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*                    ATGP 2018 Report for Springer                       75
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SPRNGR-1 (KG4VUB) is on the air at 11:15 from Mt. Oglethorpe
Already rcvd CLNGMAN-2 and ROAN-3
Operators onsite, KG4VUB, K4SJR, AA4OC, AB4NX, W4OMR


Larry Whited (prev WB4FGF) says hello from Springer/Oglethorpe. He attended 
this year.

So, Springer saw 1-10, never got past SAMSPT.

After waking up to major storms this morning that came south through N. GA, 
it turned out to be a great, cool day on the mountain.

Tom
KG4VUB


The first year I (Tom) visited Glenn when he operated from Springer, he was 
at a wide spot in the road just down the road from the parking area. 

2016 was first year myself and Frank, K4SJR operated, we were in the field 
adjacent to where we met Glenn that prior year.. That was the year Larry 
had radio issues at Clingman and we were cut off from the event. We had a 
number of North West Georgia local operators visit including Greg KK4YLX 
who started working with Larry at Clingman last year. 

As I've been busy the past few years and needed to make it an easy day, I 
thought about operating from Mt Oglethorpe which was the original terminus 
of the AT. Property owners had only recently at that time started to create 
a park there with hiking trails and overlook platforms. It used to be gated 
off from the public because of a FAA communications tower and cell tower. 

In spirit of it being the original terminus, new park, closer to drive to 
and drive up access, the practical (and lazy) in me thought about attempting 
Oglethorpe last year. We operated from a 10x10 overlook on the north end. 
It was a success. 

It is not over the trees but is near the peak of the mountain. In fact, I 
pulled a short ground plane antenna up with para cord going over a tree limb 
using a sling shot to get the rope up. 

Gave us a comfortable, no mud, easy access setup. I was concerned about the 
FAA radio site and a repeater up there but we were about 2-300' away and 
slightly down hill from them. 

This year we operated from a pavilion that had been constructed more to the 
east of the hill. It's about 200' from the platform mentioned above. The 
pavilion is covered with a couple picnic tables. The lazy in me wanted to 
operate there so we'd have less equipment to set up and potential of very 
bad weather was forecast. It isn't in the clear as much as original 
platform(deck)

Unfortunately the pavilion location is about 50' from the FAA tower and also 
closer to the 146.805 repeater. This year we experienced interference when 
both services transmitted at the same time. The interference was brief so 
we decided to stay there. If it had been too bad we could easily have moved 
to the original platform. I lowered the Comet GP-1 hanging from the limb and 
we still had contact with Clingman but interference was still there. 

We switched to an Arrow yagi at 15' and it worked just as well to Clingman 
with a little less interference. When 805 was transmitting we didn't have 
issue. It was the mix with AM airband that had us hearing the repeater and 
ATC on 144.34. 

BTW, Oglethorpe to Stone Mountain can be done HT to HT with stock antennas. 
Stone Mountain is SE of Oglethorpe. 

We and Greg at Clingman had contact with Mark (call escapes me) near 
Chattanooga. He was in touch with Lynn and had been watching APRS.fi during 
the event. I received instructions from Lynn through him. 

Frank and I have a tower site about a 1/4 mile from where we were and it's 
about 100-200' lower. I would like to put a digi there when we can get 
around to installing an antenna. 

I also have a tower site on Pine Log Mountain near Waleska Ga. It is about 
19mi WNW of Oglethorpe. Greg was able to bring up my repeater from Cljngman. 
A digi on Pine Log should be able to get us stretched out toward Huntsville. 
However Mark in Chattanooga could possibly provide the link to Huntsville too. 

I sent you a writeup for Springer in 2016 but I think you missed it. 
I apologize I didn't get a report for last year. I will try and get 
something for you for this years event. Unfortunately I didn't capture any 
logs this year. 

APRS in Ga isn't as popular as it once was. I think there are more weather 
stations on the map than operators. Some of the high profile digis I think 
are off the air. I can get something on Oglethorpe and Pine Log. I think 
the one in Rome is still operational. 

What we need are digis out on I-20, I-16 east of Macon and I-75 between 
Macon and Valdosta. 

Had fun this year, looking forward to next year. 

-Tom
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