[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Richmond Frostfest

[KA4GFY]

For those club members heading to the Richmond Frostfest on Saturday, Feb 1, 2020, here are the details.

The Frostfest is located on the grounds of the Richmond Raceway Complex, formerly known as the VA State Fairgrounds.  The address is 600 East Laburnum Avenue in Richmond.

Many of us stop for breakfast in Fredericksburg at the Cracker Barrel at the South end of Fredericksburg, exit 126, the Massaponax exit.  Look for the Car Max lot to your right as you make the exit.  At the end of the ramp, take the right.  Go 2 (?) traffic lights and make the left.  Cracker Barrel is around to the back. 

Meeting time is about 7 AM.  So, departure time from Alexandria would be around 6 AM.  Somebody will have a radio listening on 147.315 simplex and 444.600 simplex.

For hamfest communications, we came to the conclusion to use 444.600 MHz simplex (output frequency of our 70 cm repeater).   There is a System Fusion repeater in Powhatan, VA, just West of the Richmond area on 147.315, so using that frequency like we usually do at hamfests is liable to upset the local users. 

We can also use 446.025 MHz DSTAR, 224.820 MHz simplex and 927.600 MHz simplex.   Since many of us own DMR radios, we can use 441.000 MHz simplex, Color Code 1, Talkgroup 99.  The DMR frequency is where we will find the folks from DMRVA, the DMR network our repeater is linked to.      

We usually listen to 147.315 until we get to breakfast and 444.600 for the rest of the trip down.  The talk-in frequency is the Richmond 146.88 repeater which has great coverage.  You’ll need a 74.4 Hz tone to get into it.

Here is the Frostfest homepage link:

http://frostfest.com/wp/

You can also buy your ticket ahead of time on the website.  That’s better than waiting line in the cold to buy a ticket.

I have one seat filled and 2 more available with me if somebody needs a ride. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

73,

Rich, KA4GFY