AA2SD

SJRA Club Members and Pack Rat Members Collaborate to Activate the  Green Bank NJ POTA Location and Complete a 222 MHz Antenna Test

For Immediate Release  Nov 06 2023

Several SJRA members and supporting Pack Rat Club members in the field, activated the Green Bank NJ POTA Site on November 5th within the Wharton State Forest. During this POTA activation we completed a successful antenna test on 222MHz and also activated the Park on 6Mtrs and 40 Mtrs HF.

AA2SD was testing a newly built 12 element 222 MHz Yagi design which was built by “Ray” N3RG to the K1FO specifications. “ This antenna performed flawlessly, utilizing a Demi Transvertor with 30 watts, we were able to make several contacts, and also work Alex KR1ST over 120 miles from this park location with a simple push up pole.

In addition to the antenna test, we also activated the POTA park on 40 Mtrs and 6 Mtrs, with many new SJRA members working the bands for the first time.  We had great support from SJRA Members and the Pack Rats in the field on 6 and 222 MHz.. 

Thanks once again to the following SJRA and Pack Rat  members below for participating. You can follow along with the activation at the following YouTube Link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aMMjU8C5Y

• Jim KC3BVL  Alex KR1ST  Ray N3RG  Chuck WA2ONK

• Alan K3WWT  Joe KC2SGV  Glen  KE2BUO Melissa KE2BWZ

• Andrew KE2BRA Jim  KE2AYY Sam KF3G

                                                               ###   ###   ###

About AA2SD Visit https://www.aa2sd.com/

I operate within the local Southern New Jersey Area including,  South Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Philadelphia.  Thank you for contacting me on Parks on the Air,  I activate parks for K2AA South Jersey Radio Association and AA2SD. I also operate as a Rover in the field for the ARRL VHF Contests with call sign AA2SD/R.  You can view the YouTube AA2SD/R channel here.

About  The South Jersey Radio Association Visit  https://sjra.club/sjraclub/         Established in 1916 is the Oldest Continuously Meeting Amateur Club in North America. Over the years Amateur Radio Operators have stood to provide critical communications in the event of various emergencies.  About South Jersey Radio Association - The SJRA operates the K2AA Repeater located in Medford, NJ and the K2UK Repeater located in Pine Hill, NJ. Both Repeaters are FM and C4FM compatible. The repeaters are open for use without restriction to all licensed amateur operators. 

About the Mount Air VHF Radio Club-  Visit  https://www.packratvhf.com/index.php  Dedicated to serving the VHF / UHF /microwave  Amateur Radio community as well as enhancing the state of the art for 50 MHz and above weak signal operation.   The Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club was founded in 1956 by a group of Philadelphia area hams whose main interests were building equipment and operating the amateur radio frequencies of 50 MHz and above. The founding members almost immediately were nicknamed the "Pack Rats" because of their propensity for collecting all manner of electronic equipment and parts. The nickname stuck and for more than 60 years the Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club, better known as the "Pack Rats", has grown and prospered.

SJRA Club Members and Pack Rat Members Collaborate to Activate the  Green Bank NJ POTA Location and Complete a 222 MHz Antenna Test

For Immediate Release  Nov 06 2023

Several SJRA members and supporting Pack Rat Club members in the field, activated the Green Bank NJ POTA Site on November 5th within the Wharton State Forest. During this POTA activation we completed a successful antenna test on 222MHz and also activated the Park on 6Mtrs and 40 Mtrs HF.

AA2SD was testing a newly built 12 element 222 MHz Yagi design which was built by “Ray” N3RG to the K1FO specifications. “ This antenna performed flawlessly, utilizing a Demi Transvertor with 30 watts, we were able to make several contacts, and also work Alex KR1ST over 120 miles from this park location with a simple push up pole.

In addition to the antenna test, we also activated the POTA park on 40 Mtrs and 6 Mtrs, with many new SJRA members working the bands for the first time.  We had great support from SJRA Members and the Pack Rats in the field on 6 and 222 MHz.. 

Thanks once again to the following SJRA and Pack Rat  members below for participating. You can follow along with the activation at the following YouTube Link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2aMMjU8C5Y

• Jim KC3BVL  Alex KR1ST  Ray N3RG  Chuck WA2ONK

• Alan K3WWT  Joe KC2SGV  Glen  KE2BUO Melissa KE2BWZ

• Andrew KE2BRA Jim  KE2AYY Sam KF3G

                                                               ###   ###   ###

About AA2SD Visit https://www.aa2sd.com/

I operate within the local Southern New Jersey Area including,  South Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Philadelphia.  Thank you for contacting me on Parks on the Air,  I activate parks for K2AA South Jersey Radio Association and AA2SD. I also operate as a Rover in the field for the ARRL VHF Contests with call sign AA2SD/R.  You can view the YouTube AA2SD/R channel here.

About  The South Jersey Radio Association Visit  https://sjra.club/sjraclub/         Established in 1916 is the Oldest Continuously Meeting Amateur Club in North America. Over the years Amateur Radio Operators have stood to provide critical communications in the event of various emergencies.  About South Jersey Radio Association - The SJRA operates the K2AA Repeater located in Medford, NJ and the K2UK Repeater located in Pine Hill, NJ. Both Repeaters are FM and C4FM compatible. The repeaters are open for use without restriction to all licensed amateur operators. 

About the Mount Air VHF Radio Club-  Visit  https://www.packratvhf.com/index.php  Dedicated to serving the VHF / UHF /microwave  Amateur Radio community as well as enhancing the state of the art for 50 MHz and above weak signal operation.   The Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club was founded in 1956 by a group of Philadelphia area hams whose main interests were building equipment and operating the amateur radio frequencies of 50 MHz and above. The founding members almost immediately were nicknamed the "Pack Rats" because of their propensity for collecting all manner of electronic equipment and parts. The nickname stuck and for more than 60 years the Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club, better known as the "Pack Rats", has grown and prospered.

I am a new Rover and this is the antenna assortment I plan to use for the Jan VHF contest. I have to fit all antennas into the back of my Outback, and this is the maximum size. I would appreciate any feedback from experienced field operators on VHF contest antennas for Rover use?

https://www.aa2sd.com/rover

antenna set up 

Thanks

AA2SD

Dear Fellow Club Members and Friends

Thank you for taking the time to hunt me Sunday afternoon during the Fox Point Delaware Parks on the Air activation on 2 and 6 Mtr SSB.

Thanks for the comments, and I hope to reach you on the loop. 

73

AA2SD

Scott

Dear Fellow Club Members and friends

Thank you for taking the time to hunt me Sunday afternoon during the Delaware Parks on the Air activation. I activated Bellevue State Park in Delaware and successfully tested a 5 element Cushcraft 2M/70cm Wideband Yagi Beam for 2 Mtrs and a power amp. I also activated this park for K2AA  on 40 Mtrs

Follow along with me on You Tube during this Activation 
 

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Field Day with South Jersey Radio Association   Field Day is ham radio's open house. Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio's science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event.

Thank You !

Dear Fellow Club Members and friends

Thank you for working me from the 3 locations in the Poconos during this weekend. I set up at Camelback, Penn State in Hazleton PA  and also the 100 mile overlook located at Jim Thorpe. It was a challenge to keep ahead of the thunderstorms and weather conditions. I appreciate all of the help with the spotters as we worked within  the bands.

Follow along with me on YouTube during this (2) Day Rove in the mountains
 

Dear Fellow Club Members and friends

Thank you for taking the time to hunt me Saturday morning during the  K2AA Parks on the Air activation.  I went "back pack portable" on the beach to activate the Cape May Lighthouse. A special thanks to Alan K3WWT for  helping with spotting me during the activation.

Follow along with me during this back pack portable activation with this YouTube link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-tIig18FQI

Thank You for your contacts during Saturday, I successfully activated the Park Saturday morning for K2AA, and had good success with 10 Mts, 20 Mtrs and 40 Mtrs with a simple vertical antenna. The bands were  busy but we made over 120 QSO's.   A Special Thanks to Sam KF3G for spotting us during Saturday. We used a FT891 at 100 watts with a simple vertical for all bands. The elevation is very good for POTA activities from this location.

Come along for the ride with the YouTube video below, of our activation here. 

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Thank You for your contacts during Saturday, I successfully activated the Park Saturday morning for K2AA, and had good success with 10 Mts, 20 Mtrs and 40 Mtrs with a simple vertical antenna. The bands were  busy but we made over 120 QSO's.   A Special Thanks to Sam KF3G for spotting us during Saturday. We used a FT891 at 100 watts with a simple vertical for all bands. The elevation is very good for POTA activities from this location.

Come along for the ride with the YouTube video below, of our activation here. 
 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g43ChhlVgrc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks Jim SJRA is a great club and local in Southern NJ area 

Best

Scott

Thanks to all that contacted me today from Cape May Point in front of the concrete ship. It was a very cold and windy day, but I was able to activate all 4 bands 10, 15 ,20 and 40 Mtrs.  You can still see the remnants of the concrete ship, I took these photos this morning with a zoom lens from the beach, check out the You Tube of today. I used a vertical antenna with 4 radials on the ground and activated on 10-15-20 and 40 Mtrs...a fun day with Parks on the Air.

Thank you so much for this explanation I have been using 4 matched to the antenna length with very good success.  I have been told 24 or more which is not practical for a quick POTA set up.

I won't ask Santa for the radial gift 🎁!

Best

Scott

Hey Ham Community, this is an automated post on behalf of our new member: AA2SD,

On behalf of Ham Community, let's give AA2SD a warm welcome.

AA2SD, we encourage you to browse around and get to know the Community's many sections. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, as with all things HAM, we all love to give advice 😎

For everyone's information, AA2SD joined on the 12/14/2022; this is their profile: View Member.

I am new to Ham Radio and have activated 15 Parks on the Air locations in NJ. My question is what is the correct number of counterpoise radials to use with a temporary .4 wave or 1/2 wave vertical antenna? I typically only use 4 radials to keep the set up time down. You can see an example of my last POTA activation here.

Thanks for the Help

Scott AA2SD