Because of the COVID-19 emergency this year, many amateur radio groups will be unable to carry on normal operations for Field Day 2020. Even though the event is, at least in part, an emergency preparedness exercise, the crisis has apparently resigned many hams to simply staying home and operating from their air-conditioned shacks.
It seems to me, however, that this emergency shouldn't stop hams from being able to operate their portable equipment from a remote location using temporary antennas and emergency power supplies. The coronavirus does not affect any of these things. It only makes it necessary to do these things without interacting closely with persons outside your household.
Most hams don't need the assistance of people outside their household to set up a temporary antenna. Most hams don't need the assistance of people outside their household to plug a radio into a battery or start up a generator. There's no need to interact with others in finding some remote location from which to operate. I'll be operating portable from a city park close to my home. I'll be doing it with the assistance of my family, but I could just as easily do it as a solo operation. My current plan is to operate two transmitters, probably on 20, 6, and 2 meters. I'll be using a temporary dipole. It will be a safe location at a picnic table in a quiet city park. It will be as safe as staying home. If I wanted to, I could do a more extensive setup. Or, if I wanted to, I could do an even more minimal setup. The minimum equipment for operating Field Day would be a $30 Baofeng, which could be taken to a convenient hilltop location.
In short, there's no reason not to do Field Day from an actual field this year.
Because of popular demand, however, the ARRL made two rule changes for this year. First, this year only, home stations operating with commercial power (class D stations) are allowed to contact other class D stations for points. I understand the rationale for this rule waiver, but it still strikes me as odd. The whole point of the weekend is to set up a station at a remote location, simulating emergency conditions. I don't really see the point of sitting in the air-conditioned shack at home, while pretending to be out in a field somewhere. I hope those stations have fun, but I don't really see the point.
A second rule change, however, is beneficial to all. This year, all entries will be able to designate a club in their entry, and the total score of all members will be published. I think the idea was that all of these home stations could add up their score, and pretend that they were really all in the same field they were in last year. Presumably, the idea is that they can get a big score, just like they did last year.
This rule, however, applies to all classes of entries. Home stations can add up their scores, and so can traditional stations out in the field. Unlike the ARRL affiliated club competition in other contests, there is no geographic restriction. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of forming The Outstanding In Their Field Amateur Radio Field Day Club. There are no dues or membership requirements, other than being a licensed ham who plans to operate portable (class A or B) in 2020 Field Day.
There are three ways to join the club:
Either way, you're a club member in good standing--of outstanding standing, as a matter of fact. Note: Due to the length of our club name, I realized it might be difficult to include it on the entry. Therefore, I contacted ARRL HQ for their recommendation. They recommended using the name "Outstanding in Their Field ARC." Here is the club's organizational document:
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE OUTSTANDING IN THEIR FIELD AMATEUR RADIO FIELD DAY CLUB
The undersigned amateur radio operators hereby associate themselves as an amateur radio club whose name shall be "The Outstanding in Their Field Amateur Radio Field Day Club," an unincorporated association.
The purpose of this club is to promote traditional field day operations during the 2020 ARRL Field Day. Due to the COVID-19 emergency, many amateur radio groups have been forced to limit their plans. As a result, the ARRL has made a waiver of its rules, allowing home stations (class "D" stations) to contact other class "D" stations.
While we wish the best to all stations in classes "C" through "F", we want to encourage as much as possible the operation of traditional class "A" and "B" stations. These stations operate in an actual field, which we believe is appropriate during Field Day.
Accordingly, the members plan to operate Field Day while out standing (or sitting) in an actual field. For some members, the field might be a previously used field day location. For some members, it might be a campground. For some members, it might be a city park or friend's yard. Members will use their ingenuity to come up with locations that are feasible and safe, that also conform to the requirements for class "A" or "B" operation, such as emergency power sources and temporary antennas. Since Field Day is, in part, an emergency preparedness exercise, we want to highlight our ability to adapt to an actual emergency.
This year, the ARRL has also announced that it will publish an aggregate club score, which will be the sum of all individual entries indicating a specific club. In 2020 only, participants from any class may include a single club name with their submitted results.
Club members intend to include the club name with their results if operating class "A" or "B". [Per the ARRL's recommendation, please use the short form of the club name, "Outstanding in Their Field ARC" when submitting your entry.] They agree not to include the club name if operating other classes.
Any licensed amateur radio operator who is in agreement with these principles may join the club by signing these Articles or a copy thereof or by including the club name in their class "A" or "B" Field Day entry. Optionally, they may notify club organizer W0IS that they have joined.
Signed: W0IS