[SCCC] Ramblings about FD

Mon Jun 24 18:28:09 EDT 2024

> I would mandate for stations in the field to identify with the stroke and
> call area number to show the stations who are out in the field.

I'd suggest don't do that, if you want to favor out-in-the-field stations over home stations.

It would make field stations sign longer calls than they have to now. Also, for FT modes, slash number callsigns are "nonstandard", and WSJT-X offers no support for two nonstandard callsigns to work each other.

Instead, why not require all and only class-D home stations to sign "/D".

73, Paul K6PO
________________________________
From: SCCC <sccc-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Tree <tree at kkn.net>
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2024 9:57 AM
To: Ryan Huggins <KI6BTY at pm.me>
Cc: sccc at contesting.com <sccc at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [SCCC] Ramblings about FD

"Just take away the points of D to D contacts and this problem goes away in
an instant. "

That would be great!!  Then my logging software would be correct again
(never did bother changing it).

Tree N6TR

On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 9:29 AM Ryan Huggins via SCCC <sccc at contesting.com>
wrote:

> I like these ideas.  The stroke 6 (or whatever number) or even a stroke
> A-F to identify the classification would make it a LOT easier to identify
> who is who.
>
> We had a few people who made their first HF contacts and even their first
> DX contacts this weekend at our FD.  They were super excited about getting
> that opportunity.  Last year, we had a guy who wanted to learn CW so he did
> CW for the contest.  He started off at a very slow rate and stayed at it
> for the full 24 hours.  By the end he was coding fast while carrying on a
> conversation.  Nothing like field day for learning!  He was our top point
> earner last year and probably this year again.
>
> FD has definitely come a long way for our club from the days of being all
> QRP on a mountain top (back in the 70s/80s according to the stories I've
> heard) to creating a small city overnight and packing it up within a couple
> of hours.
>
>
> -73
> Ryan, KI6BTY
>
>
> On Monday, June 24th, 2024 at 8:22 AM, W6PH via SCCC <sccc at contesting.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Long ago we were required to use the portable call sign anytime we
> weren't at our FCC location. FD stations signed W6PH/6. So we knew which
> stations were in the Field. I don't think that home based stations had
> scores published. So there was no incentive for home based stations to run
> stations. Home based stations on commercial power just answered portable
> stations.
> > The whole reason for Field Day was to show that we could communicate in
> an emergency. It became a social event as well. I think many contesters (me
> included) got their first taste of rate contesting at FD. To go back to the
> spirit of Field Day I would suggest a couple changes which will never
> happen. I would delete published scores from home based stations on
> commercial power. I would limit the power of all participants to 100 watts.
> I would mandate for stations in the field to identify with the stroke and
> call area number to show the stations who are out in the field. Contacts
> with or between stations on emergency power would count for points. We have
> come a long way from the days of a 2000 pound diesel generator and a slug
> of DX-100's and Hallicrafter receivers on picnic tables and wires in the
> trees. We now have IC7000's and Honda 2000i's or 100 Ah lithium iron
> phosphate batteries and laptops for logging. It is a lot easier. My first
> FD was in 1955 at W6UCS/6 in Pacific Grove as
>   a newly licensed Novice. They wouldn't let me operate. But I got the bug
> listening to them operate on 75 with an ART13 transmitter and BC348
> receiver. The next year we had FD on Fremont Peak and I got to operate a
> lot of CW. Them were the days. Disclaimer: I have not participated in FD
> for over 10 years for no apparent reason other than lack of locals in the
> 50 miles around me who would be interested. Kurt W6PH
> > In a message dated 6/23/2024 7:36:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> dino at kx6d.com writes:
> > 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
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > SCCC mailing list
> > > SCCC at contesting.com
> > >
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