This year’s Dirt Nerds & Radios Spring Camp out was great. Our radio club, W8DNR, ran multiple radio configurations and was able to make several FT8 contacts. Radio wasn’t the only excitement either. The group also completed a beautiful hike within Natural Bridge State Park and even explored a few of the trails from the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway.
DNR RC Radio Report
The club was able to locate an appropriate location and made successful contacts during the trip. We operated in a reduced capacity due to the limited number of licensed operators available. Overall, we had 6 hours on-air the first day with 37 contacts logged, and 4 hours on-air the second day with 18 contacts logged. We’d like to thank all 55 hams that made it into our logbooks. During our operations, you helped us to spark additional interest in amateur radio from both club and non-club members. For his efforts & contributions, a non-licensed club member, Charlie, was awarded a free Ham Radio Prep All Access Pass to help him in his studies.
Offroad on the DBBB
The Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB) is a moderate high clearance route for street-legal vehicles. It follows several historic county roads within and around Red River Gorge and the Daniel Boone National Forest. Surfaces vary between gravel, trail, and asphalt. Our crew opted to explore some of the original trails, but also made sure to make some time to explore some of the trails being added in the 2024 southwest expansion. Every trail we encountered had its challenges but was overall still very fun – exactly what we’ve come to know & love from the DBBB. Make sure to check out the entire Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway. We’re sure they won’t disappoint.
Our Hike
We went on an invigorating hike at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, starting at the Trailhead parking. Following the Lakeside Trail will lead you to the Original Trail which takes you up the hill to the iconic Natural Bridge. The view is fantastic but be prepared for a bit of a tight squeeze to get there! Then we chose to follow the Laurel Ridge Trail (0.7 miles) and the Battleship Rock Trail (0.5 miles) to enjoy more of the stunning scenery. Our adventures returned us to the Original Trail, which we then followed back to the Lakeside Trail and Trailhead. We 100% recommend checking this hike out, it’s beautiful. Make sure to bring water, wear sturdy shoes, and stop to enjoy nature along the way!
Other Thoughts…
We’d like to thank everyone that came out and participated in in Spring Camp 2024. You are the reason we do this, and you are what makes these events great! We can’t wait to see everyone again soon. Missed out? Make sure to join our Discord & keep an eye out for our next event. We hope to see you soon!