[amsat-bb] Updated Field Day Rules

[Bruce]

I had mentioned in the AMSAT Field Day rules that we follow the ARRL 
rules to the most part except when it has to do with satellite 
operation. The ARRL has just updated the Field Day rules for this year 
and we will make accommodations as they have. Class 1D stations will now 
we allowed to contact other Class 1D stations. These are home stations 
operating on commercial power.

This will mean that there will be another group of certificates for 
Field Day.... the top three stations operating from home with commercial 
power.

The problem I see with those operating from home attaching their scores 
to a club is that we only allow one satellite station to be operating at 
a time. If you are going to attach your satellite contact to a club, I 
will have to have the name of the club and only ONE home station can 
attach per club. This will keep the playing field rather equal as there 
are areas where there is only one satellite op around and other areas 
where there are dozens of satellite ops. It would be unfair for an area 
with a dozen satellite ops to pool all their home contacts towards one 
club.

I understand that one satellite op might work from noon to 2PM and 
another satellite op at their home could take over and work from 2PM to 
4PM and yet another take over and work another shift, etc. This would 
make it very difficult for me to score. That is why I chose only one 
satellite home station could be attached to a single club.

There will also be no duplicate certificates. If you are attaching your 
score to a club, then it goes towards club rankings and not home 
rankings. Nothing needs to be changed on the submission form, I will see 
if you are operating 1D and I will see the name of your attached club if 
any.

This is new and uncharted waters and hope everyone enjoys AMSAT Field Day.

I suspect that this year with the rule change there will be way more 
than the normal 20 submissions.

Below is the release from the ARRL.

73...bruce


       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.



-- 

Bruce Paige, KK5DO
                      
AMSAT Director Contests and Awards
AMSAT Board Member 2016-2020
   
ARRL Awards Field Checker (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE
           
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