Hmmm.... maybe Ken, N4UK, has a valid point, but I would like to offer a
brief rebuttal.
Supose during a real disaster those 20 or so hams are only able to put up a
station(s) that comes up with only 10% of the set-up Ken describes. Then,
what you have is an outstanding capability for handling messages under marginal
conditions. The point being that in real disasters nothing ever goes according
to some pre-planned script and you never end up with things the way you
would really like.
It has been pointed out here before that big signal contest stations do have
a place in handling emergency traffic.
Finally, perhaps the efforts of the 20 or so described taught a few more
hams where gazinta and gazouta are on an amplifier.
So, I do not agree that Field Day has become a joke. I for one, was glad to
have a few big hitters around - they were the only stations at times able to
hear the 5 watts converted from the sun I was putting into the wire.
Chuck
de NJ6D
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