1. Roger Reini/ David Treharne
FARL-LARC Field Day 2019
Roger Reini/ David Treharne
FARL Club Meeting, June 13, 2019
Club Meeting Version

2. 2019 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 22nd-23rd, Setup at 9:00am on Saturday, operating begins 2pm Saturday, ends 2pm Sunday.
Stations: LARC is planning on 4A. Voice, Morse Code, and Digital. Includes a Get On the Air Station exclusively for new operators.
Where: Lyndon St, Livonia, MI 48154
Sponsors: Livonia Amateur Radio Club and the Ford Amateur Radio League
LARC Field Day Chair: Mike Rudzki, N8MR)
FARL Field Day Chair: David Treharne (N8HKU)

3. Summary versus prior years
Band CW
Phone
Dig
Total %
---- --
-----
--- 80
157 6 40
388
1,061 12
1,461 51 20 68
923 33
1,024 36 15 91 10
121 4 46 5 57 2 25 1
SAT
750
2,035 61
2,846
100
Band CW
Phone
Dig
Total %
---- --
-----
--- 80
292
323
615 27 40
352
859 50
1,261 55 20 53
278
351 15 39 1 2 10 4 6 7
SAT
740
1,468 71
2,279
100
CW Contacts back up from last year, Phone contacts up from last year, digital contacts down from last year.

4. Our Score Ranking 2018 vs 2017
2018 Scores
Our score for class 4A was 8,992 points.
#2 (of 7 entries) in class 4A in Michigan (2nd to K8UM)
#3 (of 95 entrants) for all of Michigan
#3 (of 15 entrants) in class for the Great Lakes Division
#8 (of 272 entrants) in the Great Lakes Division overall
#8 (of 137 entries) in 4A overall for all Field Day submissions
#55 (of 2,902 entrants) overall for all Field Day submissions
2017 Scores
Our score for class 4A was 6,816 points.
#1 (of 6 entries) in class 4A in Michigan
#4 (of 92 entrants) for all of Michigan
#2 (of 14 entrants) in class for the Great Lakes Division
#17 (of 272 entrants) in the Great Lakes Division overall
#14 (of 133 entries) in 4A overall for all Field Day submissions
#134 (of 2,964 entrants) overall for all Field Day submissions
Overall: While K8UM did an extraordinary job to knock our clubs down slightly in the Michigan and 4A categories, but the clubs did great for Great Lakes and national scoring!

5. Top Bands for Field Day
Conclusion: No matter what the time in the sunspot cycle, our best bands are 40m, 80m, and 20m. Prediction for this year: 40m, 20m, 80m.
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
2016: 40m, 80m, 20m, 15m, 6m, 10m
2017: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m, 10m, 6m
2018: 40m, 20m, 80m, 15m, 10m, 6m * No 80m phone was run

6. N Site Layout- 2019 Edition Porta potty
The food tent is a white tent shelter, solid sides, can enclose the ends. Nearby are two picnic tables
Livonia Fire Department Inflatable Tent
Food
Red Lines are the antennas N
Digital (LARC)
GOTA
SSB2
GOTA Station antenna (vertical)
37855 Lyndon St, Livonia, MI 48154
LARC SSB2 Antenna G5RV Jr
SSB1- FARL
FARL SSB1 Antenna G5RV
CW Station Antenna (different antenna vs last year CW

7. Schedule Friday: Sunday
3:00PM: Wire antenna set-up: Bill Allen, KD8KTF
6:00PM: Onsite set-up of tents, campers. (Security overnight).
Saturday:
8:00AM - Weekly club Senate Coney Island (Plymouth Road and Stark Road)
9:0AM - Equipment setup
11:00AM- Boy Scouts Vist for Radio Demos on voice
1:00PM- Lunch and Safety Briefing
2:00 PM - Field Day operations begin
6:00PM- Dinner
Sunday
7:00AM: Breakfast (FARL to supply.)
12:00PM: Lunch
2:00PM: Operating Event Ends
3:00PM: Teardown complete
Other Events:
Training Session: TBD
Satellite Work: at FARL SSB station

8. Operating Set-up Using K8UNS as main station call
Using K8UTT as GOTA station call
Operating 4A
CW station Tent (Mike, N8MR)
New antenna setup, one they can load for transmit!
SSB 1 Station: All HF except 40m. (FARL- Dave, N8HKU) (Using Tom Bray’s (W8TJB)Airstream)
G5RV
SSB 2 Station: 40m only (Tent or camper: Alan (N8BTU))
Antenna: G5RV Jr or full size
Digital Station: (Bill Allen, KD8KTF)
Satellite station: (LARC) Mike, (N8MR): Set up at FARL SSB station
GOTA Station (LARC) in the Livonia FD Tent

9. Our FARL Station: FARL Station: Radio: Club FT-991 Antenna: Club G5RV
Computer: Dell Computer from Dave, N8HKU
Solar Power Charged battery for Alternative Power Bonus
Everything but 40m. (160m-6m)
Bonus 6m station here, withTom Bray will bring his kit.
Generator Power: 300 watts needed for basic station, 600 watts if we have a separate VHF station running, xxx watts if the A/C is used.
Tye Winkel, KC8YEJ, as a 2kW unit
Bill Boyke, N8OZV, has a 5kW unit

10. Rules No rule changes for this year.
Still have GOTA station and GOTA coach bonus
Have bonus for any contacts made by participants under age 18.
Still have Social Media bonus
Still have Educational activity bonus
Exchange is still the same, no changes

11. FARL Shelter Tom Bray, K8TJB, has a new trailer this year!
The new trailer is much better than we deserve, so please treat it with respect and care!
Use of A/C inside will be weather and generator capacity dependent.
New trailer has more space and a nice table for the radios.
What outside table do we need? Small square or long folding (the one used last year for inside the trailer?)
Lighting OK for nighttime?

12. Connecting the Stations
We plan to link the 2 SSB stations together this year, using a WiFi router and the N3FJP software in server mode on our SSB1 station computer.
CW station can join in if they wish, but not required.
Last year, SSB1 station still had RFI problems. Solution space:
New ferrite rings:
1 on the USB cable from the Radio
1 on the Power supply to the Computer
Use a Secure Digital card for the log memory. There was a problem last year with the N3FJP program showing an error writing to the hard drive. Probably RFI related, as the drive checks out with no errors or issues.

13. Getting New Hams Involved
We want to get new hams and those interested in Amateur Radio out to Field Day and to operate or participate with us!
Have a HF license: operate. Not a HF license: participate with a licenced amateur at the logging station.
New Operators with an HF license can also operate the GOTA station. If they do, we want one of us to be there with them as a coach. Coaches for GOTA cannot log, but can show them how to operate and log. No problem to operate our main station with us if they do not want to use the GOTA.
Field Day is a Training event that looks like a contest.
Invite guests to log, then operate. Time span does not have to be long.
LARC proposes sign up sheets to make sure all get operating time.

14. Logistics
We may have a Boy Scout troop visiting us on Saturday between 11am and 1pm. If so, we need to be fully operational to do demos and help them participate on the air at this time. So, I propose we begin set-up at 9am.
If we can get the antenna and the new coax to Bill Allen, KD8KTF, he can have the antenna installed on Friday. Otherwise, we will do it Saturday. Dave, N8HKU, has the G5RV antenna. The new coax is with Pat, WD8JDZ. The new coax needs 3-4 1ft. Dia coiled turns fashioned at the antenna end, bound with wire ties or equivalent.

15. Other Logistics Message traffic is to be handled by LARC.
Assigned Safety Officer is expected from the LARC this year.
LARC will put a flyer out to the neighborhood informing them of our activities.
GOTA station with Coaches. We need to help with this coaching if we are to get the bonus points.
Food: FARL has Sunday breakfast. Will have 2 hot dishes, plus fruit, pastry, pop tarts.
Generator: FARL Generator:
Bill Boyke’s (N8OZV). Bill to confirm generator is working properly
If Bill’s generator is not functional, then discuss club purchase of an inverter 1,800-2kW generator.
Final fallback: Use an 800W inverter plus a vehicle, such as David’s Fusion Hybrid.
We will run the SSB station connected via WiFi this year.
LARC requests we bring 2m handhelds for communication between stations and with the food tent.
Bandpass filters: FARL will bring our sets again for SSB1 and SSB2. CW tent will bring their own.

16. Overnight on Saturday
20m was working well into the night last year, which was very unusual for this period in the sunspot cycle.
SSB1 ran 20m, and did not make any contacts on 80m.
SSB2 was trapped on 40m for the whole contest, because the station logs were not synchronized.
FARL must commit to operating 80m this year. After dark, we will instruct the operators to move to 80m.
If no one can operate overnight, keep the generator running for the logging computer. (other stations will be using this computer for logging)
If you can come early in the morning, 80m is working until about 9am. (We will have breakfast about 7am!)

17. Field Day Funding Expenses: (Total from last year was $77.33)
Sunday Breakfast ($63 last year)
Gasoline for the generator ($15 last year, but Bill Boyke donated fuel as well)
Recommend $200 for this year.
If we need ropes or water or anything, it is within our approved budget.

18. Participation Who is coming and when?
Tom Bray, W8TJD, Camper on Friday.
Chris, K8CKJ: 9 PM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday
Bill, N8OZV: 9 PM Saturday to 4 AM Sunday; plan to deliver generator before 11 AM Saturday
Tye, KC8YEJ: backup generator Saturday morning
Mac, KD8TPO: Saturday morning
Scott Schaffer, guest at meeting: Saturday morning, very early
Carl, KB4CWG: Saturday morning and afternoon, Sunday morning and afternoon
Pat, WD8JDZ: Friday 3 PM, Saturday 9 AM, other times Saturday, Sunday 2 PM
Roger, KD8CSE: Saturday morning, 9 AM to 1 PM; Saturday evening, TBD; Sunday morning, TBD to end
David, N8HKU: Saturday 9am-5pm. Sunday: 7am through close

19. Kilo Eight United November Sugar Four Alpha, Mike India, Michigan
K8UNS 4A MI
Kilo Eight United November Sugar
Four Alpha, Mike India, Michigan
(Grid: only if asked: EN82gj)

20. Operating Hints
Our Grid: (if asked, as this is part of the event): EN82gj
Change bandpass filter when changing bands. Only transmit into the right band pass filter
Antenna Tuner: Press the button and release it when the LED lights for tuning. The microphone is live when tuning, so do not talk! An SWR under 2:1 is fine.
Make sure the logging file is on the same band as the radio. It should automatically change, but we have had RF issues that disconnected the radio from the computer.
Use 80m after dark!
Computer: Use Field Day, PW: K8UTT (all caps) Use FieldDay WiFi router
Problems: Call Dave, N8HKU,

21. Backup

22. Generator Inverter ones are quiet and fuel efficient
Small ones can be carried by 1 person
Large ones less expensive per kW
LARC has a couple of Honda 2kW, current model is 2200i, $999
This one is still $480 at Home Depot and at Menard’s
Ratings are peak, this one is 2.2kW peak, 1,800 watts steady. (200W more than normal of this size, but Honda has increased their power to 2,200 peak watts as well)
2 can be combined to double the power at 120V.

23. GOTA Rules
GOTA Bonus. Class A and F stations operating a GOTA station may earn the following bonus points:
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.
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 )
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.
If a GOTA station is supervised full-time by a GOTA Coach, the bonus points earned for each 20 QSOs completed under Rule will be doubled.
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.
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