[SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals

[Dino Darling]

Ryan, it wasn't a problem before. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just remove the incentive to work from home and the problem goes away all by itself. Same rules from 2019. No changing how you make a call.

Dino - KX6D
________________________________
From: Ryan Huggins <KI6BTY at pm.me>
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2024 10:52:27 PM
To: Dino Darling <dino at kx6d.com>
Cc: neiljessen at hotmail.com <neiljessen at hotmail.com>; k0xp at k0xp.com <k0xp at k0xp.com>; Southern California Contesting Club <sccc at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: RE: [SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals

Dino,

Thank you for the background.  Although I've been licensed since 2007 and a general since 2017, this was only my second field day with my first being last year.  If that rule went into effect I suspect they'd need to change the exchange then to spell out what your station class is prior to making the contact.  Otherwise there would be a lot of people upset at the wasted time and I'd suspect that would have a significant impact on the alpha site scores too, as I'd imagine that if you had to go through the exchange just to find out you can't count it, that would upset a LOT of people, myself included.

So you know what my experience is, the three clubs in Ventura County had 41 stations setup between them, which is the same number of stations we put together county-wide last year.  The club I belong to, The Conejo Valley ARC was the largest (likely in the country... again) as a 21 Alpha.  Ventura (K6MEP) was a 13A and the Simi Settlers were a 7A.  Conejo ran 80m-6m every mode, had VHF/UHF stations and a satellite station setup, etc.  In my area, according to the Field Day wrap-up meeting we had tonight, I was one of three D stations in the club's region and we did have one mobile setup as well.  Last year three of the top six scoring clubs in the nation were right here in Ventura County.  I do not say this to brag, but to illustrate that we have a very robust Field component and participation out here.  Our club was not hurting for people to operate stations and there were only a couple of B or D stations in operation out here.

If you desire, here is a picture from last year's FD when the club was the largest in the country as an 18 Alpha: https://www.cvarc.org/2023/06/18-alpha-sierra-bravo/   The site layout is pretty much the same this year, just a lot hotter!  The local Cal State college's radio club joined us.  I only worked from home because there were no available stations on the signup list by the time my schedule cleared (I think I mentioned that before).  Being self-employed in a field that is traditionally client-facing on weekends and having logistical issues to work through on top of that, it is not possible to commit to an all-day event, or a 24 hour+ one, more than a week or so in advance.  Last year I was a home station because I had to work throughout the day.  This year I had the time "off" from work, but not far enough out to get a seat at the table.

I do not doubt that the rules have made it so that clubs are hurting for people for their Alpha stations, out here in my corner of the Santa Barbara Section it is not the case.

Now while I was not operating "in the Field", I did provide support and assistance leading up to the event.  I was involved in a few of the prep meetings, I provided coolers and chairs for people to use, I brought in supplies, and I even used my station to help the club troubleshoot a problem with one of their radios.  I was the offsite ears to see if they were getting out (which the were not).  I also broke bread with them at dinner and hung out afterwards and participated in our weekly Saturday night net from there.

On the "humble brag" side, I did more than double my score from last year.  Last year I had a total of 65 Qs and 410 points and this year I had 236 Qs and 944 points.  Plus this year I was able to get roughly 250 bonus points on top of that.

Our county has "micro field days" each month with a solid average of 10-20 stations each time setting up and getting on the air, myself included, so I have plenty of field time throughout the year, in the heat, in the rain, and in the wind.

-73
Ryan, KI6BTY
On Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 at 7:35 PM, Dino Darling <dino at kx6d.com> wrote:
Ryan, the problem isn't the Delta stations. They have been around for decades and a good source of points for the club stations.

The issue is, starting in 2020 they changed the rule that now allows delta stations to contact delta stations for points. So the guys stopped going to the field and all the delta stations with superior antennas are talking to eachother. The guys in the field with wire antennas couldn't get heard. There is a reason that rule existed and after Covid they should of put it back to the 2019 rules where Deltas could count any stations for points, except for other deltas. Its very simple even a Division Director could figure it out. Yet that rule exists still and there is no incentive to put in the effort to go to the field. If they want Home Day they should start their own contest.

 2020 was a disaster for Field Stations. So much so they had to change the rules again for 2021, and again for 2022!!! I wouldn't have believed that people at HQ could be this stupid but they have proven me wrong.

Just take away the points of D to D contacts and this problem goes away in an instance. Even the Class D'Souza with amplifiers wasn't a problem in 2019. We never saw 7D or even 3D before 2020. Why now? Because its easy to sit at home and ruin it for the guys in the field. One rule change. One SIMPLE rule change back to the way it was for DECADES...for good reason.



Dino - KX6D
________________________________
From: Ryan Huggins <KI6BTY at pm.me>
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2024 11:06:59 AM
To: neiljessen at hotmail.com <neiljessen at hotmail.com>; Dino Darling <dino at kx6d.com>; k0xp at k0xp.com <k0xp at k0xp.com>
Cc: Southern California Contesting Club <sccc at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: RE: [SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals


Out of curiosity, since the clasification isn't mentioned until after contact has been made, how would you know someone is a D so as not to work them?  Seems like that would be a big waste of time if you get into a qso just to have to leave midway through.

Interestingly, I probably have more D stations in my log than A stations and barely and Bs.  No Cs or Es

I'm over 200 QSOs and closing in on 900 points with what's left of the people out there.  I suspect that most of the A stations are done for the day now.  I know mine is, due to the 24 hour rule if you setup early.

-73
Ryan, KI6BTY

Sent from Proton Mail Android


-------- Original Message --------
On 6/23/24 10:57 AM, Neil Jessen wrote:
I worked several "Delta" stations with multiple radios.  7D, 8D, 4D.  I am ok with Delta stations (gives old-timers, people with limited mobility a chance to participate, etc.) but the emphasis for FD is Field...not working from home.  Delta to Delta shouldn't count. It shouldn't be made attractive to stay inside and work from home.  That's my $0.02.

73,
Neil - N6VHF



-------- Original message --------
From: Dino Darling <dino at kx6d.com>
Date: 6/22/24 7:31 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Ryan Huggins <KI6BTY at pm.me>, Steve Harrison <k0xp at k0xp.com>
Cc: sccc at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals

So much with keeping the FIELD in Field Day! The ARRL has been screwing the pooch these past few years but really went too far when they allowed Class D stations to count other Class D stations for points. There was a reason that rule existed for DECADES. The newbies love it and the event is now called Home Day.


Dino - KX6D
________________________________
From: SCCC <sccc-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Ryan Huggins via SCCC <sccc at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2024 10:56:00 AM
To: Steve Harrison <k0xp at k0xp.com>
Cc: sccc at contesting.com <sccc at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals

No, not a typo.  I was 4D last year and there were a fair amount of 5D and 6Ds last year as well as one guy who was a 9D!

It's the number of transmitters that are sending at once.  Four of my stations are FT8, that's a no brainer.  Click "Enable TX" and you're good to go.  The LoRA is a similar beast.  Press send on the phone, it bluetooths to the device and TXs the message.  #6 and #7 will be me pressing the pickle on two HTs at once and calling CQ on 2m and the 220 calling frequency.  I figure I'll work the HTs like that for most of the day and see what happens.  I'll be between the three main HT bands.  I don't expect to get many points from VHF/UHF or 6m for that matter, but we'll see.


-73
Ryan, KI6BTY


On Saturday, June 22nd, 2024 at 10:16 AM, Steve Harrison <k0xp at k0xp.com> wrote:

> On 6/22/2024 10:13 AM, Ryan Huggins via SCCC wrote:
>
> > The Conejo Valley ARC will be operating 20A today on all bands and modes.
> >
> > I'm operating 7D from home,
>
>
> Izzat a typo, 7D???
>
> Stve, K0XP
>
>
>
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