Scotty (and all),
Field Day is different things to different people. To some it is as it
was originally intended - an exercise in setting up a station in a short
time for simulated emergency conditions. To others it is a time to go
into the 'back country' and test out your latest homebrew transceiver
and portable antenna and see if you can make some contacts under adverse
conditions, and to others it is a time to get together with fellow club
members and have some socialization while making some contacts under
those simulated emergency conditions. For others it is a time just to
see if you can set up a station in the field (independent of power
mains) and make some contacts just to prove to yourself that you can do
it. Then there are the others who treat it as a contest - competitive
groups trying to see if they can muster the best score.
Pick whichever group you associate with the most and 'go for it'. With
folks of a like mind, Field Day can be a lot of fun as well as a test of
your ability to set up a station in the field and make contacts. There
is room for everyone, just pick your group with care. If you would
rather go it alone, I suggest trying class 1B with a battery powered QRP
station rather then trying to enter "contest' mode - just prove to
yourself that you can set up a station and establish communications
under simulated adverse conditions. That practice might come in handy
in a real emergency.
If you have a "Go Box" for emergency communications, try using just that
for Field Day and you will see just how effective your "Go Box" is and
make notes for what you need to add for the next time. Think emergency
preparedness and you will come back to the original intent of Field Day.
Yes, making contacts in crowded band conditions is an important part of
the process. While the "emergency" aspects in a real situation may not
involve battling QRM, it certainly could be battling QRN and other
distractions to communications. Confidence building in your capability
to provide communications under emergency situations is the goal no
matter how you wish to approach it.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 7/3/2013 7:24 PM, Scotty Long wrote:
I said that and got laughed at...I beg to differ as it was key board to key
board CW full contest mode rude operators on 20m...30 to 40+++ wpm CW... No
casual fun operators it was full blow contest mode with everyone stepping on
each other... Just saying ... This is from a rookie ham licensed about four
years; that operates 99.9% other than optimal or nice operating conditions CW
all the time not just ARRL Field Day...You definitely need a contest grade set
up to compete in this non contest unless you work search and pounce during the
full ARRL Field Day contest. My Elmer's have told me this as well, kinda sad.
Try paper logging with a straight key or paddle running 22 wpm. Maybe the
other bands in the novice portions of the bands were better??? Who passes
messages on CW nets at 40+++wpm... If I ever run field day again and have to
run keyboards I'll use PSK31 or just use the cell phone and call around...Not
being negative just personal observations... please don't take it
t
hat way... has it been this way from the beginning... ARRL does call it a
special contest in some of their advertisements...
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