NJQRP
Field Day 1997 Planning
Last Updated: Monday night 6/23
This page contains the planning, maps, directions and preview discussion concerning the NJQRP operating site for Field Day 1997. You can conveniently print this page to get a consolidated guide to our club FD operation.
To quickly get to the various sections of the page, select the desired topic:
What
When
Who
Food
Stations
Antennas
Miscellaneous
Where
Directions
WHAT
ARRL-sponsored "Field Day" where we operate in the field, mostly without commercial power and other conveniences in order to practice emergency preparedness, trying to gain as many contacts as possible within a specific time window spanning Saturday and Sunday.
WHEN
From 2pm Saturday June 28th through 6pm Sunday June 29th ... official rules to be posted shortly. The NJQRP event is NOT going to be a killer, max-point type of contest ... we're going to have fun and make it a learning exercise for all. We'll be gathering at 11am on Saturday, work different bands throughout the day, night and Sunday morning, and probably break camp around 2pm Sunday.
WHO
George N2APB, Howard K3HW, Bill W2DP, Dean N2TNN, Vince WA2ECP, Dave N2SMH, and Paul KC2AHB. Maybe James KA5DVS. Others? ... let us know!
Others are *more* than welcome to come by ... even if you only follow along on the NJQRP listserver. Come by for Saturday afternoon, Saturday overnight (80m will be GREAT!), anytime Sunday, or the whole time. Bring your family for some hiking along the way too. We're intending to make this a fun outing for all!
FOOD
We'll have a couple of Coleman stoves, a coffee pot, a grill and an ice chest. Those attending should bring whatever YOU'D like to prepare and eat. So bring some burgers, beans, chips, sandwiches, cookies, soda, etc ... whatever you wish to consume and you can use the facilities we have on hand. I'd recommend eating light only to simplify the operation, even though the car isn't too far away. My own cuisine will consist of several large hoagie sandwiches, carbohydrates (cookies), fruit, water and coffee ... lots of coffee! It's really only Saturday evening meal and Sunday morning you need to deal with, with lots of munchin' in between all night.
STATIONS
We'll be operating 3 transmitters. We
can have others along, but I believe that 3 will be all we can
handle for the area (like interference-wise).
N2APB and N2SMH have Sierras. W2DP has a QRP+.
We'll be using Joe's N2CX call sign for all transmitters. (Thanks
Joe.)
We'll be assigning specific ops to specific bands and times so
people don't have to be locked in (or out) for exhorbitant
durations. We'll want to cover 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10. We'll
figure out who does what that day, although George N2APB has
preferences for the low bands in general, and Bill W2DP has some
presferences for the higher bands.
We'll all be operating in the Under 5W category.
James and George will be bringing along their 2m all-mode rig
(doesn't count as an extra xmtr), and possibly even get some
packet contacts (point adders).
A satellite contact or two? (Doug has contributed satellite
passing times/coordinates, but we need a satellite-capable
station...)
Joe will be contributing his solar powering accessories ....
another point adder.
ANTENNAS
N2APB will have an 80m all-band ladder
line fed dipole, an 80m delta loop and a G5RV all-band (esp. 20m)
dipole.
Bill W2DP will be stringing a 20 delta loop, as well as bringing
along his elevated SLV (should be goos at our elevation).
Dave N2SMH will be bringing an all-band doublet and a dipole.
James KA5DVS 2m quagi will likely be set up on some PVC Gusher
pipe.
MISCELLANEOUS
For some reason there is no
"camping", per se, so we won't be setting up any normal
tents. You'll be able to snooze in the car at any time if needed,
and we'll be using James' canopy covering over the equipment and
our operating positions.
There are two "porta potties" along the edge of the
gravel parking lot.
There's no electricity (obviously, and we wouldn't want it even
if present!), and no running water (although about 5 gillion
gallons of standing water in the crater!).
Canopy & coverings -- bring 'em along if you can find 'em. I
think I heard that the weather will be cooperative this weekend
(really).
Chairs & tables -- Bring along any COMFORTABLE seating and
relatively stable table. There's one picnic table, I think, so if
you have a card table or folding whatever -- please let us know.
Lights -- a low-wattage light bulb lamp for your batteries, or
(ideally) a Coleman lantern would be ideal. It'll be real dark up
there, so bring along flashlights too and spare batteries for
them.
Batteries -- need I say more?! The rigs and the lights for more
than 24 hours (10 in the dark). Charge 'em up NOW!
Mosquito repellent -- although they are
our State Bird!
Pillow -- for the "off-duty" time in the car.
WHERE
Millbrook/Delaware Water Gap.
This Saturday at 11am a bunch of us are going to be ascending to Crater Lake in the Delaware Water Gap (DWG) to establish our QRP radio presence for the ensuing 24 hours or so. A recent change in our specific location within the DWG allows us to drive right up to the site without any hiking or uneven terrain navigation at all! (Again, thanks to Paul Young KC2AHB for the advance scouting to get us the location.)
I checked the place out now and it's indeed a nice and convenient one. Crater Lake is along the same ridge line as the Appalachian trial and is around 1320 foot elevation. If any body wants to take a short walk up from the lake about 1/2 mile there is a benchmark high point of 1606 feet.
It'll seem like a long drive getting there, as the last part of the trek will be at slower speed and in unfamiliar territory for most. But the directions are accurate and it's pretty straightforward. I don't know about the 2m simplex coverage, but I'll be on 146.52 for anyone needing help along the way. I will be en route for arrival at precisely 11am. See the directions below.
DIRECTIONS
Map 1: BLAIRSTOWN AREA, NORTH of Rts 80 & 94.
1) Take Rt 80 west to Rt 521 north up into Blairstown.
2) Take 521 until it meets Rt 94 in a "T" (with Rt 94 going off to the right and a restaurant on the left).
3) Turn left and go several hundred yards to a light ... this is the center of Blairstown, with a red building (real estate and hobbies) on that corner.
Map 2: Navigating through Blairstown, and onward to Crater Lake.
4) Turn right onto Bridge Street and go for a few hundred yards to its end, then take a quick right and left to get onto Rt 604 North (Millbrook Road).
5) Follow 602 North for 7.3 miles. Along the way you'll see lots of nice farmland, trees, a big pond and a road leading to the NoWeBosko Boy Scout camp on the right. You'll see a sign indicating that you've crossed into the Delaware Water Gap park area as you progressively climb higher and higher up Rt 602. Soon the road will crest and you'll start heading down for about a mile or so.
6) At the 7.3 mile point along Rt 602 you'll come to "historic Millbrook Village" with a road going off to the right with a brown buildings. Although not marked, this is Rt 621 OLD MINE ROAD and you should turn right.
7) After winding 1.4 miles uphill through some denser and denser tree cover, you will come to a sign for Crater Lake and road off to the right. Although not labeled, this is Flatbrook Road.
8) Make the right turn on Flatbrook Rd. and continue 2.6 miles uphill along a progressively smaller road until you get almost to the end where you will see a YMCA Camp on the left and just beyond this a gravel road off to the left just before the End of the Road gate.
9) Turn left onto the gravel road and follow it slowly (pretty rough and single-lane) and follow it about 2 miles to the end at Crater Lake. Park in the gravel parking lot at the end closest to the lake. Our FD site will be 100 feet off to the right of the parking lot on the way to the lake edge.
