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WG3K > ANS 24.06.25 14:01l 167 Lines 8398 Bytes #22 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS173.2
Subj: AMSAT Field Day on the Satellites
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Sent: 250623/2338Z 19046@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
It窶冱 that time of year again; summer and Field Day! Each year the American
Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsors Field Day as a 窶徘icnic, a campout,
practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!窶� The
event takes place during a 27-hour period on the fourth weekend of June.
For 2025 the event takes place from 1800 UTC on Saturday June 28, 2025
through 2100 UTC on Sunday June 29, 2025. Those who set up prior to 1800
UTC on June 28 can operate only 24 hours. The Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT) promotes its own version of Field Day for operation via
the amateur satellites, held concurrently with the ARRL event.
This year should be as much fun as last year since we have more than 10
transponders and repeaters available. Users should check the AMSAT status
page at http://www.amsat.org/status/ and the pages at
https://www.amsat.org/amateur-satellite-index for what is available in the
weeks leading up to field day. To reduce the amount of time to research
each satellite, see the current FM satellite table at
https://www.amsat.org/live-fm-satellites/ and the current linear satellite
table at https://www.amsat.org/linear-satellite-frequency-summary/
If you are considering ONLY the FM voice satellites, there are ISS, SO-50,
PO-101, SO-124, SONATE-2 and possibly LilacSat. It might be easier this
year to make that one FM contact for the ARRL bonus points with so many FM
birds. The congestion on FM LEO satellites is always so intense that we
must continue to limit their use to one-QSO-per-FM-satellite. This includes
the International Space Station. You will be allowed one QSO if the ISS is
operating Voice.
It was suggested during past field days that a control station be allowed
to coordinate contacts on the FM satellites. There is nothing in the rules
that would prohibit this. This is nothing more than a single station
working multiple QSO窶冱. If a station were to act as a control station and
give QSO窶冱 to every other field day station, the control station would
still only be allowed to turn in one QSO per FM satellite while the other
station would be able to submit one QSO.
The format for the message exchange on the ISS or other digital packet
satellite is an unproto packet to the other station (3-way exchange
required) with all the same information as normally exchanged for ARRL
Field Day, e.g.:
W6NWG de KK5DO 2A STX
KK5DO de W6NWG QSL 5A SDG
W6NWG de KK5DO QSL
If you have worked the satellites on Field Day in recent years, you may
have noticed a lot of good contacts can be made on some of the
less-populated, low-earth-orbit satellites like AO-7, RS-44, AO-73, JO-97
and MO-122. During Field Day the transponders come alive like 20 meters on
a weekend. The good news is that the transponders on these satellites will
support multiple simultaneous contacts. The bad news is that you can窶冲 use
FM, just low duty-cycle modes like SSB and CW.
*THE 2025 AMSAT FIELD DAY RULES:*
The AMSAT Field Day 2025 event is open to all Amateur Radio operators.
Amateurs are to use the exchange as specified in ARRL rules for Field Day.
The AMSAT competition is to encourage the use of all amateur satellites,
both analog and digital. Note that no points will be credited for any
contacts beyond the ONE allowed via each single-channel FM satellite.
Operators are encouraged not to make any extra contacts via theses
satellites (Ex: SO-50). CW contacts and digital contacts are worth three
points as outlined below.
*Analog Transponders:*
ARRL rules apply, except:
- Each phone, CW, and digital segment ON EACH SATELLITE TRANSPONDER is
considered to be a separate band.
- CW and digital (RTTY, PSK-31, etc.) contacts count THREE points each.
- Stations may only count one (1) completed QSO on any single channel FM
satellite. If a satellite has multiple modes such as V/u and L/s modes both
turned on, one contact each is allowed. If the PBBS is on 窶� see Pacsats
below, ISS (1 phone and 1 digital), Contacts with the ISS crew will count
for one contact if they are active. PCSat (I, II, etc.) (1 digital).
- The use of more than one transmitter at the same time on a single
satellite transponder is prohibited.
*Digital Transponders:*
We have only APRS digipeaters and 10m to 70cm PSK transponders (see Bob
Bruninga窶冱 article in the March/April, 2016 issue of *The AMSAT Journal*).
Satellite digipeat QSO窶冱 and APRS short-message contacts are worth three
points each, but must be complete verified two-way exchanges. The one
contact per FM satellite rule is not applied to digital transponders.
The use of terrestrial gateway stations or internet gateways (i.e.
EchoLink, IRLP, etc.) to uplink/downlink is not allowed.
For the Pacsats (FalconSat-3) or 窶牢tore and Forward窶� hamsats, each
satellite is considered a separate band. Do not post 窶廚Q窶� messages. Simply
upload ONE greeting message to each satellite and download as many greeting
messages as possible from each satellite. The subject of the uploaded file
should be posted as Field Day Greetings, addressed to ALL. The purpose of
this portion of the competition is to demonstrate digital satellite
communications to other Field Day participants and observers. Do not reply
to the Field Day Greetings addressed to ALL.
The following uploads and downloads count as three-point digital contacts.
Upload of a satellite Field Day Greetings file (one per satellite).
Download of Satellite Field Day Greetings files posted by other stations.
Downloads of non-Field Day files or messages not addressed to ALL are not
to be counted for the event. Save DIR listings and message files for later
窶徘roof of contact.窶�
Please note AMSAT uploaded messages do not count for QSO points under the
ARRL rules.
*Sample Satellite Field Day Greetings File:*
Greetings from W5MSQ Field Day Satellite station near Katy, Texas, EL-29,
with 20 participants, operating class 2A, in the AMSAT-Houston group with
the Houston Amateur Television Society and the Houston QRP club. All the
best and 73!
Note that the message stated the call, name of the group, operating class,
where they were located (the grid square would be helpful) and how many
operators were in attendance.
*Operating Class:*
Stations operating portable and using emergency power (as per ARRL Field
Day rules) are in a separate operating class from those at home connected
to commercial power. On the report form simply list Emergency or Commercial
for the Power Source and be sure to specify your ARRL operating class (2A,
1C, etc.) and ARRL section.
*AND FINALLY窶ｦ*
The Satellite Summary Sheet should be used for submission of the AMSAT
Field Day competition and be received by KK5DO (e-mail) by 11:59 P.M. CDT,
Tuesday, July 29, 2025. This year, we are using the same due date as the
ARRL. The only method for submitting your log is via e-mail to kk5do at
amsatnet dot com or kk5do at arrl dot net. No mail-in entries.
Add photographs or other interesting information that can be used in an
article for the Journal.
You will receive an e-mail back (within one or two days) from me when I
receive your e-mail submission. If you do not receive a confirmation
message, then I have not received your submission. Try sending it again or
send it to my other e-mail address.
Certificates will be awarded for the first-place emergency power/portable
station at the AMSAT General Meeting and Space Symposium in the fall of
2025. Certificates will also be awarded to the second and third place
portable/emergency operation in addition to the first-place home station
running on emergency power. A station submitting high, award-winning scores
will be requested to send in dupe sheets for analog contacts and message
listings for digital downloads.
You may have multiple rig difficulties, antenna failures, computer
glitches, generator disasters, tropical storms, and there may even be
satellite problems, but the goal is to test your ability to operate in an
emergency situation. Try different gear. Demonstrate satellite operations
to hams that don窶冲 even know the HAMSATS exist. Test your equipment. Avoid
making more than ONE contact via the FM-only voice HAMSATS or the ISS, and
enjoy the event!
Full article and downloadables available at https://www.amsat.org/field-day/
[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Contest and Awards Manager, for the
above information]
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