The following was sent to me earlier today asking for help from the NCCC
community. I thought the international community represented here on this
reflector might be able to help too.
Pat, AA6EG, has done a very amazing thing: He has arranged for the city of
Marina, CA to sponsor a new *CITY PARK* dedicated to Ham Radio Contesting. A
description of the site follows. Pat has been the prime mover to make this
happen and has put donated hundreds of man-hours this year to get the station
ready. Much more needs to be done. The city has been very enthusiastic so
far. Pat has carte blanche to install as many towers and antennas as he
thinks is needed for this new park.
However, there is a local shack-on-the-belt ham who is now making waves by
telling the city fathers that HF is dead and the future of ham radio is
VHF/UHF. Pat would like to get your letters of support to show the city that
there are, in fact, many hams who believe HF is indeed alive and well, and
that contest operation is one of the best ways to train, or hone the skills
of HF operators.
Al, AD6E@aol.com
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September 20, 1997
We at N6IJ, need your help, (BEFORE September 29) in the form of
letters of support written on behalf of the MARCS Amateur Radio Contest
Station. Please read below, just in case you have not heard of the N6IJ
story.
We are moving forward to place 7 new power poles at the best
locations on the 10 acre property. The reason this is high priority, is
that the land is still federal property, not transferred yet, (Expected in
November) and modifications to the land are easier now than after it is
transferred to the City Marina, Dep't of Parks and Recreation.
PG&E will likely do the honors for us, resetting the poles. (for
free! as part of PG&E Community Service.) These new poles will join various
poles which are part of the former MARS antenna farm, and are for the most
part, unused. Jack Troster's recent donations will enable us to create an
extremely good contest station site, with multiple monobander yagis, and
individual supports for them, spaced all around the hilltop site. Would like
your input for best site layout, considering the available, and future
resuources.
The ultimate operational objective, is to create a top notch MULTI
MULTI contest station, as a first priority. Access to the station would be
24 hours, 7 days/week to members, monitored by our Electronic Access Control
System. Membership criteria is still being determined.... (Dues structure,
bylaws, Minumum licensing requirements, etc.) Secondarily, on an
as-compatible basis, the station will be a multi use facility for other
amateur radio activities, with emphasis on HF.
Fellow DXers; Contesters:
We at N6IJ, the Marina Contest Ststion, are accelerating in our
successes at establishing a powerhouse contest station here in the City of
Marina. What started out 4 years ago, as a very empty, very valuable 5 acre
Military Communications (MARS) site at Ft. Ord, is now a thriving hub of
amateur radio activity.
With full support of Marina City Management, particularly the
Recreation Department, headed by Don Garl, and the Mayor's and City Manager's
office, we, a relatively small core group of radio amateurs have turned (are
turning.... the development never stops) this ailing abandoned MARS site into
a 3 station HF multi band, contesting model station.
3 soundproof operating rooms completely equipped with working (if
older) high power, HF communications equipment, each with their own
transmission lines, including switching equipment, leading to the antenna
farm outside. Just off the operating rooms, is a completely equipped lounge.
(TV, Stereo, Microwave, Refrigerator, classroom, couches, etc.), all
contained inside a 1200 sq ft. concrete, centrally heated, high security
building, now with an electronic access control, security system. Recently
installed computers perform Contesting logging/transmitter control chores,
and, combined with 2 meter DX/Packet Cluster, keep operators informed with
real time DX
spotting information.
Step outside and follow the hardline runs to the 80-10 meter
Discone, the 40 thru 10 Log Periodic, The 80 meter Double Ext. Zepp, various
long wires, a trap vertical, and a multitude of wooden poles (empty, 70 ft.,
begging to have antennas installed on them.) A recent donation of a 140 ft.
broadcast tower takes our Top band, site targeting to a new level.
W6ISQ, Jack Troster, has donated his stack of HF monobanders to us,
including:
1. 40 meter/20 meter computer optimized Yagi, 56 foot boom.
2. 20 meter homebrew yagi, 40 ft Boom
3. KT-34XA
4. Homebrew, 40 meter 2 element yagi, 35 foot boom
5. 5 element 15 meter yagi, KLM
6. 6 element 10 meter yagi, KLM
We also have:
Hy Gain LP 1017 Commercial Log Periodic, 17 elements, 6.2 thru 30 Mhz (up
and operational)
Several tribander Yagis, various, Cushcraft, Wilson, Moseley, etc.
4000 feet of #10 copperweld,
6000 feet of 5/16"EHS guy strand, and a 10 year supply of pole hardware,
nuts and bolts, etc.
140 ft broadcast tower, insulated base
85 ft broadcast tower, Aluminum, insulated base
Cushcraft 40-2 beam
80 foot crankup tower
50 foot crankup tower
200 feet of Rohn 25
Ham 4 rotor
Roto-Brake Rotor
Misc Small Rotators
The Hilltop location with a 2 mile view down the hill to the ocean, pours RF
in powerful doses to any Pacific location you desire. S9 + 15db (BAREFOOT)
is not uncommon to Japan. Europe is a 1/2 degree vertical horizon to the
northeast. Africa is similar. Worked Marti in Macao with 1 watt, first
call! The site is very quiet, Radio wise.
Be part of the birth of this new contest station.
Now..... We need your help!
Things we need are: Tower/antenna fanatics to climb already
stepped poles for antenna construction. Structural engineer for the 140
footer tower design. Station layout experts for interior
ergonomic/functional efficiency of each operating position. Modern Contest
Caliber rigs. (Current Lineup includes a TS 180, Icom 735, a TS 830,
Heathkit SB 101 (!), FL 2100 amp, Homebrew 4-400A Amp, A pair of 813's, and
much more.) ANTENNA ROTATORS...
LETTER WRITERS..... URGENT, write us before Sept 29, 1997!
We need e-mail and snail mail letters of support for operation.
We may need to justify it's existence (believe it or not). Please write me,
or email me with your letters of support. If you are willing to join MARCS,
including paying dues, please say so. Dues structure have not yet been
determined, but casual operators with key access currently pay $5.00 per
month to cover the Gas and Electric bill....(not bad rent for 10 acres of
improved hilltop property with an antenna farm, on the Monterey Peninsula.)
Dues will probably run about $20.00/year.
Please write us soon.
Send e-mail to Pat Barthelow, MARCS; aa6eg@tmx.com
Letters to: MARCS
599 DX Drive (no kidding!)
Marina CA 93933
73, DX de Pat, AA6EG/N6IJ...The contest station from the Government...
aa6eg@tmx.com
(408) 394-5531
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