MRCA Meet
Gilbert PA
17-18 September 2004
Situation: The MRCA conducts its annual meet in conjunction with the Red Ball Military Transport Organization. If you enjoy military radio , electronics flea market,vehicles, military Paraphernalia or any sort of military collecting then this event should be your target in September . When attending you are encouraged by the MRCA staff to bring items for sale and to setup working displays. A "field exercise" is held on Friday.
Ops Location: Gilbert ,PA----- Pocono Mountains
Terrain Type: Rolling flat lands surrounded by the Pocono Mountains. The Site OL on the Gilbert Fairgrounds had open grass fields and large stands of trees and buildings to the South for cover. The MRCA Military Radio Area was housed in prestanding structures with plenty of cover and open grass areas by the trees. Perfect conditions for tents etc. Be prepared to bring your own antenna supports. Access roads are paved.
Operations and Admin Officer : Pete Hamersma, WB2JWU, P.O. Box 467, Holderness, N.H. 03245 E-mail: pehamers@worldpath.net
Event Chairman: Steve Finelli, N3NNG, E-mail: navrad@enter.net
Intelligence and Planning/Briefing Officer: Al Klase N3FRQ
The MRCA home page can be found at http://www.milradio.org/
Next years 2005 event will be held on September 23 and 24.
Red
Ball Military Transport is an affiliate of the Military Vehicle Preservation
Association. http://www.mvpa.org/
Once you find the fairgrounds you will see the huge gathering of
vehicles,HUMWVs to WWII half tracks, APCs, pup tents,empty MRE packages,empty
K ration boxes, Sterno cans, beer cans , temporary shelters,command tents.
Its a great event site with plenty of trees. As you approach the site
you can hear the PA speaker making "official announcements"
When I arrived the PA announced that there might be a "slight
chance of rain" and personnel should prepare accordingly.
Gilbert is only minutes away in the event you
need supplies. Planning on staying at a motel? There are plenty of motels
and hotels within a 50 miles radius. However motels in Gilbert are slim.
Zorro stayed at
the "Norman Bates Inn"
We arrived early Friday morning and found that Al, N3FRQ
and his advance team headed by Ted W3PWW had arrived earlier and were
all ready setting up.
Soon Dale, KW1I was shooting the lines for the the
main H Q station that would use a 80 meter halfwave fed with open wire
line.
Ted
,W3PWW *arrived early also. Dennis, W7QHO* is holding the open wire line
and is on the ready.
W3PWW is net control for the East Coast Military Net each Saturday at 0530 EST.
W7QHO now lives in California and is active in the West Coast MRCG
"I know its up there somewhere."