What was supposed to be achieved by this project?

The MRCA Gilbert event in cooperation with Red Ball Military Vehicle Collectors show was this past weekend. Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th.

The MRCA members set up exhibits of military radio equipment in the Howell building along with field exercises on Friday.

Friday’s exercise was for field and Man pack portables in and around the Beltsville Lake State park along with other sites around the event with Saturday’s operations taking place at the Gilbert Fair grounds.

I had plans for being NCS for the Beltsville Lake Nets on Friday and operation RTTY and the MMRCG Net on Saturday.

What was actually achieved?

Arrived Thursday afternoon around 1500 local, several members were there already and had set up displays in the Howell building, N3FRQ was working on setting up antennas and I worked on setting up my tent and a small display in the building that included a table with a couple radios and a TV set that was playing a loop of old Vietnam era films about the signal corps.

Friday morning after grabbing a quick breakfast headed out to see what all the vendors had for sale. Saw lots of VRC-12 radios and accessories with RT-524 sets being anywhere from $250 to $500 and lots of accessories like brackets, antennas and trays. Also saw lots of telephone and intercom equipment. Several radios for sale like a T-195 that I saw sell for $120 and a after I said I would never buy another one a UGC-74 that I paid $40 for.

That afternoon packed up the mutt and headed over to Beltsville Lake along with Jeff N2IA and his M151 following me for operations at Beltsville State Park. This year we had several vehicles in the field including W2HX and his Land Rover over at Big Pocono, stations located around Beltsville Lake State park, Pens Peak and the Gilbert Fair Grounds. That gave us an exercise aria of around twenty miles.

Friday’s field exercise went off with a minimum of problems with 51.0 being used as a coordination channel for everyone.

Saturday Morning set up the mutt over by the bathrooms and operated the 0900 RAT net on 7087 and the MMRCG Net at 1000 on 7296

After that spent more time socializing at the Howell building and looking at everything for sale. Started packing up around noon and most of us were out of there by two or three that afternoon.

What aspects of the project work?

We had several displays of equipment at the Howell building. All were well prepared including things like placards on displays explaining what was there. We did not do a Show and Tell this year but displays filled both sides of the buildings. Fridays Field Exercise went well with the 1400 hours 60-meter (5357) Net having over a dozen stations checking in, the 1500 hours 3875 USB Net with five stations, the 1530 hours 3885 AM Net with six and the 1700 hours 51.0 FM Net with seven stations participating.

Saturdays 0900 RAT Net went well with K4NYW as Net Control and  the GRC-106 onboard the Mutt was copied by everyone. Did use a computer for the TU but hope to be using the UGC-74 next year that I picked up on Friday. MMRCG net went well with the only issue being someone running a NPOA station on 7298 LSB and them getting all upset that someone was daring to run USB on forty and not following their band plan.

What didn't work and why?

Don’t know if we had any 3570 CW activity, I did not monitor so cannot say. I did purchase a CW key for next year. We did not hold an informal “Pack Net” on Friday night, so we did not do the usual 5357, 3885 or 144.250 AM short range activities.

What would you change if given a second chance?

Try to find a way to make certain that the short-range backpack net gets carried out, especially the 144.25 AM net and 51.0 FM being we have a ton of equipment on site. Maybe schedule this on Saturday at noon?

And speaking of Saturday maybe try to find a way to keep everyone from running off early on Saturday. As it is now Friday is the big day of the event and it’s almost like everyone has the idea of leaving early Saturday with the pavilion clearing out by one or two in the afternoon.

Nets and Calls (KA3EKH Net Control):

1400 Hours Local, 5.357 USB

N2IA                      W2HX                    KF6G                     KA3TIN                 WB2JWU             WA2EJT

N2MS                    N3KCB                  W1AEA                 N1IIC                     KB1PFL                 KW1I

1500 Hours Local, 3.875 USB

N2IA                      W2HX                    KF6G                     KA3TIN                 KW1I

1530 Hours Local, 3.885 AM

N2IA                      W2HX                    KK1K                      KZ8ZZ    W8SDA

1700 Hours Local, 51.0 FM

N2IA      N3FRQ                  KB3SOM              K3OP     N3JZE                    K1HF                      W3GRD

Submitted by Ray F/KA3EKH