This note changed my mind. I was against allowing repeaters until I read it.
I now think ARRL should allow QSOs via repeaters, as long as 1) they are not powered by mains (generators, batteries etc. ok), and 2) they involve only RF. So emergency-powered repeaters could use non-mains-powered RF links to other emergency-powered repeaters. I completelty agree with the sentiment in the post by Chris K4FH: "I look at Field Day as a way to test and practice our ability to communicate with minimal infrastructure." We all know mains-connected and internet-connected repeaters will have limited usefulness in many types of disasters, which is why those types of radios have traditionally been excluded from Field Day competition. Jim - K6JM ----- Original Message ----- From: Woodrick, Ed To: dstar_digital@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 1:57 PM Subject: RE: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] New poll for dstar_digital First, in the section that you cut, the reason for Field Day is to test our Emergency Preparedness. It’s not to make points. The use of repeaters, by many, is driven by the fact that repeaters are a part of the Emergency Response plans for many organizations. I could maybe see excluding fixed location repeaters, but portable repeaters are a big part of our Emergency Communications plans, there should be no reason to preclude their use. The setup and operation of most Field Day sites is indeed similar to something that you might find as an emergency response in Haiti or rural areas of Chile, but it has very little to with operations that you would find throughout most of the US. Today’s Field Day is more like an Emergency Response that Amateurs would have used in 1950, than one that we would have used in the last 40 years. Ed WA4YIH
