So, if all goes well I will be living in Georgia by the time this event happens. I don't have nor will I have a room in Fontana, but I do hope to come up for a couple group drives. I had no idea I was going to be in this position when rooms were available or else I would have reserved.

Is anyone going? Anyone have a spare bedroom in their cabin or a place I can crash for the night? Willing to pay. Probably thinking Saturday night into Sunday.

 

This will be my..... 17th year!

We're doing a miata track at AMP the Thursday before!
https://www.motorsportreg.com/events/miatas-before-gap-atlanta-motorsports-park-jzilla-trackdays-668916

 

I'll be there with some friends, I think Marcus (Flier129) is the only one of them that's a member here. We're doing the track event at AMP on Thursday then heading up to Robbinsville Friday morning.

 

 

 

 

I plan on being there

 

I've got a reservation and I think quite a few others do as well. I think there will be several from the Tampa contingent coming up

 

 

shibby

 

I'm thinking about going. Any recommendations on places to stay? I'll likely be towing there since I'm coming from the Miatas Before the Gap track day.

 

 

Fontana's lodge will have random openings between now and then. As you see above, there's cancellations :-D

Let me know if you can't find anything, I'll poke around.

 

Miataturbo guys please consider buying or borrowing a CB radio for this year's MATG adventure. Especially important for people like flier129 who may be leading some of the runs. Sometimes it's good to know about trouble before you get there or if somebody needs help with an emergency.

Cell phones do not work at all pretty much anywhere except for the hotel lobby's wifi.

Amazon has handheld units for around $25 and console units starting at $33 that have 4 stars or better.

 

Unless something changes, I'll be monitoring channel 21 if you want to get a hold of me.

 

When are you guys going?

There is no way i will make it in my car.

 

Wednesday night or Thursday morning departure.

 

CBs are definitely better but more people have FRS radios so we typically use them instead.

 

Any radio you get requires some relaying down the line in larger groups or if the group is spread out.

I tested this back in 2007 or so, CB radio with a bigass antenna will reach ~2miles of road(I used mile markers) up the hill. It will vary depending on if someone is on the edge of a valley orrrrr on the other side of the hill lol.

I'll try to borrow a FRS radio this year when I lead the A&W run.

 

According to Wiki:
FRS has an actual range of about 0.3 to 1 mile and is limited by law to 0.5 watts and is in the 49MHz range. A CB radio with a little antenna like the one I pictured is good for 2-4 miles, limited by law to 4 watts and is in the 27MHz range.



A handheld unit operating in the CB range will still have up to 4 watts but will be limited by antenna length to as little as 1 mile.


None of them will pitch a signal over a mountain to the other side. A CB should get a signal further up the valley than a FRS due to wattage and should work better through the trees and smaller obstacles due to longer wavelength.



But yeah, rock blocks signals but it can also bounce them a little.