Our April 6th 2019 RaDAR Challenge Plans

Dennis WA6QKN and I do the RaDAR Challenge together. We are going to use bikes to move between stops this time. The prescribed distance is two kilometers. I am not a regular bike rider. I did rent a bike last weekend and rode a couple of kilometers. I found out I am not in RaDAR shape as I huffed and puffed over the hill. However, if I stick to the flat roads I should be fine.



For a venue, the Top Sail Preserve State Park near Destin Florida is high on the list. The trails are paved. It has a beach and a lake for the scenic view. For the RaDAR challenge, you pick a four hour period within the 24 hour UTC day. It turns out we will overlap the annual Florida State Parks On The Air Operating Event. Our park will also be on the Parks On The Air POTA reference list. We will need all the help we can get to get our five contacts before each move.

The gear will likely be the Elecraft KX3 running ten watts.  The main antenna will be a Windcamp Gypsy adjustable dipole with fiberglass support poles. They get the antenna about ten feet above the ground. I can slip the support poles into my backpack as shown. Of course, we will also take an Elk antenna and an FM HT for the RaDAR satellite bonus.

Planning is half the fun for the RaDAR Challenge. Our plans can always be tweaked down to the last moment. Be sure to make your plans to operate the RaDAR Challenge in the field or as a chaser. Our call will be N4KGL. See the RaDAR Challenge rules at http://radarops.co.za/index.php/radar-rules/ and also visit the MeWe RaDAR Community at https://mewe.com/join/radarrapiddeploymentamateurradio