ARRL FIELD DAY

MADE EASY
NARA
-Hams-
-Served Agencies-
-Public-

ARRL/
COOKEN
ARES
 FIELD DAY MADE EASY

A Workshop for ARRL Field Day Radio
Operation
• By Steven Katz N8WL
• With thanks to

Earl Paazig N8KBR

Eldon Peterson W5UHQ
 Field Day A …B … C

Purpose of FD

Basic rules

The Contact Exchange

Scoring

Station Setup

Logging Software
 Field Day Purpose

Social gathering
• Eating and drinking
• Camaraderie and friendship
• Camping
• Weekend “getaway”

Emergency preparedness
• Training ourselves
• Demonstration of emergency preparedness to
the public, government, and served agencies
• Experimentation with antennas, portable
equipment, and unusual power sources
 Field Day Purpose (cont.)

Chance to try different radios

Knowledge building and learning new skills

Recruiting new hams and new club
members

Challenge of operating in abnormal
situations and in less than ideal conditions

Contest/competition

FUN!
 Field Day History

First Field Day in 1933

Started simple with few participants and
low scores (by today’s standards)

Annual tradition that grew and grew

The most popular ham event of the year

Detailed history in Dec. 99 QST, p. 28:
http://www.arrl.org/pio/press_releases/9912028.pdf
 Workshop focus

Contest aspect of Field Day
 Motivation for this workshop

Many hams profess no interest in
operating radio on Field Day, but in
reality they’re often reluctant to
participate because of
• “Mike fright”
• Unfamiliarity with contesting procedures
• No experience on HF (but ham radio is
more than 2M repeaters)
 So…

Those of us with experience are here
to help you become comfortable with
operating in an easy and non-
threatening way.

Consider us your “Elmers” (ham
jargon for mentors)

So here we go…
Eligibility to Participate in Field Day

All amateurs in US and Canada and
possessions

DX stations may be contacted for
credit but are not eligible to submit
entries
 Object

Contact as many other stations as possible

On any and all amateur bands (excluding
the 60, 30, 17, and 12 meter bands)

And in doing so to learn to operate in
abnormal situations in less than optimal
conditions.

A premium is placed on
• developing skills to meet the challenges of
emergency preparedness
• acquainting the general public with the
capabilities of Amateur Radio
 Date and Time Period

Always the fourth full weekend in June
• June 23-24, 2007

Begins at 1800 UTC (2 pm EDT) Saturday
June 23 and ends 24 hours later

EXCEPTION: Class A and B stations that
do not begin setting up until 1800 UTC
may operate 27 hours.

Nobody can start setup before 1800 UTC
Friday.
 Our Operation
• We will start setup Saturday morning at
10 am and operate until we run out of
steam, usually late Sunday morning,
reserving an ounce of energy for
teardown.
• Place: Horn’s Hill Park, Newark, Ohio
 Entry Categories

Are based on
• Number of transmitters operating
simultaneously
• Class of Operation
 Number of transmitters
• The maximum number of transmitters
in operation simultaneously.

For NARA/COOKEN’s FD that will be 3

Does not include bonus stations such as

• GOTA Station
• VHF Station if someone wants to set it up
• Satellite Station if someone wants to set it up

But DOES include
• A natural power demonstration station if someone
wants to set it up
 Number of xmtrs (cont)
• All transmitters must be within a 1000’
diameter circle.
• All three transmitters will use the NARA
club call N8ARA
 8 Classes of operation

Class A – portable station with 3 or more
operators, using 100% emergency power
• This is our class – we will use a gasoline
generator

Class AB (battery) – same, 5 watts max.,
battery

Class B – portable station with 1 or 2
operators, using 100% emergency power

Class B (battery) – same, 5 watts max.,
battery

Class C – mobile station
 Class of operation (cont.)

Class D – fixed station on
commercial power
• Note: may not contact other Class D
stations

Class E – fixed station on emergency
power

Class F – operation from an
established Emergency Operations
Center
 GOTA (“Get on
the air”) station

Must use different call sign

• We will use COOKEN’s club call W8TNX

Only open to Class A and F with 2 or
more xmtrs. We qualify to have it.

Same exchange as other xmtrs

Only open to Novices, Techs, or
otherwise inactive hams, or to non-
licensed public
 GOTA (cont.)

A control operator must be present if
operating beyond license class privileges
of the operator.

Max. xmtr power 150W (except for QRP
class = 5W)

Max. 500 contacts for credit + certain
bonus points

May only operate on FD bands; single
xmtr. Only

Obey third-party traffic rules for
unlicensed guest operators
 Misc. Rules

No contact between FD station and
individual participant of that station

Radios cannot be used for more than
one callsign during FD period

Phone, CW, and Digital are
considered separate “bands”

All voice contacts (SSB, FM, AM,
satellite) are equivalent (1 point
each).
 Misc. Rules (cont.)

All digital contacts (PSK31, MT63, Packet,

Pactor, etc.) are equivalent (2 points each)

No cross-band contacts (exc. Satellite)

Only one xmtr per band at any time (exc.
GOTA)

No contacts on repeaters or on 146.52
simplex

Batteries may be charged while in use, but
not from commercial mains (exc. Class D)

All stations must use same call sign (exc.
GOTA)
 Limitation

Can only work each station once per
band-mode
• For example you can work each station
once on 20M phone, once on 20M cw,
and once on 20M digital mode (total 5
points).
• You can work the same station on other
frequency bands and modes for
additional points.
 The Contact “Exchange”

In order to make a valid contact, the
information to be exchanged consists
of
• Number of transmitters at your site
• Class of operation
• ARRL Section

Examples
• On CW – “3A OH”
• On phone – “Three Alpha, Ohio”
 Exchange must be accurate

You must copy the information
correctly from the other station
AND…

The other station must copy your
information correctly, OR ELSE…

It is not a valid contact and your final
score may be penalized.
 ARRL Section

71 Sections

Basically each US state and Canadian
province

Each state may be divided into several
sections
• Ohio is one section
• New Jersey is 2 sections
• Texas is 3 sections
• New York is 4 sections
• California is 9 sections

Details on Handout
 ARRL Sections (cont.)

Use 2 or 3 letter abbreviations
• OH – Ohio
• KY – Kentucky
• EMA – Eastern Massachusetts
• LAX – Los Angeles
• WTX – West Texas
• NFL – Northern Florida
 ITU Phonetics on Phone

You MUST memorize and be familiar
with ITU phonetics on phone.

Alpha Hotel Oscar Victor

Bravo India Papa Whisky
Charlie Juliet Quebec X-ray
Delta Kilo Romeo Yankee
Echo Lima Sierra Zulu
Foxtrot Mike Tango
Golf November Uniform
 Two Basic Strategies

Hunt and pounce
• Roam the bands, looking for stations
who are calling CQ and answering them

Sitting on a frequency calling CQ and
waiting for stations to answer you
 Hunt and pounce
• You can be selective who you contact
• Useful in contests where multipliers are
ARRL sections, DX zones, and other
selective categories, because you can
hunt for specific multipliers to increase
your score
• You can avoid stations with big pileups,
which waste your time and reduce your
Q rate (contact, or QSO, rate per
minute or hour)
 Sitting on frequency
• You never know who will answer
• May not work as many multipliers
• Usually can work a lot more stations
(more points, higher Q rate)
• Easy to do with voice recorder
• May have to handle pileup if you’re a
rare multiplier
• Can get tiring if you call by voice and no
one answers
 Example of Good Exchange

CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day from N8ARA,
November Eight Alpha Romeo Alpha

N8ARA, here is November Four Echo
Tango Tango

N4ETT, please copy Three Alpha, Ohio

QSL, please copy Four Alpha, South
Florida

Thank you, good luck in Field Day. CQ
Field Day, CQ Field Day…
 Bad Example #1

CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day from N8ARA,
November Eight Alpha Romeo Alpha

N8ARA, here is November Four Echo
Tango Tango, Four Alpha, South Florida…

N4ETT didn’t give you a chance to

recognize his call. If you heard a different
station better, you wouldn’t have
contacted N4ETT and he wasted time with
the exchange info (“Four Alpha, South
Florida…”).
 Bad Example #2

CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day from
N8ARA, November Eight Alpha
Romeo Alpha

N8ARA, here is Norway Four Easy
Tom Tom

Used non-ITU phonetics. Tom could

easily be mistaken for Don, Ron,
John, etc.
 Ask for repeats

CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day from
N8ARA, November Eight Alpha
Romeo Alpha

N8ARA, here is November Four Echo
Tango Tango

N4ETT, please copy Three Alpha,
Ohio

QSL, please copy <static crash!>…

N4ETT, please repeat the exchange!
 Ask for fills

CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day from N8ARA,
November Eight Alpha Romeo Alpha

N8ARA, here is November Four Echo Tango
Tango

N4ETT, please copy Three Alpha, Ohio

QSL, please copy Four Alpha, <static
crash!>…

N4ETT, give me your section again!

South Florida, South Florida, Sierra Foxtrot
Lima.

QSL, South Florida, thank you! CQ CQ Field
Day…
 Role Playing

On a sheet of paper, assign to
yourself and write down
• A made-up US or Canadian call sign

W, K, N, AA, AB, VE, VO, VY etc., plus
number 0 to 9, plus 1 to 3 letters
• Some number from 1 to 10 (no. of
xmtrs)
• Some letter from A to F (class)
• Any ARRL section except Ohio
 Exercise

No eye contact – stare at your piece of paper in
front of you.

Volunteer (“Ham #1”)calls CQ Field Day with
made-up call sign

Everyone needs to copy down that call sign

Everyone yells out his/her made-up call sign

Ham #1 tries to identify one call (or part of one
and asks for fill)

They work the exchange carefully to get it right

Ham #2 takes the frequency and calls CQ

Practice, practice, practice!
 Field Day Scoring

1 point for each voice contact

2 points for each cw or digital contact

Add total points for all QSOs

Multiplier is power level
• QRP (very low power) without gas generator or
commercial mains – 5x
• QRP with gas generator or commercial power
or batteries charged from either – 2x
• Low Power (< 150 W) – 2x
• High Power (> 150 W) – 1x

Add bonus points
 Bonus Points

100% Emergency Power – 100 points per
xmtr (GOTA, VHF and Satellite not incl.)

Media Publicity – 100 points

Public Location – 100 points

Public Information Table – 100 points

Originating message to SM – 100 points

Handling messages – 10 points each, max
100 points
 Bonus Points (cont.)

Satellite QSO (just 1) – 100 points

Demo of natural power: solar, wind,
methane, water, human powered
bicycle, - 100 points
• Need to make 5 contacts minimum
• Counts as one of the transmitters
• Includes batteries charged by alternate
power
 Bonus Points (cont.)

Copying special CW FD bulletin on W1AW
(must be copied over the air) – 100 points

Demo of non-traditional modes (APRS,
ATV, SSTV, etc., but not PSK31, or
packet, unless node) – 100 points each,
max. 300 points

Site visit by elected government official –
100 points

Site visit by served agency rep. – 100
points
 Bonus Points (cont.)

Web submission of FD Entry – 50
points

Youth participation: 20 points per
youth (18 or younger) who
completes at least one contact (max.
100 points).
 GOTA Bonus Points

If operator completes 20 QSOs = 20
points (no partial credit)

If same operator completes another
20 QSOs = another 20 points, up to
100 points per operator.

Other operators can earn up to 100
points each up to 500 points max.
 GOTA Bonus Points (cont.)

If GOTA supervised full-time by
coach, bonus points are doubled.

Coach supervises operation, answers
questions, talks operator through
QSO, but
• May NOT make QSOs
• May NOT perform logging function
 Field Day -- Reporting

Entries may be submitted to the ARRL
• Via Field Day Web Submission
• Via email
• Via land postal or delivery service

Entries must be submitted by July 24,
2007. Late entries cannot be accepted.

See official rules for details
Station Setup
 Typical Station Configuration
A Station may be configured to meet the need!
* Typically every effort should be placed with ensuring that all station equipment is
bonded to a common station ground and requirements of the National Electrical Code
are met.

SWR/Power
Meter
Radio
Tuner
and/or
Microphone Antenna Filter
Switch
External
Morse Code Key Power Supply Dummy
Load

*Station
Ground
Computer
Speaker or
w/ Sound Headphones will
Card Sound Card be connected to
Interface, Speaker
Interface Computer, or
Radio depending
Could be
on application.
TNC in a
For Digital Modes
packet radio
and/or Computerized
station.
Station Control
Control Operator Always Needed

W8TNX – Station Licensee is WD8E

N8ARA – Station Licensee is N8KBR

Club Call License is a Station License only and
conveys NO operating authority

IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING ON A FREQUENCY

WHERE YOU DON’T HAVE OPERATING
PRIVILEGES THERE MUST BE A CONTROL
OPERATOR WITH THOSE PRIVILEGES WITHIN
THE ZONE OF THE CONTROL POINT!
http://nara.eqth.org/n8ara_station_control.pdf
 Logging contacts

Used to be all manual with paper and
pencil

Needed to record date, time, callsign,
exchange

Needed to fill out “dupe” (duplicate) sheet

Needed to add up points, multiply by
multiplier, and add in bonus points

Tedious and lots of opportunity for errors
 Computer logging

Advantages
• Tracks number of QSOs, Q rate, multipliers worked
and needed, and current score at all times
• Avoids working stations more than once (“dupes”
or duplicates)
• Can use as CW keyboard with exchange
components stored in memory – no key or keyer
necessary
• Can format log for digitally submitting entry via
email so that log can be checked electronically
• Multiple stations can be networked via cable or
wirelessly so others can see progress of group
 Computer logging (cont.)

Disadvantages
• Need to know computer and networking basics
• Typing skills are definite advantage
• Computers and network components can crash
and data can be lost – unlikely, but
catastrophic to contest score if it happens

Many popular competing brands of
software

Eldon W5UHQ will now demonstrate the
use of N3FJP’s computer logging
software…
 N3FJP’s Field Day Log Software

N3FJP 3A SC
N3FJP Field Day Logging Software
 Q&A

Come join us at Field Day!