After Field Day I make a list of the things we’d like to do better next year. One thing that has come up a couple of times is better computer clock synchronization. Since we’re basically off-net we don’t have access to the network time services. In 2014 I designed and built a GPS based clock that provides FDLog with accurate time which it shares through the wireless network to the other FDLog programs, so the log is already synchronized. This was fine but it doesn’t set the computer’s clock so FT8 wasn’t getting accurate time. So Frank, Eric and I have been looking into and experimenting with Pi based GPS – NTP servers. We have a couple of them working now and are writing a document describing what we learned. There are many recipes on the internet for these but most are out of date and fall short of handling the completely standalone case which turns out to add a few new issues to solve. Look for that here soon.
Field Day itself was interesting with built in social distancing we each did our own stations and spent the whole weekend within 500 feet but not within 6 feet of our friends. The bands were decent but it was hard to break through the 1d working 1d pileups. Maybe they should give more points for portable stations, something to make folks listen a little instead of not bothering.
It was good to get out camping and into the fresh air. Now I’m digging back into making Antenna Launchers, come see us at http://akbeng.com since Pacificon won’t happen this year.
73, Alan, w6akb