RSGB National Field Day 2010

For 2011 rules, please see http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2011/rnfd.shtml

An excellent club activity with varied areas of expertise required, such as antenna design, construction and erection, generator maintenance and, increasingly, computer expertise. Give your CW operators some support! The QRP section is limited to 12 hours of operation. This should assist groups who have difficulty in finding operators to cover the night shift. It is not an absolute requirement to pre-register to enter Field Day, but you are encouraged still to register and must do so in order to qualify for awards.

The general rules apply to this contest

Date: 5 / 6 June 2010

Time: 1500 - 1500UTC

Bands: 1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 & 28MHz.

Mode: CW

Exchange: RST + Serial number.

1. Registration: In order that inspections can be arranged, each group intending to compete should send details of the site to be used to: Q. G. Collier G3WRR, QTHR, , to arrive no later than 16 May 2010. Details must include the name and address of the person responsible for the entry; section to be entered; name of group; callsign(s) to be used; national grid reference and sufficient access information to enable an inspector to locate the site. In the event of a late change of site, it is the responsibility of the members of the group to make suitable arrangements for the inspector to find the new site. Groups not registering may take part in field day but will not be eligible for awards. All stations are subject to inspection by representatives of the RSGB Contest Committee, whose brief will be to ensure that the rules and spirit of the contest are being observed. The inspector must be given immediate access to the site and may make return visits.

2. Sections: All sections are multi-operator. This is a portable contest as defined in General Rule 6.
(a) Open Section. There is no restriction on the number or type of antennas, but the maximum height must not exceed 20m.
(b) Restricted Section. One antenna only which must be a single element having not more than two elevated supports and not exceeding 11m above ground at its highest point.
(c) Low Power Section. Same as the Restricted Section with power further limited to 10W output. Additionally, this section has a time limit of 12 hours. Off-periods must be a minimum of one hour and should be listed on the summary sheet or soapbox section of the Cabrillo header.

3. Operators:
(a) Any RSGB member or group of members may enter.
(b) Only groups operating from the British Isles (excluding the Irish Republic) may enter. Also, affiliated RSGB societies may enter and their operators must be members of the Affiliated Society (AFS) and/or members of the RSGB themselves.
(c) In the case where some operators are AFS members but not RSGB members themselves, a declaration from an officer of the AFS that the operators are members of the society is required with the entry. This must be included in the soapbox part of the entry. 

4. Equipment: Transmitter power output must not exceed 100 watts (10W in section (c)).
(a) Open Section: One transmitter and two receivers. The receiver section of a second transceiver may be used as the second receiver if desired, so long as the transmitter section is disabled for the duration of the contest. Unused receiver sections must also be disabled for the duration of the contest.
(b) and (c) Restricted and Low Power sections: One transmitter and one receiver or one transceiver. Both receivers in a dual receive transceiver may be used, if desired.
In all sections, equipment and antennas for packet radio access above 30MHz may also be used, if desired.

5. Frequencies: Contest preferred segments should be used, ie 3510 - 3560 and 14010 - 14070kHz.

6. Scoring: For contacts with: Fixed stations in Europe (including UK) 2 points. Fixed stations outside Europe 3 points. Portable and Mobile stations in Europe (including UK) 4 points. Portable and Mobile stations outside Europe 6 points. Contacts on 1.8MHz and 28MHz should be scored as above and then multiplied by two to obtain the band score. Points must not be claimed for contacts made by a competing station with members of its own group.

7. Logs: Paper and disk entries must be postmarked no later than Monday 21 June 2010. Online entries must be submitted to http://www.vhfcc.org/cgi-bin/hfenter.pl by 23:59:59 on 21st June. Disk and online entries must be in Cabrillo format, see here for information on preparing a Cabrillo entry.

Example of NFD Contest log.

Further information regarding the Cabrillo Format

8. Awards:
The National Field Day Trophy to the overall leading station.
The Bristol Trophy to the station having the leading score in the other section.
The Reading QRP Trophy to the leading station in the QRP section.
The Scottish Trophy to the leading Scottish station.
The Gravesend Trophy to the runnerup in the Restricted section.
The G6ZR Memorial Trophy to the runner-up in the Open section.
The Frank Hoosen, G3YF, Trophy to the leading station on the 14MHz band.
Certificates of Merit to first, second and third in each section and to the band leaders in each section.
Certificate for the overseas station in each continent whose check log shows the most points contributed to UK stations.