[600MRG] 630-meter field day activity this year?

[John Langridge]

Good afternoon:

For the past few years a group has assembled to run CW beacons (or digital,
where applicable)  during field day.  We have encouraged field day sites to
listen for our signals, copy the messages, make reports and request QSL's.
Generally its worked pretty well and we have gotten some pub and generated
some interested from these demos.  While we have billed the event as a
North America-wide demo opportunity, the highest effectiveness seems to be
localized to the areas that have active part-5 stations and often times its
the part-5 operator visiting a field day site that encourages a club or FD
group to listen for the signal(s).  Last year I visited several sites and
the response around North Texas was very good.  Once again I am planning on
having my station QRV as I visit sites around Texas.

So my question is do we want to do this again as an organized group?

I typically wait until after Hamcom here in the DFW area (early June) to
start working on this project much to the angst of media outlets that I
notify who would prefer to get the information much earlier than two weeks
prior to the event.  Its never been an issue in the end but I've got a
little time to work on this earlier this year if there is an interest.

Participating stations should probably plan on contacting some of their
local field day groups and if they are operating at a field day site,
making an effort to do a short demonstration and answer questions.  I had
one field day site last year that asked a lot of good questions and I spent
about an hour  talking to them.  For most places, demo's took 10-15 minutes.

So please let me know what you think.  I rarely get messages from this
reflector in my mailbox any more but I do try to check the archives about
once a week.  A cc: on any responses would be helpful and appreciated.

Since I mentioned Hamcom earlier, I have details of the MF (and applicable
LF) speaker schedules posted on my site:
http://njdtechnologies.net/hamcom-2016-mf-presentations-with-applicable-lf-content/
.  I've begun the local media blitz but as always the schedule is subject
to change.  If you will be in town and attending, please check the schedule
at the convention center for changes.

Thanks and 73!

John KB5NJD / WG2XIQ..