Rally Radio: Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally

This video will be somewhat different to what I normally do, and you may find that it's a little slower than my usual stuff (if you can believe that LOL). July 10th-12th 2025 I worked as a radio operator for the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in and around Wellsboro, PA. The terrain is so convoluted down there that it makes radio communication difficult. I ran my Anytone 578 that Bridgecom Systems sent me the bulk of the time. 50w was the bare minimum to get the job done for most of the weekend. On Saturday (the day I shot this video) I could get into the repeater for my stage with a HT, but to work the rest of the team Simplex I had to use the 50w mobile rig. The day before, I was stationed in such a remote area with such crazy terrain that I could barely make it into the repeater on 50w with a roll up N9TAX J pole up about 20 feet. If I do this again next year, I think I'll build a mast holder I can park my truck wheel on to get the antenna WAY up in the air. I figure 30' and some LMR 400 should help a lot.

These races are crazy, because you're stationed at this point all day, with the road closed, but cars are only on your stage for maybe half an hour, twice a day, separated by five or six hours. It makes for a very long day. The corner I was stationed in for this video was a control point where people might try to get on the stage (which absolutely can't be allowed to happen for obvious reasons). It's also an area where cars are likely to go off the road, so having a radio operator stationed there allows the course officials to be notified if there is an incident.

Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it! 73

Evan
K2EJT
coff.ee/K2EJT