HOTARC owns and maintains emergency communications trailers so the Club can provide backup communications when they are needed. Below is a look at the two trailers the Club has built and equipped over the years.
The Full-Size Communications Trailer
The Club’s large communications trailer is air-conditioned and lighted, and can operate on commercial or self-generated electricity. It is equipped with two gasoline-powered generators, two HF rigs, one VHF rig, one VHF/UHF rig, a PC with an LCD television/monitor, an ATV receiver, a TNC, and a collection of HF, VHF, and UHF antennas and supporting hardware (a 40-foot crank-up mast, switches, rotators, coax, and more).
The trailer first saw service during Field Day 2000. In October 2001, it received donated cabinet work from Rodney Baden (K5YKC), including ash drawer fronts, a pencil caddy, and a file-folder bin.
The “Grab ‘n Go” Rapid-Deployment Trailer
In the fall of 2006, the Club was pleased to add a small, sturdy trailer suitable for rapid deployment for emergency HF/VHF/UHF communications. This “grab ‘n go” trailer was made possible by generous donations from several Club members:
- Mike Ross (N5MVL) — trailer frame and tires
- Rodney Baden (K5YKC) — cleaning and painting
- David Bush (KC5UOZ) and Larry Bush (W5NCD) — remodeling and embellishing the trailer, including a 30-foot collapsible fiberglass mast with storage and mounting tubes
Our sincere thanks to these members!
The completed trailer includes side shelves for operating and other activities, plus a 30-foot antenna mast (stored in a tube underneath) suitable for a dipole or a VHF/UHF yagi. It is light enough to be towed by any Club member’s vehicle equipped with a 2-inch trailer ball. It can easily carry a deep-cycle marine battery, antennas, radio gear, and other essentials — folding chairs, an ice chest, a pop-up shelter, and so on — for quick emergency portable HF and VHF operations.
See our photo gallery for images of the trailers, including before-and-after shots of the “grab ‘n go” build. Questions about the Club’s emergency communications resources? Please contact us.