Donald Kerns wrote:
> No:
> Field Day isn't a "real contest"
Whereas FD has rules; and
Whereas the FD rules are found on ARRL's web site under "Contests;" and
Whereas we keep score and submit logs in FD; and
Whereas the sponsor publishes the standings from FD; and
Whereas those standings include "winners" and "losers;"
It follows conclusively that FD *is* a "real contest" regardless of what
the sponsor wants to call it. A saying involving a duck comes to mind.
The sponsor could remove those 5 "Whereas" above and have everyone go
out to the field, set up gear and just have friendly rag chews for 24
hours. While getting filthy, eaten by mosquitoes, staying up all
night, and pouring gas into a generator and on your clothes repeatedly,
we could all learn to set up and operate in an emergency. We could all
learn that is if anyone went.
> No:
> You can't trust them, (and deserve what you get if you do.)
No you can't, and yes you do.
I will miss FD again this year ... it is the same weekend as the Western
States Endurance Run from Squaw Valley to Auburn, and I'm part of the
large crew that provides communications for the event. The runners
will run 100 mi on segments the old Western States Trail, climb a total
of 18,000 ft [max elev = 8,800 ft], descend a total of 22,000 ft, and
ford the American River, all in the hope of finishing at the Placer High
School stadium in Auburn before 24 hours have elapsed and thus receive a
silver belt buckle that reads, "100 miles, 1 day."
The winner will cross the finish line in 16-17 hours. 450 or so will
start, most will run the majority of the trail at night, and about
40-60% will finish depending on the weather It's really as much fun to
watch it all as doing FD. People actually do this more than once. I've
seen buckles that read "1000 miles, 10 days." Gordy Ainsleigh who
happens to be my chiropractor started it many years ago and is very
close to "2000 miles, 20 days.".
I heard a rumor that NBC was going to cover this year's event for later
broadcast. The media has done it in the past, they usually get a few
shots of the hams, often while coordinating the med-evac helicopter. If
I find out the plans, I'll post here.
73,
Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7
- www.cqp.org
- QTH: Auburn CA, "The Endurance Capital of the World"
[not making that up :-)]
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