On Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9 AM to 1 PM ET, members of Roseland ARC, WEARC, NPARC, and other local operators gathered at Bramhall Terrace in South Mountain Reservation, Maplewood, New Jersey, for a morning of radio, friendship, and portable HF operating.
The goal of the meetup was simple: enjoy time together outdoors while practicing portable field HF operations. Two separate operating positions were set up, each with its own table, using two 100-watt modern HF stations powered by battery. Operators had multiple antenna choices available, including quarter-wave verticals for 20 and 40 meters, along with an end-fed half-wave antenna supported up in the trees.
Weather conditions could not have been much better. With temperatures in the mid-60s, sunny skies, and a light wind, it was an outstanding day to be outside and on the air. Band conditions were fair, but still good enough to support ionospheric propagation in the 400 to 1,500 mile range on both 20 and 40 meter phone. Contacts were successfully made along the U.S. East Coast and into Canada.
The event was also made even better by some generous hospitality. Rich provided bagels and coffee, while Maurice supplied bottled water for the group.
Overall, it was a successful activation and a great opportunity to combine operating, experimentation, and social time with fellow hams. Based on the success of this activity, we are already looking forward to the next gathering, perhaps in about a month, for another enjoyable morning of portable operating and fellowship.
Photos from the Event
