MRCA\ Gilbert Red Ball 2022 Pictures
MRCA Displays in the Howell Building.
Fridays Field Exercise HF AM/USB Pack Nets And Saturdays RAT and MMRCG Net
The M151A1 served as the remote opps center (NCS) at Beltsville Lake State Park and for running Teletype at the fair grounds.
AAR of the event:
What was supposed to be achieved by this project?
The MRCA Gilbert event in cooperation with Red Ball
Military Vehicle Collectors show was this past weekend. Friday the 23rd
and Saturday the 24th.
What was actually achieved?
Arrived Thursday afternoon around 1500 local, several
members were there already and had set up displays in the Howell building, N3FRQ
was working on setting up antennas and I worked on setting up my tent and a
small display in the building that included a table with a couple radios and a
TV set that was playing a loop of old Vietnam era films about the signal corps.
Friday morning after grabbing a quick breakfast headed out
to see what all the vendors had for sale. Saw lots of VRC-12 radios and
accessories with RT-524 sets being anywhere from $250 to $500 and lots of
accessories like brackets, antennas and trays. Also saw lots of telephone and
intercom equipment. Several radios for sale like a T-195 that I saw sell for
$120 and a after I said I would never buy another one a UGC-74 that I paid $40
for.
That afternoon packed up the mutt and headed over to
Beltsville Lake along with Jeff N2IA and his M151 following me for operations at
Beltsville State Park. This year we had several vehicles in the field including
W2HX and his Land Rover over at Big Pocono, stations located around Beltsville
Lake State park, Pens Peak and the Gilbert Fair Grounds. That gave us an
exercise aria of around twenty miles.
Friday’s field exercise went off with a minimum of problems
with 51.0 being used as a coordination channel for everyone.
Saturday Morning set up the mutt over by the bathrooms and
operated the 0900 RAT net on 7087 and the MMRCG Net at 1000 on 7296
After that spent more time socializing at the Howell
building and looking at everything for sale. Started packing up around noon and
most of us were out of there by two or three that afternoon.
What aspects of the project work?
We had several displays of equipment at the Howell
building. All were well prepared including things like placards on displays
explaining what was there. We did not do a Show and Tell this year but displays
filled both sides of the buildings. Fridays Field Exercise went well with the
1400 hours 60-meter (5357) Net having over a dozen stations checking in, the
1500 hours 3875 USB Net with five stations, the 1530 hours 3885 AM Net with six
and the 1700 hours 51.0 FM Net with seven stations participating.
What didn't work and why?
And speaking of Saturday maybe try to find a way to keep
everyone from running off early on Saturday. As it is now Friday is the big day
of the event and its almost like everyone has the idea of leaving early Saturday
with the pavilion clearing out by one or two in the afternoon.
Nets and Calls (KA3EKH Net Control):
1400 Hours Local, 5.357 USB
N2MS
N3KCB
W1AEA
N1IIC
KB1PFL
KW1I
N2IA
N3FRQ
KB3SOM
K3OP N3JZE
K1HF
W3GRD
Thanks to MRCA and Red Ball for making this all possible. Already looking forward to next year!
Return to " Rays Web Page"
Oct 22