2021 Winter Field Day Jan 30-31

[VA3-GUF-Frank]

To all GBARC members and guests,

This year winter field day will be like the June field day, an individual operator event with club submissions possible.  For those interested in participating in 2021 Winter Field Day, answer the polling question YES or NO to if you will be participating.

Later on, there will be instructions as to how to set up N1MM call logger for a GBARC submission afterwards with the club identified as GEORGIAN BAY ARC. and following Field Day instructions on how to extract the logs for club submission.  This forum will be used as a place to go for questions and answers.

Cheers

[VA3KOT John]

I am not an N1MM user because it is a Windows program only. I use CQRLog on my Linux machine. Unfortunately, despite all its outstanding contesting features, CQRLog does not have an option for Cabrillo format. However, I can output my results in ADIF format and convert them to Cabrillo using an online conversion utility. This is what I did for ARRL Field Day last June.

[VA3-GUF-Frank]

I am not an N1MM user because it is a Windows program only. I use CQRLog on my Linux machine. Unfortunately, despite all its outstanding contesting features, CQRLog does not have an option for Cabrillo format. However, I can output my results in ADIF format and convert them to Cabrillo using an online conversion utility. This is what I did for ARRL Field Day last June.

Hi John,

If others are in a similar situation, would be able to help them if needed to get the log files in Cabrillo format?  I would like to make it easier for those that would like the assistance.  Only reason I picked N1MM is because we have been using that at all our Field Days since I have been attending and possibly also before.

Cheers

Frank
VA3-GUF

[VA3KOT John]

If anybody needs help with ADIF/Cabrillo conversion I can help. Or, people using a logger that doesn't support Cabrillo (like my copy of CQRLog v2.4.0) can just Google "online ADIF/Cabrillo conversion".

[Adam_VE3FP]

Anyone operating Winter Field Day 2021 which is Jan 30/21 starting 1900 UTC (2:00 pm EST) can use any logging software you are comfortable with and can log the the following exchange. 
Call sign, Class + Category, ARRL Section and submit results in Cabrillo format
Winter Field Day Rules: https://a2a53e2b-2285-4083-9cff-c99fe5ba...dba103.pdf

Among the most widely used contesting software are TR4W, N3FJP and N1MM+ which the club used in the past and many are already familiar with it.

To get N1MM set up for WFD you need to have most current version of N1MM installed. 
Download and unzip in the User Defined Contest directory (https://n1mmwp.hamdocs.com/mmfiles/wfda-zip/).

Test your setup prior to contest. N1MM updates software regularly, usually on Tuesdays. 

Good luck and happy contesting. 

[VE3WI Dave]

I will be ONE-HOTEL, operating off my generator. 

Couple of projects to finish first: a new mount for PC monitor & some pushbuttons in a little box to transmit the voice memories from my IC-7300.

73
Dave, VE3WI

---

John, if you have lots of time and like aggravation, you might be able to get N1MM+ running on Linux with WINE:

https://www.nf8m.com/nf8m/n1mm-on-linux/

good luck

Dave, VE3WI

[VA3KOT John]

I did a walkaround on my lot this afternoon to see if I would be able to put up a nice long wire antenna for WFD. That would involve throwing a line over three trees (don't try to say that if you're Irish). The snow is quite deep on my lot; my boots sank into it to a depth of several inches without touching the ground. Last winter I twisted my right knee walking in deep snow and was on crutches for a week. It took several months before my knee healed enough to walk without pain. So conclusion: sadly no WFD wire antenna for me.

So now the big decision is to choose between 1I and 1H. If I operate from inside my heated trailer I can operate 1I but with a coil-shortened vertical antenna. If I operate from inside my nice warm basement shack I will be 1H and using my regular home wire antenna. Decisions ...

[VA3KOT John]

Well, it's the big day already. I have opted to operate 1I from inside my heated trailer using commercial power. I have a Honda EU2000i generator but I don't want to annoy my neighbours. It's a quiet generator but it still makes some noise.

Frankly, I'm not a competitive contester (you know, the legendary diaper-wearing, feeding tube types who don't leave their station for the whole 24 hours of the contest). I'll tolerate the chilly trailer for a couple of hours today and the same again tomorrow.

My antenna is an MFJ-1979 16.5ft telescopic vertical with a home made base-loading coil to make it resonant on 40m. The coax shield is connected to the centre of 44ft of steel fence wire via my home made tuned LC (a coax capacitor in series with another coil) counterpoise/ground matching circuit.

This arrangement worked FB (fine business, in CW talk) during one of my summer Parks On The Air (POTA) activations so I hope I'll get the same good results this weekend.

I'm all tuned up. My FT-891 keyer has memories programmed for my CQ message, my callsign and my exchange. I have the speed set to 20wpm. That's a bit slow for contests but if I have to use the paddle I want to make sure I can send reasonably accurately. Sometimes my brain and fingers don't sync well.

Ok, ready set ...

[VA3KOT John]

Well, I spent two and a half hours in my chilly trailer. I got very cold and made a very modest 22 CW contacts on 40m. The vertical antenna worked very well. I made contacts all over the east coast and even one in Texas. But ... nearly every station in my log was a home station (1H). Why was I freezing my butt off when everyone else was snuggled up in their nice warm shack? Isn't this supposed to be a field day?

I'll be back out there Sunday to try and improve on my score. I'll probably freeze to death. My trailer has a propane furnace but the propane tank is buried under a neatly tied tarp which is covered in snow and ice. Another tarp is covering the furnace exhaust vent, so I am using a small electric heater to try and stay warm. It keeps the icicles off my nose but my hands get cold and stiff. That's why I programmed the radio's memory keyer buttons with my callsign and exchange. One frozen finger push to send my callsign and another to send my "1I ONS" exchange ... and two frozen ears to copy the other station's info.

Oh, but ham radio is so much fun (like beating yourself on the head with a two by four). I must be stark, raving bonkers because I actually did enjoy it.

[Adam_VE3FP]

John, that is nice setup for WFD. At least you have an electric heater and enclosed shelter. 
We were little tougher few years ago at GBARC. I attached some pictures from 2013 WFD we did at my place. I think it was near -20C that night and only heat was the 2 candles and hot coffee.
   
   
   
I think we used a Offest dipole strung between the trees.  Fred VA3STG and Tom VA3TS helped with the setup. 
We had fun operating as a club. Hope we can get back to those times soon.
You are right about this year WFD, most are operating 1H and some from GA, TX and FL I logged were 2O, 3O, 5O and 7O(O for Outdoor). The bands have cooled off but 160 is busy with contest so can't get any WFD Qs. 
Good luck tmw.

[VA3KOT John]

Adam, operating outdoors in the winter really is a challenge. The club members must have been a lot tougher and dedicated back in 2013. I logged one 1O and one 4O but the rest were 1H.

I worked with an Arctic expedition in 2000 (I went to Resolute Bay in 1999 to test the communications equipment but I didn't travel with the expedition). The expedition leader had to walk 1 km across ice and snow in the total darkness of a high Arctic winter to get to the top of a hill where the team's radio hut was located. He carried a rifle in case he met any bears. He had to wait for an hour while the equipment warmed before filing his report by radio, then a 1km walk back.

Whenever I start getting soft about WFD, I remind myself of that story.

[Adam_VE3FP]

I don't don't know if I could do that again. I thought of operating 1O but not really worth it to go through all of the setup all by yourself. Much better to stay at home, next year may look at something with the club. 
Condx are not the greatest right now. I was hoping to get on 10m to get a multiplier but no luck so far. 
Keep trying. Still got time.

[VA3KOT John]

Adam, I heard your WFD QSO with W9ILY on Sunday. I worked him on Saturday and was monitoring him because I didn't realize he was a dupe - I was logging the old-fashioned way, with pencil and paper. W9ILY was booming in; I heard him call you but your signal was down in the noise; we are too close for 40m. I hope you had a good one. Propagation didn't seem so good on Sunday.

[Adam_VE3FP]

Adam, I heard your WFD QSO with W9ILY on Sunday. I worked him on Saturday and was monitoring him because I didn't realize he was a dupe - I was logging the old-fashioned way, with pencil and paper. W9ILY was booming in; I heard him call you but your signal was down in the noise; we are too close for 40m. I hope you had a good one. Propagation didn't seem so good on Sunday.

I worked him on 40m shortly before I decided to call it quits for this WFD. Field day started out ok for first couple of hours then slowed down fair bit. Not much activity in the evening and Sunday morning. Picked up just before the end of the contest. W9ILY was likely using paper method like you. I sent the exchange and let them know he a DUPE in my  log. Doesn't affect the scoring. I had 14 DUPEs, AD6T was 3 times in less than an hour.

I did ok this year, submitted my results WFD as well as LoTW.
I also submitted my scores to https://3830scores.com/ where you can compare your results right after the contest. They are not official but it's good indicator where you placed after the contest before the official results come out year later. 

The next event to look for is the OQP April 17 & 18th. We used to do that one with a the club so hopefully if we may be able do it with a small group. Most times we had no more than 5 or 6 at any one time. 

Lets hope for the best.

[VA3KOT John]

Cabrillo Manual Log Entry

If, like me, you logged Winter Field Day the old-fashioned way with pen and paper, there is a handy utility online for generating and submitting a Cabrillo log: http://b4h.net/cabforms/winterfieldday_cab3.php
It was written by Bruce WA7BNM (the Contest Calendar guy) and is very easy to use. I submitted my results using this method.

[Adam_VE3FP]

Cabrillo Manual Log Entry

If, like me, you logged Winter Field Day the old-fashioned way with pen and paper, there is a handy utility online for generating and submitting a Cabrillo log: http://b4h.net/cabforms/winterfieldday_cab3.php
It was written by Bruce WA7BNM (the Contest Calendar guy) and is very easy to use. I submitted my results using this method.

That is a lot of unnecessary work. Nice little phone app like VLS Logger available from Google Play store has lot more features than pencil and paper. It can check for Dupes and also export Cabrillo and ADIF file. Loaded with support features for activations (SOTA, POTA, WWFF, IOTA) and contest. 
We are living in the 21st century now.   

[VA3KOT John]

Adam, yes I have VLS Logger on my tablet; I'll try that next time (OQP). I am so used to paper logging its a hard habit to get rid for casual contesters like me.

[Adam_VE3FP]

Adam, yes I have VLS Logger on my tablet; I'll try that next time (OQP). I am so used to paper logging its a hard habit to get rid for casual contesters like me.

Nothing beats a computer with proper logging software in a contest. I think I would use it, maybe if I was backpacking with a QRP rig but otherwise computer logging is the way to go. I guess each to their own.