Thanks.? We'll have to see where we are as the end of June
approaches, but it certainly looks like FD2020 will be
"different".
PS.? I'm copying in XRX Radio Club members for their information.
?
FYI
Timothy Brown,
WB2PAY
RaRa Education Coordinator
cell: 585 750 2087
email: education@...
email: tjbrown@...
?
Looking ahead to Field Day 2020 ( a longer post)
Here’s some information I copied from the WPA ARRL FB page.?
Thanks for this info!
Creativity during Field Days will be important this year!?
Your Thoughts? ?
- KD2BDZ?
Field Day 2020 — A Time to Adapt
03/27/2020
Many individuals and groups organizing events for Field Day
2020 have been contacting ARRL for guidance on how to adapt
their planned activities in this unprecedented time of social
distancing and uncertainty.
“Due to the unique situation presented this year, this can be
an opportunity for you, your club, and/or group to try something
new,” ARRL Contest Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said. “Field Day
isn’t about doing things the same way year after year. Use this
year to develop and employ a new approach that is in line with
the current circumstances.”
Social distancing and state and local requirements very
likely will impact just how — and even whether — you are able to
participate in Field Day this year. ARRL continues monitoring
the coronavirus situation, paying close attention to information
and guidance offered by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). If social distancing means that Class A with a
30-member team set up in a city park won’t work this year, then
it’s time for a Plan B. Part of the Field Day concept has always
been adapting your operation to the situation at hand. At its
heart, Field Day is an emergency communication demonstration.
Field Day rules are flexible enough to allow individuals and
groups to adjust their participation and strategies in a way
that still addresses their needs while being fun. Some
possibilities:
Encourage club members to operate from their home stations on
emergency power (Class E).
Use the club’s repeater as a means for individual
participants to keep in touch during the event.
Family members interested in operating Field Day and unable
to participate as part of a larger group may want to consider
setting up a portable station in the backyard with a temporary
antenna.
One big impact this year will be a decline in public
visibility and any interaction with the visitors. Prudence may
dictate dispensing with the ham radio PR table to attract
passersby, should you set up in a more public location. It’s
okay not to score all the bonus points you may have attempted in
the past. Local and served agency officials may be unwilling to
visit, which is understandable under the circumstances. Do be
sure to reach out to them as part of your preparations and
remind them that you look forward to continuing your working
relationship with them in the future.
The impact will differ from place to place, so ARRL
recommends that all amateur radio clubs participating in Field
Day stay in regular contact with local or state public health
officials for their advice and guidance on hosting Field Day
activities.
Demonstrating an understanding of the health crisis we all
face and your willingness to adapt will show that you and your
club or group are good working partners with local or served
agencies.
“With any emergency preparedness exercise, it’s not about
adapting the situation to your operation, it’s about adapting
your operation to the situation that presents itself,” Bourque
said. “Try something different. Learn something new about how
you prepare. It may be a challenge, and you may have to ask
yourself if you’re up to the challenge. We hope to hear you on
the air over the June 27 – 28 weekend.” — Thanks to Paul
Bourque, N1SFE, and Dan Henderson, N1ND
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