John wrote:
>I thought Field Day was supposed to be fun not "cut throat" contesting.
>
> What ever happened to paper dupe sheets? After all just who will log every
> station during an emergency. Isn't Field Day supposed to be "training" for
> the real thing.
>
> Just try to bring all your fancy networked stations to a hurricane area and
> spend days setting them up.
>
> 73
> NS0I
"Cut throat?" Well, I have never met a contester that would cut anybody's
throat. But I have met quite a few that want to fine tune their operations to
squeeze the most performance out of the station. Qs are just a measuring stick
to evaluate how good you are at what you do.
There are points assigned for various aspects of FD. And there are lots of
rules in case you didn't bother checking. FD ops that have some savvy do well
on the Q count. FD ops that can't tell a good antenna from a bad one don't do
well.
I've enjoyed many a FD. Some were huddled around a camp fire with the beer
cooler within arm's reach--oh yes, the radio(s) sat dormant on the picnic
table. They only sorta-kinda worked since the 80M dipole was at 12' and was
loaded on all bands with a tuner. Lots of laughs. Good fun. I've also been
spending FD with some ops with excellent knowledge about radio. Communicating
is the name of the game. Top drawer equipment (MKVs), excellent antennas,
schedules, capable operators with lots of energy and focus. You know what?
This bunch is even more fun than the beer foam burping, hot dog chomping radio
wannabees.
The rules and the Qs and the points are a way to focus a group of people.
That's the name of the game. You mention 'training' for the real thing. I
simply laugh and ponder the tuna-tin-IIs at the campsite picnic bench, loading
a buddy pole at 8', and keeping the log on the back of a brown paper bag using
a grease pen. "lemmeesee.... who would I want running the comms in a real
emergency that involves my family, my community, my friends? Those beer
drinking baffoons at the picnic bench? Or people with real skill and talent
that can muster $15,000 of equipment within 3 hours of a phone call, paste it
together with the skill and precision of real professionals, and commence
landing nearly 3000 emergency simulation comms in 24 hours? Our group was 2A
on low power and we are pushing 3000 Qs. If that is foaming at the mouth
contesting in your view. Fine! Stay at your camp fire, drink all the beer you
want, chomp hot-dogs till you puke, submit your 300 Qs, and be proud.
I'll bet you dollars-to-donuts that one (or more) of those 300 Qs will be
with our station--thanks for being there for us!
What's your view of FD now?
Burp!
Ford-N0FP
ford@cmgate.com
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