AmateurLogic 182: Cheap Tricks for Field Day Tips and tricks for a cheap old Field Day. Bluetti EB3A Portable Power Station. Building a high quality 1:1 balun. Download
Les than a week and you want to tell me these tricks now? A month or so ago would have been better so I can build these things..... lol I am ready for "that day"
One thing I love about Field Day are the logging requirements. There aren't any. I discovered this years ago when I was out with the Western Washington DX Club. Don't remember what band I was on, but I was dutifully logging the time, section and callsign for every contact. K7SS came over and asked what the hell I was doing. He told me: "Do not keep a log". All you have to do is use a dupe sheet for each band/mode. I did not believe him. I had a copy of the rules with me, and sure enough, the only requirement is a dupe sheet. They tell you not to submit logs. It is optional to make a log, if you really want to, but there isn't even a requirement to record the section associated with the callsign anywhere at all, but you are requried to transmit your ARRL section. I know, I know, this is supposed to be an exercise practicing emergency capability. But in a real emergency would you do anything not required? Or, for instance, when calling for help, would the other station require you put that plea into official NTS Radiogram format? So on Field Day it always seems funny when any station asks for a repeat of the section. Unlike ARRL November Sweepstakes, there are no multipliers for sections worked. Have fun this weekend! But if you are out with a group, you may run into some resistance because most hams do not know this. Another thing I have noticed is that there is ARRL recommended logging software for Field Day that requires you to record the section of stations you worked, and even keeps track of which sections have and have not been worked, as if there is any reason to do so. But, you may have some desire to keep track of sections worked, just for fun. 73, Tad K7RA
At about the 12 minute mark it shows mounting a J-pole VHF/UHF antenna and extending the mast. Slick. But most of us attach the coax to the antenna before we raise it.
This is a fact ! no log needed for field day. Just total number of contacts by band/mode for the qso "points"... Lots of score entries in QST contain very very few contacts -like less than 200 - but bonus points awarded for media and public relations, setting up in a public space, battery power, having at least 2 bbq grills fired up at the same time and so forth. It's always funny when the "networking experts" come out on field day, and spend from mid day to darkenss on saturday trying to figure out how to get the two logging computers to "network"... t ya it's good fun, but hardly relevant to what field day is. supposed to be. And for God's sake, get out of your hamshack and into a field. I get tired of working all the home-gamer class "delta" stations -- it's called field day for a reason. If you're too old to play, get on the sideline.
Wow, how did this turn into the “don’t keep a log for Field Day” thread ? 73, W8JH. I will be part of N8M with a log on FD, that’s how we roll. ;-)
yup, some older guys in their 70s and up cant get out of the house to do field day , but that doesnt mean that they are no useful in an emergency situation . They should take part in field day if not for anything else to make sure their equipment is good and to see who can hear them from their bedroom . some day we will all be there , think about it
So theoretically then, if there's no logs, no log cross-checking, anyone could claim any score they want to? I guess that works in today's free-for-all do what you want world.
Wow, sucks to be you. But just to put it in perspective, "delta" stations accounted for 40 percent of the 2022 FD participation. Having them on the air is preferable to cutting the number of FD stations nearly in half. Of course, that's only this guy's opinion. https://contests.arrl.org/ContestResults/2022/Field-Day-2022-FinalQSTResults.pdf
As I recall reading the rules this year, or maybe even last year... At one time I don't think Delta stations got any credit for working other Delta stations but I believe now they can. That used to be a PITA because one had to typically work the station before discovering they were a Delta and you were a Delta so you just wasted 2 peoples time.
yep. Everyone gets a green participation ribbon. That’s how it is today. No first place plaques or awards.
A far better result would be to make sure that only field stations operate on field day. Plenty of other days for the home gamers to operate. The bands have plenty of activity. A loss of 40% of the stations, being delta's, wont impact the event -- in fact, it will give priority to the low power, smaller antenna crew that ARE field day in the first place. I heard plenty of big gun contesters - sitting on a frequency and running the QRG from home. Shame on them... finger wag.. I think it's time remove class D. It just isn't what field day is about and there is plenty of oppy for them to join by getting off of their duff and coming out to a club event in their community. If they can't make the effort, why allow the participation ? And if they're unable to come out...well...sitting it out is OK. Not everyone can do everything.
