Route 66 on the Air Special Event commemorating the history of the "Mother Road"

In just a few weeks, one of the most popular summer operating events will kick off "Route 66 on the Air Special Event"

Route 66, established on November 11th 1926, as part of the U.S. Highway System, stretched approximately 2,448 miles, from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, passing through eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Known as the "Main Street of America" and later dubbed the "Mother Road" by John Steinbeck in his 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath, it became an iconic symbol of American mobility and opportunity.

CBARC(W6JBT) Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club, since 1947 located in Highland, California (San Bernardino County), will be hosting this yearly event celebrating the 26th years of the event.

The event will run from September 6th 0001Z up to September 14th 2359Z

There will be a TOTAL of 24 stations with 1x1 callsigns from W6A up to W6Y, these stations are located or will be operating near the original Route 66, from Santa Monica up to Chicago.

This year will be a special year for the event as we will have a total of 5 rover stations, W6S, W6T, W6V, W6W and W6Y, but specially W6Y will be an Aeronautical Rover station operating from the air on 2meters simplex 146.490 the operator will be Bill Hartsell N3SWH retired USAF Colonel

All the details and instructions are found at the CBARC website at www.W6JBT.org

 

@K6ISS Can I sign up to operate one of these callsigns? I am located in Kansas.

 

@KF0QFD Your best bet will be to get a hold of the closest callsign to your location, in your case W6M or the Western Kansas amateur radio club. https://www.qrz.com/db/W6M they should be able to give you more information about this.

 

I was there in 2022 ..................

 

Just get hold of Matt out at Tribune, KS
https://www.qrz.com/db/KD0EZS

 

I've driven the entire length. With XYL and kids!

Of course a lot of it is now big highways, but still fun to do.

 

I look forward to working this event as I've done nearly every year since 2001. I wonder how many will be able to make contact with the aeronautical station...from my location in SC, that will likely be nearly impossible.

 

We've been on Route 66 numerous times. And in the winter when we go to QuartzFest and spend the winter in the Southwest, Route 66 is a big part of it.
Get your Kicks on Route 66

73 from, Steve
The K0UO " Rhombic Antenna Farm" miles of wire in the Air & On the AIR daily

 

Those who never visited the western terminus may not know it's right at the Santa Monica Pier.

 

Or as the old saying goes, drive west until your hat floats ! Hi hi

 

Could you also post this in the new Special Events forum, so it will be easier to keep track of for updates?

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?forums/Special-events/

 

Of course, I was not aware of that forum, thank you for bring in it up!


Is there now

 

Incidentally, the highway which passes near my home is also National Highway 66!

73
Jon, VU2JO

 

I live about 25 miles south of Holbrook, AZ which is along Rt 66. If I were ready I could easily go into "nostalgia overload".

I have a 1957 Jeep FC-170, which has valid original license plates. In storage (way in the back, of course) is a Webster Bandspanner mobile antenna and I have a set of Gonset "twins". The receiver is okay, but the transmitter needs some work. If I ever get the transmitter going, operating the event with "the old stuff" from the Wigwam Motel parking lot would be interesting and maybe even a bit of fun.

The truck still has its original 6V electrical system, which limits the choices of radios...hence the "twins".

I do have a 1950 CJ3A and I converted its electrical system to 12 volts, but using a modern radio wouldn't be quite the "nostalgia overload".

Eric
WB6TIX
Snowflake, AZ

 

Hello Eric,

most definitely would be fun operating from the Wigwam, this would be my first time operating from there which will happen on Saturday Sep/13th, I’m glad I will have some very experienced hams around in case things get a little funky