CAARC Participation in 2020 ARRL Field Day

Field Day in Social Distancing and Correction about Class B

The evening of June 3rd, I watched an IARU workshop entitled “Field Day in Social Distancing,” presented by Anthony Luscre K8ZT. Anthony has done a Class B Field Day in various locations across the United States for many years. The presentation dealt with many ways of participating in Field Day while preserving distancing rules. You can watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLk5_BIpF6s . It is 90 minutes long, with comments and questions taking up the last 25 minutes.

As I watched it, I noticed a mistake that I made in trying to guide you. Specifically, about Class B stations. From “Field Day Frequently Asked Questions” at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2019/2019-FD-FAQ-RevA.pdf :

“Convenient access across one’s backyard to their home station facilities is not in keeping with the spirit of Class A or Class B portable operations. Such convenient backyard operations on property of home stations remain either Class D (commercial power) or Class E (emergency power), even if home antenna structures are not used. If the station will be a ‘good hike’ away from a home station (eg, at the rear of a several acre lot, or perhaps operating from a farmers field down the road) – clearly away from home conveniences (away from home utilities, or home restrooms/bedrooms, or even eating facilities/refrigerator/kitchen) – then Class A (3 or more persons portable) or Class B (1 or 2 person portable) is appropriate.”

So, it appears that the idea is that not only is your station portable, but your sustenance and upkeep should be self-contained as well. Anthony stated his feeling that if you take everything that you will need — power, apparatus, tools, food, sleeping arrangements, etc. — out of your house and plan not to go back, it doesn’t matter that much how far you go.

Background, official rules, and many hints can be found at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2020/2020%20Field%20Day%20Packet(1).pdf .

ARRL’s official Field Day site is http://www.arrl.org/field-day .

Comments or questions to John VA6SJA, va6sja@rac.ca
John VA6SJA