I hope you’re doing well during these unusual times. Personally, I won’t pretend that its been “easy-breezy” in my home. It’s a challenge to adhere to the stay-at-home guidelines, to limit visits to stores and public places, do the essential medical appointments, maintain 6 feet social distancing while wearing a mask. All this, while we see some neighbors blissfully ignoring the advice of experts. But, like many of you, we’re toughing it out and will continue to do what we can to protect our family and ourselves.
I am very thankful that I have my hobby and our club nets to stay in touch. By the way, our TecNets move to the KB8WLW repeater appears have been the thing to do. Thanks to Mike Smith’s fabulous repeater system we’ve been able to reach out to a wider geographic area and meet new folks. The TecNet meets at 7:30 pm on 145.410 2m FM repeater, on the 1st and 3rd Monday.
Speaking of reaching out, I couldn’t be more pleased with the numerous inquirees we’ve receive through this site since April asking how they can learn more about our hobby or get tested to upgrade their license. I’m thrilled so many people have thought to contact us on their quest.
PRC Site Has a New Home
You might have noticed a different look to these pages. That’s because we moved our site to a new server. When we announced at meeting early this year that our web host was becoming a financial burden, Chuck Mehoznek, K8CVM stepped up and offered space on his server. What a terrific gesture that we trully appreciate.
We still have some fine tuning to do on the appearance and at present the site is not quite compatible with mobile devices. So we have some work to do but we’re thrilled to have successfully made the move.
Thank you, Chuck!
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Field Day 2020
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, Issues Field Day 2020 Statement
06/25/2020
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has released a statement in advance of ARRL Field Day 2020.
Dear ARRL Members,
For the first time since the event was introduced in 1933, ARRL Field Day will indeed be significantly different this year. Continuing public safety restrictions due to COVID-19 will force many of you to operate from home, while some radio clubs, where permitted, will venture outside in limited gatherings practicing social distancing. By all means, get on the air this weekend and show the world that Amateur Radio operators remain adaptable to changing situations.
Although points are awarded, the underlying purpose of Field Day is to demonstrate the versatility and reliability of radio amateurs under simulated emergency conditions. For some of you, especially new licensees, this may be the first time you’ve established your own home station or portable radio communications capability. Let’s use this opportunity to show our friends, families, and community leaders that we are a trained, resourceful and reliable corps of volunteers, especially when other forms of communications are not available.
In addition to operating, please take a few minutes to document your station with pictures, or even offer to host a videoconference and give virtual tours. Social media is the way most people are discovering amateur radio these days, so post your photos and videos to the social media pages hosted by your clubs and ARRL.
Finally, please use the hashtag #ARRLFD along with community hashtags to get the word out that we are enjoying an amazing hobby that is also a public service. Field Day is the largest gathering of communicators on the face of the earth. Let’s show the world what amateur radio can do!
On behalf of ARRL board members and staff, have a fun and safe ARRL Field Day.
73,
Rick Roderick, K5UR
In March the following response to the pandemic outbreak appeared on ARRL.org:
Field Day 2020 — A Time to Adapt
03/27/2020
Many individuals and groups organizing events for Field Day 2020 have been contacting ARRL for guidance on how to adapt their planned activities in this unprecedented time of social distancing and uncertainty.
“Due to the unique situation presented this year, this can be an opportunity for you, your club, and/or group to try something new,” ARRL Contest Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said. “Field Day isn’t about doing things the same way year after year. Use this year to develop and employ a new approach that is in line with the current circumstances.”
Social distancing and state and local requirements very likely will impact just how — and even whether — you are able to participate in Field Day this year. ARRL continues monitoring the coronavirus situation, paying close attention to information and guidance offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If social distancing means that Class A with a 30-member team set up in a city park won’t work this year, then it’s time for a Plan B. Part of the Field Day concept has always been adapting your operation to the situation at hand. At its heart, Field Day is an emergency communication demonstration. Field Day rules are flexible enough to allow individuals and groups to adjust their participation and strategies in a way that still addresses their needs while being fun. Some possibilities:
Encourage club members to operate from their home stations on emergency power (Class E).
Use the club’s repeater as a means for individual participants to keep in touch during the event.
Family members interested in operating Field Day and unable to participate as part of a larger group may want to consider setting up a portable station in the backyard with a temporary antenna.
One big impact this year will be a decline in public visibility and any interaction with the visitors. Prudence may dictate dispensing with the ham radio PR table to attract passersby, should you set up in a more public location. It’s okay not to score all the bonus points you may have attempted in the past. Local and served agency officials may be unwilling to visit, which is understandable under the circumstances. Do be sure to reach out to them as part of your preparations and remind them that you look forward to continuing your working relationship with them in the future.
The impact will differ from place to place, so ARRL recommends that all amateur radio clubs participating in Field Day stay in regular contact with local or state public health officials for their advice and guidance on hosting Field Day activities.
Demonstrating an understanding of the health crisis we all face and your willingness to adapt will show that you and your club or group are good working partners with local or served agencies.
“With any emergency preparedness exercise, it’s not about adapting the situation to your operation, it’s about adapting your operation to the situation that presents itself,” Bourque said. “Try something different. Learn something new about how you prepare. It may be a challenge, and you may have to ask yourself if you’re up to the challenge. We hope to hear you on the air over the June 27 – 28 weekend.”
— Thanks to Paul Bourque, N1SFE, and Dan Henderson, N1ND
PRC to Participate in Field Day 2020, June 27-28
While the PRC will not be conducting its normal Field Day operations, we encouraging members to operate from their home stations and then report their Field Day log to the club for inclusion in the club’s report. You will be using your own call sign and operating as a Class D station.
Here’s how it will work: (reprinted from ARRL.org)
Temporary Rule Waivers for ARRL Field Day 2020
5/28/2020
With one month to go before 2020 ARRL Field Day, June 27-28, the ARRL Programs and Services Committee (PSC) has adopted two temporary rule waivers for the event:
1) For Field Day 2020 only, Class D stations may work all other Field Day stations, including other Class D stations, for points.
Field Day rule 4.6 defines Class D stations as “Home stations,” including stations operating from permanent or licensed station locations using commercial power. Class D stations ordinarily may only count contacts made with Class A, B, C, E, and F Field Day stations, but the temporary rule waiver for 2020 allows Class D stations to count contacts with other Class D stations for QSO credit.
2) In addition, for 2020 only, an aggregate club score will be published, which will be the sum of all individual entries indicating a specific club (similar to the aggregate score totals used in ARRL affiliated club competitions).
Ordinarily, club names are only published in the results for Class A and Class F entries, but the temporary rule waiver for 2020 allows participants from any Class to optionally include a single club name with their submitted results following Field Day.
For example, if Podunk Hollow Radio Club members Becky, W1BXY, and Hiram, W1AW, both participate in 2020 Field Day — Hiram from his Class D home station, and Becky from her Class C mobile station — both can include the radio club’s name when reporting their individual results. The published results listing will include individual scores for Hiram and Becky, plus a combined score for all entries identified as Podunk Hollow Radio Club.
The temporary rule waivers were adopted by the PSC on May 27, 2020.
ARRL Field Day is one of the biggest events on the amateur radio calendar, with over 36,000 participants in 2019, including entries from 3,113 radio clubs and emergency operations centers. In most years, Field Day is also the largest annual demonstration of ham radio, because many radio clubs organize their participation in public places such as parks and schools.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many radio clubs have made decisions to cancel their group participation in ARRL Field Day this year due to public health recommendations and/or requirements, or to significantly modify their participation for safe social distancing practices. The temporary rule waivers allow greater flexibility in recognizing the value of individual and club participation regardless of entry class.
ARRL is contacting logging program developers about the temporary rule waivers so developers can release updated versions of their software prior to Field Day weekend. Participants are reminded that the preferred method of submitting entries after Field Day is via the web applet. The ARRL Field Day rules include instructions for submitting entries after the event. Entries must be submitted or postmarked by Tuesday, July 28, 2020.
The ARRL Field Day web page includes a series of articles with ideas and advice for adapting participation this year.
The complete Field Day Rules are reprinted here or are available at arrl.org.
ARRL Contest Program Issues Field Day 2020 FAQ
06/09/2020
The ARRL Contest Program has released some Frequently Asked Questions related to the Field Day temporary rule waivers. On May 28, the ARRL Programs and Services Committee (PSC) adopted these provisions only for the June 27 – 28, 2020, event: (1) Class D stations may work all other Field Day stations, including other Class D stations, for points, and (2) an aggregate club score will be published, which will be the sum of all individual entries that indicate a specific club. Contact the ARRL Contest Program with any questions related to Field Day 2020.
Q: Several of our club members are going to operate independently and wish to attribute their scores to the aggregate club score. What call sign should they use?
A: Participants should use their own call signs. Except for Class C (mobile) entries, all transmitters, receivers, and antennas must be located within a 1,000-foot-diameter circle may operate using a single call sign. This prohibits the use of a single call sign from more than one location. Under the 2020 waiver, those operating from home, including backyard operations, must use their own station call signs. Multiple home stations operating with a club call sign or modified club call sign, such as W1AW-1, W1AW-2, W1AW-3, etc, are not allowed.
Q: How does my club submit an aggregate club score? Does the club need to add up each participating member’s scores and submit a club entry with the aggregate score under the club call sign?
A: Each participant will submit his or her own independent entry under his or her call sign. ARRL will calculate the aggregate score based upon the club name entered on the official Field Day entry form via the web applet (preferred method) or on the paper Field Day entry form. In order for results to be tabulated correctly, all club participants must enter the club’s official name exactly the same, avoiding abbreviations or acronyms. This is important!
Q: Our group is still planning to operate at the usual Field Day site, but some members do not feel comfortable gathering in a large group this year. Can we still submit an entry using the club call sign, as well as have members operating from home using their own call signs?
A: Yes. If your club is still hosting a group Field Day effort, it will submit an entry as usual, using the club call sign. Club members operating at home will submit separate entries with their own call signs and will enter the club name on the entry form for club aggregate scoring.
Q: Can a club member operate from home using the club call sign?
A: Yes, but the call sign may only be used in one location. The member must receive permission from the trustee of the club call sign.
Q: Our club normally enters Field Day in Class A. If we operate from our home stations, in which class should individual members enter in order to be included in the aggregate club score?
A: Each member will operate independently and will submit the entry using whatever class that applies to their operation. Typically, home stations running on commercial ac power are Class D, while home stations running on battery, solar, generator, or the like (i.e., not from ac mains) are Class E. When the results are published, each club member will be listed in the results under the class in which they operated. For 2020 only, aggregate club scores will be listed by the club name in a separate listing.
Q: Our club will have 10 members operating from home as Class D stations. Should they worry about working the same station on the same band and mode (duplicates)?
A: Because members are operating as separate entries using their own call signs, the contacts are not considered duplicates.
Q: Does the club need to be an ARRL-affiliated club to participate in Field Day?
A: No. All clubs and groups are welcome to participate in ARRL Field Day.
Q: How will bonus points be calculated for the aggregate club scores? Can individual club members still earn bonus points?
A: All individual scores, including bonus points, will be added together to determine the aggregate club score. Refer to the complete rules to determine eligibility for bonus points. — Thanks to Paul Bourque, N1SFE, ARRL Contest Program Manager
To paraphrase a popular big box hardware store: “Let’s Do It.” And have fun.
Hal Rogers, K8CMD
President, PRC