[600MRG] MF (and LF?) demonstration opportunity for ARRL Field Day 2015 - "The Field Day Greetings"

[John Langridge]

Good Morning again,

As I stated a few weeks ago many of us that are active Part 5 stations on
630-meters are planning on repeating the Field day greeting event that has
gone on for a few years now during ARRL Field Day.  It seems the longer we
do this, the more legs that grow on it, and participation has really
increased.


The point of what we are doing is to make active, relevant signals
available to existing Field Day stations (June 27 and 28 in 2015) that
might have a large pool of operators (a general ham club, for example, set
up at a portable site and using a hodgepodge of amateur antennas), many of
which may still have no idea that anything is going on below the broadcast
band.  I have historically stressed that these stations use whatever
antennas that they have on site, a dipole, a tribander, a vertical -
whatever - as the impedance mismatch may help improve S/N enough for
effective copy.  Last year, I received about 60 reports about my signal
from Texas and the surrounding areas in addition to an Argo screen shot of
my signal from Neil, W0YSE / WG2XSV, who was living in UT at the time.  My
message was in normal, aural CW, 7-8 minutes long at about 17-18 wpm and
ran for about 36 hours on a :00, :15, :30 and :45 minute schedule on
474.5.  I plan on doing the same this year.

Reporting is important since we all like to know who is listening and how
we are doing.  I recommend in my message that stations copying the message
send NTS traffic to the ARRL (I include their contact info).  This does two
things:  it shows the ARRL that there is activity and interest and it gives
the club incentive since they get points for generating and sending NTS
traffic.  I and others have also received email reports and that's fine
too.  On the few reports that came directly to me, I serviced NTS traffic
on their behalf to the ARRL.

Last year, 2014, the following stations were listed in the announcements
that were sent out:







*WG2XKA in VT         472.5 Khz CWWG2XJM in PA         473 KHz CWWD2XSH/20
in OR    475 KHz CWWG2XIQ in TX           474 KHz CW*
Because of the late start to prep and planning in 2014, several other
stations were not included in the announcement but were able to
participate.  I would like to make sure that everyone that wants to
participate in 2015 be included in the announcement because I put a lot of
value in the power of numbers when it comes to participation.

I have already asked the four stations  listed above (in addition to others
that are not listed but I knew they participated last year)  if they will
be participating this year and if they will be on the same frequency.  I
have heard from XKA so far and he will be on the same freq, for example.

If others are interested in participating or if previous stations would
like to confirm their participation in 2015, please let me know ASAP of the
frequency (and callsign to be used in addition to the transmission schedule
and mode), hopefully not a freq that is already tentatively spoken for.  I
would like to be able to put together a  communication to be distributed to
various outlets and interested parties, including the ARRL, no later than
9am CT on Friday, June 19.

We have historically done this as a CW event but I also see value in
perhaps introducing some digital modes if we can minimize regional
interference so if you are a digital op, please give some thought into how
you might contribute.  Having a digital mode available might be very useful
in this day and age when Field Day sites are often setup for  PSK-31 and
other sound card modes.  Perhaps XSH/7 can fire up a special message with
combination CW or and PSK31 as he has done in the past.

Finally, I can't see any reason that this should be limited to 630-meters.
If our brothers and sisters on 2200m are able to participate, please let me
know what you are doing and I will add you to the distribution.  This is a
big year for MF and LF and any chance to get these bands before the masses
can potentially be of value to us.

Please let me know by 9am CT on Friday, June 19, of you intentions to
operate this years so I can begin sending emails.  If you are
participating, please plan on forwarding the final distribution to your
local clubs.

Thanks so much!  I will be in touch with regular updates.

73!

John Langridge KB5NJD / WG2XIQ