[CQ-Contest] FD observations and suggestion

[Mark Steven Williams]

Art,

I admire your optimistic outlook.

My observations on FD?

My first exposure to contesting was operating FD back in the late 80's (I 
know it's an emergency preparedness exercise, not a contest!) and I have 
very fond memories of those summer weekends with the local club.

Since moving to my somewhat rural "ranch" (24 acres and lots of trees for 
hanging wires) several years ago  I've invited some of the locals over for a 
low key FD cookout and some casual operating.

We did this for a couple of years and had a nice time. About 3 years ago 
interest waned. A couple of the guys are getting up in years, others 
commented that the FD "lid factor" was becoming intolerable, others got 
married and are raising families, etc. etc. Last year I quit asking.

I invited our county DES manager, who is a ham, to operate FD here. I have a 
6kw portable genset, offered to have "antenna class" where we would build 
some wire antennas and plan their deployment, operating class, etc, etc. He 
declined.

Same thing with the local Scout troop.

I'd considered rolling the genset around to the yard next to the shack and 
making a few Qs last weekend but after mowing several acres and pulling 
weeds for 3 hours I ran out of gas.

This month I decided to focus my energies on the VHF QSO party. I try to 
balance my weekends between chores, antenna projects, and the occasional 
contest weekend. I'll probably spend at least part of the upcoming holiday 
weekend getting the shack ready for the IARU.

You are to be commended on your generous "attitude of Elmerism". On 
"regular" contest weekends when operating, even if I'm running rate I will 
pause for a newbie and explain the "format" of whatever contest is running. 
During the VHF I recall helping two guys figure out their grid squares. More 
than once while rate was sagging stations replied to my CQ with partial 
calls while no others were calling...or did the "whose turn is it anyway?" 
deal. If rate was below about 50 they received a quick lesson in operating 
technique. So, I guess I did my share of lid re-education this month.

Unfortunately, last weekend I didn't have the energy or patience to deal 
with the crowd that didn't know when it was their turn to send their call 
and exchange....and repeating my exchange back to me and occasionally 
repeating MY call a couple of times...a personal favorite.

Interesting topic, though. I'm curious to read the observations of others.


uhhh, five-niner, Indiana..uhhh, roger?

73, Mark, K9GX
.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Art Boyars" <art.boyars at verizon.net>
To: <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 12:21 AM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] FD observations and suggestion


> As I suspect is true for many of us, Field Day was my first contest --  
> three 75W, xtal controlled, teen-aged Novices comprising the entire 15M CW 
> crew for W3RCN in 1961; 13 QSOs in 24 hours.  ("FD is not a contest," you 
> and the ARRL say?  So then why does the ARRL web site list the FD scores 
> under the "Contests" link?)
>
> With family and work commitments, I have not operated FD in many years; 
> maybe since K1JX and I won the 1B-battery class around 1979 or '80 (N4BP 
> shattered our QSO total the next year).  This year I decided to get on 
> spare-time from home "Class 1D" just to have some fun and to give the 
> "real" FD stations some contacts.  (And it was sort of a FD operation. 
> One of the antenna support ropes broke while I was out of town during the 
> week, and I fixed it late Friday afternoon.)
>
> Observation #1:  I was not alone.  There were many people in Class D, many 
> of them calling CQ FD.  Even I called CQ for a few minutes until: a) I 
> kept getting answered by zero-point Class D stations; b) I decided that it 
> was "against the spirit of Field Day" for Class D to call CQ.  (Note also 
> that if you are S&P in Class D, you do not know the CQer is Class D until 
> you work him.)
>
> Observation #2:  My signal is just as weak in FD as in SS.  (Does that 
> mean I fixed the antenna properly?)
>
> Observation #3.  Phone still stinks.  (That's not the word K3IU and I used 
> at a PVRC meeting many years ago, but it will do for a family reflector.)
>
> Observation #4:  FD is, indeed, a great opportunity to help operators 
> increase their skills.  Especially the moderately loud one I worked on 
> 40SSB:
>
> "Roger and thank you and 73's ... uhhh ... QRZed Field Day from WnYZQ, 
> Whiskey Number n Yellow Ziggurat Quoit... Field Day QRZed."
>
> Me (in a little pile-up): "Kaay Thrreee Killooowwattt Uuuniitted"
>
> Them: "Uhhh K 3 Kilowatt United??"
>
> Me:  "Roger! K 3 Kilowatt United!"
>
> Them:  "OK...  K 3 Kilowatt United."  [Then, ... silence.  What??  They 
> want me to go first?!?!  OK.]
>
> Me:  "Number Onnne Delllta in Maarryylaand"
>
> Them:  "Roger the 1 Delta in Maryland.  We're number nA in xxxx.... nA in 
> xxxx.  QSL??"
>
> Me:  "QSL, thank you!"
>
> Them:  "Roger and thank you and 73's ... uhhh ... QRZed Field Day ...."
>
> And on and on.  They were running people, but for every QSO they had the 
> answering station go first.  What a teaching opportunity!
>
>
> And finally, my suggestion:  The Rules already say that Class D stations 
> do not get credit for working each other.  I think the intent is to 
> maintain the "emergency exercise" spirit of FD, and I agree.  From my 
> Observation #1, I suggest that Class D stations should also not be allowed 
> to solicit contacts ("call CQ", in the vernacular).  Even beyond 
> maintaining the spirit of FD, I think that without this rule change, a few 
> dozen big Class D operations could turn FD into their own NAQP, just 
> without the multipliers.
>
> What do you think?
>
> 73, Art K3KU
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