On 6/28/2010 1:44 PM, Michael J. Coslo wrote:
On Jun 28, 9:10 am, "Howard

I just don't think it is all that great an idea to start the new folks
on a system that is a monster. When we used to use a GOTA station,
they referred to it as the toy station, and lined up to use high
power, and some wouldn't bother to put up a station at home afterwards
because they were discouraged by how much work it was to be heard. And
yet it wasn't. They were just developing bad habits with the big gun
station. They didn't have to worry about being heard. But they weren't
developing skills.


Last year the GOTA system we used was I think a G5RV antenna, a Kenwood
TS something or another (NOT a 2000) and a manual tuner.. As an Extra I
often sat as the "Control" operator (And I might add had a whole lot of
fun.. Basically my best field day ever fun wise)

Not all that much radio. Power was provided by a nearby motor home (The
very one I'm sitting in as I type this I will say this to ham clubs
everywhere.

Onan Emerald Gold 5500 in my basement is 5500 watts of fairly clean
power, No problems with power line noise, And with the GEN-TURI adapter
routing the exhaust up up and away (Over the roof) there are no CO
issues inside the motor home with the 24 hour + run. and the generator
is so "Noisy" that if you happen to be leaning against said Gen-Turi
(Yes you can do that and not get burnt) you don't have to raise your
voice to chat with someone next to you. Very nice


Now.. As for the bands.. I got on the air at 1pm Eastern 1700 GMT

20 and 40 were so busy it was hard to pick out ONE person to talk to.
and even if they were strong there was interference from neighbors on
the band.

This morning I woke up to NO LIGHTENING noise

But the background HISS.. S-9 +20 DB on 80 meters,, S-7 on 40.. I need
to check now as there is a net in progress programmed into my TS-2000

wrote:
Now, a few minutes before the end of FD, I tuned around 80, 40, 20,
15, and 10 -- NOTHING. One CW station on the low end of 40 and
possibly a couple of South Americans on 20 SSB.

Are the bands that dead?

I would suggest the last three hours of Field Day -- 1800-2100z Sunday afternoon -- are probably the worst possible time to find HF activity...

Stations can only operate during those last three hours if they didn't begin setup until 1800z Saturday. Since many stations choose to begin setup
earlier, many FD operations have to cease operation at 1800 Sunday -- and as a result, there are fewer stations on the air after 1800 to work -- and
as a result, fewer operations choose to not setup until 1800 Saturday -- because there are fewer additional QSOs to be made during those three hours
-- so there are fewer operations to work -- so there's less reason to stay on -- etc., etc., etc...

So there's little FD operation 1800-2100. And, most active hams have operated with a FD group somewhere -- so they aren't in their home stations to
get on the air -- and they're *bushed* & not likely to be getting on the air when they get home.

Now, most DX stations have FD at some other weekend. So you'd think it would be a good time to work some DX without much competition. Except that
1800-2100z, especially just about at the summer solstice, is just about the worst time of day for intercontinental propagation.

================================

I've heard better propagation for FD, but I've also heard a LOT worse.

--

Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View, TN EM66

On 7/8/2010 11:43 PM, wrote:
wrote:
Now, a few minutes before the end of FD, I tuned around 80, 40, 20,
15, and 10 -- NOTHING. One CW station on the low end of 40 and
possibly a couple of South Americans on 20 SSB.

Are the bands that dead?

I would suggest the last three hours of Field Day -- 1800-2100z Sunday
afternoon -- are probably the worst possible time to find HF activity...

Stations can only operate during those last three hours if they didn't
begin setup until 1800z Saturday.

Not entierly true.. You are allowed 24 hours if you set up early

Most folks that's 1800-1800 but if you do not key down till 1900, you
can go to 1900

I only worked 1700-1800 with my 1-D station. Plenty busy.