[SMCARA] Field Day Aftermath

[Tom Shelton, ND3N]

Chris,

My two cents worth.  FD specifically is not a contest or an emergency practice.  It is an opportunity to show the public what ham radio is.  Unlike the November sweepstakes, the exchange is very short.  Unlike every other contest there are no multipliers.  You can earn more points for being visited by elected officials and the media than many stations earn by making contacts.  Having a gota station is free points because it encourages visitors to get first hand experience in making a contact.  You get extra points for having a media table with hand outs.  The free VHF  station shows how easy it is to make relatively short contacts, which in case of emergency may be more important than being able to contact Hawaii (though I think the latter is certainly cooler).

Everything about FD is meant to show the public our value.   Having a contesty set up, encourages people to operate, which shows our radios being used and provides a conversation starter.

There will always be those who take these things to extremes, whether the pig farmers on 80 or the hardcore contesters.  I thing they're both missing the point.   As with all my comments, your mileage may vary.


Tom Shelton, ND3N
240-434-3811

If it ain't broke,  let's fix it until it is...



-------- Original message --------
From: Chris Ordiway <kc3dig at gmail.com> 
Date:06/28/2015  1:23 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
To: smcara at mailman.qth.net 
Subject: [SMCARA] Field Day Aftermath 

All,

With Field Day fresh in our minds I'm wondering about something... Ham 
radio Facebook pages are abuzz with complaints about FD being nothing 
more than an annoying contest clogging up the airwaves. I've seen 
several comments that it is supposed to be a way to practice emergency 
communications (etc., etc.) and that the ARRL has ruined it by making it 
contest-like. Soooo.... If I'm not telling the other guy "3A MDC" what 
am I supposed to say on FD? The points system is clearly just a way to 
encourage participation. If the argument is that we shouldn't have the 
points system then how is it any different than any other day of playing 
radio? And why would I set up in the pouring rain, blistering heat or 
nearby tornado when I can be safe and dry at home to test my gear? The 
points and awards don't actually mean anything in the grand scheme but 
they are motivation to give it a go. Do these guys actually work FD 
style at other times, with all of the effort it takes, because they 
*really* think emcomm is important? I know what I think about that...

So what do you think? Is FD too contest-y? How would you do it different 
so we can collectively practice emcomm? I'm curious to hear other points 
of view because so far those comments I'm seeing just don't make much 
sense to me.

Chris Ordiway - KC3DIG

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