Category: General

2024 Motely Picnic

KL7JFT

 

ALASKA AMATEUR RADIO PICNIC – 2024

Sponsored by The Alaska Motley Group

Aug 2nd to Aug 4th -  Tolsona Wilderness Campground

ALASKA MOTLEY GROUP PICNIC – 2024

Mile173 Glenn Hwy, tolsonacampground.com/ - Phone 822-3900

This will be the 42nd  annual Motley Group picnic.  There are typically 60 to 80 attendees, most of whom are members of the Motley Group, Snipers Net or Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness Net, but all amateur radio operators and their families are welcome to attend.

Fish, hike, chat with other Hams, and participate in as many of the following scheduled activities as you choose.

THURSDAY, 1700 hours - EARLY BIRD GET-TOGETHER - Bring snacks to share and beverage of your choice.  Dee Bowns, the Motley Group historian, will provide an opportunity for you to page through photo albums and recall people and events from previous years.  Your photos are welcome.

FRIDAY, 1130 hours - LADIES LUNCHEON - Campground pavilion - Potluck.

FRIDAY, 1700 hours  - BAKED POTATO  BAR & CHINESE AUCTION   
The Motley Group will provide potatoes, and participants provide toppings to share.
Topping ideas: butter, sour cream, bacon, chili, cheese, diced veggies (raw or cooked), etc.

Bring food and item(s) for Chinese auction - “gag gifts" always welcome.

 

SATURDAY, 1100 hours - SNIPERS NET MEETING - Net Control & Sweep Operators.

 

SATURDAY, 1300 - 1500 hours  – AMATEUR RADIO WORKSHOP - An open-forum discussion of antennas and other Ham radio related items.  Show & tell one of your radio projects.

SATURDAY, 1300 - 1500 hours – LADIES BOARD GAMES AND CARD GAMES

 

SATURDAY, 1700 hours - THE MOTLEY PARTY - Potluck dinner, awards presentation, door prize drawings, and outcry auction.  For outcry auction bring equipment you would like sold at auction.  Motley Group will keep 25% of the sale price, or you can donate the item and the Motley Group will keep 100%.  You can specify a reserve price if you choose.

 

SUNDAY, 0900 hours - FAREWELL BREAKFAST - Pancakes, syrup and butter provided.  You are welcome to contribute precooked meat, scrambled eggs, fruit, pastries, etc.

 

DOOR PRIZES AND AUCTION ITEMS - There will be over 1200 dollars worth of new radio equipment and accessories available as door prizes and auction items.

 

Camping fee is $35 per night for RV sites, which includes water and electricity.  Showers and  laundry available in campground.  This is a discounted rate for Motley Group picnic attendees.

 

If you have not reserved a site, do so NOW.  "Tell them you are with the Motley Group."

Larry, AL7LW - Manager, Alaska Motley Group

http://www.tolsonacampground.com

 

MARA 2024 HAMFEST

KL7JFT

Our date is set for 7 Sept. Setup time is 0900 open from 1000-1600. The location will be the Big Lake Lions Club, at 2942 Lions Cir, Big Lake. Scott/KL7SLM is working on our door prize request letter to give to the vendors and businesses to request door prizes and will have it out soon. Remember they are tax free.  Check with the Treasurer for Tax Receipts to give to the vendors.

(click on map)

We will be inviting the ARRL Northwest Director or Assist. Director, depending on their schedule  He will be bringing a lot of new ARRL and Ham radio info with him and wants to get our opinions on various items. Lets hope he can make it. We are currently looking for presentations to put on the schedule. Coordinate with Hamfest Coordinator to get on the schedule.

Entry is $5.00 at the gate and 1 door prize tickets, additional door prize tickets will be a $1.00 max of 10, Tables are $10.00 reserve them thru John/KL1XM. The Barbee will be $5.00 ea.

We need volunteers to help on various tasks for the hamfest.   Please contact Hamfest Coordinator to assist.  We will need VEs to conduct testing at 1300-1400, will need folks at the gate, and the MARA Country Store, setup and tear down crews. Folks can bring side dishes and deserts if they desire.  Please turn door prizes into prior to the Hamfest and any programs you would like to put on during the the Hamfest to Ken/KL7HF.

MARA is providing the main barbeque, if you could bring a side dishes it would be appreciated.

Pay your Membership Dues On Line

KL7JFT

If you haven't paid your 2020 membership dues, please get with John/KL1XM.  Our dues is one of our main incomes to maintain the club equipment and activities.  We are also a 501c3 non-profit club so it is all tax deductible. The web site has an application form for you to fill out under Forms and you can go to the Donate tab and pay by PayPal or Credit Card, if you like.  For any other club donations we will provide you a Tax Receipt.  Also with all the benefits available thru ARRL, you may be interested in joining it also.  You have the choice of 2 magazines now, one for new hams, with your ARRL membership, you also can get good equipment insurance, pod casts on various ham subjects, new equipment evaluations, construction projects, contest, and what ARRL is doing on our behalf with new legislation.

Another item of interest is that we are allowed to use our current meeting venue by donating to the food bank, non-perishable food or paper products.  This helps out our Food Bank for the community.   And thank you for your donation.

POTA, What is this?

KL7JFT
Well POTA is Parks On The Air.  Do you want have some fun, well this is it and it good practice for operating away from your home station. A lot of Alaskans like to get into the outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, ATVing, boating, or just plain camping.  Now it's possible you just want to get away from the hussle and bussle from the city and others for peace and quite.  But how would you like to help your state to improve getting folks interested to visit and help our small businesses.   Ham operators are always interested in talking up their station, home, and interest you have.  Well go to a park, any type and setup your portable station and call CQ CQ POTA, Denali National Park. This winter we held Winter Field Day at Finger Lake and had a blast.  Below is a link to a video that tells you all about it.  Enjoy.      POTA

SOTA-POTA Saturday 13th MAR (COMPLETED)

KL7JFT

Hello group,

Don't forget that this Saturday Alaska VHF+ is doing another Parks on the Air activation, and this time it will also be a Summits on the Air attempt at the same time.

Weather permitting, I will be hiking up a peak called The Hideout, just north of Skilak Lake. The plan is to be on the air for the 2 M SSB net at 0930 and make a few contacts there. I will have a good antenna but will be running QRP, so keep an ear out for a weak signal in the background.

If you can't hear me on VHF then keep an ear on 20 M FT8 around 1030. I'll be switching to that band and mode to make contacts outside of Alaska, but locals should be able to pick me up too.

For Summits on the Air this peak is "KLA/KM-456". It is within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and counts as K-0149 for that program.

Brandon Clark, KL7BSC

https://brandonclarklabs.com/