Oklahoma Parks On The Air Weekend

Time: TBD, but the park event permit will be valid from 8AM until 10PM local time.

Location: Keystone State Park, Pavilion #4 (highest point in the park!)

Important details:

• TARC club members and guests who want to participate in the event are welcome. You will NOT have to pay a park entry fee (normally $10 per car, except if military veteran or over age 62; check travelok.com for specific details and to register your license plate if you meet one of the two previous criteria) as long as you park your vehicle in the vicinity of Pavilion #4, where the activation will be held;

Club members who are licensed but do not have a portable setup ARE welcome.  There will be several stations set up for operation, and operators can cycle in and out, so there will be opportunities for all to get on the air;

• Per the POTA club activation guidelines, an operator can NOT operate outside of his/her privileges, even while using the club call sign, which we will be using. This is different from ARRL Field Day rules, so be aware.  Technician-class licensees DO have a portion of the 10M phone allocation, between 28300-28500 kHz, and there is generally a lot of activity there for POTA events provided the band conditions permit.  Also, everything from 6M up is available, and it is our intention to operate VHF and UHF simplex (no repeater contacts allowed!) during our activation, so those are also possibilities;
• Don’t forget that TARC has two HF go-kits with nearly everything you will need for a portable station activation, so this may be an option for some’
• *ALL* HF stations will be *REQUIRED( to operate with a bandpass filter. NO EXCEPTIONS.  If you do not own a bandpass filter, there will be filters available for use for all HF bands EXCEPT 30M or 60M.  This requirement is in place to minimize or eliminate interference between the multiple stations that will be operating simultaneously.  If you have bandpass filter(s), feel free to bring them, especially if you have a 30M or 60M filter.  Please mark your filters to ensure you get them back.  Also, short jumpers would be greatly appreciated;
• All individual operators will be responsible for his/her own logging, and all logs must be submitted in the approved .adi format via email to pota@w5ias.com after the event. They will be checked before they are submitted.  Also, don’t forget that your accurate logs will ensure that both you as the operator and the club as the activator gets credit for your contacts/QSOs;
• Don’t forget appropriate supplies besides any equipment you may bring, such as food and/or beverages, chairs, tables, sunscreen, bug spray, or other outdoor necessities. At this time, there are no plans for a burger burn or other organized meal, but that could change.
• PLEASE, if you plan to come, or are interested in coming, or just want more info, don’t hesitate to email pota@w5ias.com. We would like to have a good idea about how many folks are coming.  If you are planning to come, we would appreciate knowing:
  • – Your name
  • Your call sign and license class
  • What time(s) you plan to arrive and depart
  • If you will be bringing equipment to operate, and, if so, generally what you will bring and what bands/modes you plan to operate
  • Whether or not others may operate your stations, if you are bringing one
  • If you might need a particular item for portable ops (e.g. battery, portable antenna, etc. This does not include bandpass filters)
• We hope that this will prove to be the first of many successful and enjoyable POTA activations for the club and for anyone new to POTA. Thanks for your interest!

Tony – KA5TRO