[GCARC] FW: K2AA is operating the Pandemic Class 7E - Extended area operations

Wed May 20 19:23:21 EDT 2020

Hi All,
     I would like to make a few comments as food for thought for club consideration.
I think the K2AA solution is very interesting. However, I believe there is ample precedent in at least one league contest (IARU HF Contest in July) where multiple home stations have been used and not in the 1000 ft perimeter. Both W1AW and NU1AW (the official IARU station) operated what has been termed a "distributed multi-multi" in that contest, and this has been done a number of years. Maybe someone who has a league connection, or a section manager could check and verify that a "distributed multi-multi" would be a viable choice for FD participants, and be an acceptable entry without having to essentially disqualify their club by doing so otherwise.
Here's a summary of the 2017 multi-multi operation of a group of LA ops contacted by ARRL to be W1AW/5.
This is just one example https://www.w5wz.com/2017/07/one-of-the-aws-during-2017-iaru/ 

Another point, since FD is an emergency event and not a contest, per se, would the normal contest 1000 perimeter rule even apply to FD? Most likely the ARRL could issue an emergency exemption to allow for this type of operation in FD, if necessary.

At this point I am neither for or against the K2AA or other alternative option, I am merely presenting some possible talking points for the club. As K2AA notes, the usual crew of helpers may be in short supply this year, which will further complicate a smooth traditional FD.

If the club adopts 7E (example) as the class, are there enough generators in the club so that all can activate with emergency power?
Also, does a whole house generator such as Generac qualify under the ARRL as emergency power? I would think so but I don't know for sure.

73 and stay safe everyone,
Darrell AB2E

'
> On May 20, 2020 at 6:05 PM djgrath1 <djgrath1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>  
> 
>  
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> D. Jeffrey Garth
> 
> 621 Greenbriar Drive
> 
> Williamstown, NJ 08094-1149
> 
> 73, WB2ZBN
> 
> Club Publications
> 
> www.w2mmd.org
> 
>  
> 
> "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"
> - Confucius
> 
>  
> 
> From: ken at k2wb.com [mailto:ken at k2wb.com] 
> Sent: May 20, 2020 17:26
> To: info at mikeandkey.org; w2mmdgcarc at gmail.com; ab1oc at arrl.net;
> k5eok at k5eok.org; fieldday at frrl.org; w9dup at w9dup.org; kc0alc at arrl.net;
> k8uo at arrl.net; webmaster at w6trw.com; w8ctm at yahoo.com; w4hfh at arrl.net;
> qrz at snars.org; president at w7gra.org; webmaster at larc.ca; mvbanks at gmail.com;
> WA2BSP at gmail.com; k2dfe at yahoo.com; WA2VYA Frank
> Cc: 'SJRA Harmonics Email Distribution'; 'Abernethy, Tom, W3TOM (Dir, AT)';
> 'Tom Preiser (N2XW)'
> Subject: K2AA is operating the Pandemic Class 7E - Extended area operations
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> Dear Fellow Field Day Operations,
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> My name is Ken K2WB of the South Jersey Radio Association (aka K2AA & SJRA)
> Field Day Chairperson,
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> The ARRL Field Day is an emergency preparedness drill. With this current
> "Emergency" that we find ourselves, does not fit the types of emergencies we
> have been preparing for. With social distancing rules and paranoia the SJRA
> finds itself in an interesting situation.
> 
>  
> 
> Our FD operation brings out over 60 people to help, setup, operate and take
> down. Our operation shelters would easily violate the 6 foot rule. Lastly
> our state (New Jersey) would have to drop the rule of not allowing public
> gatherings of more than 10 people. This all has to happen prior to Field
> Day.  Even if we are allowed to congregate in public we think that a lot of
> our support would not show up trying to be safe.
> 
>  
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> The SJRA determined that we would not learn anything on how to communicate &
> coordinate as a group in this type of emergency just by operating as bunch
> of 1D or 1A stations listing our club affiliation.
> 
>  
> 
> Here is our plan B:
> 
> *	Operate as (in our case) 7E. We are not going to follow the 1000 ft
> circle rule but will follow the 175mi Radius club rule instead.
> *	Coordinate operating as K2AA on 7 bands and modes from as many
> member home stations as possible. All stations would have written permission
> to operate as K2AA from the trustee and will follow all FCC rules and
> regulations.
> *	All transmitters and receivers will be powered by emergency power
> (which keeps us in the "E" category). Still using your home antennas,
> shelter and allows us to contact all station categories. In accordance to
> the Field Day "E" category rule.
> *	Use our Repeater and Zoom to coordinate operations throughout the 24
> hours.
> *	Get as many bonus points as practical, keeping the spirit of the
> Field Day.
> 
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> 
> Our 7E submission to the ARRL will clearly state that we purposely broke the
> 1000ft rule and to use our log as a check log.
> 
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> 
> Things to know: N1MM supports large area linked logs (just like a LAN) which
> will make it easier to see what is going on. We have done some preliminary
> testing and found it stable for 4 days with only a couple of computers in 2
> locations 40 miles apart. It is our plan to increase and test more stations
> prior to Field Day.
> 
>  
> 
> I would be interested if others could share your ideas or plans. So far this
> is the best we could come up with. If there is enough interest I would be
> happy to host a WebEx meeting for further discussion or share what we
> learned.
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> We hope to work all of you during Field Day. (7E SNJ)
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> Good luck and be safe!
> 
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> Please feel free to forward this email to other clubs that you think would
> be interested in this idea or may have ideas of their own.
> 
>  
> 
> 73's
> 
> de Ken K2WB
> 
> 
>  <mailto:ken at k2wb.com> ken at k2wb.com
> 
> 			
> 
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> 
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