Field Day 2023 “The Big List” - June 23, 24 & 25

This working document is our public organizational worksheet. It was last updated: June 23, 2023 10:00.

If you see something requiring correction or needing an update, either edit it yourself (if you are a club member and have website access), or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. immediately. Thanks!

  

Get Your Field Day Stoke On!

Check out these articles summarizing last couple of years' events:

https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/news/789-field-day-2019-event-report
https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/news/1004-event-report-field-day-2021
https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/news/1063-field-day-2022-event-report

and the photo gallery:

https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/photos/2019-field-day
https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/photos/gallery-2021-field-day
https://norac.bc.ca/index.php/news/1064-gallery-2022-field-day

This year will be most similar to FD2019, and it will be an official NORAC event.

For details on the event and official rules, please visit: http://www.arrl.org/field-day

This PDF sums up what Field Day is for the public: "What Is Field Day" (Printable PDF Flier)

And from the website referenced above, here are the rules: Field Day Packet

 

Get Your Schwag

Visit the ARRL shop to purchase Field Day apparel, hats, patches, stickers, mugs, etc. Yes, shipping to Canada is an expensive endeavour - group your order with a friend and split the shipping cost. Order early as shipping is slow.

If you do not yet have a NORAC club id badge or hat, contact Bob VE7EZI and Grace VE7IGB at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to see what options are available and when the next order is going in. Hopefully you can get something to identify yourself to the hams you have not yet met yet (before the FD2023 event).

 

Dates & Schedule

Camp Setup Friday June 23 5 PM

Antennas Setup Friday June 23 6 PM

Stations Setup Saturday June 24 8 AM

Field Day Event Actual - Saturday June 24th 11 AM - Sunday June 25th 11 AM (24 hour radio event)

Group Supper - 5pm on Saturday June 24th - potluck with NORAC-sponsored prime rib roast expertly cooked by Ralph VA7NU himself

Teardown - Sunday June 24th after 11 AM when the event ends

 

Location

Our host is Ralph VA7NU at his home acreage at 3780 Murray Drive, Armstrong BC.

 

Contact Information

Email me, the official event coordinator, with all of your updates and questions:

David VA7DRS at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Bands and Modes

Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 Meter HF bands, as well as all bands 50 MHz and above.

All modes.

Band plans (click on thumbnail for a high-resolution printable PDF):

The plan for this group event will be to run as a 2A station with multiple radios.

Note: if you can't make it out and will be working from another location, your QSOs still count. Please do submit you FD log with club name specified as "North Okanagan RAC" so that all points are aggregated under NORAC.

 

Tasks

Task Who
Cranky - Insurance Grace VE7IGB - done
Cranky - Transport Cranky is stored at Ralph VA7NU's so this is effectively already done
Cranky - Setup and/or Teardown

VA7DRS, VE7KPZ, VE7WEA, VE7WBM, VA7DYX, VA7RLX, VE7KBK (with additional 6 ft & 8 ft ladder for cranky setup), VA7XDM

 

Generator Fuel

David will take care of fuel.

 

Flagging and Pickets

Required to mark off-limits areas (around Ralph's antenna farm, anchors and guy lines, RF-exposure areas).

High flagging for adults + low flagging for kids. We have two distinct heights of humans at this event.

Keith VA7TEE has donated a box of flagging tape. It is in an orange box stored in Cranky's storage box, ready for safety crew to implement first thing on Friday before we bring vehicles into the field.

VE7KBK is bringing yellow electric fence posts for flagging.

Signage for Parking and Camping

Parking signs and pickets required for day visitors using lower parking area. Camping signs and pickets required to identify area for overnight camping. Field Day location signs and pickets for general public and invited guests.

Sign package is currently stored at Ritchie VA7RLX's QTH.

Ritchie will bring signage on Friday.

Tools

Best practice is for everyone to bring what you can, come prepared and keep track of your tools.

 

Radios This will be BYOR (bring your own radio) as the club no longer has any club radios... but we are sure that if you can't bring a radio, you'll be able to have a go on someone else's. And this is kind of the point for the gear geeks - to see and try out other radios.

Headphones, headsets, keyers, digital interfaces and other radio accessories.

BYOA (bring your own accessories)

Not everyone wants to share their headphones, eh.

Do bring your favorite CW keyer with 1/4" and 3.5mm adapters (as you may want to use it with someone else's radio).

Power

It would be nice to run EVERYTHING off solar... for the planet and all.

We can definitely run radios exclusively off solar for the whole event, just like we have for the last couple of years.

Laptops for logging will either be run off David VA7DRS's 400 watts of sola & RF-quiet trailer inverter, or Cranky's generator. Cranky's Honda EU2000i has been sitting for 4 years but on Friday May 26, in prep for the event, David VA7DRS fired it up on the second pull - yay Aspen4!

Brad VE7WBM has a 100 Ah LiFePo4 battery that he will bring for the main station area and we can hook Mike VE7KPZ's RF-quiet solar charge controller to it with a 50 or 100 watt solar panel to keep it topped up. Brad's battery should easily run 2-3 stations simultaneously.

Howard VA7PWF will bring solar equipment.

However, please bring your own battery just in case.

And have your equipment ready with Power Pole PP45 connectors wired to the ARES/RACES standard.

If you can't figure out Anderson Power Poles before the event, bring cash and buy some ($1 ea) from Mike VE7KPZ at the event (and borrow his or David VA7DRS' crimper at the same time to put your ends on).

Also note: the rotator controller will need AC for movement, however, once the beam is pointed Southeast, no need to rotate again until takedown time.

Primary HF antenna

20/15/10M beam on rotator atop Cranky

Ritchie will bring the rotator controller.

Plug your radio into Cranky's coax and have a go with the beam.

Secondary wire antenna for 40m and 80m

There is a dipole in Cranky's storage box that should work (as it did for FD2022).


Mike VE7KPZ will bring his 6 through 80m EFHW if there are no other options.

Tertiary antenna

Tentative: Austin VE7QH is considering attending and if so would bring his hex beam to cover 20 through 2m. We could utilize this for 10m and 6m (while using Cranky's beam primarily for 20m).

Big tree

Already on site for the far end of the wire antenna.

Ralph VA7NU has bow and arrow to set line.

This is a great activity to involve the kids.

Competition filter for 20m station Mike VE7KPZ (this filter passes the entire 20m band but suppresses 40m and 10m signals)
Competition filter for 40m station Mike VE7KPZ (this filter passed the entire 40m band but suppresses 80m and 20m signals)
Primary VHF/UHF antenna Colinear VHF/UHF vertical atop Cranky
6M beam antenna
for FT8
Note: FT8 via Sporadic E is not uncommon at the end of June. This may get us anywhere from a couple of contacts up to a hundred if we catch the right band opening.
 
Possibly see Tertiary antenna above or can anyone provide a dedicated 6m beam?
 
Possibly VE7XY 6m Moxun.
 
Logging

Mike VE7KPZ has his HAM tablet running N3FJP.

Brad VE7WBM has his personal laptop (and can also run Mike's N3FJP licensed software for FD).

But ideally we get a couple of totally generic, non-personal laptops to run. Does anyone have a fresh Windows 10 or 11 laptop that we could share among everyone? We need at least 3 laptops.

N3FJP software (Mike VE7KPZ has a license that will work for the club): http://www.n3fjp.com/fieldday.html

Jake VE7WEA will bring 2 Windows laptops.

David VA7DRS will bring 1 Windows laptops.

We will either use David's or Mike's N3FJP license for all of the networked laptops.

Internet feed, WiFi bridge + campsite AP

We will ideally need 2.4 GHz WiFi LAN for the operating area to link up all laptops running N3FJP so that logging and dup checking can be consolidated.

Fortunately, N3FJP can run offline (does not need WAN) as it has a local DB with all of the world's callsigns.

Ralph feels everyone will be able to access WiFi from his QTH, if not David VA7DRS will run his trailer's Winegard with WiFi as WAN to Ralph's QTH internet and provide a WiFi LAN for the shack.

Mike VE7KPZ will bring his Peplink as the backup (to potentially do the same thing).

Contest Points Submission

David VA7DRS or Mike VE7KPZ will submit the log and other documentation on behalf of the club.

Again, if you are not operating from the site as VE7NOR, submit your log with club name as "North Okanagan RAC". Spell it exactly like that so all points are aggregated under our club.

Shelter

VE7KBK - 1 pop up Caravan canopy (with sides)

VA7PWF - 1 10 x 10 pop up canopy

EZ-ups would be ideal as guylines are minimal.
We need at least 4.

We could still use more EZ-ups...

Station Chairs

BYOC - bring your own chair

Station Tables

Ideally we need 3 or 4... and one for snacks.

Mike VE7KPZ has the 2 NORAC club tables at his QTH but will need someone to bring them to the event (as they don't fit in his camper).

Mike VE7KPZ has a fold-up table that can be used for the snacks.

David VA7DRS will bring a folding table as well.

Howard VA7PWF will bring a folding table as well.

Jake has 2 x 5' tables as well.

We could still use more tables...

Fire Suppression

Mike VE7KPZ will have his truck fire extinguisher and camper fire extinguisher on site. Truck fire extinguisher is located under passenger seat. Camper fire extinguisher is located inside camper first thing on the right.

It would be nice to put an additional large extinguisher (suitable for gasoline fires) next to the generator area.

We will also have a charged hose run from Ralph's

Snacks

Yes, please bring snacks (and drinks) to share.

Extra Points Considerations

Bring your solar panels to keep your radio batteries charged up.

All operators please read the rules to find out when bulletins to copy are being transmitted.

As a 2A class station we have other opportunities for bonus points as well. Please review the Field Day packet linked above.

Safety Officer David VA7DRS will take on this role, do the checks and fill out the paperwork.

Bud VE7KBK will bring some yellow fiberglass electric fence posts for parking & traffic control.
Information Kiosk Greeter ???
Official Photographers ???  Please send your good photos to Mike VE7KPZ who will consolidate them into the website gallery for this event.
Official Videographer ???
Backup Generator David VA7DRS, Mike VE7KPZ, Karl VE7ZDL

 

Camping

RVs and tenters are welcome. Please contact David VA7DRS with details on what RV/tent you are bringing so we can organize where everyone will go. Some folks have large vehicles and space is limited considering antennae, guy lines, etc. If you have a special request, like "I have to leave early Sunday morning", let David know so we can put you in a perfect spot.

Note that there are no hookups available for campers. You need to be self sufficient in regards to power, water, waste, garbage, etc... the site needs to be left with no trace of our presence. Although Ralph does allow toilet use in his QTH, it would still be advised to use your RV toilet if equipped.

 

Here are the campers confirmed so far:

David VA7DRS - van and 15' trailer (prime location as providing AC for shack)

Mike VE7KPZ - Unimog with home-built camper (arriving Friday evening)

Brad VE7WBM (and family) - truck with 23' trailer (arriving Friday evening)

Jake VE7WEA - "the burb" (full size truck) (arriving Friday evening)

Lorne VE7LWK - truck (arriving Friday evening, has to leave Sat. afternoon)

Howard Sisson VA7PWF - truck with long trailer (arriving Friday evening) 

Colin Parkes VA7EEH Jeep with 13' trailer (arriving Friday evening)

Kevin Huth VE7XY - truck camping (arriving later Friday evening)

Karl VE7ZDL - 44 ft. motor home c/w 10 KW gen set. (arriving early Friday)

Simon Rizzardo - 41 ft. motor home

 

Tentative:

Austin VE7QH - car with tent (aiming for Saturday morning arrival)

Pot Luck

Attendee

Bringing
Ralph VA7NU - Host 2
Tom Glover  2 - 25 potatoes for baking
Jake VE7WEA Chili
Mike VE7KPZ and Jane VE7WWJ Butcher Boys potato salad - yum
David VA7DRS Macaroni salad
Howard VA7PWF Cowboy pasta salad
Colin VA7EEH Carrot salad
Brad VE7VBM 3 - Buns
Bud VE7KBK TBA
Mike Dennison VA7XDM TBA
Murray Hainer VE7MH  1 - desert
Kevin Huth VE7XY TBA
Karl VE7ZDL 2 - TBA
Bud Kuzenko 1 - Cake for desert
Simon Rizzardo VE7RIZ 2
   

 

Events

24 Hour ARRL Field Day Contest - the informal "contest" aspect of Field Day from 11 AM Saturday to 11 AM Sunday

Saturday Club Dinner & Social - Saturday 5 PM for club members and registered guests. Prime rib sponsored by NORAC and expertly cooked by Ralph VA7NU. Everything else is pot luck.

Camp fire every night if no fire ban - Ralph has a gorgeous fire pit - again, bring your own chair

Educational activities for youth ages 4-94 - come see all of the stations, check out their gear, talk to the operators and potentially jump on a station you are interested in and have a go.

 

Learn The Software

We plan to run N3FJP's Field Day logging software. Try it out at home before you arrive. You can use the software for free for up to 30 QSOs - no reason not to get to know it ahead of time (as long as you run Windows).

You may want to get to know WSJT-X before the event as the FT8 mode is very popular for FD.

You may want to get to know FLDigi before the event as you might need to to copy the RTTY or PSK31 broadcasts.