The RaDAR Is Perfect For Us.

We have no home of our own.

The ham radio world has plenty of contests and events. Unfortunately, almost none of them are directly relevant to off grid and QRP operators. Field Day comes to mind first, yet it is hard for anyone but the biggest high-watt boomer stations to gain any traction. Fortunately, the Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio Rally (RaDAR) coming up on April 5 is exactly what we need to fill the void.

The new kid in town.

The biggest and most popular ham radio events are decades-old and, but RaDAR is but a baby! I can’t get an exact fix on the history of the event, but it looks like it was launched in 2023. In any case, it’s a relative newcomer.

The RaDAR protocol is tailor made for off grid hams, especially those who are focused on survival/preparedness. In addition, the event does not last all day so it will not dominate an entire weekend. If you wanted to get your kids involved in ham radio but have concerns about their short attention span, then sign up for RaDAR as it requires only four hours of operating time.

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How RaDAR works.

The basic premise of the event is to encourage portable radio operation. Participants achieve this by setting up a field station, making five contacts, and then moving the station to a new location for another five contacts. Repeat this process as many times as you can within a four hour window.

Although the RaDAR rules do not explicitly prohibit operating from mobile mounted radios, it would seem to me that operating mobile, while permissible, negates the spirit and purpose of the event. It’s not much of a challenge to make a contact from a mobile rig, drive to another location, make more contacts, etc. This tactic requires no effort beyond driving to a new location.

Also, there are no power limitations. If you have a full kilowatt amplifier, a power source, and a way to move it around, by all means go for it! But the nature of this event makes it ideal for QRP portable operators.

You can find complete detailed operating rules here.

So why not give it a try?

What I really like about RaDAR is that it stresses the relevance of setting up, tearing down, and moving an amateur radio station. It’s not solely about making contacts and runng up a score. If you operate a lot of portable radio, or are concerned with survival/prepping/EMCOMM, this is great opportunity to practice your skills.

What else can you do?

If organized on air events are not your thing, you can always operate in the field and practice on your own. As this blog has mentioned many times, you don’t need to wait for a certain date or a special occasion. You can have your own personal “Field Day” anytime you want. Anecdotally, as I read on line posts and talk to other hams, there seems to be a belief that skill drills are only for organized events, contests, or club projects. A longtime goal of this blog is to bust that attitude and encourage operators to get out there and operate radio whenever they can.

So give it a try! If RaDAR is not a good time for you, get out any day you can and make some contacts.

Resources.

Here is the official RaDAR website with all the details.