The Loudoun Border Guard
Sounded The Start

First Night Leesburg
December 31, 2002

Communications Support
By The
Loudoun Amateur Radio Group

Reported and Photographed
By Norm Styer, AI2C

      For the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group, this event is always an excellent opportunity to serve the community, provide pubic service, test our emergency communications preparedness, train new members and operators, and learn to work with the public and government representatives. Tom Dawson, WB3AKD, the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service Coordinator for Loudoun County organized this event this year. He published a plan ( See WB3AKD's Operations Plan ) on the 120-member Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Reflector and directed this operation. Members of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group provided outstanding communications support to twenty-one performance and support sites for this great public service event At the peak of this 6-hour operation, several thousand visitors enjoyed great entertainment at First Night Leesburg; as usual, this event is coordinated by the Bluemont Concert Series of Loudoun County.

       The communications system was composed of a 440 MHz portable, battery-powered, emergency communications repeater provided by Tom Dawson, WB3AKD, a 2-Meter and a 440 MHZ Net Control Stations established in the basement of the Leesburg Town Office Building by Tom Dawson, WB3AKD and Jacob Dawson, KF4VLQ, and about 18 Loudoun Amateur Radio Group operators using 2-Meter and/or 440-MHz Hand Held Transceivers deployed throughout the town of Leesburg. The entire repeater and the antenna for the 2-Meter Net Control Station were located on the top floor of the parking garage adjacent to the Leesburg Town Office Building on West Market Street; this location provided good radio coverage throughout Leesburg.

        The following members of the Loudoun Amateur Radio Group supported this operation: Tom Dawson, WB3AKD and Jacob Dawson, KF4VLQ, both of Round Hill, Dave Putman, KG4KZZ of Leesburg, Joe Faber, KG4UHP of Hamilton, Jay Greeley of Leesburg, John Hawley, N2PBY of Sterling, John Unger, W4AU of Hamilton, Angi, KG4AVR and Tom, NA4MA, Garasic of Haymarket, Paulson McIntyre, KG4TIH of Aldie, Mrs and Allon, KE4FYL, Stern of Purcellville, Austin Styer, Student Member of Round Hill, Norm Styer, AI2C of Clarkes Gap, Mark Gillam, N3GMW of Lovettsville, Carol, KF4TJJ, and Denny, KF4TJI, Boehler of Leesburg, and Bill McCourt, WF1L of Reston. Our operators made and reported entertainment site head counts, relayed requests for more tickets, how to make out checks, requests to pick up of money, and other support requests from the event coordinators.

Tom Dawson, WB3AKD of Round Hill with cable is assisted by Bill McCourt, WF1L of Reston, Mark Gillam, N3GMW of Lovettsville, Dave Putman, KG4KZZ of Leesburg and John Hawley, N2PBY of Sterling in the installation of the 2-Meter Antenna for the Net Control Station.

The K4LRG Net Control Station Ready To Roll
Jacob Dawson, KF4VLQ of Round Hill, Tom Dawson, WB3AKD of Round Hill
and John Hawley, N2BPY of Sterling

The WB3AKD / RPT

440-MHz Emergency Repeater

      This little baby sat in the back of Tom Dawson's Chevy SUV and used a small 1/4-wave vertical on the roof. Also shown is the emergency battery power and fire fighting equipment.

Bolivian Street Band

The Southern Mountain Band

Professor Ludlow Bushmat works the street as Groucho Marx

Nicolo Whimsey

Main St. Southern Jazz