Australian Ham Radio Discussion Forum ( AHRDF )

Contest Introduction :
Welcome to the John Moyle Memorial Field Day.

The WIA and the Contest Committee would like to thank all who took part in 2021 and especially those who submitted their logs as an entry for the contest.

This Field Day will be held over the weekend of the 19th-20th March 2022 and run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday to 0059 on the Sunday.

Aim Of The Contest :
The aim is to encourage and provide familiarization with portable and field operation, and provide training for emergency situations. The rules are therefore specifically designed and focused to encourage field operations.

This contest is a Field Day Contest and not another contest where very powerful home stations operate under one call to amass huge scores,

Contest Rules:
The contest is open to all VK, ZL and P2 stations. All other stations are welcome to participate, but can only claim points for contacts with VK, ZL and P2 stations. All VK, ZL and P2 stations can claim points for all contacts, with any station in the world, as long as valid serial numbers are exchanged.

The contest rules ensure more logs are submitted, by requiring that if any station works the same station a total of more than 10 times on any band or on any mode then the logs from both station should be submitted to verify those contacts.

Single operator portable entries shall consist of ONE choice from each of the following (e.g. 6 hour, phone, VHF/UHF):
a 24 or 6 hour;
b Phone, CW, Digital or All modes;
c HF, VHF/UHF or All Bands.

Multi-operator portable entries shall consist of ONE choice from each of the following (e.g. 24 hour, phone, VHF/UHF):
a 24 or 6 hour;
b Phone, CW, Digital, or All modes;
c HF, VHF/UHF or All Bands.

Home entries shall consist of ONE choice from each of the following (e.g. 24 hour, phone, VHF/UHF):
a 24 or 6 hour;
b Phone, All modes;
c HF, VHF/UHF or All Bands.

Multi operator stations are not permitted in the Home Category.

If any Station works the same station more than 10 times in total using any band and, or using any mode, they should submit their own log to verify those contacts for the other station.


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Full details from https://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/johnmoyle/ , rules PDF is available at https://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/...0Rules.pdf

I haven't participated in this contest for nearly 10 years. Having more time on my hands these days, I thought I might have a go if my stars align for that weekend. Looking at its rules, I spotted this under Definitions, (15):

"The new fully automatic computer modes such as FT-8 etc. and others simply cannot transfer sufficient information to be eligible as a valid contact."

By ticking the EU VHF Contest box under Settings > Advanced in the WSJT-X main window, each FT8 contact logs the following:

Band/Frequency/Mode/Date & Time of QSO/Callsign of station worked/RS+Serial No. sent and received/6-character grid of both stations

Can anyone shed some light on what else is required for a valid JMFD QSO?

Chas
VK3PY

We need clarification from the Contest Manager, VK4AE, to get an 'absolute' answer.  Probably an email direct to him would be best - VK4AE AT WIA. ORG. AU - editing required.

We all know that contests are not always popular with all, and that the rules do need updating periodically.   It doesn't get past the fact that you have to read the rules before any contest and abide by them.

If you don't manage to do number exchanges when the rules say you must, don't complain - just operate within those rules next time around. But then again they may get revised so you have to read them again before the 'next time' comes around !

Back to this subject : Tonight I have emailed Denis VK4AE querying the JMMFD rules and FT8 (or other digital modes) set into contest mode (ie serial number +...).  
I will advise the outcome when a response is received - regardless of whether it affects this year's JMMFD - the notification of any change may be too tight a timescale to promulgate.
Maybe next year.

Doug VK4ADC
forum admin

Well guys, this is THE answer.  Some may like it, some hate it, (depending on whether you operate digital modes) but I agree with the sentiments expressed :

"Thanks for your e-mail.
 
There are several reasons why FT-8 is excluded this year :

The Contest Mode was not available when the rules were submitted to AR for Publication - AAARRRGGGGHHH!!!! So, the rules are set in cement for this year and could well be changed next year but not before.

Last year 3 stations submitted FT-8 logs that claimed to show over 500 contacts that NOBODY else worked in the contest and the submitted logs showed that even among the other FT-8 none of them worked the same stations, So I too could fake a competitive log myself as there is no way to verify the veracity of the log. This is a big problem for me as there have been faked logs submitted in the past that I was able to work were faked because other's contacts had been noted and submitted as a log and log checking turned up the clashes.

Until somehow, I can resolve the potential cheating aspect, I probably won't change the rules.

I am open to suggestions but honesty was once a certainty, but not always today as there has been a number of instances in the recent past in this contest. For example, a club station set up caravans in the local showgrounds and operated 'portable' stations operating large power amplifiers and rigs operating on mains power - all of the information was provided by sworn statements by club members. The club denied any wrong doing and threated to sue the WIA if they were disqualified. So, I no longer believe that the amateur is a gentleman.

Best Wishes
Denis Johnstone (VK4AE)
Contest Manager
JMMFD 2022

"


Ed notes : 
The contesting mode has been in WSJT-X for a while but has largely been ignored in VK until recent events revealed its capabilities and properties.
The more stations that DO operate on the likes of FT8 then the greater the likelihood that contest participants will work each other thus providing corroborating log entries. { compare 3 entries versus maybe 30 to 100 entries that include digital mode QSOs  }
Digital modes operating is gaining popularity quite quickly and we need to harness that interest..

The news that FT8 is not included is not surprising, but is disappointing. I've tried for some years to get it into the VHF/UHF Field Day comp, but to no avail.

I'm really surprised to hear about cheating. Didn't think members of the amateur community would have stooped that low. How did it get to this ?

As a Digital mode operator, and having spent most of COVID getting my portable station FT-8 Comp Mode ready (using MAC) I'm maybe a bit more disappointed than most.
I was hoping to enter a single operator, Portable, QRP, VHF/UHF, Data Only, logbook to maximise the points and be in with a chance. Maybe next year.

Maybe we could have a "Trial Category" during the VHF/UHF Winter Field day in June?
Would it be of interest to anyone, or am I wasting my time?


Brian
VK2XTC

Thanks for following up on my question, Doug, and also to Denis for his quick response. It makes sense now. I haven't been much into digital modes, having only recently started operating FT8, which is why that particular line in the rules caught my eye.

Regarding the apparent cheating by group entrants, I wasn't aware that it had become so blatant. Were the contacts really "fake" or were they made very selectively such as to exclude all but the "favoured" entrant(s)? The latter is not so much cheating as very unsporting.

73,
Chas
VK3PY

(21-02-2022, 09:27 AM)VK2XTC Wrote: [ -> ]The news that FT8 is not included is not surprising, but is disappointing. I've tried for some years to get it into the VHF/UHF Field Day comp, but to no avail.

.....

Maybe we could have a "Trial Category" during the VHF/UHF Winter Field day in June?
Would it be of interest to anyone, or am I wasting my time?


Brian
VK2XTC

Brian

You need to send an email to the VHF/UHF Field Day's contest manager, who at the moment and wearing many hats, is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, and seek the inclusion given the EU Contest modes options in WSJT-X (and similar packages) in the likes of an all-encompassing digital modes section - packet, RTTY, PSK31, FT8, FT4 etc - any mode where a serial number and grid square details exchange can (and must) take place.

Roger is an occasional visitor to this forum and could undoubtedly respond via the forum itself if not directly to you.

Please be aware that the author of VKCL, Mike VK3AVV, passed away in January 2022 so anything that requires software revisions in VKCL may not be included in any near-to-the-future events.  Given that most FD participants use VKCL to log in these activities, some limitations might apply.

Automation of digital contact details in VKCL (etc) is a separate topic that will probably need to be addressed at some point. This might be feasible given that VKCL can be used in networked /shared database mode and software could be developed to add QSOs to the database in an emulated-VKCL fashion - a nice software project for someone to work away at !

What say ??

Doug VK4ADC

FWIW: Digital contacts are allowed in VHF UHF Field Day....

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(24-02-2022, 07:12 AM)VK4CZ Wrote: [ -> ]FWIW: Digital contacts are allowed in VHF UHF Field Day....

Scott,

The definition there relates to what could be called, "Old Mode Digital" contacts, such as RTTY, PSK, Olivia etc.
These are manual modes where the operation can pass whatever data is required.

I had been in contact with Mike and Roger some years back (Before Covid), and Mike informed me that FT8 could not be used as it could not pass 6 digit Grid Squares. At that time he was correct, but since then FT8 competition mode has come along and resolved that issue. But it's use has not carried forward into current day competition rules.

The rules need updating with a number of smaller changes and new classification. 
I'll see if I can be of assistance in achieving that. TBC.


Brian

Digital contacts in contests - secrets revealed!



In the upcoming issue of Amateur Radio magazine, Issue 2 for 2022, our Meteor Scatter Report columnist, Dr Kevin Johnston VK4UH, reveals how to set up WSJT-X to make successful MS contacts during contests.



In the past, the most common digital modes employed ". . highly structured and very inflexible formats . . that were not directly compatible with contest reporting . . ", he says. While it was possible in MSK144 and FT8 to make the required exchange(s), it ". . was difficult, frustrating and slow . .", needing ". . a lot of manual entry . .", Kevin explains. Sound familiar?



With the latest WSJT-X, he details a step-by-step procedure to set up the software that overcomes the past drawbacks completely.



It's in Amateur Radio magazine, Issue 2 for 2022, in your mailbox or nearby newsagents from 17 March.



Cheers, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH

Editor in Chief, Amateur Radio magazine

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Just a (timely) reminder :  
The JMMFD is being held NEXT WEEKEND !

" 
This Field Day will be held over the weekend of the 19th-20th March 2022 and run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday to 0059 on the Sunday.
"

The 2022 JMMFD is over for me, and will be over for all competitors within the next half hour when the contest finishes.

Don't forget to email in your log... BUT ..  I found the jmfd2022@wia.org.au email address was returning a delivery status message : 
"
Your message wasn't delivered to jmfd2022@wia.org.au because the address couldn't be found, or is unable to receive mail. 

The response from the remote server was:
550 5.1.1 <jmfd2022@wia.org.au>... User unknown

"

I don't know if it worked as yet but I have sent my log file to last year's address : jmfd2021@wia.org.au , as well as VK4AE@wia.org.au - and I haven't had a 'bounce' message as yet.

Denis suggested using last year's address if the correct address failed to work.

73 Doug

I had same problem with TAC@wia.org.au over a month ago ... was still down earlier this week. I think it is finally getting addressed.

Message from Denis VK4AE today :

"Thank you for taking the time and effort to submit your log, The email mess has been sorted out - at last."


The web page at https://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/johnmoyle/ shows the 2022 JMMFD logs received so far, and this will update as more come in.