying to hear someones callsign when somebody just decise to step on them is stupid. Plus we had rain over the weekend and it finally stop after field day. I really liked field day, listening to who is out there and where they are from. I never knew there was sooooo many hams. I guess the ionisfer (hope I speeled it right) really plays a part on trying to receive/transmit to the west coast. Man listening and seeing the time pass by and helping out was great. Can't wait till next year. Hope they do have it earlier in April Or May.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Sweet 73 http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[W6ECE]

I found it interesting to hear the many stations calling FD on 146.52 and exchanging information. #The use of .52 is strictly forbidden in the FD Rules. #Then on top of that there was some guy in the San Francisco Bay are flying around in an airplane calling and making contacts for FD. #Contact to air planes is also prohibited and then #he was on .52, double no no. #
The contacts are not illegal but just for field day contacts. #Few people read the rules any more, and just don't care.

[n0iu]

Quote[/b] (W6ECE @ June 25 2006,17:43)]I found it interesting to hear the many stations calling FD on 146.52 and exchanging information. #The use of .52 is strictly forbidden in the FD Rules. #Then on top of that there was some guy in the San Francisco Bay are flying around in an airplane calling and making contacts for FD. #Contact to air planes is also prohibited and then #he was on .52, double no no. #
The contacts are not illegal but just for field day contacts. #Few people read the rules any more, and just don't care.
The use of 146.52 to make Field Day contacts is certainly poor operating practice and is strongly discouraged, but it is not "strictly prohibited". Rule 9.3 states, "Remember that the national simplex FM calling frequency of 146.52 MHz should not be used for making Field Day contacts." As far as I can tell, the only frequencies that are "strictly prohibited" are the WARC bands.

As far as aeronautical mobile, the only mention of it in the rules is in the definition of a Class C station. Rule 4.5 states, "(Class C) Mobile: Stations in vehicles capable of operating while in motion and normally operated in this manner. This includes maritime and aeronautical mobile." Not only is aeronautical mobile not prohibited, it almost sounds like it is encouraged!

What was that you were saying about reading the rules??

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (wg7x @ June 25 2006,21:00)]QRM happens! How you deal with it separates the good operators from the bad.
I just reach over and QSY - or crank some more filtering into the IF chain.

The rig which saw the most use @ our setup was the most simplistic, though...it had a CW filter (of sorts) installed but no IF shift, notch filter or any other tunable interference-reduction features. Despite those limitations, we managed to generate a fair amount of contacts on 10/15/20 with the thing.

[N0SZE]

Oh! I can handle the QRM ok. But when someone used a KW to kick someone off i get pissed. Besides he splatters 5-10 kc up or down the band as well.

[KB1JVI]

I can tell you this, we have a couple 5kw generators, but we make sure we can't hear anyone on the frequency, or within a reasonable range that would cause QRM, before we use it.

Just remember.. just because you can hear them, doesn't mean they can hear you.

[N0SZE]

Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ June 24 2006,23:24)]We had been on a frequency for over 15 minutes when a big mouth station came on and insisted that we were on "HIS FREQUENCY" ! #What do you think we did? #Just kept transmitting and working our little pileup! #

Normally, I would apologize and move off in a situation like that, but 15 minutes on one frequency in such a popular contest as FD is an eternity, and we DID have a good pileup going! #I was a pure and simple case of someone trying to steal a good thing for his own, and I wasn't about to back down.

I did hear at least one KW class station that must have had a high receive noise level. #It can be very aggravating because he was louder than anybody else on the band for the time we were trying to work him, but he did NOT hear us, in spite of our repeated calls.

On the other hand, there were stations so weak that I could have sworn that they would not be able to hear us in return, and they came back on the first call and got our report correctly almost immediately!

This FD was my buddy's first experience with his brand-new Icom 706MK IIG, and he had an absolute blast with the rig! #I made the trip from Maryland to Alabama almost for the sole purpose of being here during the FD weekend. #That activity, along with visiting the Space Center in Huntsville and all the other tourist-iy things we have been doing this week have made this a vacation that we will long remember!

73 #Jim
Exactly! 15 minutes is eternity. And your right i usually would back off if i am wrong. But in this case i was not. I was there long before. I think the band condtions just changed just enough. I was on this 20 meter freq. For better than an hour it was like 630 7am CDT In fact if i had to prove it i can go back through the logs and look, but any how. I had to stand my ground on this one. I don't want to cause any more heat on this becuase now it is a dead subject.

[kg4kww]

Field Day has become more of a contest than an exercise in emergency operating and message passing. This is to bad, because in a real emergency you are not going to say please copy 3a va or whatever. Folks need to know how to pass messages to another station, so, when the time arises for such communications,all hams will have some experience.

Contesting doesn't teach emergency skills.

All Field Day is doing, is giving the contesters another contest fix.

But, I did have a good time inspite of my opinions about Field Day.

Field Day is the one time of the year that Techs and Tech Plus folks can operate the HF bands from their club Field Day Site and geat a taste of HF or as it's called high power CB. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

All in all I had a good time and I didn't need to know code to play in the Field Day Games. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[W6ECE]

Quote[/b] ]n0iu





Group: Ham Members
Posts: 623
Joined: Jan. 2000 #Posted: June 26 2006,08:11 #

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote (W6ECE @ June 25 2006,17:43)
I found it interesting to hear the many stations calling FD on 146.52 and exchanging information. #The use of .52 is strictly forbidden in the FD Rules. #Then on top of that there was some guy in the San Francisco Bay are flying around in an airplane calling and making contacts for FD. #Contact to air planes is also prohibited and then #he was on .52, double no no. #
The contacts are not illegal but just for field day contacts. #Few people read the rules any more, and just don't care.

The use of 146.52 to make Field Day contacts is certainly poor operating practice and is strongly discouraged, but it is not "strictly prohibited". Rule 9.3 states, "Remember that the national simplex FM calling frequency of 146.52 MHz should not be used for making Field Day contacts." As far as I can tell, the only frequencies that are "strictly prohibited" are the WARC bands.

As far as aeronautical mobile, the only mention of it in the rules is in the definition of a Class C station. Rule 4.5 states, "(Class C) Mobile: Stations in vehicles capable of operating while in motion and normally operated in this manner. This includes maritime and aeronautical mobile." Not only is aeronautical mobile not prohibited, it almost sounds like it is encouraged!

What was that you were saying about reading the rules??



Here is what I said about reading the rules. "Few people read the rules any more, and just don't care"

n0iu just proved my point. Below are the ARRL rules that cover my statements. IF you will read them you will find that 146.52 is not to be used and aeronautical mobile contacts are not allowed.

Note the following:

1.6.Aeronautical mobile contacts do not count.

1.8.1.Contest entrants may not transmit on 146.52 for the purpose of making or soliciting QSOs.


Next time look before you leap. In other words know what you are talking about before you criticize

___

Field Day #Rules

9.2. See "General Rules for All ARRL Contests," "General Rules for All ARRL Contests on Bands Below 30 MHz," and "General Rules for All ARRL Contests on Bands Above 50 MHz" for additional rules (www.arrl.org/contests/forms .
9.3. Remember that the national simplex FM calling frequency of 146.52 MHz should not be used for making Field Day contacts.

General Rules for ARRL Contests on Bands Above 50 MHz
1.General Rules:
1.1.See General Rules for All ARRL Contests.
1.2.Individuals and stations are limited to one entry per contest.
1.3.A transmitter, receiver, or antenna used to contact one or more stations may not subsequently be used under any other call during the contest period, except as provided for in General Rules for All ARRL Contests number 3.5.
1.4.Stations may be worked for credit only once per band from any given grid square, regardless of mode. This does not prohibit working a station from more than one grid square with the same call sign (such as a Rover).
1.5.Crossband QSOs do not count.
1.6.Aeronautical mobile contacts do not count.
1.7.Retransmitting either or both stations, or use of repeater frequencies, is not permitted.
1.7.1.This prohibits use of all repeater frequencies.
1.7.2.Contest entrants may not transmit on repeaters or repeater frequencies for the purpose of soliciting contacts.
1.8.Use of the national simplex frequency, 146.52 MHz, or immediately adjacent guard frequencies, is prohibited.
1.8.1.Contest entrants may not transmit on 146.52 for the purpose of making or soliciting QSOs.
1.8.2.The intent of this rule is to protect the national simplex frequency from contest monopolization.
1.8.3.There are no restrictions on the use of 223.50 MHz.
1.9.Only recognized FM simplex frequencies may be used, such as 144.90 to 145.00; 146.49, .55 and .58, and 147.42, .45, .48, .51, .54 and .57 MHz on the 2-meter band.
1.9.1.Local-option simplex channels and frequencies adjacent to the above that do not violate the intent of the above rules, or the spirit and intent of the band plans as recommended in the ARRL Repeater Directory, may be used for contest purposes.

[kf6rdn]

I'm beginning to think there were ALOT of KW operators. We (SCARC) usually do pretty well for antenna setups, and in past have been able to hold onto a frequency with 100 watts.

This year it seemed people coming in at S9 couldn't hear us. Then there was one ijit that kept calling CQ. I kept coming back to him, nothing.. Ok, maybe he couldn't hear me. Then he said, sorry there's quite a pileup. Well he has a pileup, but cannot make a contact in 5 minutes of calling CQ? Wow.. I don't claim to be a great contest operator, but even *I* could figure out to narrow it down somehow, sheesh grab SOMETHING. Suffix, district etc. I left him calling CQ to himself after a few minutes of that.

A kinda "cute" one:
Station calling CQ, I repond, they come back right away, we exchange info. All the time you can hear them being coached in the background. It was a young kid. Did pretty well, don't think they needed the coaching.

[wg7x]

N0SZE sez:Quote[/b] ]Oh! I can handle the QRM ok. # But when someone used a KW to kick someone off i get pissed. Besides #he splatters 5-10 kc up or down the band as well.

Just for background here, I would like to know how you determined that the QRM'ing station had a KW?

I just reviewed the rules for FD and saw nothing that would be in the required exchange that would indicate power levels for class "A,C,D or F" stations. Class B is a special case as is Class A-Battery.

So, how did you make that "KW" determination?

Also, if QRM is generated, must it always be a "KW station" that generates it, or can a measly 100 watt station like mine cause QRM also?

Inquiring minds want to know...

Thanks, Gary

[n0iu]

General Rules for All ARRL Contests
1.Precedence of Rules:

1.1.Rules for individual contests or events, including Field Day, take precedence over all General Rules.

Class C appears to allow aeronautical mobile stations.

Found this on eHam:

Quote[/b] ]From WW5AA
Well, lets see. I flew my airplane from Conway AR. to pick up my ARRL Section Manager(David, K5UZ) at Batesville AR. making many contacts on 146.52. We then flew to Bentonville AR with a lot more contacts, visited three field day sited, and a new County EOC. Then on to Boonville airport with a lot more 2 meter field day contacts. We visited the club on Mt. magazine until dark and continued making contacts all the way back to Batesville. I believe that this tends to show what we can do in an emergency. Thanks to all the dedicated HAMs who made contacts with us and those that tried....what a great FIELD DAY!

73, de Lindy

I guess the Arkansas SM doesn't know the rules either!

[NN3W]

Lots of stations are operating FD and aren't in 100 watt classes.

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ June 26 2006,18:00)]A kinda "cute" one:
Station calling CQ, I repond, they come back right away, we exchange info. #All the time you can hear them being coached in the background. #It was a young kid. #Did pretty well, don't think they needed the coaching.
That also could have been my XYL Nicki, KD8DSG. Put her to work on 10 and 15, using 'YX under control operation (of course). She was nervous as all get-out, having never made a contact. Gent in 1-land was kind enough to speak with her for a few and provide some encouragement. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (NN3W @ June 27 2006,07:36)]Lots of stations are operating FD and aren't in 100 watt classes.
We were thinking about taking a couple...but had enough junque packed into the car as it was. Seemed to do okay with 25-100w out, but 20M was broke for me. No matter what I did I couldn't seem to bust any pileups.

Next year's effort will see the inclusion of a small triband Yagi rather than a small multiband vertical...

[kg4kww]

Field Day has become more of a contest than an exercise in emergency operating and message passing. This is to bad, because in a real emergency you are not going to say please copy 3a va or whatever. Folks need to know how to pass messages to another station, so, when the time arises for such communications,all hams will have some experience.

Contesting doesn't teach emergency skills.

All Field Day is doing, is giving the contesters another contest fix.

[w8cbc]

yx - just bring 30 ft. of wire and throw the far end as high in a tree as you can. It worked great for me. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ky5u]

Quote[/b] (W5MEJ @ June 27 2006,15:15)]Everyone heard you the first time, KWW. We just chose to ignore you.

Thanks for sharing the wisdom acquired from your vast Field Day and HF experience, though. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Chuck
Hear, hear!

[N0SZE]

Quote[/b] (wg7x @ June 25 2006,23:30)]N0SZE sez:Quote[/b] ]Oh! I can handle the QRM ok. # But when someone used a KW to kick someone off i get pissed. Besides #he splatters 5-10 kc up or down the band as well.

Just for background here, I would like to know how you determined that the QRM'ing station had a KW?

I just reviewed the rules for FD and saw nothing that would be in the required exchange that would indicate power levels for class "A,C,D or F" stations. Class B is a special case as is Class A-Battery.

So, how did you make that "KW" determination?

Also, if QRM is generated, must it always be a "KW station" that generates it, or can a measly 100 watt station like mine cause QRM also?

Inquiring minds want to know...

Thanks, Gary
Well how did determine that. Someone told me that KW statios had a class of their own. And most of the time if you twidle up or down the band from where you are at you find that station splattering 5 to 10 kcs ( at least thats what i usually hear most of the time.) And how did know it was a KW station? Well the station i was challenging says "You are not gonna win this one!" Which makes me think he was running more than a 100 watts. And if QRM is generated must it always be a KW station? YES! Most definely! Because 9 times out of 10 i always lose!

[N0SZE]

Quote[/b] (NN3W @ June 26 2006,09:36)]Lots of stations are operating FD and aren't in 100 watt classes.
My thoughts exactly!

[KB3LIX]

It isn't the size of the amp that matters....

Its the size of the antenna that makes the difference.
We strung up a 500' wire loop in the trees at about 30 feet above ground.
Virtually every station I tried to contact heard me, and many of them commented.....

WOW, Big Signal !
All from a Yaesu FT-897D at 100 watts feeding that 500' of #14 wire.
Worked great on 10-15-20-40 & 80.
Wouldn't tune for crap on 160.


You don't need a kilowatt to sound like a kilowatt.

[NN3W]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 27 2006,14:23)]Field Day has become more of a contest than an exercise in emergency operating and message passing. This is to bad, because in a real emergency you are not going to say please copy 3a va or whatever. Folks need to know how to pass messages to another station, so, when the time arises for such communications,all hams will have some experience.

Contesting doesn't teach emergency skills.

All Field Day is doing, is giving the contesters another contest fix.
Guess you don't get it.

Simply put, nobody cares.

Now go back to kerchunking your local 2 meter repeater.

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (kd8bsr @ June 27 2006,15:29)]yx - just bring 30 ft. of wire and throw the far end as high in a tree as you can. #It worked great for me. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
We had a run of seven hundred feet into a 100' tree, along with two 40/80M 1/4w counterpoises tied to the tuner. The aerial wire was aimed primarily west and worked very well for 40. Didn't get to try it much on 80; we were having such a blast on 40 and 10 - with occasional stints of 20M SSB thrown in - that we didn't want to leave those bands.

The only drawback to the longwire scheme was the poison ivy I seemed to have caught while hanging the far end support ropes... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[ab8ma]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 27 2006,21:23)]Field Day has become more of a contest than an exercise in emergency operating and message passing. This is to bad, because in a real emergency you are not going to say please copy 3a va or whatever. Folks need to know how to pass messages to another station, so, when the time arises for such communications,all hams will have some experience.

Contesting doesn't teach emergency skills.

All Field Day is doing, is giving the contesters another contest fix.
That answered the other question - #"How can you tell a KW station?"

If you feel you are not heard, kick in the AMP. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?

[n8yx]

Here's the Yagi I'm going to use for the next Field Day and similar events:

http://www.spiderbeam.net/images/user/HB9ABX.jpg

One can purchase a kit from these folks or roll your own. They'll send you complete plans upon request, under the condition that you do not build the antenna for commercial distribution.

Spiderbeam antennas (http://www.spiderbeam.net/sb/home/index.php)

The 'portable' version weighs around 6 Kg, while the 'heavy duty' one comes in at around 11 Kg...easily handled by 2 people, and our 32 ft aluminum mil-surplus sectional mast will have no trouble supporting it.

[KB9BVN]

Quote[/b] (n9zxk @ June 25 2006,23:27)]Could this be the start of the end of Field Day... Could Be
Oh yeah it is....Ham Radio is dead man....haven't you heard?

[n8yx]

Quote[/b] (KB9BVN @ June 28 2006,11:57)]Oh yeah it is....Ham Radio is dead man....haven't you heard?
Better call 'KWW in to bury it...

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (n8yx @ June 28 2006,15:15)]Better call 'KWW in to bury it...
He has been trying hard for more than two years that I can remember and hasn't gotten his shovel dirty yet.

[kg4kww]

NN3W, take your nasty comments and shove them up your you know what.

I guess the truth hurts, ah dude.

[KB3LIX]

Quote[/b] (KB9BVN @ June 28 2006,14:57)]Quote[/b] (n9zxk @ June 25 2006,23:27)]Could this be the start of the end of Field Day... # Could Be
Oh yeah it is....Ham Radio is dead man....haven't you heard?
Maybe you believe its dead, and for you, it may be. If you are not willing to make an effort to participate and keep amateur radio alive, then it becomes YOUR loss, not an across the board loss.

Everything in life.....Is what YOU make of it.

Contribute, and it will grow with you,
sit back and wait for it to come to you, and you might as well close the windows, roll down the blinds, turn off the lights, and lock the door as you leave.


I REFUSE to let a few malcontents ruin Amateur Radio.

[KC9ECI]

I'd suggest that a couple of you folks chill out a bit.

Tom
One of the QRZ.COM moderators.

[kg4kww]

ok Tom, I shall.

However, I do feel very strongly about my previous comments:
Quote[/b] ] (kg4kww @ June 27 2006,21:23)
Field Day has become more of a contest than an exercise in emergency operating and message passing. This is to bad, because in a real emergency you are not going to say please copy 3a va or whatever. Folks need to know how to pass messages to another station, so, when the time arises for such communications,all hams will have some experience.

Contesting doesn't teach emergency skills.

All Field Day is doing, is giving the contesters another contest fix.

Contesters, I guess, just don't want to hear this because it strikes a nerve.

Just like the code issue does.

Now how many of you the correct way to pass emergency traffic?

Tom and I do, because we were and are (tom is still active) firefighters and it's part of our training.

[wg7x]

N0SZE...

I'm going to be a easy on you as I can but you have some serious misconceptions that need to be addressed.

N0SZEQuote[/b] ]Well how did determine that. #Someone told me that KW statios had a class of their own.

Before you enter any operating event or contest you should review the rules yourself, not just depend on what someone told you. If you were in front of a judge, contesting a speeding ticket, would you think that said judge would buy that defense?

Judge: You were doing 50 MPH in a school zone. How do you plead?

N0SZE: Well judge, someone told me it was OK?

Judge: Guilty! Pay the fine!

Quote[/b] ] And most of the time #if you twidle up or down the band from where you are at #you find that station splattering #5 to 10 kcs ( at least thats what i usually hear most of the time.)

Receiver characteristics have more to do with that than the type of transmitter in use by the so called offender. Admittedly, some folks overdrive their transmitter but a one hundred watt transmitter can generate more QRM that a properly tuned kilowatt class station.

Quote[/b] ]And how did know it was a KW station? #Well the station i was challenging says #"You are not gonna win this one!" Which makes me think he was running more than a 100 watts.

Nope... Sounds more like he was simply a jerk, regardless of output power. Your best option here is to simply ignore him and continue to operate, without changing frequency. Eventually one of you will get tired and QSY.

Quote[/b] ] And if QRM is generated must it always be a KW station? #YES! Most definely! #Because 9 times out of 10 i always lose!

Oh, come on now! If you always lose, (which I doubt) operator skill and persistence count more than power levels. Blaming one cause for repeated failures simply points out the deficiencies in your operating methods.

The "More power always wins" mindset is an 11 meter concept. Are you an 11 meter (CB'er) or an Amateur radio operator?

Only you can make the decision.

I think that you can gues where my opinion lies...

Gary WG7X

[KI4LFG]

Getting back on topic, did anyone get any special contacts this FD?

I was logging for a CW operator and I copied the world cup station along with a few Canadian contacts from the florida panhandle

[KB5WX]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 26 2006,15:34)]Field Day is the one time of the year that Techs and Tech Plus folks can operate the HF bands from their club Field Day Site and geat a taste of HF or as it's called high power CB. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

All in all I had a good time and I didn't need to know code to play in the Field Day Games. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Greg ,

I hate to bust your bubble , but Tech + , or Tech with code , can operate HF . If you would spend as much time learning code as you do whining about the requirement , you would have been on HF a long time ago . But I can imagine that you have heard that before too . So i guess I'm just typin' to myself . And yes BTW , I am very proficient at handling emergency traffic . With whatever mode I choose to operate .

[N5PVL]

I had a lot of fun at field day this year. Although I did not operate any of the radios, leaving that to others, I did participate in raising the antennas and put a good dent in the food supply. There were lots of fine hams there, including some that I hardly ever see.

One guy was offended when I said that I didn't like rap or hip-hop music. - He kept naming hip-hop groups and asking if I had heard of them. I was tempted to ask if he had ever heard of Johnny 'guitar' Watson, Jimmy Carl Black or Captain Beefheart, but decided not to put the guy on the spot. He was upset already... ( I claimed to have heard of all the groups he mentioned, whether I actually had or not. )

This was my first club outing with my new Harley. One guy wanted to know if I had pulled a "wheelie" with it yet, and I had to admit that I hadn't. In fact, I've never had the throttle over three-quarters open so far. The new hasn't worn off yet.

Somebody brought one of those tiny Icom UHF/VHF/HF radios and nobody including the owner could figure out how to get it in USB on 20 meters. Finally the owner of the little Icom went home and got the manual. We found out that you had to press and hold a button, then press it several more times while holding your mouth just right. After that the guys made a good series of contacts on 20. - They had been stuck on 40m before that. The little radio worked just fine, once we figured out how to set it up.

We had a generator, but on reflection we decided to set up a remote linkage that hooked us up to a big generator several miles away, at the power plant. Sometimes it's the thought that counts.

As you can tell, nobody there was overly fastidious about what we were up to. On the other hand, we did have a lot of fun.

There were no kids or young people there this year, but next year we will have some there for sure. Having kids around always makes things more fun, especially if you can get them to operate the radios. I missed having my daughter there, but she was off in another town, visiting with her boyfriend's parents. We got her on the phone and she reminded us that last year she got more contacts than anybody. - A young lady's voice will often cut through a pileup better than an amplifier, and there is no point penalty for that.

Finally my XYL and I decided to cut out early. - We had left our 14 year old son with my elderly parents. We were not sure who needed to be rescued from whom, but we were sure that somebody did by then. We would have brought him along, but there's only room for two on the motorcycle.

[n4sl]

I operated FD this year too and what you people were experiencing was BAND PROPAGATION CHANGES.

The band would move from short to long and people who both really *were* running strings on that frequency for the past hour could suddenly HEAR EACH OTHER because propagation shifted.

20m was excellent but propagation shifted around a lot and I heard lots of folks get hot under the collar about it this year, probably because 20m was very crowded since 15m wasn't too good.

This is a common occurance when the band is opening or closing, this year it did it nearly all day.

N4SL

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif Me ? I did not participitate in any kind of FIELD DAY adventure ( too busy with 160 meter di pole antenna situations ).

I " finally " got a return e - mai on Sunday morning of what the local club was / was NOT doing....and I definately appreciate the one person getting me the information...and wondering why the other folks I asked through e - mails did not even reply with ANY kind of answer ( good or bad ).

But I DID do quite a bit of listening on Saturday night ( some of you sounded like you were holding a can with some type of liquid in it with one hand and a microphone in the other )...then I realized I had the " FREQUENCY LOCK " button pressed and I was still on 3.955 . So I left well enough alone.

Then around 1 pm on Sunday afternoon, the bands mysteriously got quiet again...except for hearing folks from Alaska, Hawaii, California, etc that I had done went and got tired of hearing anyway.

Next weekend...another contest. What group will it be THIS time ? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[NN3W]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 28 2006,13:08)]NN3W, take your nasty comments and shove them up your you know what.

I guess the truth hurts, ah dude.
Yes, the truth hurts when you have to repeat large parts of the same post verbatim at least twice, oh wait, now three times, without a substantive response.

There is this nuclear bomb protester out in front of the white house who has been there for about 25 years with his same, smelly, dirty and unwashed clothes and his posters and plywood board messages.

Maybe you should try there to get a better reception and audience.

[n0jaa]

I found the following news articles about Field Day...


http://www.timescommunity.com/site....6855269 (http://www.timescommunity.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=2553&dept_id=506066&newsid=16855269)

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp....00.html (http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,,TCP_16736_4805716,00.html)

http://www.kltv.com/global....intable (http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=5074574&ClientType=Printable)

http://nwanews.com/nwat/News/42165/


Obviously, I am not reposting the articles due to copyright considerations, but you can click on the links and read them for yourself.

[ab8ro]

kww,

I don't know how other people feel. But I'll tell you this, I have no idea how to handle emergency traffic, of for that matter, traffic of any kind. Maybe someday I'll learn, but then again, maybe not. I'm not all that concerned about it. It's not my job.

If you're a firefighter, then dealing with emergency situations is your job and I should hope you are versed in all necessary aspects of that job. I tell you what, I'm glad that people are willing and ready to do that job and I don't begrudge the tax dollars I pay for that purpose.

If preparing for an emergency is how you want to spend field day, well, more power to you. I like to spend it eating hot dogs, camping, and having fun.

97.1, the basis and purpose of the amateur radio service, #has five parts. Emergency communications is only a portion of one of those parts and it's inextricably tied to the word "volunteer".

[n6oln]

Well, um, yeah.... I had a great field day. Operated 1C for eight hours, mostly in my driveway. Twenty-eight different states; my best showing thus far at one sitting.

I noticed that there didn't appear to be as many people with personality disorders, compared to Field Day '05. Usually have to listen to a lot of intentional QRMing, as well as people ragchewing in a very slow manner for hours on end. Obviously itching to get into a pissing contest with someone...

[kg4kww]

[B]Randy ( AI4FP ) OM & Fellow OF http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif A Tech Plus has only HF phone access on a small potion of 10m only and cw access on a small portion of 20, 40 and I think 15 as well. The point I was making that you missed, is that Techs and Tech plus folks on field day can have phone access on all the HF bands were phone is allowed, via their club call sign used for Field day.

Sorry, if it was to deep for you to understand OM & Fellow OF

[KB5WX]

Quote[/b] (kg4kww @ June 30 2006,13:14)][B]Randy #( AI4FP ) OM & Fellow OF http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif A Tech Plus has only HF phone access on a small potion of 10m only and cw access on a small portion of 20, 40 and I think 15 as well. The point I was making that you missed, is that Techs and Tech plus folks on field day can have phone access on all the HF bands were phone is allowed, via their club call sign used for Field day.

Sorry, if it was to deep for you to understand OM & Fellow OF
I understand full well what the priveledge allocations are . But from your post , I wasn't sure that you did . You made it sound like you thought Tech plus had no HF priveledges at all .

[KI4PZS]

I had just passed the test on field day, but when I tried to make contacts, I found it impossible (to many trying to get to one person, and another) I was too slow at responding, though at 3AM EST someone in New Jersy was nice enough to steer me to another, less used frequency and share his contact information (my first, and only contact). Also there was a few declaring that the frequency was theirs, I though that this was not allowed. If not, then maybe the FCC should revoke liscenses when able to do so in this situation.

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ALL kg4kww has to do is buckle down and pass the GENERAL tests and the EXTRA test and he will have full hf privileges....24/7.

I did it, so that should let any one know that those tests are not THAT hard to pass.

{ I dont think I have ever said it quite like that, so it cant be repititious (*sp) .

[n0xas]

Quote[/b] (n6oln @ June 29 2006,14:34)]Usually have to listen to a lot of intentional QRMing, as well as people ragchewing in a very slow manner for hours on end. Obviously itching to get into a pissing contest with someone...
Or even more obviously, they could well be people who aren't participating in Field Day, don't care about it, and just want to operate normally, as is their right.