TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY ARES BULLETIN NR 19.24 DATE: June 16, 2019
SUBJECT: OPERATING ON FIELD DAY
Operating on Field Day is only part of the activity. To have a successful Field Day there are many things that need to be done. There's the planning, building, layout, and learning.
Some operators and groups use Field Day as a contest, to try and make the highest score they can. They use high power, expensive antennas, and comfortable operating locations. But, if you are in emergency communications, you want to be able to operate in less than ideal conditions, since that may be how you will need to set up in a real emergency or disaster.
Planning well in advance of Field Day allows you to find out what you might be able to do on the run. During your planning you can see what equipment you have, and what is missing. You might have to build something that you'll need. Later it can be used in an emergency. Laying out your Field Day site will allow you to keep from having interference from other stations. If you do have interference problems, maybe you can work them out. While building what you need you will be learning, and that's a big item. If you don't learn anything from your Field Day, your event was a failure.
After Field Day is over, you can proudly say "Never again, see you next year".
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV