Rob Marshall KI4MCW reports, "We're all submitted. Claimed score is 3292, including bonus points for outdoor setup, multiple antenna setup, and for setting up away from home. We had 21 CW contacts and 214 phone contacts, from 47 different states and provinces and 4 different DX entities. Bragging rights go to Mike KM4WSA, who had the most contacts (81)." Here's a huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out to Pocahontas State Park, and especially the folks who helped lug equipment to and from storage, put antennas in the air, or donated to this event. THANK YOU Scott Avery AD4SA, Bill Catogni N4WLC, David Kleinholtz KO4RNT, Wayne Scarberry K9WVU, and our cash donors for your generous support of Winter Field Day 2024. Donations covered over 100% of the $763 cost for cabin rental, portable toilet rental, food/beverage, and other expenses. Dues pay the bills, donations help make the big activities happen. If you'd like to throw a few extra bucks in the pot, go to rats.net/donate.
The National Weather Service Wakefield WFO will offer Basic SKYWARN Spotter Training on Thursday, February 29 at 6:30 PM, at the Ashcake Volunteer Rescue Squad, 8375 New Ashcake Road in Mechanicsville. Seats are limited and pre-registration is required. To sign up, register here. Spotter training is offered at various locations around the Wakefield CWA each year. Training is good for three years and may be renewed by taking either a Basic or Advanced Spotter class. The RATS 146.88 machine is the primary SKYWARN repeater for central Virginia. When severe weather threatens our region, volunteers from the NWS Wakefield SKYWARN Amateur Radio Support Team (WX4AKQ) may activate a net to collect reports from spotters. For more information on the SKYWARN program, see rats.net/skywarn.
Traveling? Away from a radio? Curious what's happening on C4FM/WIRES-X or DMR but don't have the right equipment? You can once again listen to the RATS repeaters from anywhere, 24/7/365. Internet streaming has been restored. The 146.88 and 442.55 repeaters are live now, and the DMR repeater will be added soon. For information and links, visit rats.net/streaming
Richmond Amateur Radio Club is offering license classes for all three levels, plus some skills seminars featuring topics like antenna modeling, D-STAR setup, radiosport and contesting, remote station setup and operation, and "Station Setup 101." If you see something that interests you, we encourage you to sign up early! RARC's high quality educational programs can fill up fast. You'll find their schedule and registration links here.
Members who have signed up to volunteer on the club's new Elmer Program should have received an invitation to a kick-off meeting tonight (February 6) via Zoom. If you need a re-send, contact Nathaniel Wooley W1OLE.
The RATS Elmer Program will be a multi-faceted program that includes several educational and technical assistance resources for new and upgraded hams, proactive outreach to new licensees, online resources and reference materials, and a technical "help desk" e-mail address. Services are available to all RATS members and selected new and recently upgraded licensees in central Virginia. Around a dozen RATS members with various areas of expertise have offered up their knowledge and experience for this program, and we look forward to offering this service to the community.
The RATS Board of Directors will hold its monthly business meeting Wednesday night (February 7) at 6:30 PM via Zoom. All RATS members are welcome to attend. Club members can find draft minutes and video from last month's Board meeting here.
The Page Valley Amateur Radio Club will be hosting a hamfest on Saturday, February 17 at the Elkton VFW Post, 13958 Spotswood Trail in Elkton, Virginia. That's on US 33, just across the mountains on your way to Harrisonburg, around an hour and a half northwest of Richmond.
Parking is free, admission is $5, and tables are available for $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Setup starts at 6:30 AM, doors open at 7:00, and the show runs until 2 PM. Tailgating is allowed with a suggested $5 donation.
A QSL card checker will be on site. Hourly raffle prizes start at 9 AM with a grand prize drawing at noon. This is a handicap-accessible event. Overflow parking and shuttle services are provided. Refreshments available. Talk-in will be on on the N4YSA 146.625 repeater, negative offset, PL 131.8.
For more information or to purchase a table, see the contact details in this flyer.
Updated 10:15 AM 1/28/2024: The plan was to wrap up around 10 AM this morning, so unless a bunch of visitors showed up just before 10, they ought to be packing things up right about now. Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially those who helped make this event possible through setup/tear-down assistance, donations, and other support. Our next club activity will probably be the Virginia QSO Party in mid-March. RATS is once again sponsoring one of the VHF plaques for that contest. Gordon Miller NQ4K of the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club (SPARC) will give a brief presentation on the VAQP at the February RATS membership meeting on 2/16/2024. We hope to see you there.
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RATS POTA+Winter Field Day 2024 will be located at the Appamatuck Cabins at Pocahontas State Park January 26-28. This is a great opportunity to visit with your fellow club members, eat some good food, and play on the radio. We'll have at least two HF stations and several antennas to pick from. We will be operating from the same cabin we used last year. An approximate schedule of activities can be found below.
Follow this link on your desktop or mobile device for a map and directions to the site. If the entry station is staffed, let them know you are there for the RATS Winter Field Day event - there is no entry/parking fee for Winter Field Day participants! Look for the RATS banner. Talk-in assistance will be available on our 146.88 repeater - call for W4RAT.
GPS coordinates: 37.377136, -77.566642
All are welcome to join us. You do not need to be a member of RATS or even a licensed amateur to participate in this event.
Here's more information about Parks on the Air (POTA) and Winter Field Day.
Any questions about our event should be directed to info@rats.net.
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Photos taken at POTA/WFD can be e-mailed to kg4peq@rats.net or texted to 804-924-7287 (924-RATS). The best photos will be saved to the club's photo albums, to be published on this web site.
Approximate schedule of activities
Got an idea for a fun activity you'd like to see at Winter Field Day? We'd love to hear your ideas. Contact info@rats.net with your suggestions.
FAQ
Can I operate Winter Field Day from home? Yes. Refer to the Winter Field Day rules for information.
What license class do I need? None! You may operate the POTA portion of this event under either your personal call sign and license privileges (General or higher), or under the club call sign using your control operator's privileges. RATS control operators will be on site for the entire event to supervise unlicensed or under-licensed hams. Winter Field Day activities will take place under the club's call sign and control op (General or Extra Class) privileges.
Do I have to operate a radio? No! You can listen, you help log contacts, you can stand off to the side and watch, or you can ignore the radios altogether while you socialize and graze on snacks. No pressure! Even if you just drop by for five minutes to say hello, we'd love to see you.
Can I visit other areas of the park? Absolutely. The cabin rental fee paid by RATS covers park admission/parking fees for all attendees. Tell the folks at the entry station that you're here for the RATS Winter Field Day event and they'll wave you through. Come see us for a bit, and the rest of the park is yours to enjoy for the day.
Can I stay overnight? Yes. There are several small cabins available to us within walking distance of the main POTA/WFD event. These cabins are cold, a little drafty, and they're not designed to hold heat very well. However, if you have a warm sleeping bag, maybe an electric blanket, small space heater, etc., you might be OK. Contact info@rats.net for more information.
Is this a rain-or-shine event? Yes. We may suspend radio operations during any periods of severe weather (which are not expected at this time) but we will be indoors. Rain or shine, we'll be there.
Are there restroom facilities? The club has rented a portable toilet which will be available near the main POTA+WFD area.
How can I support this event? Show up. You can also help move equipment to/from storage, or make a donation to offset the club's expenses relating to this activity. Our major expenses are cabin rental (around $370), the portable toilet ($175), and food/beverage. You can drop a few bucks in our donation bucket, or donate online.
Your RATS repeater team would like to remind all operators to treat our repeaters as a shared resource. When engaged in any conversation on a repeater: 1. Leave enough space between each transmission to allow another station to join the conversation or make an emergency call. Pause at least three to four seconds before responding (includes repeater hang time). Responding too quickly ("quick-keying") monopolizes access to the repeater and is contrary to the spirit of a shared system. If you wish to join a conversation, simply announce your call sign in-between transmissions. Do not use the word "break" to interrupt a QSO on amateur repeaters unless there is an emergency. 2. Establish a rotation and stick to it. A common approach is to go in order by first name. Minimize deviations from the rotation and restore the normal flow as quickly as possible. As new stations join the conversation, let them know where they land in the rotation. Know who you're after, and who's after you. Pass the QSO off to the next user by name. "Over to you, John." 3. Long-winded conversations -- many minutes or even hours long -- are welcome on the RATS repeaters. Insert additional pauses in your transmission every five to ten minutes and invite others to use the repeater. They may want to join your conversation, or they may have their own quick calls to make. Repeated doubling (transmitting on top of each other) or lots of "let me see if I've got the mic" is a good indicator that someone in the QSO might have bad operating habits. If enough space is being left between transmissions, a rotation is established, and all users in the QSO stick to it, there should be no doubt who talks next, and doubling should be practically eliminated. RATS Control Operators will sometimes intervene in instances where there is severe/repeated doubling, excessive quick-keying, or other discourteous operation. RATS wants all users to enjoy their time on our systems. The club has several resources to help hams operate professionally and courteously on repeaters.
The RATS Technical Committee is available to answer any questions about our systems.
The monthly RATS Membership Meeting is this Friday, January 19 at 7:30 PM on Zoom. All are invited to attend. You do not need to be a RATS member to join our meeting. The main topic of discussion this month will be our POTA+Winter Field Day event scheduled for January 26-28.
RATS will again host Winter Field Day 2024 at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County. Like last year, we'll operate a Parks on the Air (POTA) station Friday afternoon/evening, prior to the main Winter Field Day event.
Winter Field Day is a great opportunity to meet and socialize with other club members and experience HF in a fun environment. You do not need to be a RATS member or even a licensed ham to join us -- the general public is welcome! There will be no charge for entry to the park for Winter Field Day participants.
We will share more information during our January 19 membership meeting and we will post additional details here as they become available. Watch for specifics on time, location, food, and what to bring with you.
This is one of the club's two biggest, most popular activities each year. Your membership and donations help support RATS activities.
Richmond Amateur Telecommunications Society, Inc. (RATS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. PO Box 70613, Henrico VA, 23255Looking for something? Site Map
