Since 2016 a few friends and I have been participating in the APRS Golden Packet Event which is held every year on the third Saturday in July.  The main objective of the event is to build an ad-hoc APRS network along the Appalachian Trail and pass the "golden packet" from Georgia to Maine and back.

Sub-missions change each year and sometimes add onto the goals of the next year.  In 2016 9600 baud was tested for the first time.  It was a complete success and 2017 will see only 9600 baud being used.

We manage the Apple Orchard summit near Bedford, Virginia.  It's a very high summit that has little competition for hundreds of miles around.

Panaramic shot towards the northwest from Apple Orchard summit.| Panaramic shot towards the northwest from Apple Orchard summit.