|
|
Flying Circus Scout Operation
2002 |
|
|
|
The Flying Circus Scout Operation was set up to show Scouts Amateur Radio,
to interest some in the Radio Merit Badge, and to practice our ARES deployment
and operating skills. This was a solo on-site operation by Norm Styer - AI2C. We used the 2001 LARG
OPLAN 2001-4 that is available here but we had to look for some new Outstations. So things were
packed for a 24-hour operation. It all started early on Saturday, September
7, 2002, with a 6:30 AM departure from atop Canby Road. The road trip
was about 48 miles and I arrived around 7:30 AM. With some help from several
Scouts, had the gear unpacked and assembled. |
|
First tables, then overhead, then the 40-Meter dipole and 2 Meter - 440 MHz yagi antennas, and finally the rigs and 2 deep-cycle batteries, and we were in business. Larry Hughes, K3HE of Winchester, came up on 2-Meters about 8:15 AM with a very nice signal and we made some radio checks on 40-Meter Phone. By 9 AM we were running Scout QSOs. |
|
 |
We found a nice spot at 7265 KHz and stayed there all day. It was a nice
surprise to have Mary Oliphant, KF4UUY of Leesburg, join us about 10:30 AM
and she took a turn at talking with the Scouts. Both Larry and Mary had nice
signals; both were running about 100 watts to ground mounted multiband vertical
antennas. Larry was using an ICOM 706-MKII on HF and a ICOM 2100 Mobile VHF
unit, while Mary was using a DX-77 Unit. You could tell others were listening
and when we took a break for them, they all had nice things to say about
our operation. When
the Scouts were not talking on the radios, they tried their hand at a little
Charlie Whiskey with the aid of the LARG Code Card! We
also fired up the kitchen and had hot coffee all day, and some soup and dogs
for lunch. |
When thinks got a little busy, we came up on the 2-Meters frequency and Larry - K3HE kept things going there while Mary - KF4UUY was on 40-Meters. |
|
| .
Larry Hughes, K3HE, kept the Scouts on their toes with good questions. |
|
| .
|
The 2-Meter link worked quite well. Larry was using a ICOM 2100 mobile unit
at 50 watts to a 4-element yagi at 18 feet with 50 foot of RG-8 coax. At
K4LRG I had a Kenwood TM-7V FM Dual-Bander Unit at 50 watts to a 2/440 5-element
yagi at 20 feet on 4 Radio Shack mast sections with 65 feet of 9913F7 coax.
The path to K3HE was 52.5 Miles with K3HE at 1006 feet elevation and K4LRG
at 305 feet and some of the Blue Ridge between us - very interesting. |
.The Aviation Operation was super with multiple classes and several aircraft in the air at the same time. |
|
.Don't These Baby Look Pretty ? |
|
| .
|
Before they could take a ride, |
And what makes them stay up is important ! |
|
I personally favor the OD One ! |
|
But this is also pretty ! |
|
The Scouts also had an opportunity to earn the the Astronomy Merit Badge which required plotting constellations later that evening. |
|
|
I'm sure they had some great views with this baby ! |
Well, we all
enjoyed ourselves. My hat is off to Larry Hughes - K3HE and Mary Oliphant
- KF4UUY for staying up on the air all day with me. I also appreciate the
support from the Aviation Coordinator and Scouter Joe Gallen from Leesburg. |
|
As Mary Oliphant, KF4UUY, said before closing
down at 2:30 PM: |
|
| NNNN | |
