1. FARL-LARC Field Day 2016 David Treharne Club Meeting, June 9, 2016 Updated June 11, 2016

2. 2016 Field Day What: An annual 24 hour outdoor operating event to demonstrate and practice Amateur Radio emergency operating skills. Who: Open to both existing amateur radio operators and to anyone interested in radio. When: Saturday and Sunday, June 25 th -26 th, 2016. Setup at 9:30am on Saturday, operating begins 2pm Saturday, ends 2pm Sunday. Stations: Voice, Morse Code, Digital. Includes a Get On the Air Station exclusively for new operators! Where: 37855 Lyndon St, Livonia, MI 48154 Sponsors: Livonia Amateur Radio Club and the Ford Amateur Radio League

3. A review from last year: 2015 vs 2014 Contacts 2015 Contacts BandCWPhoneDigTotal% ---------------------- 80344117046117 40412870241,30648 20667103080630 151022601285 617080 SAT23050 ------------------ Total9271,733542,714100 2014 Contacts 17% fewer contacts in 2015 than during 2014, which was a record year. BandCWPhoneDigTotal% ---------------------- 16020020 80281326060727 402257172396543 201282872043519 15705101215 1028560844 60451462 Sat ------------------ Total7341,482442,260100

4. Our ranking from last year 2015 Scores Our score for class 4A was 6,076 points. #1 in 4A Michigan! (out of 10 entries) #2 in Michigan overall (out of 88 total entries) — K8UO of the USECA club was #1 #3 of all 4A Great Lakes Division entries (17 entries) #11 overall in the Great Lakes Division (out of 243) #16 in 4A overall for all Field Day submissions (out of 155) #126 overall for all Field Day submissions(out of 2,720 entries) 2014 Scores Our score for class 4A was 7,390 points #1 in class 4A Michigan! (5 entries) #2 in Michigan overall (behind the 10AB K8UO, the USECA station, with ~3,000 more points) (83 entries) #3 in class 4A in the Great Lakes Division (19 entries) #6 overall in the Great Lakes Division (247 entries) #12 in class 4A for all Field Day submissions (150 entries) #75 overall for all Field Day submissions (2,686 entries)

5. Top Bands for Field Day 2002: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2003: 40m, 20m, 15m, 80m 2004: 40m, 80m, 20m, 15m 2005: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2006: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2007: 40m, 80m, 20m, 15m 2008: 20m, 40m 80m, 15m, 10m 2009: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m, 10m, 160m 2010: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m, 10m 2011: 20m, 40m, 15m, 10m, 80m 2012: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2013: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2014: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m 2015: 40m, 80m, 20m, 15m, 10m Ongoing Conclusion: No matter what the time in the sunspot cycle, our best bands are 40m, 20m, and 80m. This past year, we had major weather and equipment challenges during Saturday afternoon, which affected 20m.

6. Site Plan- Updated

7. Schedule Friday: 2:00PM: Wire antenna set-up: Bill Allen, KD8KTF 6:00PM: Onsite set-up of tents, campers. (Security overnight). Saturday: 8:00AM - Weekly club breakfast @ Senate Coney Island (Plymouth Road and Stark Road) 9:30AM - Equipment setup 11:00AM- FARL SSB2 copies the Bulletin 12:30PM- Lunch 1:00PM- Safety Briefing 2:00 PM - Field Day operations begin 6:00PM- Dinner 11:00PM?- Pizza Sunday 7:00AM: Breakfast (FARL to supply.) 12:00PM: Lunch 2:00PM: Operating Event Ends 3:00PM: Teardown complete Other Events: Training Session Satellite Work

8. Operating Set-up Using K8UNS as main station call Using K8UTT as GOTA station call Operating 4A CW station (inside U-Haul Trailer) SSB 1 Station (FARL) (Using Gerry’s, KG8HZ, camper) Using Gerry’s Icom IC-7300! SSB 2 Station (Camper) Digital Station(Camper) Free VHF/UHF Station (with the Digital station) Free Satellite Station Free GOTA Station (Livonia FD Tent)

9. New Rules There are two rule additions for Field Day 2016 both affecting Bonus Points available for participants. 1.Groups or clubs that are participating in Field Day together from a site that is open to the public can earn a 100-point bonus by actively utilizing one of the recognized Social Media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) to engage the public in their Field Day activity. This bonus is not available for individual participants or for simply posting on your club website about your Field Day operations. It is for actively promoting Field Day using social media during the weekend. 2.The second rule addition allows groups and clubs operating as Class A in the field to earn a 100- point bonus by having a safety officer for their operation who ensures its overall safe operation. This is more than simply appointing someone to be the safety officer. In order to earn this bonus, the safety officer must complete a check-list of key safety issues to ensure they have been addressed.

10. GOTA Rules It has been a while since we tried a Get On the Air Station. Here are some of the rules: 7.3.13. GOTA Bonus. Class A and F stations operating a GOTA station may earn the following bonus points: 7.3.13.1. When a GOTA operator successfully completes 20 QSOs, they receive 20 bonus points. Upon reaching an additional 20 QSOs the same operator receives a second 20 bonus points, up to a maximum of 100 Bonus points per GOTA operator. An operator may make more than 100 QSOs but the QSOs over 100 do not qualify for an additional bonus. 7.3.13.1.1. Additional GOTA operators may earn the GOTA bonus points under this rule, up to the maximum of 500 bonus points. (Remember that there is a 500-QSO limit for the GOTA station. But no single GOTA operator may earn more than 100 of the GOTA bonus points except as provided in 7.3.13.2.) 7.3.13.1.2. A single GOTA operator must complete all 20 QSOs required before the bonus is earned. There is no “partial credit” for making only a portion of the 20 QSOs or “pooling” QSOs between operators. 7.3.13.2. If a GOTA station is supervised full-time by a GOTA Coach, the bonus points earned for each 20 QSOs completed under Rule 7.3.13.1. will be doubled. 7.3.13.2.1. The GOTA Coach supervises the operator of the station, doing such things as answering questions and talking them through contacts, but may not make QSOs or perform logging functions. 7.3.13.2.2. To qualify for this bonus, there must be a designated GOTA Coach present and supervising the GOTA station at all times it is being operated

11. Safety Officer Functions Fuel for generator properly stored. Fire extinguisher on hand and appropriately located. First Aid kit on hand. First Aid, CPR and AED trained participant/s on site for full Field Day period. Access to NWS alerts to monitor for inclement weather Tent stakes properly installed and marked. Temporary antenna structures properly secured and marked. Site secured from tripping hazards. Site is set up in a neat and orderly manner to reduce hazards. Stations and equipment properly grounded. Access to means to contact police/fire/rescue if needed. Safety Officer is designated point of contact for public safety officials. Minimize risks and control hazards to ensure no injuries to public. Safety Officer or a qualified designated assistant was on site for the duration of the event. As necessary, monitoring participants for hydration and ensures an adequate water supply is available

12. Other Logistics LARC will send out formal message traffic this year. Assigned Safety Officer was nominated. GOTA station with Coaches. We need to help with this coaching if we are to get the bonus points. More vegetarian-friendly food (Doris and Tas are back in charge of food) Gerry will bring his 4kW generator to power the RV LARC will bring mesh network again, but with all nodes battery backed up, instructions on each station, and we will have our WiFi backup.

13. Participation Who is coming?