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Gloucester County ARC Holds Family Fun Fall Fox Hunt 31 |
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On November 9, 2024, Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club (GCARC), W2MMD, in New Jersey kicked off our most recent hidden transmitter hunt starting from our clubhouse.
The event was organized by Jim Wright, N2GXJ, with Alex Duboski, KB2YEF, serving as the fox this time, hiding somewhere in Gloucester County with a cell phone and the transmitter.
Eight hunt teams consisting of first-time and experienced hunters checked in, so we all knew who to expect at the finish.
Then a cell phone call was made and Alex the fox put the transmitter on the air!
With radios tuned to 146.565 MHz, hunters with directional antennas could hear the signal as they moved away from the clubhouse and started sweeping their antennas back and forth, but they were still not sure from which direction the signal was arriving.
To make sure everyone was on the right track before teams got in their cars, an initial clue was given: “Drive out to the highway and turn right.
It is not before the water tower.” After that, teams got in their cars and started out.
The hunt for the fox was on!
After getting to the road and turning right, the signal did seem to start getting stronger.
A half mile or so on the way towards Mullica Hill, the received signal became strong enough to break squelch, and seemed to be strongest when driving past Ella Harris Park.
Driving beyond the park, the signal became weaker again, indicating that the fox had to be somewhere in the park.
An on-foot scramble commenced as teams exited their cars, radio gear in hand, hoping to be first to find the hidden transmitter.
Al Arrison, KB2AYU, and Frank Romeo, N3PUU, and his crew were first to get to the general area where the signal seemed to be coming from -- an old tree stump they had found just off a walking trail within a wooded area.
In tight competition, Al gets credit for being first to the radio, when he saw it first while digging through leaves that had collected inside the open tree stump.
Turns out that the clever fox had purposely buried the transmitter in dry leaves inside the tree trunk so that only its nearly invisible thin black antenna wire was sticking out.
Nice job, Alex!
After finding the fox, they stepped back to watch and smile at the other hunters that soon began arriving in the area.
Using a variety of techniques, including “body fade,” “tree block,” and third harmonics with their handheld radios, everyone was eventually able to find that tree trunk, and then with great delight, the radio hidden in it.
Well done and congratulations everyone, especially first-time hunters! You’re veterans now! What a nice day for a family fun fall fox hunt!
– Thanks to Jim Wright, N2GXJ. Originally printed in GCARC CrossTalk, December 2024
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GCARC foxhunt participants. | | | |
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Hams, Including Clubs in Kansas and Colorado, Let Kids Ragchew with Santa This Holiday Season |
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Santa Claus will be on the amateur radio airwaves again this year.
The 3.916 Santa Net will be on the air every night at 7:00 PM CST from November 29 through December 24. Reserve a spot with Santa by making a pre-net check-in. You can check in each night starting at 6:30 PM CST online at www.CQSanta.com.
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Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on the air, together, thanks to special arrangements with the Cowley (KS) County Amateur Radio Club. They will be on the air on the 147.000 repeater and the Sunflower Net system, beginning at 10 AM on December 21. In addition to the local repeater, the Sunflower Net
offers connection options to Allstar, DMR, D-STAR, Echolink, Fusion, Hamshack Hotline, M17, and P25. The club is also setting up a radio link at the local library to talk to Santa.
Also, for the fourth year, Santa has sent Elf Chucky and his team of amateur radio operators to northern Colorado to help make sure children can talk to Santa on station N0P from the North Pole. Thanks to the Longmont Amateur Radio Club
and the Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club, children can get into the holiday spirit by talking to Santa on the radio. Get the details on that operation at w0eno.org/santa.
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Nashville Amateur Radio Club Marks Historic Milestones |
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The Nashville Amateur Radio Club (NARC), one of the oldest and most esteemed amateur radio organizations in the US, achieved a remarkable dual milestone in 2024, celebrating its 90th anniversary as an ARRL-affiliated club, while also commemorating 107 years of dedicated service to the amateur radio community.
Founded in 1917, the NARC emerged during a transformative era when wireless communication was revolutionizing global connectivity. Over the years, the club has grown from a small group of passionate radio enthusiasts into a vibrant community committed to fostering interest in amateur radio, enhancing communication skills, and providing critical public service support.
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The club's affiliation with ARRL, which began in 1934, has been a cornerstone of its operations, underscoring a shared mission of advancing amateur radio as a valuable resource for innovation, education, and emergency preparedness.
Throughout its storied history, the NARC has played a vital role in Tennessee's communications landscape.
The club has been instrumental in providing emergency communications during natural disasters, including tornadoes, floods, and ice storms.
The club provided communications support in the response to the Christmas Day bombing that occurred in Nashville in 2020. Members are trained operators who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure critical information flows during crises when traditional communication networks fail.
The NARC has also promoted the hobby to new generations through educational outreach, licensing courses, and mentoring programs, inspiring countless individuals to explore the art and science of amateur radio.
To commemorate this historic milestone, the NARC has planned a series of celebratory events and activities.
Highlights include:
– Coming up in January 2025, the NARC will conduct a Community Outreach Program, offering workshops and demonstrations to the local hospital community to introduce newcomers to the basics of amateur radio, fostering interest in this enduring hobby.
– In November, the club hosted a special on-air event, operating under the call sign K90 and sending a commemorative QSL card to stations that made contact.
– On December 14, the club opened its doors to the public, showcasing vintage radio equipment, memorabilia, and a timeline of its evolution over the past century.
While the NARC reflects proudly on its past, it remains firmly focused on the future.
The club is committed to embracing modern technologies, such as digital modes and satellite communications, while preserving the traditional values of camaraderie and service that have defined its mission.
For more information about the NARC and its anniversary events, visit their website www.NashvilleAmateurRadio.club
or follow them on social media.
– Thanks to NARC President Dan Sigmund, W4WWF
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Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club Celebrates 75 Years |
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The Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club (PMRC) of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania is proud to announce its 75th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in the club’s history of public service and amateur radio enthusiasm.
A celebratory banquet was held Saturday, November 9, 2024, at the Whitemarsh Valley Event Center in Fort Washington. The keynote address was given by ARRL Atlantic Division Director Robert Famiglio, K3RF. Awards for lifetime contributions were given to Bill Popovic, W3AOK; Ed Masarsky, KB3IV, and Steve Hoch, WU3I. The award for exceptional club service was given to Greg Cheng, KC3SMW. There was a raffle with over $800 in prizes, including a grand prize of a $500 gift certificate to Ham Radio Outlet. You can watch the PMRC 75th Anniversary Video Blast (3 min.) at www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2m40ST2nmA
“We are thrilled to celebrate 75 years of PMRC’s contributions to the amateur radio community.
Throughout these 75 years, we've hosted countless events, participated in all the Field Days, thousands of nets, and engaged in community service that exemplifies our commitment to outreach and education.
The friendships forged in this club have created a family that extends beyond just radio waves; we are united by shared experiences and memories,” said club President Richard Roth, AA3RC. “This banquet was an opportunity to honor our shared achievements and enjoy an evening filled with camaraderie and joy.”
Formed on December 12, 1949, the Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club has been at the forefront of amateur radio operations in the Philadelphia region, providing public service and emergency communications, and fostering a community of radio enthusiasts.
PMRC is an ARRL-affiliated club dedicated to promoting amateur radio, providing public service, and advancing the art and science of radio communication. With 202 members, the club offers various services including a newsletter, daily nets, license test sessions, mentoring, and on-air bulletins. For more information, go to www.phil-mont.org.
– Thanks to PMRC President Richard Roth, AA3RC
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PMRC President Richard Roth, AA3RC, with PMRC member Ek Masarsky, KB3IV, who was honored for lifetime contributions at the club’s celebration banquet in November. | | | |
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Submitting Info for this Newsletter |
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ARRL Club News is for radio clubs to show how they are working in the community and the hobby to advance amateur radio.
If your club completes a project, supports an event, does an EmComm activation, or activates a park, we want to hear about it.
You can submit your newsletter article to us at
clubs@arrl.org. We like to get them as text or Word files instead of PDFs.
If you have pictures, please submit them with caption information, as well as the name and call sign of the photographer.
We want to highlight the good work being done by the clubs and show others in the community.
Think of this as a chance to show off your club and your programs.
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How to Plan and Apply for an ARRL Hamfest or Convention |
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If your amateur radio club is planning to host a convention, hamfest, tailgate, or swapfest, please consider applying for it to be an ARRL-sanctioned event. To learn what it means to be an ARRL-sanctioned event, and to get some ideas on how to prepare for and conduct a hamfest or convention, visit
www.arrl.org/arrl-sanctioned-events.
To have your event sanctioned, complete the online application at
www.arrl.org/hamfest-convention-application.
Please send a copy of the application that returns to you to Steve Ewald at sewald@arrl.org.
The ARRL Hamfests and Conventions Calendar can be found online at
www.arrl.org/hamfests. In addition, the Convention and Hamfest Calendar that runs in QST each month also presents information about upcoming events.
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ARRL Home: www.arrl.org
Find an ARRL Affiliated Club: www.arrl.org/clubs
Find your ARRL Section: www.arrl.org/sections
Find a license class in your area: www.arrl.org/class
Find a license exam in your area: www.arrl.org/exam
Find a hamfest or convention: www.arrl.org/hamfests
Email ARRL Clubs: clubs@arrl.org
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ARRL Club News is published every month (12 times each year). ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member Data Page at
www.arrl.org/opt-in-out. Archived issues can be found at
www.arrl.org/club-news
Copyright © 2024 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission.
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