[amsat-bb] AMSAT Field Day

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi Bruce!

In keeing with your comment about "never being too early to begin
preparing for field day", I wanted to ask how I would request a
change in the 2017 Field Day rules. I see the 2016 Field Day rules
are still posted on the AMSAT web site, so I'll work with that for
now.

After last June's Field Day, I posted a report of my activity
here on the AMSAT-BB list:

http://amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2016-June/059257.html

Near the end of my post, I wondered aloud about the restriction on
one QSO per orbiting packet digipeater, similar to the restriction
on one QSO per FM satellite. I understand there was some reason that
the "one QSO per digipeater" rule came about in the past, but fail
to see its need now. I made packet QSOs during the 2015 and 2016
Field Days, and only counted one per satellite for my AMSAT Field
Day submissions. ARRL's Field Day rules do not have a restriction
on the number of QSOs per orbiting packet digipeater.

There was a fair bit of activity on the ISS passes I worked
during last June's Field Day. Using APRS messages, it was easy to
make quick exchanges with other stations. NO-84 was not busy, maybe
due to people not realizing its digipeater was operational.
Even with the level of activity I saw on the ISS passes, I don't think
that approaches the almost chaotic conditions observed on some SO-50
passes.

I'm not calling for any changes to the restrictions on QSOs made
via FM satellites. I would like to see this restriction on QSOs per
orbiting digipeater reconsidered. It may have had a purpose in
the past, but I think that's where the restriction should remain -
in the past. Otherwise, AMSAT's Field Day rules are slanted
heavily toward SSB/CW transponders, at the expense of anything
else.

Thanks, and 73!





Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @WD9EWK







On Tue, Sep 27, 2016 at 3:43 AM, Bruce <kk5do at arrl.net> wrote:

> It is never too early to begin preparing for field day. In fact, you might
> want to take a look at two pages. I updated the Field Day Statistics page
> (with 2016 numbers) and I created a new page with the results of Field Day
> 2016.
>
> Both can be found by clicking on Events, Other Events and then Field Day
>
> If there is interest, I can add the results of previous years. Let me
> know. I think I have them back to 2002.
>
> Enjoy
>
> 73...bruce
>