Summer VHF Field Day 2013 - 12/13 Jan

[VK3PY]

There was certainly a noticeable reduction in participation in this FD. I put it down to the adverse weather and fire hazard of recent days. I'm sure many potential rural operators are also volunteer firefighters. The weather inland must have been extremely uncomfortable, not to say risky. I hope it wasn't because of the anonymous email received by at least two of my acquaintances urging them to boycott this event in protest against the rules.

We at VK3UHF had a ball, as usual. Among the more notable contacts were those with VK3BQJ at Bairnsdale, some 320km to the east, on 2.4, 3.4 and 10 GHz. We also worked Rod on the lower bands, but that is not unexpected.



Chas
VK3PY

[VK3YFL]

Chas, I agree that the problematic weather had an effect; indeed given Friday's conditions I was concerned about returning to Kinglake National Park, but the weather turned out to be almost ideal.

It was another enjoyable day out "playing radio" and explaining what a Field Day was to a number of visitors to the car park during the day. Setup was pretty much as for the Spring Field Day, except I had upgraded my weather shelter and used my FT847 rather than the traditional IC706MkIIG, thinking it may be more immune to the QRM from the commercial VHF services which operate from two towers adjacent to the site. In fact it seemed worse and I’m not sure if that’s because when I use the IC706MkIIG, I use it with a 144/432 diplexer which may have some filtering effect.





The highlight was working Ross VK3MY on 10GHz and share the obvious excitment he was feeling about his inaugural contacts on this band, as I can remember the similar excitement, perhaps bewilderment, I felt during my first contacts on that band!

Thanks to all the home stations that came on air to hand out some numbers, as well as the portable stations and I look forward to working you all during the Winter Field Day.

Bryon
VK3YFL

PS No more unsolicited anonymous emails to me encouraging a boycott please.

[VK3BQ]

Are the yagis hand steered Byron?? Very neat and simple

[VK4EA]

I had fun on the Sunday morning, finally completed contacts on 2.4, 3.4 and 5.7ghz, with the only other operator with that capability in range (tnx Doug VK4OE), along with the easier 1.2 ghz ops, plenty on 2m. Damm tropo opening didn't extend to my location so I missed out on the ZL contacts, too busy aiming dishes.

Although I am going to be childish/spitefull and not submit a log. This is my small insignificant attempt at a protest vote in favour of trying something new to stimulate more participation.

It could have been a bit cooler, I think I drank 10l of water in 3 hours!

[VK5KLV]

I received the email requesting I not submit a log! I won't be submitting a log as I had no contacts on Saturday due to atrocious conditions & a failure in my radio on the first field day that I did not take a backup unit. Still, I enjoyed the scenery & solitude at my usual site at Blanche Harbour on northern Spencer Gulf. Cheers, better luck next time & I will have spare radios. Les, VK5KLV.

[VK5KK]

Hi All,

Concur with Iain's comments re activity for this FD locally (except no flies at 420 m ASL!). As always a few apologies from FD regulars due to commitments (Ben VK5TX moving to VK2 was one!) but with all that factored in the decline has really kicked in the last two. Looking at 1296 operators in Adelaide basin, summer FD last year 22, this year worked 8. I would hate to think (but already confirmed atleast locally) that more than a few are sick of the bickering about the contest ... Enuf said.

Weather in the VK5 Adelaide was extreme for summer ... errr cloudy and barely got above 20 degs on Saturday and drizzled in the hills! Sunday it poured till after lunch and didn't get above 16C! It was more like a winter field day that the last winter field day. Those that went out made it more a day to test out new gear, antenna's, etc. With plenty of time between contacts more experimenting went on than working in the contest!

Some pictures from PF95ia "Eagle on the Hill" 420 m ASL just west of Mt Lofty on the old road into Adelaide (right above where the freeway tunnels now). Ok no VHF/UHF antennae in pictures they are on the car!

2400/3400 & 5760 Antennas towards South (VK5TE/P PF94gq) on the 6 foot wide tripod base. 24 GHz ( 2 systems) towards NW (VK5ZD PF95ek) in the background. Yes that is 10 GHz just being used with waveguide only!

Operating position ..... Nooooo the hammer is only there to lock the wedge into the rotating pole with 40km/hr winds!

24 Ghz systems 1.5W OXCO locked Thales transverter on left and 0.1mw DB6NT horn "QRP" transverter with BAOFENG IF used for shorter ranges on right.

Of interest with rain/humid conditions the 24 GHz "QRP" system only just opened the squelch on the 55km path to VK5ZD on the plains. Reciprocal with 1.5W Thales system the 62 km to VK5AKM using 0.1mW & horn just that little bit to far. A lot different to a 40 deg C day! Eventually had to work VK5AKM over half the distance in pouring rain next day.

Good work by all those out and those from home stations that supported us

Cheers

David VK5KK

[VK5TX]

Sorry David I couldn't make it.

Ben

[VK3YFL]

VK3BQ - Andrew?,

Yes the yagis on the pole are hand steered. It's good being able to quickly turn the antennas to find where a weak signal may be coming from before it disappears during the short overs which are typical in a contest (and avoids having to carry more gear by way of a rotator and supply the power). The only problem is that I need more damping, as the pole tends to rotate in the wind. I 'stole' the pole support idea - I think from Doug VK4ADC - which is an outrigger off the roof bars and with a plate under the back wheel fitted with a spigot, over which the pole fits. I put some rubber between the spigot and the antenna mounting pole, but still insufficient friction. I'll improve that for the Winter Field Day and like Doug's arrangement, it should have a compass rose and pointer at the base to aid alignment on stations at known bearings.

I've added another photo from the rear so hopefully you can see how the upper and lower supprts for the antenna support pole work.

I show photos of my setup to encourage others to give it a go because I think often operators think they need a 4WD or trailer to set-up portable, but you can put together a good station using just a sedan or hatch in my case to carry the gear. Only the telescopic support pole, outrigger and 2m yagi are carried on the roof bars; everything else is carried in the boot with half of the split rear seat folded down. And that includes a small petrol generator not seen in the photos which I carry in case I flatten the car battery!

Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK4ADC]

Bryon

Good to see that some of my ideas are found worthwhile by others...

I might now be running a FD trailer, because it is more convenient and quicker to set up, but I still have all of my previous mounting method hardware(s) available in the event that I need to use them.

[ZL1TPH]

Hi all,
Although my participation could be considered low in the Summer FD contest with only contacts to VK4WIE, VK4OX, VK4HJ here is a picture of my station setup. Although the picture is actually from Cape Reinga 15 days early it is the same as per the FD a few days ago. To set this station up takes about 10 minutes from parking and then being QRV. Operation is from the front seat set of the wagon. The Wagon by the way is an Australian assembled V6 Gallant that clocked 430,000 km.
Steve, ZL1TPH

Portable station

[vk1da]

Just for the record I also received the anonymous email suggesting a boycott. I have since received several emails and two phone calls asking was it me,

It came from a gmail address that was either completely fictitious or was deleted after being used.

I think it is regrettable that this tactic has been used, as it discredits a well intentioned proposal.

All of my public messages and proposals are signed.


Andrew Davis VK1DA & VK2UH
Sent using Tapatalk

[VK3PY]

As the individual who first raised the matter of the anonymous email in question, it is remiss of me to have failed to mention that Andrew VK1DA was most certainly not the culprit. Andrew is an honourable and honest gentleman who would most definitely not stoop to such tactics. His position on the matter of the VHF/UHF FD rules has always been open and honest.

Sorry to have inadvertently pointed suspicion in your direction, Andrew.

Chas
VK3PY

[VK5LA]

Hi all,
I was unable to participate in the Summer field day this year as I had no vehicle to go portable so I painted the lounge room instead...

However, over the years I have participated in the WIA field days, my observation is that the Summer field day brings less operators to the fold than the Spring.

Maybe the timing, the middle of January, might have something to do with it?
It's slap bang in the middle of the holiday season and the lack of operators could be due to the fact that people are away enjoying holiday time with their family, or just generally doing other things, and radio has slid down the scale of importance at this time of year...

Another factor that might come into play is that the Spring field day was only about 6 weeks beforehand and to commit to another day out so soon could deter operators from participating. After the Summer field day we have months to wait before the next event.

I reckon the difference in participation is more about circumstance rather than dwindling interest...

Cheers!

Andy - VK5LA

[VK4ADC]

Andy

Maybe the timing, the middle of January, might have something to do with it?
It's slap bang in the middle of the holiday season and the lack of operators could be due to the fact that people are away enjoying holiday time with their family, or just generally doing other things, and radio has slid down the scale of importance at this time of year...

I think you might be on the money here. A lot of families have their (sometimes work enforced) annual holidays in January so it thins the operator list out. Maybe the beginning of Feb would be better timing, and at least a week after the kids have returned to school. That would also leave a reasonable gap ( 4-5 weeks) to those contemplating operating in the John Moyle FD (eg 16-17/3/2013).

Add to that the fact that it is almost always really hot in mid-Jan, that helps deter many from participating too. Feb usually starts to cool down a bit and thus 3 weeks later could be much better timing weather-wise.

That's another thing to contemplate - as well as the distance versus grid-based scoring issues.

[VK4BLP]

Add to that the fact that it is almost always really hot in mid-Jan, that helps deter many from participating too. Feb usually starts to cool down a bit and thus 3 weeks later could be much better timing weather-wise.

Even if it was delayed to early February, it could still be called the Summer Field Day, but yet be past the really hot days and also have everyone back at work/school.

The Summer months as we all know are December, January and February.... it can't be brought forward to December because it's probably too close to the Spring Field Day, so perhaps first weekend in February for the 2014 Summer Field Day ?

[VK4ADC]

it can't be brought forward to December because it's probably too close to the Spring Field Day

Of course, the Spring FD is very late in that 'season' - basically towards the end of November - which has always seemed a little late to me. Why not move the Spring FD back into September/October (avoiding the school holidays again) so that there is a more equitable distribution of these events throughout the calendar year ???

First weekend in Feb 2014 sounds good to me.

[VK3BQ]

We tend to get our hottest days at the end of jan / start of feb in Victoria. Historically. Any weekend picked could be bad weather wise. Up north you get the rains from now on.

I didn't receive the boycott email. +15 years of participating in different uhf/vhf field days. Portable and from home in clubs and solo (only a merger station) might not see me yet consider a serious participant? Maybe its because i don't have microwave gear? Maybe this is the trouble.

Some don't seem to encourage people to start?

[VK3BJM]

From what I recall of other discussions about this in the dim dark past, one of the factors taken into consideration for the scheduling of the Summer Field Day is a hope of catching an Es outbreak - sorry, opening - on 6 and 2 metres, to bolster offerings via tropo and to increase the chances of successful participation by stations in the more remote regions - upper VK4, VK8, VK6 - who otherwise haven't much to look forward to... This is considered to be more likely in January than February.

It also has the bonus effect of tying the logs in with the Ross Hull Contest. I'm not sure where that contest would be without logs from the Summer Field Day...

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

[VK3ALB]

From what I recall of other discussions about this in the dim dark past, one of the factors taken into consideration for the scheduling of the Summer Field Day is a hope of catching an Es outbreak - sorry, opening - on 6 and 2 metres, to bolster offerings via tropo and to increase the chances of successful participation by stations in the more remote regions - upper VK4, VK8, VK6 - who otherwise haven't much to look forward to... This is considered to be more likely in January than February.

It also has the bonus effect of tying the logs in with the Ross Hull Contest. I'm not sure where that contest would be without logs from the Summer Field Day...

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

Agreed. and further, I think the placement of the Spring Field day was set to cause minimum disruption to the Hamfest season.

[VK4GHZ]

From what I recall of other discussions about this in the dim dark past, one of the factors taken into consideration for the scheduling of the Summer Field Day is a hope of catching an Es outbreak - sorry, opening - on 6 and 2 metres, to bolster offerings via tropo and to increase the chances of successful participation by stations in the more remote regions - upper VK4, VK8, VK6 - who otherwise haven't much to look forward to...

Barry, this is exactly the reason why the Spring FD was moved back one (or was it two?) weeks into late(r) November, when there is a significantly higher likelihood of Es.
And for the reason you mentioned! More opportunity for more grids.

And agree about the Ross Hull too. It's a dead duck, if it weren't for the Summer FD logs.
If the Summer FD were moved outside of the common Ross Hull window, then it would most certainly reveal the Ross Hull can no longer stand up by itself.
That may be a unpleasant wake up call for some, and probably the reason why the Summer FD may not ever change outside of this common window, but I think there must be better ways to remember these great pioneers.
Being remembered by some event that is clearly decaying is quite insulting.

Things that worked in the past may not continue to work as well in the future.
Ongoing innovation is important to keep things fresh and interesting, and this has been sadly lacking in the last decade.
The end result is all the bickering which just builds more and more up over time.

With other comments above, if people are not concerned about working grids (or distance!) further away, then moving the Spring FD to Sep/Oct, invalidates any/all reasons for having a nationally coordinated event.
Why have national events, when all you will realistically work, is in your own back yard?
People need to remain practical and objective about this.

If people truly want national FDs, then the timing is dictated to by expected propagation conditions.
Not rocket science, and wishful thinking will only carry your signal so far!