[OFARC] FW: Camp Bovay JOTA trip report

Sat Aug 26 18:10:25 EDT 2017

From: Ralph (home) [mailto:ke5hdf at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Saturday, August 26, 2017 17:08
To: 
Subject: Camp Bovay JOTA trip report

I went to Camp Bovay last week to inspect the facilities for radio
operations, but got caught up in preparing for Hurricane Harvey.

Thanks to the rain I had time today to draft a trip report ...

Please review my notes below and let me know if you can commit to helping at
Camp Bovay JOTA.

I need to have operators lined up within 2 weeks so we can advertise within
scouts

Photos attached

I can send a google earth shot of the 2 locations if you need ... just let
me know

Ralph

KE5HDF

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Travel Time from SHAC HQ approximately 1 hour (with limited traffic)

Date of exercise October 21, 2017

Start Time 0900 local time

End time 1800 local time

Audience

*         Campers will be young cub scouts .. Mainly 1st and 2nd grade plus
a parent

*         Estimated 400 boys will attend Saturday Morning session and
another 400 Saturday afternoon session

*         A few boys will arrive Friday night and camp over

*         Boys will move in reasonable sized groups from activity to
activity with radio being one "station"

*         Camp leaders will help manage the crowd at each station

General Camp conditions: (see map of Bovay)

*         Paved roads throughout

*         Camp rangers will have 2 activity areas set up for the campers
(approx. 2600 ft apart)

*         Camp has requested we set up radios at each location

*         2 locations proposed for radio set up

o   McNair adventure center

o   Ball field

*         Restrooms/showers available near both locations

*         Some 25 ft tall trees available for antenna supports

*         A single 15A/120V power outlet at each location

*         NO LIQUID FUEL ALLOWED

o   That means no gasoline powered generators

o   Use local utility or solar power

My suggestion for radio stations/operations:

Having worked camp portable a few times, I realize antennas will not be
optimum and HF propagation could be bad (or a lot of HF static).   I always
am ready to fall back to repeater operation if HF is not workable, but that
has usually been in more populated areas.  I don't know how well that would
work at Camp Bovay.

Area Repeaters .. One in Navasota and one in Iola.  Locations unknown.

There could be others within reach, but I am not sure of their range.

*         1 HF rig at each location

*         May need to use band pass filters to avoid interference between
radios

*         1 VHF/UHF rig at each location

*         Wire antenna for HF

*         Ground plane Vertical (or directional) antenna for repeaters 

*         layout out radials ONLY if necessary.  Talk to the ranger first
and rope off the area.

McNair Adventure Center location

*         Parking about 250 ft from pavilion

*         power at the pavilion A single 15A/120V power outlet

*         picnic tables & benches in the pavilion

o   wire antenna feasible running West from pavilion (azimuth = 263 degrees)
to 30 ft flagpole approx. 120ft from pavilion (see photo mcnair1, flag pole
by white marquee behind tree on photo left)

*         lots of open field for portable vertical antenna

*         pavilion has mock-up of derrick rising from the center - approx.
50 ft tall

o   derrick is wooden lattice surrounding estimated 10" diameter steel pipe

o   No access available to the derrick

o   May be possible to use antenna launcher to put line on derrick

o   I will ask the camp if they could put a pulley and lanyard near top of
the derrick

Ball Field location  (2660 ft East from derrick pavilion at azimuth of 95
degrees)

*         parking about 150 ft from backstop

*         power at the backstop A single 15A/120V power outlet

*         ez ups available from the scouts

*         wire antenna feasible running  from backstop  where the power is
located (see photo ballfield2, I am standing at backstop looking north)

o   tree 100 ft due North (would be approx. rt angle to the antenna at
derrick pavilion)

o   tree 140 ft NE (az = 35 degrees)

*         lots of open field for portable vertical antenna

*         operators to provide tables, chairs

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