Special Event Station

Well it's over...

Between the terrible noise on both 20M and 40M, all the noise the show created all by its self, the blazing sun and 90+ heat, we still managed to make over 140 contacts at our joint venture Madison, Union, and Delaware County Special Event Station at the 2019 Miami Valley Steam Thresher Show and Reunion.

Using a G5RV Jr antenna with 100 watts stations from Italy, Nova Scotia, Spain, a bunch from Canada, and my favorite Derry, North Ireland were logged.  I don't know about other years, but this year we had wrist bands and vehicle passes and parked right behind the gas/radio station. 

List of characters that made it possible:

The Miami Valley Steam Threshers Assn gets a big THANK YOU! for inviting us back for another year.

KE8ANU Ed Liddle was our team leader.

NJ8B Tim Smith helped us set up.

The operators:

KE8ANU Ed Liddle

N8CR Craig Miller

N8ME Mark Erbaugh

W8WLK Wally Kenyon

And thanks goes out to our spotters this year:

WD8NVN Bob Pusch

N8CWU Larry Krist

Technical Adviser

N8HDM Will Hoffine 

The steam threshers special event station in July needs volunteers. Will who has been coordinating it for the past 2 years has other obligations he has to tend to the wekeend of the Steam Threshers Show in Plain City and is unable to coordinate the event this year. We need someone to coordinate the event which will involve setting up the antenna and radio to use during the event at Past Time Park as well as taking the antenna down and packing up the radio when the event is over. In the past we have strung up a dipole antenna using the trees to support it. Will has talked with the president of the Miami Valley Steam Theshers Association and he has gotten permission to have the special event station there this year. If you want to help out with the event or coordinate the event, please contact Ed, KE8ANU at arrl.net

The special event station is located at the old gas station at the park. There is power available there and we are allowed to store some of the equipment in a building there. In the past it has been the club banner and a small folding table. Will has used his personal radio for the event. We should be able to use one of the club radios for it. Below is a photo of were the station is set up to give everyone an idea of what is needed. It is a fun event to work. You end up talking to other hams on the radio that are also involved with old farming equipment and tractors. Often visitors will walk up and ask questions about the radio setup and that usually is a good opportunity to promote the hobby.