New Type of HF Shootout (antennas, pedestrian, bicycle)
 

==============================================
HFpack Shootout 2003
==============================================

The HFpack Shootout 2003 is sponsored by
HFpack and open to all amateur radio operators.
HFpack is dedicated to furthering the state of the art
for HF Portable.
http://www.hfpack.com

On Saturday 18 October 2003, HFpack will hold the
3rd annual HFpack Shootout at USA's west coast ham
convention "Pacificon" in San Ramon, California.
The purpose of the shootout is to measure signal
strength of pedestrian and human mobile HF systems
on 18MHz and 5MHz in a controlled manner and report
the results as a service to radio operators around the
world. Participation and entry in the shootout is open
and free to all radio amateurs.

==============================================
New for 2003: Complete Systems Shootout
==============================================

Unlike previous years where only the antennas were
tested, the HFpack Shootout 2003 tests complete
backpack and human mobile systems on
18MHz and 5MHz in several power and type categories.

==============================================
Entrant Information Required:
==============================================

1) Entrant Operator Name and Callsign
2) Entrant Team Name
3) Category(s) and Band(s) of Entry
4) Description of transmitter
5) Description of antenna system
6) Description of power source
7) Description of other equipment used
8) Polarization (Horizontal or Vertical)
9) Measured power output of transmitter
10) Measured height of antenna system
11) Measured diameter of antenna system

==============================================
Basic Shootout Description
==============================================

1) A circle 10 meters (33ft) in diameter in an open area
shall be clearly marked. The entrant operator, antenna
system and equipment shall be within this circle during
the RF measurement.

2) The entrant operator's voice transmission shall be
measured in decibels of peak RF signal strength by a
nearby test receiver, connected to a vertical and a
horizontal antenna. The operator shall make a brief
transmission for the Shootout test receiver engineer
to verify best polarization.

3) The entrant operator shall make three voice
transmissions and the Shootout test receiver engineer
shall make 3 corresponding RF signal strength
measurements. The maximum and minimum
measurements shall not be used. The medium (median)
measurement shall be recorded as the final
measurement of the entrant.

4) The RF measurements shall be made on amateur
frequencies designated by the Shootout engineer
within the 18MHz and the 5MHz bands.

5) An entrant may separately enter any or all
categories and frequency bands.

==============================================
Entrant Requirements and Guidelines
==============================================

1) The entrant operator shall check in, weigh in the
equipment, and demonstrate the ability to move about
freely while carrying all equipment and antenna system.
The entrant's transmitter output power into a 50ohm
dummy load shall be measured by the Shootout
engineer.

2) The entrant operator shall carry and support the full
weight of all equipment and antenna system during the
RF measurements; however, a single wire or cable
dragging counterpoise attached to the radio equipment
with a maximum total length of 10 meters in a single
direction and a maximum cross section of 1 centimeter
may be touching, dragging, or laying on the surface
upon which the operator is walking or standing.
This counterpoise wire shall not be attached to a
ground rod or imbedded in the ground, or in any way
elevated above the surface of the earth by fixed objects
on the ground.

3) The entrant's antenna system shall not exceed a
total height of 10 meters above the surface level upon
which the operator is walking or standing, and the
entire weight of the antenna shall be carried by the
operator during the RF measurements.

==============================================
Category 1 = Pedestrian 100W Class
==============================================

1) The output power of the Category 1 entrant
operator's transmitter shall not exceed 100 Watts PEP.

2) The total weight of the Category 1 entrant operator's
transmitting equipment shall not exceed 20 kilograms
(44 pounds), inclusive of transmitter, antenna system,
all wires, cables, backpack/cases, microphone, and
power supply.

3) Only the entrant operator's body may be used to
support the equipment; no monopod, tripod, wheeled
support, or other support device shall be used to hold
up the equipment or the antenna system.


==============================================
Category 2 = Pedestrian 10W Class
==============================================

1) The output power of the Category 2 entrant
operator's transmitter shall not exceed 10 Watts PEP.

2) The weight of the Category 2 entrant's equipment
is not limited.

3) Only the entrant operator's body may be used to
support the equipment; no monopod, tripod, wheeled
support, or other support device shall be used to hold
up the equipment or the antenna system.

==============================================
Category 3 = Human Mobile 100W Class
==============================================

1) A Human Mobile is considered to be any wheeled
vehicle, craft, device, cart, skates, wagon, bicycle,
tricycle, quadracycle, scooter, or carrier which is
powered for movement solely by human energy.

2) The output power of the Category 3 entrant
operator's transmitter shall not exceed 100 Watts PEP.

3) The weight of the Category 3 entrant's equipment
is not limited.

==============================================
Differently-Abled Notes
==============================================

1) Differently-abled operators may enter any category
of their choice, exempt from requirements of support
of equipment, and may utilize any type of body support
assistance including but not limited to: walkers, canes,
crutches, motorized wheelchair, other assisted devices,
or the assistance of another person for carrying
equipment.

==============================================
Shootout Notes
==============================================

1) The general public, amateur radio operators,
volunteer witnesses, and others may be present to view
the Shootout. All entrants should conduct themselves
in the spirit of friendly cooperation.

2) Other guidelines may be posted or verbally
announced or personally advised at the Shootout by
the organizers to comply with local laws and regulations.

3) In the unlikely event of confusion or dispute, a panel
of three HFpack members chosen by the HFpack
members present at the shootout will attempt to resolve
the issue in an amicable manner.

4) The results of the HFpack Shootout 2003 will be
announced on the HFpack website and a report will
be issued documenting the entrant systems.

==============================================
End of message
HFpack
http://www.hfpack.com

Expeditionradio wrote:
The purpose of the shootout is to measure signal
strength of pedestrian and human mobile HF systems
on 18MHz and 5MHz ...
==============================================
Category 3 = Human Mobile 100W Class
==============================================

Seems 5 MHz has a legal power limit of 50 watts.

2) The entrant operator's voice transmission shall be
measured ...

Whoever can shout the loudest wins? Seems this test is
far too subjective.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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Nothing subjective about it, Cecil.

The Shootout uses actual measurements with a calibrated receiver system, and a
"level playing field".
:-)
Check out the HFpack website for previous Shootout Reports from 2001 and 2002,
and if you think you could do a better job, Cecil, please join us and show up
at the Shootout to help with the measurements and setup. We would be happy to
welcome you as a volunteer.
http://www.hfpack.com

In the past few years, we have simply measured antennas vs a reference dipole.
This year we are measuring complete systems vs each other.

5MHz in USA has an authorized power limit of 50W_into_a_dipole. The 5MHz
reference dipole has been clarified by FCC as a "free space" comparison for
calculation purposes. Most pedestrian and bicycle antennas for 5MHz have way
more than 3 dB loss. Some of the antennas have 6dB loss or worse.

By the way, only USB voice is permitted on 5MHz in USA.

Bonnie KQ6XA

Expeditionradio wrote:
The purpose of the shootout is to measure signal
strength of pedestrian and human mobile HF systems
on 18MHz and 5MHz ...
==============================================
Category 3 = Human Mobile 100W Class
==============================================

"Cecil Moore" wrote:

Seems 5 MHz has a legal power limit of 50 watts.

Well, that's 50 watts, effective radiated power. For
a 100-watt backpack, I would estimate that at least
50 watts would be dissipated in the "antenna mount".

2) The entrant operator's voice transmission shall be
measured ...

Whoever can shout the loudest wins? Seems this test is
far too subjective.

It's an end-to-end system test. Efficient antenna AND
rachet-jawed operator.


--
Jim Bromley, K7JEB
Glendale, Arizona

Expeditionradio wrote:
Nothing subjective about it, Cecil.

On SSB, I can double my power output by whistling into the
microphone. That seems pretty subjective to me.

On the 5 MHz thing, since a dipole is almost 100% efficient,
does the 50 watt rule mean radiated power? Can I run 500 watts
mobile if my mobile antenna is 9% efficient?
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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K7JEB wrote:

Seems 5 MHz has a legal power limit of 50 watts.

Well, that's 50 watts, effective radiated power. For
a 100-watt backpack, I would estimate that at least
50 watts would be dissipated in the "antenna mount".

Hi Jim,
That's what I get for speed reading. Sounds like 5 MHz
will be an ideal mobile band. If my mobile antenna is 10%
efficient, I can just run my SGC-500 watt amp and radiate
as much power as anyone else on the band.

It's an end-to-end system test. Efficient antenna AND
rachet-jawed operator.

:-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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Cecil Moore wrote:

On the 5 MHz thing, since a dipole is almost 100% efficient,
does the 50 watt rule mean radiated power? Can I run 500 watts
mobile if my mobile antenna is 9% efficient?

That would appear to be the case:

http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...faq.html#three

73 ... WA7AA


--

Anti-spam measu look me up on qrz.com if you need to reply directly

Zoran Brlecic wrote:
Cecil Moore wrote:
On the 5 MHz thing, since a dipole is almost 100% efficient,
does the 50 watt rule mean radiated power? Can I run 500 watts
mobile if my mobile antenna is 9% efficient?

That would appear to be the case:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...faq.html#three

Has anyone realized that will make a hamstick get out just as
well as a bugcatcher?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP

Zoran Brlecic wrote:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...faq.html#three

Wow, all sorts of ramifications. A one-wavelength dipole has
about 3dB gain over a 1/2WL dipole so one must reduce one's
power to 25 watts.

OTOH, since a 1/2WL dipole over ground has about 6dB gain over
a 1/4WL ground-mounted vertical, can one run 200 watts when
using a 1/4WL vertical?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP

Cecil,

I am no expert on the "legalese", but it appears the FCC has specified power
in terms of Effective Radiated Power (ERP). The standard is no more than
50-watts radiated by a dipole in free space. My interpretation is that you
look at the performance of your antenna at its maximum radiation point
(i.e., the azimuth & elevation) and compare it to the radiation from a
dipole in free space at its maximum radiation point(s). If your antenna has
less radiated power than the dipole, then you can feed more power to the
antenna (up to the point that you get the same radiation as a dipole in free
space).

I think this is the first time the FCC has used ERP (which includes antenna
gain and feedline loss) as a power specification for amateur radio.

Greg Queen
AE6MF


"Cecil Moore" wrote in message
...
Zoran Brlecic wrote:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/reg...faq.html#three

Wow, all sorts of ramifications. A one-wavelength dipole has
about 3dB gain over a 1/2WL dipole so one must reduce one's
power to 25 watts.

OTOH, since a 1/2WL dipole over ground has about 6dB gain over
a 1/4WL ground-mounted vertical, can one run 200 watts when
using a 1/4WL vertical?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP

Hm. That means that you can't run more than about 16-20 watts to an
ordinary dipole, since a dipole over ground produces a field strength
that's typically 4-5 dB greater than a dipole in free space. See, for
example, the EZNEC example BYDipole.EZ, which shows a field strength of
6.82 dBi, or about 4.7 dB greater than a free space dipole.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Greg Queen wrote:
Cecil,

I am no expert on the "legalese", but it appears the FCC has specified power
in terms of Effective Radiated Power (ERP). The standard is no more than
50-watts radiated by a dipole in free space. My interpretation is that you
look at the performance of your antenna at its maximum radiation point
(i.e., the azimuth & elevation) and compare it to the radiation from a
dipole in free space at its maximum radiation point(s). If your antenna has
less radiated power than the dipole, then you can feed more power to the
antenna (up to the point that you get the same radiation as a dipole in free
space).

I think this is the first time the FCC has used ERP (which includes antenna
gain and feedline loss) as a power specification for amateur radio.

Greg Queen
AE6MF

Greg Queen wrote:
I am no expert on the "legalese", but it appears the FCC has specified power
in terms of Effective Radiated Power (ERP). The standard is no more than
50-watts radiated by a dipole in free space. My interpretation is that you
look at the performance of your antenna at its maximum radiation point
(i.e., the azimuth & elevation) and compare it to the radiation from a
dipole in free space at its maximum radiation point(s). If your antenna has
less radiated power than the dipole, then you can feed more power to the
antenna (up to the point that you get the same radiation as a dipole in free
space).

But a horizontal dipole over ground has a gain over a dipole in free space.
Consider a horizontal dipole with a maximum gain of 6 dBi Vs a free space
dipole with a maximum gain of 2.14 dBi. Do you have to decrease the power
to the horizontal dipole over ground to bring it down to 2.14 dBi?

Consider a vertical dipole with a maximum gain of 0 dBi. Can the power
be increased to obtain the free space 2.14 dBi or 6 dBi over ground?
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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From: Roy W7EL wrote
Hm. That means that you can't run more than about 16-20 watts to a n
ordinary dipole, since a dipole over ground produces a field strength
that's typically 4-5 dB greater than a dipole in free space.

Roy, the FCC has clarified this issue recently in communications with ARRL. The
FCC indicated we should do all our compliance calculations for 5MHz as if the
antennas are in free space.
That certainly makes it a lot easier, doesn't it?

Bonnie KQ6XA

Greg Queen wrote:
I am no expert on the "legalese", but it appears
the FCC has specified power in terms of Effective
Radiated Power (ERP). The standard is no more than
50-watts radiated by a dipole in free space.

% Bonnie KQ6XA (in a slightly different thread):
% Roy, the FCC has clarified this issue recently
% in communications with ARRL. The FCC indicated
% we should do all our compliance calculations
% for 5MHz as if the antennas are in free space.

Cecil, W5DXP:
Consider a vertical dipole with a maximum gain of
0 dBi. Can the power be increased to obtain the
free space 2.14 dBi or 6 dBi over ground?

Don't ask.
Don't tell.
Don't pursue.

K7JEB

K7JEB wrote:
Don't ask. Don't tell. Don't pursue.

Darn, I was about to lay down a perfect ground for my dipole
but EZNEC says that would only gain me 1.5 dB over normal
ground.

Wonder how many 5 MHz hams have already violated the FCC
guidelines by running 50 watts into a dipole over ground?
Oops, that's asking and pursuing, isn't it?
--
73, Cecil, W5DXP

Thanks for the info. It sure does make it easier. Grounded antennas like
a ground mounted vertical or inverted L could be modeled by removing
ground and adding a mirror image in free space, or by using perfect
ground and subtracting 3 dB from the resulting field.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Expeditionradio wrote:
From: Roy W7EL wrote
Hm. That means that you can't run more than about 16-20 watts to a n
ordinary dipole, since a dipole over ground produces a field strength
that's typically 4-5 dB greater than a dipole in free space.


Roy, the FCC has clarified this issue recently in communications with ARRL. The
FCC indicated we should do all our compliance calculations for 5MHz as if the
antennas are in free space.
That certainly makes it a lot easier, doesn't it?

Bonnie KQ6XA