FIELD DAY PRIMER by Dave Schwartz VA3DGS With all of this nice spring weather it's time to start thinking about Field Day. We already have John Holmans, VA3VRA reserving 160 metres and Paul VE3SY requesting 40 SSB. There has also been lots of talk amongst some of our Field Day veterans about resurrecting several former CW Field Day teams. Once again the former FD spirit seems to be returning in the club. Hopefully we can field at least 8 stations if not more for the June 27-28th weekend. What is Field Day all about? The following is taken directly from the ARRL Field Day Rules: Object: To work as many stations as possible on any or all amateur bands (excluding the 30, 17, and 12-Metre bands) and, in doing so, to learn to operate in abnormal situations under less-than-optimum conditions. A premium is placed on skills and equipment developed to meet the challenge of emergency preparedness and to acquaint the public with the capabilities of Amateur Radio. This really says it all: test our ability -- our equipment -- and aquatint the public with our capabilities. For the past eight or so years KWARC has held field day at the Laurel Creek Conservation authority. While this is an excellent site for propagation and for stringing antennas, it has not proven very accessible by the public. As indicated in previous articles, KWARC needs to seek out a location that better meets the need to improve public awareness. KWARC has always attempted to qualify as a Class A portable station which requires that the following rules be met: The stations must be set up specifically for Field Day by a Club (or non-club groups with three or more licensed amateurs). Such stations must be located in places that are not regular station locations, and must use no facilities installed for permanent station use, nor any structures installed permanently for Field Day use. Stations must be operated under one call sign and under the control of a single licensee for each entry. All equipment (including antennas) must lie within a circle whose diameter does not exceed 300 meters (1000 feet). All contacts must be made with transmitter(s) and receiver(s) operating independent of commercial mains. Entrants who, for one reason or another, operate a transmitter or receiver from commercial mains for one or more contacts will be listed separately at the end of their class. Natural Power This year KWARC announces a contest with an award for the most innovative qualifying station for the Natural Power bonus points. The ARRL rules to qualify for this Natural Power bonus is as follows. Intuitively, this means an "alternate" energy source of power such as solar, wind, methane or grain alcohol. This includes batteries charged by natural means (not dry cells). The natural-power station counts as an additional transmitter. If you do not wish to change your entry class, take one of your other transmitters off the air while making the natural-power QSOs. Ideas??? Water power, a stationary bicycle powering a generator that charges battery, windmill generator, human treadmill generator etc. So lets get our thinking caps on and come up with several Natural Power contacts. While we can only claim the bonus once, the KWARC Natural Power Field Day contest will hopefully have several great entries. Judges will be announced shortly. 73 Dave VA3DGS BACK TO MAIN MENU For more information email info@kwarc.org [ TOP ] © 1997 Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Club Inc. Comments and bugs reports to webmaster@kwarc.org