Club News & local events

 ***Click here for the upcoming events and hamfest page.***

WINTER FIELD DAY — January 27 & 28, 2024

We had another fun weekend at the cabin. It was raining and quite chilly on top of the mountain. Adam-KC3MYO set up his winter tent next to the cabin for his operating location. The wood stoves in the tent and cabin were put to good use. Our VIP visitor for this event was Lebanon County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz. Everyone enjoyed hot dogs, sauerkraut, cookies, snacks, lots of hot coffee and socializing.

Our operators were active on the 10, 15, 20 and 40 meter bands. Twenty-nine contacts were made using CW mode (Morse code) and eighty-seven contacts using phone mode (voice). We logged contacts with other ham operators in 38 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and Puerto Rico.

In attendance were Wade-N3WTA, HARRY-KM3D, RICK-KB3RKL, COLLEEN-KA3ZNI, DAN-KA3D, ROCKY-K3RKY, DOUG-WJ3W, JOHN-K3KNT, BOB-KB3QAQ, DOUG-W3DL, ADAM-KC3MYO, TOM-KB3MQI, SCOTT-N3SAY, KEN–KB3WIB, Chuck-KC3TTS, Dave-WA3GPM, and Gene-KC3WHS. As always, we give our thanks to everyone who contributed to this weekend event. Next up will probably be our spring cleaning/maintenance/members’ meeting.
7-3’s
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

67th PA QSO Party at the cabin — October 14 & 15, 2023

Our club team for the 2023 PA QSO Party weekend at the ranger station cabin consisted of Rick-KB3RKL, Rocky-K3RKY, Jim-AF3Z, Doug-WJ3W, Scott-N3SAY and Tom-KB3MQI.  This weekend contest shared the airwaves with the Arizona QSO Party, the Nevada QSO Party, the South Dakota QSO Party and the Scandinavian Activity Contest.

Despite some computer problems (solved via phone by Dan-KA3D), we made contacts with operators in 59 Pennsylvania counties, plus hams in New York, Florida, Arizona, Nevada and South Dakota.  Our DX contacts were in Finland, Norway, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Sweden.  We finished the weekend with three visitors Sunday evening.

Our continued thanks to all club members and their families for their support and contributions which make our participation in events like this possible.

See the pictures below….    73!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARRL Field Day – June 2023

Saturday, June 24th, Tom – KB3MQI, operated from the Ranger Station cabin for Field Day. The bands were rather noisy up on the mountain. The 20 and 40 meter bands were quite busy.

Contacts were made with stations in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland – DC, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

The DX (long distance) station for the weekend was ZL1DK in New Zealand.

Packet Antenna installed on the tower on November 2, 2022

New XR5-JK Yagi – installed on 9/30/22

After lots of teamwork to acquire and assemble our new antenna, the XR5 is on top of the tower.  It “gets out” with 2 elements on 20, 17, 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters from about 600′ above average terrain.  See Pictures for a view of the action…

ARRL Field Day – June 2022

Saturday, June 25th, Tom – KB3MQI, operated from the Ranger Station cabin for Field Day. The 6, 10, and 15 meter bands were rather quiet up on the mountain. The 20 and 40 meter bands however were quite busy.

Contacts were made with stations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and the US Virgin Islands.