All,
As I was putting the above post together Cliff Leath (KI5OPP) called. He sent me some pictures that he took and asked me to please post them for him. The first picture is a fiberglass (?) pole that belongs to Cliff that Mark used to mount an antenna for their radio in the Love Civic Center (LCC). In between are pictures of RS9, out in the country/county east of Roxton. The last one is some of us having a cheeseburger at the LCC following the rally. Cliff took that picture and would not allow us to get one with him in it. LOL He will probably follow up with a post later, but here are his pictures.
Cliff set up largely as my truck was equipped. Mobile radio, portable radio and laptop with APRS/fi loaded and call signs plugged in. Not mentioned in my post, but mirrored by Cliff – Take plenty of water, any other drinks and snacks. And your meds if you are on prescription medication. Do the rest stops provide food and drink? Yes, I might take them up on the offer, but I largely prefer 100% autonomous operation. I won’t put words in his mouth, but I think Cliff operates the same way.
Also not mentioned in my post is that I was a rolling toolbox. Cliff was too. The covered bed of my truck hid every tool imaginable that could be used. To include many Ryobi 18v power tools and many, many, hand tools. And large empty ice chests in case we had been requested to do an emergency ice resupply. None were called for this year, but I have been asked to do that before. Without a cooler the stuff is just melting as you sprint to where it is needed.
73
Phillip Beall (W5EBC)
