MADS Microwave Activity Days

Scott AA2SD/R, points across the Delaware Bay located at Goat Hill NJ 400 ft elevation overlooking Lambertville NJ during Saturday on the Microwave Activity Days

Pack Rats KC3BVL, WX3K, K1RZ, WA2OMY, AA2SD and N3RG get on the Air for “MADs” Microwave Activity Days.

AA2SD/R Rover - March 3rd 2026 Microwave Activity Days -  Saturday Morning March 8th was my first attempt to set up for Microwave Activity Days and help promote Pack Rat Microwave activity. I was exploring this site as a new Microwave overlook location and this was my first visit to the site. After a 1.5 uphill mile walk with my loaded foldable garden cart, I reached the overlook to set up the 5 GHz and 10 GHz tripods. Due to the vibration of a very rough trail, one of my connections on the 5GHz set up was damaged, and I could not use this set up at the overlook. The morning started out with cool misting weather, and lot’s of mud on the trail and at the overlook, as most of the snow from the prior week's storm had melted away. This made for a very slippery and messy walk up to the site location.

  MADs What Are Microwave Activity Days? Microwave Activity Days are all about using the bands and microwave radio gear that you’ve accumulated. Getting out of the shack and up on a hill is the key to successful microwave contacts. You may be lucky and have a high QTH, but most people don’t. MADs foster portable hilltop operation where the journey and destination is half the fun of the day.  The emphasis is on enjoying the process of setting up and operating microwave equipment, often from hilltop locations.

 You can learn more about MADs at the link here from VK3FS.  Please also view the You Tube video from VK3FS at the link here. https://youtu.be/C5x9bkH6VjI?si=eZBxTtCO4WydjIey

View the Microwave Activity Day Video at the YouTube link above

Jim KC3BVL Pack Rat microwave enthusiast was also out and about and set up across the river at a location FN20KI. Jim was testing his new larger dish with both 10 and 5 GHz for portable use. I was able to receive Jim 5-9 across the river estimated at a distance of 16 miles on 10 GHz. I was experiencing some transmit issues and we could not confirm the QSO. This is what Microwave Activity Days is all about, checking equipment and site locations.

Jim KC3BVL’s new larger dish set up for the first Microwave Activity Days in March

Stephanie WX3K visited Pine Hill Vista and was blocked due to the gate closure, and moved on to the Knob Overlook. Unfortunately Stephanie was blocked from this location at Pine Hill Vista.

Stephanie WX3K - My gear at the Knob Overlook, the first gate to Pine Hill Vista closed due to snow and ice and the knob overlook sign. Although the knob overlook has an impeded view in a number of directions due to the terrain in the immediate distance, it might offer a great place for working rain scatter in some directions. I had my nice new DM32 Baofeng portable($50) programmed for Camelback DMR Packrats(8804) & TAC316 talk groups. It gave me solid coverage in the area

My gear is an FT817, 3 watt demi transverter for 10GHz with a splash feed and 16 inch dish. The FT817 is mounted on a Gamber Johnson slide mount which connects power and antenna without fuss. I use the FT817 elsewhere when working HF mobile so shuffling it around is not a hassle. I now have a Leo Bodnar GPS for the 10 MHz reference as the transverter does not have an internal reference. Picture below of my tripoded dish with feed and gear in protective cases that fits nicely into my hatchback with a partial back seat down.

Stephanie's WX3K new Portable Microwave Station is extremely portable with its small size.

Dave K1RZ was on the air and ready to go as always thank you, unfortunately his signal was degraded, and he only worked a local  K3EJJ in FM19. I was able to receive Dave at the noise level, but due to trees in the RF path, he was not able to work with me or confirm the QSO. 

Another very experienced Microwave enthusiast Steve K3WHC was out and making contacts. Again I could receive Steve at the noise level, but not confirm a QSO, his battery on the ICOM 705 was running down. A special thanks to Gary WA2OMY and Ray N3RG  for being available for testing.

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AA2SD/R Setting up at the Goat Hill Overlook with the new Tripod Test and Shoe Shine Rover Box Set UP from Ray N3RG.

Microwave Activity Days are a stress free event with home stations and portable stations. We are all trying to learn about our stations and tweak our equipment

set up. As part of the Microwave Activity Days, I search for local overlooks that will offer a clear RF profile for fellow Pack Rat operators. 

Goat Hill NJ was on my list to attempt, and will be removed from the list due to the obstructions and extra time to get to the top of the overlook. Doing this type of a set up during a contest would not work out . Goat Hill NJ proved to be a challenging site after a quick trek up the hill in muddy conditions pulling a cart up a 1.5 mile  rocky trail with lots of mud, as this was the first week of the snow melt.

Now I know why they called this Goat Hill, unfortunately most my SMA connectors on my 5GHz set up where not good due to vibration and a bad connection

As more Pack Rats Get on the 10 GHz band I encourage everyone to get out and Play Microwave Activity Days during the first Saturday of each month. I am collaborating with Jim KC3BVL, Chris Rover - KE5NJ, Stephanie WX3K on our next portable Microwave Activity Day. Another Pack Rat member Joe KC2SGV has also acquired a portable 10 GHz set up and will be joining in on the fun.

Key Learnings from My First MADs event - I was able to trouble shoot my equipment back home and correct the SMA connectors on the 5GHz set up. I also ordered a new torque wrench to check connections, especially due to my field operations. For bumpy hill-topping I have to come up with a new way to transport fragile equipment. I also learned about the sensitivity of SMA connectors.

Using DMR as a Talk Group 8804 in the Field - I was also able to test the Pack Rat 8804 DMR Talk Group. This is an ideal way to utilize the vast repeater network and communicate with other Pack Rats on this Group. You can find info here at https://www.delmarvadmr.com/  A list of the PackRat DMR repeaters are available at the bottom of the page. https://www.packratvhf.com/index.php/on-air  Fellow Pack Rat Nick 

N3YMS was very helpful and with one phone call I was able to set up on DMR.

New Baofeng UV 32 DMR is available for $60 from Amazon with DMR

Groups.IO List  - You can also visit the10GHz-Up groups.io list . A group of Amateur Radio operators interested in 10 GHz and up 2-way radio activities centered around operating plans for various Amateur Radio competitions.  Related entrant information is maintained in a database sponsored by Roger W3SZ.

https://groups.io/g/10GHz-Up

What was good enough for Gen George Washington as an over look  is not good for 10GHz due to blocked RF paths from Goat Hill NJ.

Thanks to all operators that supported us in the field during the test. Please listen for us during the next Microwave Activity Day.

Go Out and Play Radio 

Scott

AA2SD

www.aa2sd.com

https://www.youtube.com/@AA2SD