Iron Mountain Jubilee 2026

This past August we gave communication support for the Iron Mountain Jubilee. This two day event is an endurance horse ride through the mountains of southwest Virginia that we support annually. Weather was good for both days of the event and we were able to test out some of our new Meshtastic tracking devices. SW VA AUXCOMM was able to effectively keep track of participants and provide logistical and safety support. Our experiment with the Meshtastic trackers was mostly successful and allowed us to discovery possible improvements to make the system more robust in the future. 

Hussy Mountain Meshtastic Router at Sunset.

Meshmap Live Event Meshtastic Map

We are currently testing out a new live Meshtastic Map for use during our public service events where we have trackers deployed. You can see the map at the link below.

https://meshmap.swvaauxcomm.org/

 

 

 

We are a 501(c)(3)

We would like to proudly announce that Southwest Virginia AUXCOMM Association is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. By establishing a formal non-profit structure, we are better positioned to accept tax-deductible donations that will enhance our emergency communication infrastructure. 

AUXCOMM Meeting 5.28.26

Our next meeting is May 28th @ 6:30PM. We will meet at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue building at 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA. 

Communication Trailer Starlink

Here is our primary communication trailer equipped with Starlink internet provided by David Todd N4SH!

AUXCOMM Meeting 4.23.26

 

Our next meeting is April 23rd @ 6:30PM. We will meet at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue building at 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA. 

New River Trail Races 2026

On April 11th, the Southwest Virginia AUXCOMM Association played a vital support role for the annual New River Trail Races. Our mission required sustained effort, keeping operators on site from 3:00 AM until the last runner completed the course at approximately 7:00 PM.

Our team deployed five dedicated communication stations alongside various aid stations along the course, ensuring timely tracking of participant progression. Our operational support extended beyond comms; we provided critical logistics, safely coordinating runner transport and supply drops throughout the day.

It was a long day, marked by shifts in weather from a cool morning to a sunny 75°F. We are proud that our group's support contributed to the smooth and successful running of this major local event!

We look forward to helping out again next year! 

 

 

Appalachian Journey Bike Ride 2026

On April 4, 2026, the SW VA AUXCOMM Association proudly supported communications for the annual Appalachian Journey Bike Ride. This is a unique and demanding multi-surface road cycling event that draws in participants from far and wide. We managed four dedicated communication stations that operated next to aid stations for the entirety of the event. 

The primary focus of our support was safety and coordination. The ride proceeded under warm and pleasant weather conditions throughout the day, which greatly aided the smooth operation of the event. 

The day went well with only a couple participants reportedly sustaining injuries. 

The lack of cellular service along the course means that in many locations our robust radio equipment is the quickest means of communications. 

It was a pleasure and we look forward to supporting the event next year.  

 

AUXCOMM Meeting 3.26.26

Our next meeting is March 26th @ 6:30PM. We will meet at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue building at 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA. 

AUXCOMM Trailer Show/Training 2026

 

 Check out some of the photos from our first Trailer Show/Training.

Click here for the photo album. 

  

AUXCOMM Trailer Training

We will be having a training exercise this Saturday, March 14th. The communication trailer will be setup at the old Fort Chiswell Outlet Mall location. LAT 36.946868, -80.922464. 

 

 

AUXCOMM Meeting 2.26.26

Our next meeting is February 26th @ 6:30PM. We will meet at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue building at 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA.

AUXCOMM Meeting 11.20.25

Our next meeting is November 20th @ 6:30PM. We will meet at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue building at 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA.

Iron Mountain Jubilee 2025

On the weekend of August 22-23, 2025, our group worked with the Iron Mountain Jubilee Endurance Horse Ride. This multi-day event has horse riders navigate trails across mountainous terrain across the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. 

We established six communication stations around the course for safety and to keep track of rider location. 

 

 

Crystal Springs Trail Run 2025

On August 9th 2025, SW VA AUXCOMM helped out at the annual Crystal Springs Trail Run event. This is the second year for this event where participants run one of several courses laid out in the Crystal Springs recreation area. Our group managed to setup two communications stations in order to provide reporting on participant location and safety.

Next Event: Iron Mountain Jubilee Ride

Southwest Virginia AUXCOMM Association will be helping out again this year at the Iron Mountain Jubilee endurance horse ride. This event will take place on August 22-23. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to help out, contact Randy Lilly (KE4RL).

 

AUXCOMM Meeting 7.24.25

We will be having out monthly meeting on July 24th at the Carroll County Fire and Rescue Building, 499 Floyd Pike, Hillsville, VA. The meeting will be held at 6:30PM and will be followed by the Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club Meeting. All interested are welcome to attend either or both meetings!

  

No June Meeting

Due to the Field Day event on the weekend of June 28-29, we will not be having our regular monthly meeting. 

Meshtastic

In our last meeting we discussed the use of Meshtastic devices that implement LoRa radios. These are small, inexpensive devices that allow for simple communication, resource tracking, and telemetry. Using the 900Mhz ISM band, these can also be used by non-ham radio operators. Using LoRa radios and Chirp modulation, these low power devices can reach impressive ranges. And the big advantage is the ability for the devices to form a robust mesh network to extend the range.

If you would like a good introduction, follow this link to the official site's Introduction and Overview pages. 

If you prefer videos, The Comms Channel on YouTube has a good video series on Meshtastic.

One common question is what devices are available for use with Meshtastic and the answer is lots. Below are examples of some of the more common ones, some which require a phone for interfacing and some that have most functionality built in. 

 

Seedstudio SenseCap Card Tracker T1000-E

The SenseCap Tracker is a pre-built, pre-configured, weather proof device that's similar in size to a credit card. It requires the use of a phone, tablet, or PC in order to configure and use messaging. It's best use case would be for simple resource tracking.

RAK Wireless Wisblock

The RAK Wireless Wisbloc are modular and very small. These are ideal for building repeater/relay projects as they include solar charging circuitry built in.  

 

LILLYGO T-Deck

If you are looking for a device that's easy to carry and doesn't require another device for messaging capabilities, the LILLYGO T-Deck is one of the better Meshtastic devices. 

ROKLAND is a distributor of devices, antennas, and accessories in the United States. Click here to see their store page.

We are planning on experimenting with this technology in some of our up-coming public service events. If you would like more information or have questions please email me.

 

New Event - MATRC Va Highlands CTR, June 2025

We have been asked to provide communications for a new horse ride event. The MATRC Va. Highlands CTR is a three day event that takes place from June 20-23. Each day the ride begins at 06:30 and ends around 14:30. This event will use trails similar to the Iron Mountain Jubilee that occurs in August. Anyone wishing to be a volunteer communicator please contact Randy Lilly.