March 2023 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[arrl-odv:34657] How can you not love Ham Radio?
by Mark J Tharp 03 Mar '23

03 Mar '23

Just worked some WEAK stations on 10 meters. PJ4/K5UR PJ4/NQ1R PJ4/AC0W PJ4/NA2AA Glad to have them in the log, and glad to call them all friends. 73 gang, have fun in Bonaire. ALSO.... for the rest of ODV that were not invited................ This is the first off week for the W1AW/* operations so get on the air and hand out some red badge points. CU on the air. Mark, HDX

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[arrl-odv:34656] Re: PSC Action on FD point structure
by Michael Ritz 03 Mar '23

03 Mar '23

I just realized that I only copied Fred on this. Here was my answer: Everything else stays as changed. We keep aggregate scoring, added a new HP category at 500W maximum for Classes A, B and C only; (Classes D, E and F remain at 100W maximum), and added a more aggressive GOTA points structure to encourage more efforts placed on Beginner hams in FD. 73; Mike W7VO > On 03/03/2023 8:17 AM Fred Kemmerer <fkemmerer(a)anita-fred.net> wrote: > > > > Hello Mike, > > > Thanks for doing this – it should help folks get focused on moving forward with Field Day 2023. Are you planning to keep the GOTA scoring and 500W HP category changes in place? > > > Best and 73, > > > > Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC > > > > (603) 413-5400 > > Mail: ab1oc(a)arrl.org mailto:ab1oc@arrl.org > > > > ARRL New England Division Director > > [Text, logo Description automatically generated] > > > From: arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces(a)reflector.arrl.org> on behalf of Michael Ritz <w7vo(a)comcast.net> > Date: Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 9:21 PM > To: "arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org" <arrl-odv(a)reflector.arrl.org> > Subject: [arrl-odv:34652] PSC Action on FD point structure > > > Just a note that the PSC met via Zoom tonight and discussed the issues related to the changes to the Field Day QSO point structure. > > > > The bottom line is that the point structure will now go back to the original 2 points per Digital QSO, 1 point per SSB QSO, and 2 points per CW QSO. The CW guys got their point advantage back. > > > > (For the record, PSC had changed it in January to 2 points per QSO, regardless of mode.) > > > > We also voted to have Bart and company make FD rules match our standard ARRL contest rules by banning both robotic FT-x operation and the use of multi-streaming, where they could have sent multiple streams of CQs at one time, and maybe work five guys at a time. I don't think anybody will complain about either of those changes... ;-) > > > > 73 es cu in the test! > > > > Mike > > W7VO >

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[arrl-odv:34652] PSC Action on FD point structure
by Michael Ritz 03 Mar '23

03 Mar '23

Just a note that the PSC met via Zoom tonight and discussed the issues related to the changes to the Field Day QSO point structure. The bottom line is that the point structure will now go back to the original 2 points per Digital QSO, 1 point per SSB QSO, and 2 points per CW QSO. The CW guys got their point advantage back. (For the record, PSC had changed it in January to 2 points per QSO, regardless of mode.) We also voted to have Bart and company make FD rules match our standard ARRL contest rules by banning both robotic FT-x operation and the use of multi-streaming, where they could have sent multiple streams of CQs at one time, and maybe work five guys at a time. I don't think anybody will complain about either of those changes... ;-) 73 es cu in the test! Mike W7VO

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[arrl-odv:34649] Re: Zoom etc.
by Mike Raisbeck 02 Mar '23

02 Mar '23

Hi Jeff, I'll be honest, I think that in this day and age of hi-tech digital communications, it is a real mistake to not offer Zoom, or some equivalent. While I very much agree with you that in person meetings are the best, and I would love to be there, you've hit me right at the beginning of our planting season. While I can afford, and would happily invest, a day for the A&F, three full days lost is beyond what I can responsibly do. This needs to be discussed at the Board level, and I will push the conversation there. I think you should be required to provide Zoom access, or some equivalent, if it is reasonably feasible and economical to do so. Board members - what are your thoughts? 73Mikek1twf -----Original Message----- From: Ryan, Jeff, K0RM (Dir, RM) <k0rm(a)arrl.org> To: vze18vwgu(a)verizon.net <vze18vwgu_verizon_net(a)arrl.org> Sent: Thu, Mar 2, 2023 11:41 am Subject: RE: Zoom etc. Hi Mike: Yes; per standing order, a non-committee member director can attend a meeting of a standing committee and be reimbursed for travel and expenses out of their division budget. Accommodations, of course, are ‘limited’ since the size of the conference room couldn’t, for example, handle the entire board. I guess it would be on a ‘first come-first served’ basis until we run out of chairs! 73, Jeff From: Mike Raisbeck <vze18vwgu(a)verizon.net> Sent: Thursday, March 2, 2023 8:21 AM To: Ryan, Jeff, K0RM (Dir, RM) <k0rm(a)arrl.org> Subject: Zoom etc. Jeff Are you making any accomodation for non A&F members who want to follow the meeting in Denver ? Mike k1twf

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[arrl-odv:34642] A&F Meeting April 15th
by Ryan, Jeff, K0RM (Dir, RM) 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

All: The A&F Committee will meet on April 15th, 2023 at 9:00 AM. Location: Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park 16455 E 40th Cir. Aurora, CO 80011 An agenda will be distributed as we get closer to the date. 73, Jeff, KØRM

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[arrl-odv:34618] Field Day Point Value Changes
by Michael Ritz 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

I'm sure many have seen the rants from the guys on MyARRLVoice, and have received letters from the CW Ops guys about the recent PSC recommendation to level the score playing field for all modes in FD. Below is my comment to one such complaint, and provides some background on the issue. These are my opinions, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ARRL staff or the the PSC. "First of all, know that I'm pretty much ambivalent in this, and don't really have a dog in the fight. I operate SSB, CW and RTTY pretty much equally, but am not on FT-8 at all. I'm too busy tending to e-mails and my other Board work to even get on the air except the big contest weekends! I've received a few e-mails that are saying what the PSC are doing here is OK and maybe even needed action, and a few that are espousing that equalizing mode scores in ARRL FD is going to destroy amateur radio as we know it. This question was hotly debated in the PSC meeting over the last few months. We received a lot of complaints last year about the intrusion of FT-8 and FT-4 into Field Day, to the detriment of the other modes, just as is happening with just about the entire rest of amateur radio. That is borne out somewhat with in the attached graph. You will also notice in the graph that CW contacts in FD now outnumber SSB contacts. Why is that? It's probably because CW has had a recent resurgence because of groups like CW ops, and that's a good thing. Has the elimination of CW as a license requirement in 2004 killed off CW as an amateur mode and destroyed amateur radio, as predicted? No. Again, refer to the graph. Will CW die in FD because the points are now the same for all modes? I don't know, but I would bet against it. Now a question: Is the main reason new hams are learning CW is that they know that CW operators are able to get twice the points of the phone guys for the same number of Qs in FD? FD is technically not a contest, and in fact, no logs are even submitted. I don't think that's the reason at all. It's because they want to learn something new, and find they enjoy it. The hardcore CW guys love CW, and for the most part, despise phone. I know quite a few elite contesting hams that refuse to even own microphone, and I'm sure you know some too. It's somewhat an elitist attitude, and I'm sure that's one of the reasons the CW guys want their point advantage. They believe they are better than everybody else because they "know code", and I don't think they would deny that thought. "I learned CW, so I'm smarter than you"! The opening remark about the "ARRL dumbing down amateur radio" by leveling the FD playing field on the recent MyARRLVoice Facebook topic on the subject pretty much says it all. One of the arguments I've seen also is that FD is supposed to be an Emcomm event, and "when all else fails, CW gets through in an emergency." That said, the newer digital modes are actually better than CW for this, and there is no CW mode that I know of used within Winlink, something very often used in EmComm activity. We, (the PSC),thought of reducing the points for digital to match SSB as an incentive to get off FT-8, leaving CW alone at the top, but that would end up reducing points for those attempting to use traditional digital modes, such as RTTY, or the other non-FT-x modes in FD. So, we decided that maybe just letting market forces take over and equalize the points between all three modes was the best strategy. People will use then mode they are most comfortable with, and everybody has fun. No advantage for anybody. OK, now the question: Why should CW Qs have a 2:1 point advantage over other modes in FD? Is it because one can make more Qs per hour with phone over CW? No, that's not the case. If one researches the CQWW contest rates over the last few years, one will see that they are pretty much equal now, with the edge now to CW ops. I haven't heard a real and valid reason yet provided by the CW guys for the point advantage not being eliminated in FD, other than what I've heard above, and the fact that the incentive "has been in place since 1974, so why change it"? That said, the CW guys are all crying foul loudly, and we will listen to them. I plan on holding a special PSC meeting to discuss the change, and may propose that we change it back to what it was before, then have ARRL Staff set up a survey of ALL ARRL members, and get everybody's input on this, not just hearing from the loud and proud CW guys." I hope this helps the discussion. I don't appreciate the bullying attitude being taken by some on social media, and the PSC is just trying to make sure that FD stays a "fun factor" operating event/contest for all. Field Day is what you want to make it. Thanks for listening. 73; Mike W7VO

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[arrl-odv:34641] PSC Zoom meeting, 3/2/2023, 8 PM EST
by Michael Ritz 01 Mar '23

01 Mar '23

ODV: As mentioned, we will hold a special short meeting of the PSC tomorrow evening, 3/2/2023, at 8 PM EST. It will to be to discuss two items in particular: 1. Field Day point structure- Go back to "the way we were"? (2 Points Digital, 1 Point SSB, 2 Point CW, per contact) 2. Per K9LA's e-mail earlier this week to PSC, perhaps add a mention of the disallowance of multi-streaming CQ techniques used in some FT-x digital modes to FD rules. We've disallowed "multi-streaming" in ARRL contests, but what about the Field Day rules? (Maybe it's already there, but I don't recall it..). While we are at it, what about the use of robot FT-x stations in FD? I personally don't think either a robotic FT-x FD operation, nor multi-streaming should be allowed in a operating event, as it seems to go against the grain if what FD is. That said, we can discuss. I am not expecting the meeting to last more than 1/2 hour or so. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meeting: ARRL Programs and Services Committee meeting Time: Mar 2, 2023 05:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81779681885?pwd=SEkrL2hmZmV6VWdQL0JCbjgzb0RQUT09 Meeting ID: 817 7968 1885 Passcode: 080723 One tap mobile +12532158782,,81779681885#,,,,*080723# US (Tacoma) +13462487799,,81779681885#,,,,*080723# US (Houston) Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 444 9171 US +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 719 359 4580 US +1 253 205 0468 US +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 646 931 3860 US +1 689 278 1000 US +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) Meeting ID: 817 7968 1885 Passcode: 080723 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kduVBVr2aB Thanks! 73; Mike W7VO

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