Field Day Solar

[Bruce Walker]

I have an issue regarding Field Day rules for solar/battery operation.  I
am just converting my home station to solar power and thought I would
operate that way during Field Day this year.

The rules as written seem to prohibit having a solar panel hooked up to a
battery bank while operating from those batteries.  I don't have the rules
in front of me, so I can't quote, but is says that any batteries used to
power the station cannot be charged while they are in use (except for class
C mobile stations).  My guess is that the *intent* of the rule is to not
allow generators to charge batteries while in use, 'cuz then you might as
well not be in the battery class at all.

For natural power, that seems like a silly restriction.  I guess it's not
hard to switch back and forth between charging one bank of batteries off
the panel while operating off a second bank, but it seems capricious.

--bruce WT1M