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    RSGB CW National Field Day 2012


    Rule changes for 2012, updated 11 April 2012. Please read carefully. There are a number of changes to rules, notably those relating to usage of transceivers and antennas, which are different from previous years.


    To explain some of the changes, a list of Frequently Asked Questions and answers has been compiled. There is also a collection of diagrams to illustrate the way in which various antenna configurations can be used.


    This is 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 Low Power section is limited to 12 hours of operation. This should assist groups who have difficulty in finding operators to cover the full 24 hours.

    Pre-registration for Field Day is not an absolute requirement, but clubs are encouraged to do so, in order to qualify for awards.


    1. Basic Information


    The General Rules apply to this contest except where superseded by the rules below

    Date: 2-3 June 2012

    Time: 1500 - 1500UTC

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

    Mode: CW

    Exchange: RST + Serial number.


    2. Registration


    In order that inspections can be arranged, each group intending to compete must send details of the site to be used to: Quin Collier G3WRR, QTHR, or via email, to arrive no later than 13 May 2012. Details must include:

          
    • the name and address of the person responsible for the entry
    • section to be entered
    • name of group
    • callsign to be used
    • national grid reference
    • 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.


    3. Site


    The following rules apply to the site used:


          
    1. The Site is defined as the place within which all equipment comprising the station (including tents, generators, aerials and supports, etc.) is situated. The Site must be contained within a circle of 1km diameter, centred on the location of the transmitter(s)
    2. Entrants must operate from the same site for the whole contest.
    3. Stations must not be located in a permanent building or shelter
    4. No permanent building or structure may be used as an aerial support (trees are acceptable).
    5. Power must be obtained solely from on-site batteries, portable generators or solar cells, without use of public mains
    6. All equipment directly associated with operating in the contest (including radios, tents, generators, aerials and supports, etc.) must be set up on site no more than 24 hours before the start of the contest
    7. Equipment may be stored on site outside this 24 hour period. However all equipment directly associated with operating in the contest that is on the site more than 32 hours before the start of the contest must be removed beyond the boundary of the site and brought back on within a period of not more than 32 hours before the start of the contest.
    8. Equipment such as caravans & towers permanently resident on site that are to be directly associated with operating in the contest must be removed & returned as set out in 3g above
    9. Entrants who may have difficulty in complying with the requirements of 3g and 3h, for reasons such as physical infirmity, should consult the FAQ section.
    10. All portable stations are required to sign /P when taking part in this contest notwithstanding the licence regulations making the use of the /P suffix optional


    4. Sections


    There are 3 sections:

          
    • Open
    • Restricted
    • Low Power


    Paragraph 4a lists rules that apply to all sections. Paragraphs 4b - 4d list rules that are section specific.


          
    1. All sections
      2.       
      • All sections are multi operator
      • A maximum of 2 transmitters is permitted, but only one signal may be radiated at a time
      • With the exception set out in 4b below, a maximum of 2 receivers is permitted
      • Receivers and transmitters may be part of transceivers or stand alone
      • Where the modularity of equipment chosen results in the provision of more than 2 receivers (eg. the use of 2 transceivers each with a 2nd receiver), receivers or transmitters in excess of the number stated must be disabled for the duration of the contest
      • Use of public internet based assistance such as RBN or DX Cluster is not permitted. Private off-site assistance is already prohibited by rule 3a.
      • CW Skimmer-like technology (eg. MixW) is permitted as a CW reader to allow non-CW literate operators to participate, subject to the following:
        •       
        • No separate receiver for the CW reader is permitted (i.e. the CW reader must be driven from one of the 2 permitted receivers)
        • A maximum receiver bandwidth of 3kHz is permitted, which must be the same frequency range that the operator can hear. There must be no connection between the CW reader and the contest logging software: callsigns and serial numbers must still be typed in by hand.


    2. Open section
      3.       
      • A maximum power of 100W at the output of the transmitter is permitted
      • Use of on-site CW Skimmer as an aid to seeking QSOs is permitted, and a separate, additional (3rd) receiver may be used for this purpose. This is distinct from the use of Skimmer-like technology as an aid for non-CW literate operators, as set out in 4a
      • Antennas are subject to rule 3 above, otherwise there is no restriction on the number and type of antennas or supports, except that the maximum height of any support or part of any antenna must not exceed 22m.


    3. Restricted Section
      4.       
      • A maximum power of 100W at the output of the transmitter is permitted
      • In addition to the rules on transmitters and receivers in 4(a) above, it is also a requirement that whenever a signal is being transmitted, all receivers must be muted
      • With the exception of aid for non CW literate operators as set out in 4a above, use of on site CW Skimmer is not permitted
      • There is no restriction on the number of antenna supports, subject to a maximum antenna support allowance of 22m. An entrant's antenna support usage (ie. the amount of antenna support actually deployed within the 22m allowance) is the sum of the individual contributions from:
        •       
        • All masts, towers and trees used to support antennas
        • All self supporting antenna elements (regardless of orientation)
        • All other rigid (or substantially rigid) supports used within the structure of antennas (e.g. booms or spreaders)
        • Use of buildings as supports is already forbidden by 3d.
      • Strings and halyards are not included in the antenna support usage.
      • Further information on the way in which the above items contribute to the antenna support usage is given in the FAQ section.
      • There is no restriction on the type or number of antennas, or elements within an antenna, subject to the following:
        •       
        • an overall antenna length allowance of 120m of wire, out of which all antennas used during the contest must be made
        • the wire used must be of a diameter not exceeding 14swg or equivalent (excluding insulation). However where masts, towers or trap verticals are used as antenna elements, this diameter restriction does not apply
        • No antenna element or part thereof may exceed a height of 15m


    4. Low Power Section
      5.       
      • A maximum power of 10W at the output of the transmitter is permitted
      • In addition to the rules on transmitters and receivers in 4(a) above, it is also a requirement that whenever a signal is being transmitted, all receivers must be muted
      • With the exception of aid for non CW literate operators as set out in 4a above, use of on site CW skimmer is not permitted
      • There is no restriction on the number of antenna supports, subject to a maximum antenna support allowance of 22m. An entrant's antenna support usage (ie. the amount of antenna support actually deployed within the 22m allowance) is the sum of the individual contributions from:
        •       
        • All masts, towers and trees used to support antennas
        • All self supporting antenna elements (regardless of orientation)
        • All other rigid (or substantially rigid) supports used within the structure of antennas (e.g. booms or spreaders)
        • Use of buildings as supports is already forbidden by 3d.
      • Strings and halyards are not included in the antenna support usage.
      • Further information on the way in which the above items contribute to the antenna support usage is given in the FAQ section.
      • There is no restriction on the type or number of antennas, or elements within an antenna, subject to the following:
        •       
        • an overall antenna length allowance of 120m of wire, out of which all antennas used during the contest must be made
        • the wire used must be of a diameter not exceeding 14swg or equivalent (excluding insulation). However where masts, towers or trap verticals are used as antenna elements, this diameter restriction does not apply
        • No antenna element or part thereof may exceed a height of 15m
      • 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

    5. Operators


          
    1. Only groups operating from the UK may enter
    2. Any RSGB member or group of members may enter
    3. RSGB Affiliated Societies may enter and their operators must be members of the Affiliated Society (AFS) and/or members of the RSGB themselves
    4. 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
    5. The RSGB membership requirements set out in 5c & 5d do not apply to visiting amateurs not normally resident in the UK

    6. Frequencies


    Contest preferred segments must be used as appropriate, eg 3510 - 3560 and 14010 - 14070kHz.


    7. 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 are scored as above and then multiplied by two to obtain the band score.
    Contacts made with a group's own members score zero points and must not be included in the log.


    8. Logs


    Online entries must be submitted to the robot by the date specified in the General Rules. Disk and online entries must be in Cabrillo format.

    Example of CW Field Day Contest log.



    9. 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 Trophy to the leading station in the Low Power 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 non-UK station in each continent whose check log shows the most points contributed to UK stations.