[BARC-List] FD 2002 post mortem

[Bill N1VUX]

Mike et al,

> > - 2M did very poorly.  6M wasn't much better.  220, 440, and 1.2
> >   got us nothing.  What's wrong here?

DPG replied to N1IST
> 220: Nobody was out there, or at least, I could not hear them.
>      I gave it a good shot for all of Saturday, scanning SSB and FM
>      simplex frequencies. Nothing - even called CQ four a couple of hours.
>      Also, the IC38 220 FM was wonderful at picking up soccer games.

After FD, heard one person complain he listening at home heard no one on
223.500. (Of course, he didn't call either.)  May have been several 1D/1E's
listening but not calling. *sigh*

> 440 FM: We didn't have a radio set to 440 'till I shut down my
>      packet operation. Gave calls on Sunday morning, got a
>      couple of people.

Correct.

> 1.2GFM: Couln't hear anybody, nobody heard me. Using a whip on a cookie
>         sheet. Also, didn't touch it until sunday morning.

Megan wasn't with FARA, so there wasn't likely anyone on it. All the other
1.2G owners I know were at BARC FD!
 
> 2M FM: There was a radio set to a simplex frequency on Saturday,
>      I didn't touch it until Sunday morning. Got a couple people
>      that were ARRL affiliated (two of the contacts I made arrived at
>      our FD site that morning). Not having a calling frequency also hurt.
>      People had to have run into me by scanning.

We deferred working 2m simplex until we knew we had the solar contacts in the
bag ... and thus missed the hottest time on it.  2m FM is hacked because both
ARRL and W1MPN avoided declaring ONE FD calling frequency, alas.  I'll try to
fix that for FD03, at least at EMAARES level ...

> >   Just because nobody was manning those stations?

> Yes! I do not think many knew it was available (I was afraid to touch it
> until Sun.) and the table it was on was MUCH too packed to allow more than
> 2 people to use it. My computer was blocking two of the mobile rigs.

The Packet station needs its own table and radio/antenna in future.  It
doesn't compete with 2m FM /SSB anyway, so doesn't have to be adjacent for
mike-control ... and should be FURTHER away to separate the system so 2m SSB
doesn't hear the packet.

Since the packteer was seated at the VHF table, people looking over could
assume he was working VHF actively and using the laptop for logging like the
HF stations ... and not realize that 2m/440 station was actually inactive.  So
my earlier comments that the misplacing of the token system was less criticla
in the linear tent setup was wrong ... we didn't notice that we weren't using
our VHF stations to the max until too late.

> >   Next year, I'd drop everything above 6M except for
> >   2M talkin unless there is a concerted effort to get contacts on
> >   2 from 1C/1D non-active participants out there.  It's just not
> >   worth hauling all that stuff for that miniscule return.

Getting people to work stations. Tracking what stations are on, and which need
ops.   
Note that 1C stations *will* be on repeaters mostly, and coaxing them isn't
allowed.

> If somebody decides to do VHF/UHF again, we need an improvement in the
> antenna system, 

> and more space. One table isn't enough.

We had set out 2 tables for VHF, one for SSB and one for FM.  One table was
not enough to make full use of 2m, 220, 440, 1.2 FM (and didn't even have 6FM
or 10FM which might have had some contacts available). We should have added a
third table when Packet was added to the mix.  We needed to have the 2/440FM
visible from 2/440/6 SSB for Phome band control.  Should have had the
1.2/220/220SSB on one table, 2/440 FM at a second, 2/440/6ssb at a third,
6m/10mFM/SSB next to that? (I probably had my HTX-10 in the box, never got set
up.)
 
> Even with that, 220 and 1.2G FM isn't worth hauling up the hill.

If we're going to do 220 and 1.2G FM again, we need to get the word out to
adjacent clubs that we intend to be there ... and call CQ on em.  In terms of
"frequency defence", it would be a Good Thing for MORE FD sites to do 220 and
1.2G rather than fewer. 

But if we can't back the truck upto the table next year, I'll bring a LOT less
too.

MJD/KE1L replied:
> I'd be more concerned about the miniscule operating effort that seemed
> to go into those stations. If there are people who are eager to run
> them, even if the QSO count is low, they're worth having. But I didn't
> see evidence of that; I saw stations that were idle most of the time.

FM _was_ idle much of the time, but appeared not to be, see above.

VHF+ SSB was idle some of the time, but several people took significatn shifts
on the 6m SSB, and seemingly enjoyed the challenge.

Some had better luck with band conditions than others.  Twisting the beam
around so stations can be found or to make ourselve heard is a challenge. We
were operating 20W, maybe 50WEIRP forward and 5-10WEIRP on the sides.  There
were stations we could hear but not be heard by.

Not a great number of Qs, to be sure, from VHF+. Lack of Sweepstakes-style
band-section multipliers makes it less compelling to have stations that are
intrinsically range-limited.  Given that the VHF station provided some of the
talk-in and ARES/Skywarn liaison, and you get 100 bonus points for each
Transmitter _counted_, it doesn't hurt.  Might get more points on 6m if we
tried CW, if we care about points.

> The downside was the insects. I got bitten a LOT. I'll be itching for

The citronella wristband that I bought, sold for kids, was quite effective.

> Before committing to networking, though, I'd want to do some field
> testing to make sure that the network didn't cause interference to the

Can anyone borrow a bunch of fiber adapters?

> > - We had a lot of people who didn't operate.  I hope that was what
> >   they wanted and not because they did not get a chance.

I may be again classified in this category.  I operated more than any prior
year.  If I'd had more fun on 2m/6mssb, I might have done more. But I had to
(a) sleep (b) deal with kids (c) do my DEC visits (d) cook breakfast.   

> > - Next year I will work 1E from my home QTH.  FD in the field is
> >   way too much work...

I recommend your "bring only an HT" threat rather than work 1E from home. At
least you're saying 1E not 1D !  

I may do the HT-only thing (plus pancake spatula,and tent) thing myself. 
Especially since it'll probably be my turn to visit more rather than fewer
sites. (I had easy touring the last two years, Mike and Phil had tough ones.)

Michael Ardai wrote (original message, sections not re-commented above):
> - FD was a success - BARC's goal is not to rack up points but
>   to give people the opportunity to get on the air, experience
>   different modes, and test our skills.  And to rack up points
>   if that's what you want to do.

Right!
 
> - The actual numbers will be available shortly (when I get the
>   email logs and type in all the paper ones :-)  Looks like
>   about 500 Q's on CW (thanks Dave and Mark!!), 250 or 300 on
>   phone, and 70 or so on PSK31/RTTY!

I'll be eMailing my ePhotos to Joe so he can make a Word doc describing the
demos. Anyone else with photos put links up or put 'em up or something?

> - Coax (both on the ground and as it drops from the wire antennas)
>   needs to be marked with flag tapes.  Otherwise people won't see
>   it and will walk into it.

The flags at the ends indicating what was antenna was on the far end were
useful.
 
> - The new generator location worked very well.  We could barely
>   hear it.  Paul's power distribution systems did a great job.

Right!
 
> - GFIs will trip when receptacles get wet.  I'd rather have them
>   trip and shut down a station than have someone get zapped due
>   to a ground fault.  

Agreed. Maybe some operators are willing to risk themselves, but I'm  not
willing to risk MY DAUGHTER's death to get 10 more QSO's.  

> - After setup, we need to clean up all of the unused crates and
>   equipment and stash them in a tent.  Just because it is a field
>   operation doesn't mean it has to look like a disaster scene...

Yes. A supply tent or trailer nearer to the opearting point would help, but
that was forbidden this year.
 
> - What happened with the satellites?  KA1MOM had the antennas but
>   nobody did anything with them...

I brought a radio that theoretically could do it, as supposedly did several
others. Did anyone bring keps/predictor or passes?  No one wanted it enough to
do it?
 
73

bill
n1vux