[BARC-List] Field Day 2003 ideas

Sat, 15 Mar 2003 22:24:27 -0500

      Hi, Mike. I read your email, "Field Day 2003 ideas" with great 
interest. Hopefully, a number of the thoughts and issues that you mentioned 
will be resolved at our next BARC Field Day Planning Meeting:
Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30 PM
Food Court, Cambridge Side Galleria
East Cambridge
http://www.cambridgesidegalleria.com/info/directions.cfm

      BARC Members: If the above date and time are not convenient for you, 
please tell Paul N1ZKR or Frank N1DHW of your interest in actively 
participating in Field Day 2003.  Your ideas, comments and questions are 
welcomed.
Paul  [email protected]   or   Frank  N1DHW   [email protected]

At 08:57 PM 3/15/2003 -0500, Mike  N1IST wrote:
> > [Original Message]
> > From: <[email protected] (Michael L. Ardai)>
> > To: <[email protected]>
>  > Date: 3/15/2003 8:35:04 PM
> > Subject: [BARC-List] Field Day 2003 ideas
> >
> > N1IST's Field Day ideas:
>
> > In heart, FD is an emergency drill and we should be using typical 
> emergency stations.

> > - VHF and above is a waste of time (unfortunately).  Too much gear and time
> >   to set it up, and only 5 or so contacts. I'm not sure why, but that's
> >   how it is.  Maybe it will be better if the ARRL and MA ARES *finally*
> >   decides to recommend a 2M simplex freq, but I'm not holding my breath.
>
> >   BARC's goal is to give everyone who wants a chance to try out 
> something new.

This would be the solution:
===============================================================
New Field Day Class

==>FIELD DAY GETS A NEW ENTRY CLASS FOR 2003

      Field Day will gain another entry class for the 2003 running of this 
highly popular operating event June 28-29. "Class F" stations will operate 
at emergency operations centers--or EOCs. The change renews the emphasis of 
Field Day's 1933 origins as an emergency preparedness exercise as opposed 
to a routine contest--what former ARRL Communications Manager F. E. Handy, 
W1BDI, called "a test of the emergency availability of portable stations 
and equipment." In Handy's view, Field Day would focus attention "on the 
subject of 'preparedness' for communications emergencies."

      ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, says the League last 
year received a record 2110 Field Day entries from groups and individuals. 
That represented a total of almost 35,000 participants who joined in what 
Henderson called "a great tradition." Given the increased emphasis on 
emergency communications since September 11, 2001, Henderson says, the ARRL 
Board's Membership Services Committee asked that the Contest Branch come up 
with a way to accommodate stations wanting to operate from the local EOC. 
The new Class F station, operating from an EOC, is the result.

      "This is a major change," Henderson said. "Class F has been 
established to encourage groups to test and further their working 
relationships with established emergency operations centers." The updated 
rules and a list of frequently asked questions in the new 2003 Field Day 
Packet spell out the details.

      A Class F entry station must set up at an "established EOC" activated 
by a club or non-club group. An EOC is defined as a facility established by 
a federal, state, county, city or other civil governmental agency or 
administrative entity or by a chapter of a national or international served 
agency. The latter could include the American Red Cross or The Salvation 
Army, with which the Field Day group "has an established operating 
arrangement." Class F EOC operation must take place in cooperation with the 
EOC staff. Class F stations are eligible for the same bonus points as Class 
A stations.

      In addition, the 2003 rules enhance the bonus for having an invited 
official visit the Field Day site. There are now two separate bonus 
categories--100 points for the elected official and another 100 points for 
a visit by a representative of a served agency.
===============================================================================

> > - It is not too early to start planning Field Day.


de  Arthur  N1NHZ, 73
d[:-)   Hams wearing Callsign baseball caps d[:-)
http://www.aabb.eboard.com
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Boston (MA) Amateur Radio Club: