Eddie ZS6BNE Interview on Red Summit RF

Nov 4th, 2023 RaDAR Rally Videos & Photos

Here are some videos and photos. I'll add more as they become available.

Kjetil Vinorum LB4FH took part in the RaDAR rally from two POTA areas, LA-1740 Sæland and LA-2529 Urådalen.

Ken KX4BT operating RaDAR from his van in Enterprise, AL

Bob KK4DIV operated from Pine Log State Forrest in Northwest Florida

Chris VA3ECO operating from a canoe on Lake Of The Woods, Ontario

Lucy M6ECG encountered gale force conditions on the shore in England

Pat N5VMO operated a RaDAR spotter from his home QTH in Arkansas

Greg N4KGL operated from St Andrews State Park, Florida

RADAR on the European Ham Radio Show

The hosts were gracious and had an interest in RaDAR. The show is informative for the upcoming Nov 4th RaDAR Rally.

RaDAR Rally Bonus Points added for using the COOL Logbook.

The RaDAR Rules have been updated.

Logging: A log is not mandatory but encouraged. Please use the "Community Online Open Logbook" (COOL) managed by Eddie ZS6BNE. It can be updated in real time or after the rally. The log will match contacts among entries with a QSL. A RaDAR to RaDAR QSL or RaDAR to Chaser QSL will earn the RaDAR operator one bonus point each. Email Eddie ZS6BNE for a security key for access. His email is on QRZ.com.

See the complete rules at https://www.radarrally.info/p/radar-rally-rules.html.

Registration is open for the Fall RaDAR Rally Nov 4th, 2023

RaDAR is Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio conceived by Eddie Leighton ZS6BNE. RaDAR encourages outdoor operating with a unique challenge: make five contacts and redeploy as fast as possible in four hours. The RaDAR Challenge has become the RaDAR Rally with some rule tweaks. Please take a look at the complete rules here. If you are interested, please make your plans and register. Registration will facilitate RaDAR to RaDAR contacts. Email your registration info below to the RaDAR Rally POC, Greg Lane, at lanekg@gmail.com. I'll accept registrations through November 3rd UTC. If your plans change, send me an update. This is not a contest; it is just for fun! Check out this intro video and the Fall 2023 roster here.


Registration info includes:
Name
Call
Day (Sat or Sun),
Venue,
Start UTC
Conveyances
Bands
Modes
QRP (Y or N)
Spotting method (optional)


Good luck,


Greg N4KGL

Introducing the RaDAR Rally for Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio

The RaDAR Rally encourages a challenging and rewarding portable operating experience by promoting the rapid deployment of your station and physical exercise. The rules are here. The next RaDAR Rally is November 4th, 2023. Please join the RaDAR group on groups.io. Greg N4KGL is the POC for the Rally. My info is good on QRZ.COM.

My April 2023 RaDAR Rally Experience

 I have been doing Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio for a decade now. Thanks to Eddie ZS6BNE for coming up with the concept. It is portable amateur radio on steroids. I have introduced RaDAR Rally. This is just some fine-tuning of Eddie's RaDAR Challenge Rules. The RaDAR Rally is the first Saturday of April and November, but I revised the rules to allow the following Sunday as an alternative date.

This waterfall is the Falling Waters' namesake.

On Sunday, April 2nd, Chris VA3ECO and I did the RaDAR Rally. Chris was in Ontario. I chose Falling Waters State Park in Northwest Florida. Choosing a park on the POTA list is very helpful for RaDAR. Falling Waters State Park is reference K-1864.

RaDAR Rally allows all bands and modes, including a digital mode FT-8. Chris and I tried out FT-8 at our first deployment at 10 am. We found each other right away. We used a trick Chris discovered using the TX-5 message to exchange an eight-digit grid square for making it a RaDAR to RaDAR contact. 

Suzy is always game for RaDAR.

My basset hound Suzy has been my companion on most of my RaDAR adventures. She loves to take to a trail on the transitions. She likes even more to meet and greet the parkgoers. After five contacts, we move to the next deployment. On foot, the required distance is one kilometer. This time I did four deployments and three transitions. 

The HamPack packs up the Icom 705, Alexloop, and a laptop.

I have used my Icom 705 and the Alexloop for my portable operations lately. All the gear fits into the HamPack backpack Alex PY1AHD bundles with the latest Alexloop. The magnetic loop deploys fast and can quickly change bands as needed. This time, all my contacts were in the 20 meters band.

This Alexloop is my go-to antenna for RaDAR and POTA.

I used three different modes FT-8, SSB, and CW. I am a novice on FT-8, and the 20-meter band was congested. I spent over an hour making my five contacts. I had better luck at other times. At a second stop, I jumped on 20 meters SSB. I did hunt and pounce between POTA and Missouri QSO party stations. I had one reply to my CQ. I got five in ten minutes. At a third stop, I spotted myself on the POTA app; I had five contacts in six minutes. In the RaDAR Rally, you are working against the four-hour clock. After the third walk, I had a short time left. I got the last contact on SSB at the last minute. Even one contact at the last stop helps your score.

Contacts are one point except RaDAR to RaDAR which are three. Stop one was seven points with the RaDAR to RaDAR with Chris. Stop two was five, stop three was five, and stop four was one for eighteen total.. I did a total of four stops which is a multiplier. Therefore the score was seventy-two. I was surprised to learn Chris had the same score as I did.

Chris VA3ECO does RaDAR Rally in Ontario.

Suzy and I went home thinking what a great day we had at the park. Par for the course, as they say.

73,

Greg N4KGL

RaDAR Rally Update

The RaDAR Rally rules have undergone additional refinements. See the Rules page. The next RaDAR Rally is November 4th, 2023. Note registration is requested.