Hey folks, we are just wrapping up the 4th year, and I am looking for guidance and suggestions on how this event runs.  Some items I would like to sort out in the next few months:

1. Promotion of the event: I have seen social media posts (Facebook and Reddit) leading up to the event and I thank everyone who took the time to help broadcast this event out to the masses. I am going to attempt a campaign of informing the Grand Lodge Secretaries of around the US and Canada to push this event out to their members as an event to strengthen fraternal bonds. I am also going to try to get some of the higher-profile masonic podcasts to give the event a mention.  Other ideas?  We are typically listed in the ARRL contest calendar also.

2. Spotting: I saw a few lodges on dxsummit.fi, but there may be better dx clusters to use.  I don't think I can code anything even close to what POTA uses, but would it make more sense to stand up something like a Discord server, or do we start a subreddit for the event?  I am really looking for some suggestions and someone who could possibly help moderate it.

On the topic of moderating and promotion, if you are interested at all in helping with the Facebook page, please let me know.  Running a contest/special event isn't a massive amount of work, but having multiple people involved would contribute to the success.

This is way overdue with only 5 weeks until the next event!  My apologies to all who participated last year on getting results to you:

Multi-Op/Multi-Transmitter operating from a Masonic Lodge

for a 3rd year, it is WC3PS - Westmoreland Emergency Amateur Radio Service, Inc. operating from Greensburg 225 in the Grand Lodge Of Pennsylvania (submitted score 384).  Congratulations brothers!

Multi-Op/Single-Transmitter operating from a Masonic Lodge

N3BYR - Big Bend Amateur Radio Club operating from Fort Valley Lodge #110 in the Grand Lodge of Georgia (submitted score 539).

Single Operator operating from a Masonic Lodge

W5GFM - Thomas G Nicolaides operating from Chetek Lodge #277 in the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin (submitted sore 308).

Single Operator outside of a Lodge

W9TCV - Erich Schwarz in Florida.

Year three is in the books. I would like to personally thank all of the lodges that activated and all of the hunters at home who were looking for us. I know it is not an easy task with so much competition with state QSO parties and POTA. A couple of things to look for soon:

1. I want to convert this page to a Facebook group to make it easier to converse and express ideas. That will probably be sometime in October.
2. I would like opinions on leveraging DX clusters and spotting networks to make the effort of finding other lodges easier.
3. I do plan to create a "planned activation" section so we know lodges and call signs to look for. I am hoping the event continues to grow next year, so please help spread the word.

I feel like we can all have a better experience in 2024!

The long delay in getting this update pushed out. I'll definitely be seeking more help in the coming year to review and post updates:

Multi-Op/Multi-Transmitter operating from a Masonic Lodge

   WC3PS - Westmoreland Emergency Amateur Radio Service, Inc. operating from King Solomon Lodge No. 346 in the Grand Lodge Of Pennsylvania

Multi-Op/Single-Transmitter operating from a Masonic Lodge

N9EOC - Central Indiana Amateur Radio Association operating from Hamilton 533 in the Grand Lodge of Indiana

Single Operator operating from a Masonic Lodge

N9FN - Dave Chasey operating from Dayton #103 in the Grand Lodge of Indiana

Single Operator outside of a Lodge

K4ZRP - Louis Devillon
  

The posting on this is long overdue as we wanted to give as much time as possible for log files to roll in. Many lessons were learned as part of our first time hosting a contest, and we are already preparing for the electronic submission of scores to make it more convenient.

On that note, we want to congratulate the MML category winners WC3PS The Westmoreland Emergency Amateur Radio Service for activating Philanthropy Lodge #225 in Greensburg PA, part of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and making 109 QSOs, including 4 lodges for a combined score of 436.

The MSL category goes to NL7CF The Newark Amateur Radio Association for activating Farmers Lodge #152 in Fredonia OH, part of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and making 9 QSOs, including 3 lodges for a combined score of 27.

We only received around a dozen log submissions, we are hoping by switching over to a form-based web submission we can get a few more groups to submit their results.  

We hope to hear you on the air on September 24, 2022