The MRCA Annual Meet will be held this September in conjunction with the annual Red Ball Military Transport Rally and Swap Meet.   Activities will include equipment displays, remote comm-ops, "show and tell", meals, and the usual eyeball QSOs.

The Site: We have the comfortable Howell Building for our demos and displays.  Please bring your own chairs and display tables.  There is 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 afternoon and stay over until Sunday AM.  

GPS:  Use "Fairground Road, Gilbert, PA."  Coordinates of our building: 40.911045°N  75.430707°W
 
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.  Power is available in the Howell Bldg.   Deployment of operating radio stations in and around the Howell Bldg. is encouraged.

Radioactivity: On Friday afternoon our signature radio event will take place as recon teams will deploy to a number of remote sites for a field exercise. Most of the sites will again be within a five mile radius of beautiful Beltzville Lake, about ten miles away, though some teams may choose a more remote site. Maps and directions to pre-selected sites will be available. There will be HF activity on SSB, AM and CW and as well as VHF activity on 51 mHz FM, which will be used for intercom between remote stations. Many participants bring radios and antennas,but those who don't are welcome to join up with those that do. Because Beltzville stations are fairly close together very simple antennas work well, but you may want to put up something larger for longer range or experimental reasons. After dinner at the Howell building there will be time for ad hoc radio activity. After breakfast on Saturday morning is a good time to take in the radio displays and demos in the Howell Bldg. and then explore the vehicle displays and Red Ball flea market. Most participants depart on Saturday afternoon, but the Red Ball Rally and Flea Market continues into Sunday and you are welcome to stay over. Watch the MRCA reflector for more details.

Field Exercise Details

Tailgating: The MRCA Meet is a great place to buy and sell radio equipment that has been previously arranged by phone or email. There is a limited amount of tailgating that occurs onsite. Those displaying equipment in the Howell Building may offer a few items for sale with their display area. To maximize the demo and display space in the Howell Bldg. attendees who have many items to sell or are exclusively selling are requested to set up immediately outside the building. In inclement weather these sellers can move inside the building. 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.

Hospitality: A cookout is planned for Friday evening and breakfast sandwiches for Saturday morning at the Howell Building. 

Red Ball Military Transport: The Annual Rally is the military vehicle version of a hamfest. Many restored vehicles are on display, and there is an extensive swapmeet often including radio items.

Fees: $5.00 MRCA Participation fee, $5.00 General Fairgrounds Admission fee and a $5.00 Swap Meet fee (for sellers only). Children under 12 are free.

Important: Parking and Cell Phone Number Display: When you arrive inform the people at the entry check point that you are with the MRCA group and will be parking at the Howell Bldg. and you expect to pay the Red Ball entry fee when you pay the MRCA fee. They will give you a card and request you print out your cell phone number and post it on your dashboard in case your car has to be moved. Be mindful about this when parking around the Howell Bldg. Large military vehicles need to have plenty of room to maneuver and we hope none of our vehicles owners will have to be called.