Military Radio Collectors Association Military  Radio  Meet West End Fairgrounds, Gilbert, Pa.   19-20 September 2008

The Military Radio Collectors Association will hold it’s 2008 annual meet at the West End Faitrgrounds, Gilbert, Pa.  The fairgrounds is located between Lehighton and Stroudsburg on US Route 209 in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  The event will, once again, be held in conjunction with the Red Ball Military Transport Annual Rally.  This is a golden opportunity for anyone interested in vintage military electronics.  Activities will include equipment displays, on-the-air operation, and formal presentations.

The Site: We have comfortable indoor space for displays and presentations.  Please bring your own chairs and display tables.  Indoor space is not available for equipment sales. There is ample outdoor space for tailgating.  Primitive camping is permitted on site.  Well-kept bathrooms and hot showers are available. You’re welcome to show up Thursday PM and stay over until Sunday AM.  Fairground management is concerned about risks associated with hanging antennas in trees.  To keep our tree mounted antenna exposure to the minimum please plan to bring appropriate supports if you intend to erect a vertical or a skywire.

Map

Lodging

Printable Flyer - SHIFT-CLICK to download.  Distribute to your friends!

Equipment Displays:  This is THE place to show off some of your prize pieces to an understanding public.  Signage identifying your equipment is really helpful and educational.  There will be an organized, walk-around, “show-and-tell” following the formal presentation on Saturday.  Deployment of operating radio stations is encouraged.

A Tactical Field Radio Exercise:  On friday afternoon we will once again send radio squads to Big Pocono Mt.  Saturday morning's activities will include a Squad Radio Exercise with BC-654 and GRC-9 type field sets.  Saturday afternoon there will be a short range net with HT (BC-611 and MAB type radios) and back-pack radios.

This is a great opportunity to use all our low power field sets as intended and should be lot of fun.

Presentations:  Formal presentations will be given at 11 AM Saturday.

"Tailgating”:  Selling is encouraged at anytime during the meet.  There should be ample outdoor tailgating space.  Due to our arrangements with the Red Ball Military transport group we cannot permit any vehicle related parts or items to be sold in our swap meet area. Radios, military electronics, and accessory items only. NO EXCEPTIONS.  FAIR WARNING:  Over the years, the swap meet has devolved into a very much secondary activity for MRCA.  If you're coming just for a major military-radio swap, you may be dissapointed.

 Red Ball Military Transport is an affiliate of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association.  (http://mvpa.org)    Their Annual Rally is the army-truck version of a hamfest.  Many restored vehicles are on display, and there is an extensive swapmeet including vehicles, parts, and general militaria (even some radio stuff!).  They also operate a “chow line” providing reasonable on-site food.  The rally is adjacent to the MRCA meet site.

Tentative Schedule:

Friday, 19 September:
    All day - Setup, Swap meet, radio operation, and informal displays and demos.
    13:00 - Field Exercise Briefing
    14:00 - Field Exercise Deployment

Saturday, 20 September:
   05:00 - The Old Military Radio Net, W3PWW – NCS
   08:30 - Squad Radio Exercise (tentative)
   11:00 – Formal Presentations  
   12:30 - Show and Tell
   13:30 -HT / Backpack Net on 3885 KHz / 51 MHz

Fees and Registration: Tentative:  $5.00 MRCA Participation fee, $5.00 General Fairgrounds
Admission fee and a $5.00 Swap Meet fee (for sellers only.).  (It's not clear, at this time, if we can maintain these very  reasonable fees.)

ALL PERSONS ADMITTED TO THE FAIRGROUNDS MUST PAY THE REDBALL GROUPS ADMISSION FEE.

(children under 12 will be free ).

Contacts:

Event Co-chairmen:  Dale Gagnon, KW1I, kw1i@earthlink.net and Al Klase, N3FRQ, al@ar88.net