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