Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:50:50 EDT, wrote in .com:
Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

Staying home. The local club has talked the talk two years running,
telling my wife and others that they were welcome to operate, but
failed to walk the walk and actually let them operate when they asked
to. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." The
crowning glory was the club president and the repeater trustee jumping
her at a meeting because she dared to bring up the problems with the
repeater during bad weather, precisely when the repeater is most
needed. I've been on the club repeater since then only to run my
weekly net, and that'll die when my dues and membership expire.

I'll be catching up on house maintenance. Y'all have fun.

--
"No lusers were harmed in the creation of this usenet article.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY NOT!"
--glmar04 at twirl.mcc.ac.uk in a.s.r

On Jun 18, 6:50?pm, wrote:
Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

The CONTEST called a "Readiness Exercise" is just another contest.
Always has been. If it's a Contest going on, there's little point in
listening to "the bands" (the HF ones) since there is very little
evidence of actual "Readiness" activity that is supposed to be a
hallmark of an outing in the park with buddies.

If "Field Day" were an ACTUAL Readiness Exercise I would consider
joining in once I had some portable equipment. Since I don't and
since it isn't, I'll just stay in my air conditioned home and "work on
my code."

PIC programming code, that is... :-)

Y'all have fun, heah?

73, AF6AY

AF6AY wrote in news:1182223631.882670.254980
@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

On Jun 18, 6:50?pm, wrote:
Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

The CONTEST called a "Readiness Exercise" is just another contest.
Always has been. If it's a Contest going on, there's little point in
listening to "the bands" (the HF ones) since there is very little
evidence of actual "Readiness" activity that is supposed to be a
hallmark of an outing in the park with buddies.

If "Field Day" were an ACTUAL Readiness Exercise I would consider
joining in once I had some portable equipment. Since I don't and
since it isn't, I'll just stay in my air conditioned home and "work on
my code."

Our club alternates between a low power, and a high power Field
Day. While I personally like the low power FD better, some of the other
guys really like to run legal limit into a 40 meter beam on a portable
tower. So we compromise and alternate. We'll be running 3A, with a
dedicated CW station, a dedicated 40 meter station, and a Other
frequency/80 meter evening station. We'll have a recieve antenna at the
perimiter of what is allowed to eliminate the interference you get when
you have a lot of high power stations operating in close proximity.

Y'all have fun, heah?

Nothing better! Folks come out to chat as well as operate. We socialize
and have a mostly relaxing weekend (hard to call it all relaxing when I
pull the night shift on 80 meters - I'm pretty tired by Sunday afternoon)
It's always a little interesting trying to talk the local pizza places
into delivering to a field outside of town. Sometimes they do, and
sometimes they won't.

Of course Field Day isn't for everyone.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Mike Andrews wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:50:50 EDT, wrote in .com:
Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

Staying home. The local club has talked the talk two years running,
telling my wife and others that they were welcome to operate, but
failed to walk the walk and actually let them operate when they asked
to.

Sounds like you need a new club.

One thought on all this. It is quite possible that "they" got just what
they wanted if they squelched your XYL and you. But will you let them?

Might be time to have your own Field day setup. If your family is being
stepped on, there might be some others in the same situation who might
join with you.



I'll be catching up on house maintenance. Y'all have fun.


We sure will! 8^)

In article .com,
wrote:

Folks,

What are people doing for Field Day this year?

73 de Jim, N2EY

I'm participating with my local club , probably do a graveyard shift and
have my wife (not licensed) join me to log and operate if she wants to.

I really don't get a club that says the YL is welcome and then doesn't
let her operate. Time for a conversation or a new club possibly.

Jerry

Mike Coslo wrote on Tues 19 Jun 2007 03:03:

AF6AY wrote in news:1182223631.882670.254980
:

If "Field Day" were an ACTUAL Readiness Exercise I would consider
joining in once I had some portable equipment. Since I don't and
since it isn't, I'll just stay in my air conditioned home and "work on
my code."

Our club alternates between a low power, and a high power Field
Day. While I personally like the low power FD better, some of the other
guys really like to run legal limit into a 40 meter beam on a portable
tower. So we compromise and alternate. We'll be running 3A, with a
dedicated CW station, a dedicated 40 meter station, and a Other
frequency/80 meter evening station. We'll have a recieve antenna at the
perimiter of what is allowed to eliminate the interference you get when
you have a lot of high power stations operating in close proximity.

So, it's been a Contest all along, hasn't it? Not really a "Readiness
Exercise" for "emergency communications" as has been rationalized
(seemingly forever) by lots of old-timers and the ARRL. Why don't
they come out and admit the truth of what it IS and has always been?

I see nothing wrong with having an Outing At A Park for ham radio,
particularly on a nice day in June which is ideal for northern-climate
folks (I grew up in northern Illinois and know what it is like). It's
an
ideal club "togetherness" activity away from the usual clubhouse
atmosphere. I think it would be better for all to stop the pretense
of
a "readiness exercise" and just call it what it IS, a Contest From
Field Locations.

It's always a little interesting trying to talk the local pizza places
into delivering to a field outside of town. Sometimes they do, and
sometimes they won't.

In real emergencies one could not expect pizza places to be open
and running. Even during a fine day in June. No male-oriented club
has members with a roll-away barbecue grill? There was a whole
page of Field Day Recipes in the last QST.

Of course Field Day isn't for everyone.

True enough. At least a third of respondents to the ARRL on-line
informal, unscientific Poll said they wouldn't be participating.

Emergency Preparedness drills using radio? Been there, done
that. The Army and Marines know how to do it, even at QRP RF
power levels. In all kinds of weather at any time of day or night.
The only "contesting" done is plain SURVIVAL.

Not to worry about this station in southern six-land. I won't be
radiating RF during Field Day. I'll be at a diferent picnic. Non-
ham-radio picnic. Enjoy.

Sincerely, Len, AF6AY

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:27:32 EDT, AF6AY wrote:

If "Field Day" were an ACTUAL Readiness Exercise I would consider
joining in once I had some portable equipment.

And what training and qualification of proficiency do you have to slip
into the seat at a disaster EOC/ICP or field position and be an
effective communicator, such as familiarity with the operation and the
communication needs of the site and served agency or even the message
protocols and formats in use and where and how they are to be passed?

In an emergency or disaster situation, we need TRAINED "message
passers", far more than untrained drop-in volunteers. We are always
ready to train folks before anything happens, but we really don't have
the time or resources to train folks when the stuff is flowing.

And our Team does run Field Day as a Readiness Exercise, complete with
call-outs and dispersal assignments.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Member, Washington County (Oregon)
Emergency Communications Team
ARES/RACES and HEARTNET Qualified

Phil Kane wrote in
:

And our Team does run Field Day as a Readiness Exercise, complete with
call-outs and dispersal assignments.


Phil, I would bet if an enterprising fellow were to write up
something about their operations, it might be pretty well received.. (wink
wink) 8^)

I am very interested in how your group does it. I'm always looking
for ways to generate some interest, and this could be a great way to work
with our EC.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

AF6AY wrote in
oups.com:

Mike Coslo wrote on Tues 19 Jun 2007 03:03:

AF6AY wrote in news:1182223631.882670.254980
:

If "Field Day" were an ACTUAL Readiness Exercise I would consider
joining in once I had some portable equipment. Since I don't and
since it isn't, I'll just stay in my air conditioned home and "work
on my code."

Our club alternates between a low power, and a high power
Field
Day. While I personally like the low power FD better, some of the
other guys really like to run legal limit into a 40 meter beam on a
portable tower. So we compromise and alternate. We'll be running 3A,
with a dedicated CW station, a dedicated 40 meter station, and a Other
frequency/80 meter evening station. We'll have a recieve antenna at
the perimiter of what is allowed to eliminate the interference you get
when you have a lot of high power stations operating in close
proximity.

So, it's been a Contest all along, hasn't it? Not really a "Readiness
Exercise" for "emergency communications" as has been rationalized
(seemingly forever) by lots of old-timers and the ARRL. Why don't
they come out and admit the truth of what it IS and has always been?

Not sure that I understand. We come out and get on the air, with
different styles of operation from year to year. Certainly if it
were done in contest fashion, our approach would be different.



I see nothing wrong with having an Outing At A Park for ham radio,
particularly on a nice day in June which is ideal for northern-climate
folks (I grew up in northern Illinois and know what it is like). It's
an ideal club "togetherness" activity away from the usual clubhouse
atmosphere. I think it would be better for all to stop the pretense
of a "readiness exercise" and just call it what it IS, a Contest From
Field Locations.

Field Day is designed to get people on the air. For some, this is
the only weekend that they do get on the air. In our club, they work
and learn how to put a station together, and how to operate. We
encourage the newbies or less experienced folk to do some operation.
If it were a contest, there would only be about three of us
operating the whole time. The new guys and gals can only operate at
about 25 percent the rate that our more experienced Ops can.

Field day was how I was enticed to go for my General license. A
patient and more experienced amateur had me log for him for a couple
hours, then turned the mic over to me. I am a quick study, but my
operation in that first Field Day cost the club quite a few points.
Now I run Field Day for them...



It's always a little interesting trying to talk the local pizza places
into delivering to a field outside of town. Sometimes they do, and
sometimes they won't.

In real emergencies one could not expect pizza places to be open
and running. Even during a fine day in June. No male-oriented club
has members with a roll-away barbecue grill? There was a whole
page of Field Day Recipes in the last QST.

I've had these conversations often with local Hams about the very
subject. While it is very true that the conditions do mot emulate
the likely reality of an emergency, the basics of what is needed is
the ability to erect a portable station that operates off of the
mains, operate the station and gain or practice proficiency in that
operation, and then tear down and pack up when it is over.

After all, in a real emergency the operators might be freezing,
injured, starving, suffering from malaria or radiation poisoning or
even worse.

Probably would be hard to get many volunteers if we insisted on
literal accuracy of conditions! ;^)


- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -