Sunday, August 23, 2009

Field Exercise

This is the field exercise I participated in tonight. It was my first exercise since early 2006.
I miss Ham Radio. I hope to be involved as much as I can.
I am glad that I do not have to leave my room to participate.

E-Mails sent to me prior to the exercise.

All,
The Aug 23 exercise is coming together. Mark Strait, KD8BIG, is going to coordinate the exercise on the 82 repeater beginning at 7PM. He will make all participant assignments and direct traffic.

I have commitments for Field Stations for the following bands.

Amateur 2 meter - two stations (KD8FBY, W8LGP)
Amateur 70CM - one station (KC8PCJ)
FRS (Family Radio Service) - one station (N8YJT)
CB - one station. (KC8AZR)

There are two categories of stations. Participating Stations and Field Stations. The Field Stations are assigned (as indicated above). Participating Stations may check in to the net with KD8BIG beginning at 7PM on the 82 repeater. This will be an informal net for coordination of the exercise. At 7:30 PM the NCS will assign each Participating Station the job of contacting one of the Field Stations from the Hackley Park starting location. Participating Stations will be given the frequency. All Field Stations will be located within expected simplex range of Hackley Park. When the Field Station is contacted the Participating Station will be given the location of the Field Station. The Participating Station must travel to the Field Station Location and obtain their next assignment and frequency from the Field Station operator(s).

Note: all stations should be prepared to convert CB and FRS frequencies to channel numbers. Resources will be available for those who are not able to come prepared.

More later -

Tom, N8YJT

All,
This is a special invitation to participate in a fun exercise to be held tomorrow night, Aug 23, at Hackely Park in Muskegon. Net will start at 7PM on the 82 repeater (see below). Hope to see many of you there.
Tom, N8YJT

Here's a description

Operation on 2 meters, 70cm, CB and FRS.
5 simplex field stations set up prior to the exercise, about 7PM.
All participants meet at central location (Hackley Park)
All participants or teams receive a slip of paper with a frequency and callsign.
At 7:30PM participants or teams call the assigned field station
Assigned field station provides participant with location
Participants go to assigned field station and get another assignment
Repeat the process
Participants return to central location when they have completed assignments.
Awards ceremony about 8:45 followed by Coffee at Arbys
NCS on the 82 repeater

All,
Things to keep in mind.
1. It is planned that a participant at Hackley Park will be able to make contact with any of the Field Stations from that location. For example, if a participant is not able to make contact with FS5 from FS1, they should go to Hackley Park as the starting point. However, if Participant is able to make contact with FS5 from FS1 they can go directly to FS5.
2. Participants operate from mobiles or with HT.
3. Frequencies of Field Stations should be kept confidential until NCS assigns participants to FS. That will be difficult to do if the frequency is given over the 82 repeater. I need to come up with a work around.

More to come -

Hackley
Park (Downtown)
Richards Park (Ottawa St) (KC8AZR)
Heritage Landing (Seventh St) (N8YJT)
Mullally Park (Horton Rd) (KD8FBY)
Quarter Oak Park (Corner of Quarterline and Oak) (KC8PCJ)
J C Beukema Play Field (Corner of Wesley and Roberts) (W8LGP)

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

Terms of Service

[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes 'FAIR USE' of any such copyrighted material.]
I am not responsible for any thing that happens to your mental health, computer and all personal property because you visited my site.
This site is a collection of some things sent to me by e-mail, obtained from other blogs and the internet. If there is a picture or quote that is copyrighted to you let me know and I will remove your item .
Thoughts expressed in my blog are just that . I give My Opinion on the many events, products and how too, reported by the media and other web-sites.
Do not use this blog site to obtain weather events or disasters information. What I post may not be correct. Always get information from the proper media, weather (NWS)(NOAA)
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and USGS sites