[K3PZN-List] FD 2008 thoughts from Andy

[Curt Milton]

Andy

fantastic input!  from a emergency comm perspective.  

i see your point -- not likely we would be operating
outdoors in tents after a natural disaster -- if the
FTC survived we would be operating there.  (so much
for the traditional vantage point of 'field' which
still may be worthy of consideration IF we can find an
'ideal field' to use)

if we did use the FTC, we still need to erect some
antennas, so some relationship to possible EM COMM
need.  

do keep in mind where YOU would like to operate in FD.
 if your preference happens to be voice - and it
generally is the favored mode for HF EM COMM -- we
need to optimize how SSB fits into our picture (and
particularly to allow many non-CW ops to enjoy FD).  

in relationship to W3JJH's proposal, we could do 3F
battery/QRP on CW and (at least) 2F (adjustable power
without QRP multiplier) for SSB/other modes.  

i suggest we attempt to match the station
configuration to our participating operators.  

73, curt

--- Andy Leeds <wo3l at comcast.net> wrote:

> I've been pondering this for a while, and mostly for
> the sake of 
> discussion I'd like to suggest that we consider a
> class F operation. The 
> main advantage to this would be that we could spend
> our energy operating 
> and not setting up and cleaning up. Antennas can be
> erected weeks (or 
> months) in advance and stay up until convenient to
> take down. I've done 
> it both ways over the years and have come to prefer
> the fixed station 
> operation due to the creature comforts (A/C, no
> mosquitoes, flush 
> toilets, sturdy building not prone to flooding) and
> that I can spend 
> more time operating since setup is mostly done in
> advance. Right now I'm 
> in a situation where I don't have HF at home so I
> like to get the 
> operating time in when I can.
> 
> Under the Class F rules for 2007 the FTC qualifies
> as a " facility 
> established by a Federal, State, County, City or
> other Civil Government, 
> agency..." we could claim all bonus and other points
> associated with 
> class A and only have to test the generator not run
> it all 24 hours so 
> its easier on the budget. A 2F operation would give
> us 2 primary TX plus 
> a GOTA station, VHF/UHF, etc. This style of
> operation should be largely 
> a contest type operation. I can see the need for 5
> captains in this 
> style: 2 primary stations, GOTA, bonus points, food.
> Operationally the 
> two primary station would need to coordinate band
> and mode, but that 
> usually takes care of itself with one station for
> digital modes, and one 
> for SSB (but as long as they don't end up on the
> same band/mode at the 
> same time that's just a suggestion). Mainly a column
> to select your 
> preferred mode on  the operator sheet would be a 90%
> solution.
> 
> The major draw back is that we don't get the
> experience of setting up a 
> lot of stations and playing with all the different
> modes etc.
> 
> Looking at this from an emergency communication
> standpoint - my 
> experience through 5 hurricanes (or was it six, I've
> lost count) was 
> that all the staffed locations set up on VHF for
> local comms, the HF 
> relay was done by someone at a home station (there
> were at least 2x as 
> many people on the nets from home as there were from
> shelters etc). The 
> only field day type setup we did was for a team that
> went out of county 
> - they took HF with them and setup a schedule with
> home each evening for 
> status as we had others ready to go if they needed
> something. They just 
> took a simple dipole and a mobile (screwdriver)
> antenna since we had 
> large fixed stations at home to make up the
> difference. All this leads 
> to my opinion that the ability to erect 40' towers
> and multiple HF 
> stations in a field is of little operational use
> these days.
> 
> Andy
>
-----------------------------------------------------
> BREAK
> -----------------------------------------------
> 
> Next CCARC Meeting Monday, February 11, 7:30 PM at
> the Emergency Services Training Center in
> Westminster.
> 
>
------------------------------------------------------
> AR -------------------------------------------------
> 
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