[SCCC] Field Day - Please help out the locals

Mon Jun 24 19:12:47 EDT 2024

Exactly—the scoring rules are the incentives to go to the field (or not)!

Clayton Nall
http://www.nallresearch.com
Cell: (617) 850-2062

On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 3:48 PM Phil Minch <ki4mug at gmail.com> wrote:

> Changing the scoring rules back doesn't seem to be an effective way to
> encouragee people back into the field. Scoring should not be the focus,
> participation should be. You all have tunnel vision here.
>
> On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 2:40 PM Dino Darling <dino at kx6d.com> wrote:
>
> > 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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > SCCC mailing list
> > > SCCC at contesting.com
> > >
> >
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