Fall Sprints

 

 

The Mt. Airy VHF Radio Club is proud to sponsor the dates and times for the upcoming 2024 Fall Sprints!

 

2.0 Contest Time and Date:

50 MHz: 1800 UTC to 2200 UTC time on Saturday, August 10, 2024
144 MHz: 7 PM to 11 PM local time on Monday, September 9, 2024
222 MHz: 7 PM to 11 PM local time on Tuesday, September 17, 2024
432 MHz: 7 PM to 11 PM local time on Wednesday, September 25, 2024
902 MHz and up: 8 AM to 2 PM local time on Saturday, October 5, 2024

 

Please note the changes for this year’s running of the Fall VHF Sprints:

  • The 50 MHz sprint will be held on Saturday afternoon from 1800 to 2200 UTC

We hope this change will increase participation and take advantage of the current solar cycle improved propagation possibilities.

 

  • Stations will be classified as either Single Op HP, Single Op LP or Rover

By expanding the award categories, we hope to encourage more participants to post their scores and be recognized for their station and operating capabilities.

 

The rules can be found here: 2024 Fall Sprint Rules

A printable announcement here: 2024 Fall Sprint Announcement

For questions or comments please contact the committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

We hope all of you enjoy the activity and have fun in the Sprints!

 

Thank you,

The Pack Rats Fall Sprints Committee:

Phil Miguelez WA3NUF, Allen Oldfield W9KXI, Jim Antonacci WA3EHD, & Bill Schaffer WS3O

 

VHF Conference

 

2018 Mid-Atlantic States

VHF Conference

Fri-Sat-Sun Sept 28-29-30

On-line registration and payment is now closed.

You may register and pay at the door for the conference. Banquet buffet registration and payment also at the door when you register for the conference on a space available basis.

 

The UPDATED CONFERENCE PROGRAM can be found >>> here.

  • Friday afternoon special seminar
  • Friday evening hospitality and table-top swap
  • Saturday VHF Conference speakers and topics, Lunch included
  • Saturday evening buffet banquet dinner
  • Door prizes
  • Sunday outdoor VHF flea market mini-hamfest
  • Meet your VHF buddies
  • Buy and sell VHF gear, parts, and accessories
  • Hosted by the Packrats, Mt Airy VHF Radio Club

 

A printable copy of the flyer is located >>> here.

 

Holiday Inn Bensalem-Philadelphia
3327 Street Rd, Bensalem PA 19020
215-639-9100

Special conference rate $109/nite + tax, mention VHF Conference
Includes Breakfast for 2 room registrants
Conference Early Bird Registration: $40 ($50 after Sept 16)
Includes Fri hospitality, Saturday coffee, snacks, pizza lunch, disc
Banquet Early Bird Reservation $40 ($50 after Sept 20, if space available)
You must be registered and paid for both to be eligible for door prizes

On-line registration and payment at: www.packratvhf.com

Or download and postal mail this PDF Form:

Questions?

Wish to submit a paper or give a presentation?

Email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 


 

 

 

Advocacy

Spectrum Advocacy

 

(Please watch for future items of interest.)

 

General useful information

Addresses for the ARRL, the FCC, and your elected Federal Congress

 

ARRL Headquarters

Dan Henderson N1ND

225 Main Street

Newington. CT 06111

 

Federal Communications Commission

Marlene H Dortch

Office of the Secretary, Room TW-B204

445 12th Street SW

Washington, DC 20554

 

If you rather use the FCC Web site to file your comments

on the ECFS (electronic comment filing system)

use  https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings

 

 

To find you Federal Representative in Congress use Google or

use this link    Representatives | house.gov

You may have to give your ZIP code or even your full address to get the right representative

 

 

 

To find you Federal Senator in Congress use Google or

use this link    U.S. Senate: Senators

You will have to enter your state

 

 

If you feel the NTIA ( the FCC equivalent for Government spectrum users)

needs to hear from you. Since they share several of their frequencies with radio amateurs

( we are secondary users) they sometimes make good allies.

This contact must be used with care - do not contact them unless you have a strong reason to believe 

They have a vested interest in agreeing with our continued usage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On-The-Air


 Information on Packrat Nets, Beacons, and Repeaters

(Roll to the bottom of the page for some additional local nets)

 

The Pack Rats initiated VHF nets on Monday night the first year the club was formed. The nets are open to all radio amateurs. The purpose of the nets is to promote activity and share information of a common interest to the VHF community. You do not have to be a member of the club to participate in any of the Pack Rat nets!

This section last Updated 9/30/2024 

Day Time (Local) Frequency Control Station Grid or Net
Monday

6:45PM 

This net will be temporarily found on the old repeater 224.580     Michelle KB3MTW and Elliott K3JJZ

FN20ji (repeater) The Philidelphia 224.9 FM repeater is currently down.     The old Hilltown FM repeater is up and being used for nets at this time.

 

7:00PM

Packrat Talk Group 8804 on a DMR Network See a complete list at very bottom of page of all repeaters on the Packrat Talk group -

George KA3WXV

Checkout delmarvaDMR.com for information and coverage maps 

The Philidelphia DMR repeater is down Please use Hilltown, Eagle, Waterford or Charlestown as alternates. See the List of Packrat DMR repeaters at the bottom of this page for frequencies etc. 

  7:30PM   50.150 MHz Ray N3RG FM29ki
  8:00PM 144.245 MHz Dave W2KV FN20ok
  8:30PM 222.125 MHz Jim KC3BVL FM29jw
  9:00PM 432.110 MHz Mike WB2RVX FM29mt

 * * * * * * * * *

This section last Updated 10/12/2024  at 1:30 pm 

            Packrat Beacons   W3CCX/B

The Pack Rats maintain several VHF+ beacons, which serve as propagation indicators and allow operators to test their receivers.  All are GPS disciplined.                                                                                                        

 Locations  Mountain Top, Pa FN21BE     Fancy Hill near Pottstown, Pa FN20DH     New Brunswick, NJ  FN20TK        

Frequency Power Level Status Grid
144.300 MHz  10 W  On the AIR  FN21BE
222.060 MHz   4 W  On the AIR  FN20TK
432.300 MHz  10 W  On the AIR  FN20TK
903.300 MHz  10 W  On the AIR  FN21BE
1296.300 MHz   9 W  On the AIR  FN20DH
2304.300 MHz  25 W  On the AIR  FN20TK
3400.300 MHz  10 W  On the AIR     FN20DH
5760.300 MHz   5 W  Down for Repair  FN21BE
10368.017 MHz    OFF AIR for now  TBD

* * * * * * * * 

This section last Updated 7/15/2024  at 7:30 pm 

Packrat  Repeaters

The Philidelphia 224.9 FM repeater is currently down 

Output: 224.900      Very wide coverage used especially for nets                     Input: 223.30
CTCSS: 77.0 (currently enabled)
Grid Square: FN20ji in Roxboro

And a 432MHz Repeater:Output: 442.900
Input: 447.900
CTCSS: 123.0

The original PackRat 222 Repeater    Output: 224.580   W3CCX/R   Limited coverage but still operational
Input: 222.98
CTCSS: 136.5 (when enabled)
Grid Square: FN20ij in Hilltown

   

Try the Sprints   They are short and fun!

 Info at:

   http://www.packratvhf.com/index.php/fall-sprints

 

 This section last Updated 7/7/2024  at 7:46 pm 

Wednesday and Friday Night Nets

As you know many Packrats belong to more than one radio club. Jim, KC3BVL at FM29JW   mentioned he enjoys the following nets

Microwave Wednesday:   7:30 PM -  903.100,   8:00 PM - 1296.100,   8:30 PM-  2304.100    

Bottom 4 Fridays:  7:30 PM- 144.160,   8:00 PM- 50.160,   8:30 PM 222.150,  9:00 PM  432.160 

 Stop by and say hi some evening!