Boy Scout Camp at H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation

Our Troop Flag

My 15 year old son attended his fifth year at Boy Scout camp last week.  They camp for 10 days at H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation near Osceola, MO.  I had a chance to get down there with the troop for the last four days of camp.

If you have never had the opportunity to do this, and you can, jump at it!  There is nothing like being around your son, and a group of other young men, at a summer camp.  I find it fascinating to watch them do things they didn't think they could do.  It is something that is hard to explain here in writing...

Anyway I brought along the KX3 and a new vertical EF antenna that I put together that attaches to the 31' Jackite pole.  I bungee corded this to the shelter railing and I was off to the races.

KX3 w/ EF Tuner on the picnic table at  camp

On Thursday I had a couple of hours in the afternoon to play radio and I jumped at the chance.  I worked four stations all right around 14.060 using 5 watts out.  I worked KA3ZOW, WA3WSJ/PM, KK4BOB, W3UEC.  All fun contacts!

Now a couple specifics....

WA3WSJ/PM was working SOTA on the summit of Devils Head in Colorado.  It was fun to work portable to SOTA!  This was good for 4 points as a chaser.

On Friday I was able to get on the radio for about 30 minutes.  The band was quiet.  I finally put out a CQ on 14.060 and after a couple calls K2RFP (in New York) returned my call with a 599.  I could tell he was using a manual key, and his fist was really nice!  After reading his QRZ page, I was right - and he likes to work about 10 WPM.  So if you are unsure that you can handle CW because of your speed, quit worrying about it and get on the air!

So I worked a total of 5 stations from the Scout Reservation.  I will get a special QSL card put together for these guys in the next couple of weeks.

My Oldest Son, Nick - on a hike with me

But above that, my son finished his final 3 Eagle required merit badges and also earned 3 additional ones.  The most interesting one to him was a new merit badge offering this year - Search and Rescue.  The instructor must have been really good as well - he really enjoyed this class.  They used a Garmin product that was a GPS and Radio.  Not sure of the model but they sounded cool.  When someone talked you could see the name of that persons radio of your screen - he was very interested in this technology.