[BARC-List] Field Day 2002 planning update
Michael Ardai
[email protected]
Fri, 26 Apr 2002 15:22:21 -0400
Since the BARC web page can't be updated right now, here's the latest
update of my Field Day planning list. We still need some volunteers
to be station captains. I'm open to any ideas or suggestions. Thanks
and 73.
/mike
[email protected]
Here are some preliminary notes on FD'2002. Please add any comments or
additions and mail it back to me. These are just ramblings at this point
and we are really looking for ideas now. Check back often as I keep
adding
notes to the top of this.
/mike
Jobs needing volunteers - please email me to volunteer:
* Station captains for each station - Any to add or change?
o KE1KF for one HF station
o *** MORE NEEDED ***
* Note: equipment list is NOT final; it just gives me an idea what we
have
o HF phone - FT900, ICE filter
o HF CW - TS50, Dunestar filter
o HF Casual - TS930, homebrew filter
o HF Data *** NEEDED ***
o VHF/UHF Phone - 706 for 6/2, IC38A for 220, Kenwood 742 for
440
and 1.2
o VHF/UHF Data - Icom 229H for 2
o Satellite *** NEEDED ***
* Food - KB1CVH volunteered
* Transportation
* Site planning/antennas
* PR pre-FD - KA1MOM volunteered
* Site PR
* Power generation - KB1EKN will bring
* Power distribution - N1ZKR volunteered
* Scoring/logging/bonus points
* Computers and network
* Demo modes
* 4/26 additions:
o We have the permission letter from Brookline! We can use the
regular grassy area and the concrete pad in front (where we
had
the info table last year). There will be a paved path from
where
the generator sat to the site, and possibly one over on the
other
side. We will have NO access to the new grassy area (where
the
parking lot used to be) or the two grassy areas where
Satellite
City set up and where the R7 lived, We can't walk on the new
grass because that will damage it.
o We have picked up a conduit-and-tarp portable garage - should
be
good for 2 or 3 stations and have much better access for the
public. Probably will house the casual op stations and any
digital station. Thanks to n1zkr for storing this for us.
o GOTA doesn't seem to be worth it - too many restrictions, not
enough space for antennas
o Just updated to the latest WriteLog software (same as last
year)
o Computer networking - 10baseT? will that be succeptible to RF
problems? 802.11? Will that work with all the RF? Fiber?
Any
ideas?
o What's better for VHF/UHF omnis - 5/8 wave or J-poles?
o Camping (tents) will be fine at FD though space may be a bit
tight
o KE1KF is the only one to volunteer so far to be a station
captain
- any others???
o We will probably need tables - BARC has 1, N1IST has 2, KE1L
has
1.
o KE1L has some chairs available
o KE1L can provide a tent and a solar-powered K2 for the natural
power bonus (and as another HF station)
o Picked up a Cushcraft AV-3 10/15/20 vertical
o Idea for HF antennas - have all antennas terminate at a panel
of
SO239 feedthrus bolted to one leg of a tent. Likewise all
radios. Then we can just use short patch cables to connect
any
radio to any antenna without having to move cables arount.
o Picked up some AC line RFI filters - will install them in
Samlex
supplies and in boxes for other radios.
o May General meeting will be about Field Day
* 2/20 additions:
o Got the new rules - no real changes other than the GOTA
station.
Curiously, the 15 minute rule (once you TX, you must stay on
that
band for 15 mins) applies to VHF/UHF for the GOTA station but
not
for any other VHF/UHF station. N1ND at the League verified
that
wierdness. . Looks like GOTA may be limited to HF/VHF but
not
UHF? Anybody proofreed that?
o GOTA is limited to Novices. Techs, pre-hams, and "generally
inactive hams" - We will have to send in a list of the
operators.. GOTA must operate under a different callsign.
"Generally Inactive" means not on that band for the last 2
years
(or never on band - band being HF or VHF). In my view. the
GOTA
station is not worth the effort - we will never get the 100
pts
for 400 contacts, and people eligible for that station can
work
from the regular stations.
o No recommended replacement for 146.52 - the official excuse is
they want to keep that freq clear for the Wilderness
protocol..
o KB1CVH volunteered to help with food. Thanks!
o KA1MOM volunteered to help with pre-FD PR
o Don't forget the PortaPotty
* 2/6 additions:
o Finally got around to inverting this list - latest additions
are
now on top. Notes or changes to other items are in red.
o Rules change - no novice/tech station. Now allowed a free
"GOTA"
station for non-contester/non-HF people to use. We get 100
pts
if that station makes 400 contacts. 400 contacts MAX, after
which
it is no longer a free station.
o WA1IDA has contacted Brookline - looks like it will be OK to
use;
town may make a road for us to get to our usual FD site
o Still waiting on new FD rules to find out about recommended 2M
freq. If none, I will contact CEMARC and suggest 147.42
o I have a half-good amp for 2M - supposed to be 160W but seems
to
only do 100W or so. Find it and fix it...
o Coax - what does the club have and what can we borrow? We
will
probably use more than last years
o Tie off the coax and route it so it isn't in the way.
o We will need tables and chairs from a new source this year.
If
people bring their own, it will save us from having to rent a
truck
o What antennas do people have? Verticals - R5/R7, 2M gain.
Another small triband beam? Monobanders on 10M/20M? 6M beam?
o Towers - I have 8 pieces of that camo support mast; that's
good
for 2 towers - 12' below, 3' above rotor. Also have 1 set of
guys like KA1MOM's.
o Tents look like they are still an issue. We could buy one of
those tarp-and-emt ones but where will we store it the rest of
the year?
* 1/18 additions
o PR - send press releases early enough - 8 weeks at least
o PR - press release needs "attention grabber" for the non-ham
reader
o PR - have liaison person for press releases and have them
follow
up
o Looks like Larz Anderson will probably be OK for the main
area;
portapotty, satellite may have to move
* 1/14 additions
o Station captains - responsible for locating equipment and
operators - does not have to provide equipment themselves
o Sign up people for setup and teardown - especially teardown!
o PR - why such bad luck in general? We did well last year but
can
we do it again? TV?
o N1VUX's poker-chip band control system worked very well!
* 1/9 additions:
o Use CT for logging - have training session and cheat sheet -
does
keying, rig and filter control
o Build keying boxes for CT
o Network computers? Makes duping easier as a new station takes
over a band someone has already been on.
* 1/8 additions:
o Have drinks on hand for setup
o Are we a contest club or a fun club?
o Can we be both? If we have 2 HF phone/2 HF CW stations, we can
reserve one each for "serious contesters" and one for casual
ones/new people
* Misc
o Field Day site - construction at Larz Anderson - WA1IDA to
contact them.
o Alternative locations?
o Need much more activity on VHF/UHF
o Coordinate with other area clubs VHF/UHF/SHF, ATV, etc.
o Recommend to league 2M FD freq to replace 146.52
o Test EVERYTHING weeks beforehand
o How can we get more people to participate? This is a big
issue!
o Can we run on batteries? At least part of the time?
o Demo modes?
o AC line RF filters (Corcom?) and/or SOLA constant-voltage
transformers
o Computer logs or use pre-printed paper logs so we get all the
info. I'm sick and tired of throwing out contacts because of
missing info.
o Someone to collect ALL LOGS at the end of FD. We keep
forgetting
to get the satellite logs and therefore have to toss those
contacts.
o Assign someone to each bonus point activity
o Label EVERYTHING with owner's name!
o Generator shelter if not at Larz Anderson or can we get a
quiet-run genny?
* Antennas
o Balun on Mini-33? Mosely says not needed, but I will try. Also
make sure reflector/director are grounded to the boom.
o Check out Cushcraft 2M/440 beams - remove nuts/lockwashers on
element/boom clamps?
o What kinds should we use? R7 seemed to work well.
o Telescoping fishing rod with wire as 40M vertical? Needs
radials...
o Dipoles? Ladder line dipole cut for 40M/80M broadside to W/SW?
o Single band antennas? 80/40M dipoles end-to-end is easy. 10M
beam
is easy to build.
o Omnidirectional antennas on 6M/2M? 5/8 wave? Collinears?
o Some sort of way of sharing antennas needed - all antennas to
common panel with remote switching?
o What issue of QST had that ladderline dipole in it? I think it
was in a Hints&Kinks column. Got it!
* Stations
o how many? We will figure actual out that day but it will be
good
to get an idea.
o bands?
o HF Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10
o VHF/UHF: 6SSB, 2SSB, 2FM.
o Any sense in doing 160, 220FM, 440FM, 1.2FM? 6 or 2 CW? 6 FM
Those 2 should be trivial if we have a 706 handy
o 706 only does 10W on 2M....
o Anyone who brings a station must bring a complete station or
have
already made plans for others to bring the rest. Bringing
spare
parts of stations (extra radios, etc.) is fine. Make sure you
have all your cables.
o Boxing your station (see what KB1EKN has done) works very
well.
o Bandpass filters on as many stations as possible - June 1994
QST,
ICE.
o Packet? APRS? ATV? RTTY? Must do some sort of digital this
year...
o Backup for satellite station - something simple - 2m/440 arrow
beams and some HTs?
o "Only-by-owner" stations - how can we do these so they don't
annoy others
o Computer readback of band/mode
o Computer CW keying
o Automatic control of bandpass filters IS A MUST!
* Shelter
o Can we do something better? The current tents work for
operating
but make it very hard to get the public inside
o Screen tents/open sides are good for ventilation but we need
to
make sure they can be sealed when it starts to rain
o Large tarp over EMT or 2x4 frame? Large tarp is $30 or so
o "Portable garage" hangar-shaped tents?
* Available equipment
o Club's TS-930 (HF, autotuner, narrow CW filter)
o Club's FT-900 (HF, autotuner)
o N1IST's TS-50 (HF, autotuner, narrow CW filter)
o N1IST's 706 (6M, 2M)
o Club's R7 (40M-10M)
o Club's B&W dipole (80M-10M)
o N1IST's Mini-33 beam (20/15/10M) - check SWR
o Cushcraft 2M/440 beam - needs work?
o ICE HF bandpass filter
o Homebrew HF bandpass filter - sweep it to see how good it is.