GOTAhams

October 2021 Newsletter QUARTZFEST is now “QUARTZ-PAUSE” 2021 YES, Quartzfest is now Quartz-PAUSE 2021, same BLM place, same station, same excitement , January 17 Sunday through January 23rd Saturday, 2021.”NOTHING WILL BE ORGANIZED”….just like the first 4 years of Quartzfest 25 years ago! WHO IS IN CHARGE???….NO ONE IS IN CHARGE!! We are all ON OUR OWN!!Covid-19 precautions preclude our regular tent gatherings, tent registrations, packed seminars, and the like.

Social physical distancing and masks will keep us on-point to avoid any virus during this pandemic.Quartz-PAUSE will continue to be radio ACTIVE.Talk in on 146.550 simplex. Park ANYWHERE you want, and leave more room to spare.

Announcements in the morning and evening on 146.550.YES, the Main Fire Ring will be the focal point where there will be no close gatherings, per management….oh….there is NO management this year……..YES, Frank is thinking about planning a day of guided and narrated 4-wheel.

No visitors in the caravan vehicles, suggested, unless family. YES, one day will be a yard sale, socially distanced, and handle inspections of gear with gloves. ( some ham gear, we do that anyway!)Yes, Gary will have lots of ATV topics to see and hear in your own unit’s cable ready TV.

Socially distanced HOOTENANNY, …we got the whole desert, in our (sanitized) hands, …Bring your gut-buckets and kazoos.

GOLD in them thar hills, you say? Lots of room to separate and do some rock hounding….we got the whole mountains nearby….. Have you been to Quartz Hill, about a half hour away?

the BIG WHITE TENTS are coming to town, the full week, so mask-up and explore the RV show with no time limit to get back to Mile 99.GEMS AND MINERALS, just across the street in town – bring some home and tell your pals you “found” them in plain site at Quartzite, Arizona.

Be sure and stop in at the formal store fronts that sell minerals – let’s support Quartzite Arizona businesses. GO CLIMB A HILL….A SUMMIT….for SOTA activity one day.

I am told there are areas against the distant mountains where you can set up a pistol range for working those “sites” safely. Masks AND ear protection advised. boom boom boom

A day of Geocaching in the nearby open areas? Bring your GPS gear. and….a day of ATVing

looking for Quartz boulders? Just don’t be a claim jumper – most are sorta marked. And Yes, we will put out some very old coins like last year, for metal detecting. And yes, we will have T hunting, too.

P T ! FALL IN, SOLDIERS! Start the day with a track run/walk around the perimeter, and see all the antennas and solar.

PETS ALWAYS WELCOME, but keep them safe on a leash, and never EVER leave them outside on a line unattended – Coyotes, not a 4-paws best friend. OK OK OK….you get the point – this will be a fun laid back weeker on the desert floor, RoadRunner BLM 14 day free stay location, just like before. BUT WE WON’T BE ORGANIZED ONE BIT!!!

And this year, no cramped gatherings in tents, no porta potties, no major PA systems for shoulder to shoulder seminars, but lots of free time to do whatever ideas you come up with. Dream them up, announce them on 146.550 MHz simplex, and keep your fans separated so we are safe around micro-boogies. It will be up to YOU to stay safe, and offer a safe activity that even Doctor NOboogiesforme would say is reasonably safe! Or, stay at home, go shopping in malls, see a movie in a theater, go to the packed grocery store…..likely more boogies there then out in the open range with safety on EVERYONE’S mind.

Join us. Come early, and stay late! Or just take in a day or two. Or just stop by and wave hello and keep going……. we are back to my beginning of Quartzfest on that second year of coming together – ZERO planned, and for a full week, we had plenty to do! And now, here is more from Lyn and Kris……..de wb6noa Thanks Gordo…as you mentioned, the big white tent in town will be open during the week. From what I’ve read, they’ll have “one way” aisles in the tent to help with social distancing. Also, the vendors across the street from the big tent will be open as well. If you have plans for a day that can include others socially distanced, make sure you have your VHF rig tuned to 146.55 simplex at 8:00am every morning for our daily net. During that net you’ll be able to let us know what you have planned for those who may want to join you.

If you want to set up a few Geocaches or set up hidden transmitters for a T-Hunt, or any other activity that would be of interest to others, that would be amazing.

That’s all for now. Lyn and I are looking forward top seeing y’all in January. If you’re a member of our Quartzfest Facebook group, make sure you go to our Quartzfest event page to let us know of your going top join us on he desert floor.73, Kris KR1SS & Lyn KJ7DSE

President’s note: Kris has always worked very hard to host an amazing week in the desert with some adventurous Hams, I plan to support Her, Lyn, Gordo etc. in this unique and trying time in world history. Lets show the world that Hams know how to have a good time within a crazy pandemic! Kathi and Myself along with other GOTAham members plan on attending and representing Hams from the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley. All Amateurs and Radio clubs will be welcome to our “Quartz-Pause” Camp, Yes we’ll be practicing Proper protocols and Sanitation measures. Plans include ATV reception for any broadcast presentations, A VHF station for listening to Quartz-Pause Nets, and HF station just for some fun and a projector and screen for socially distanced video entertainment.

Kris mentioned “No Porta-potties”, Our “GOTAhome” has a bathroom, Mark KM6AHY carries a small portable toilet with tent and I plan on adding an additional Portable restroom along with lots of desert brush for “Stand-up-relief”.

So If your an adventurous type and want to travel several hours out the Interstate 10 for the day, several days or the entire week of January 17 to 23, 2021 please join us in representing our little section of Southern California!

’73 Ken KC6WOK