NWR2008 Special Event Suggestions and Guidance:

1. Feel free to do anything that makes sense for your operation and is OK with your Refuge manager.
2. Operate simple (mobile, portable from a picnic table) or elaborate (operating shelter, pub info tent, etc.) as best suits your style and gets you on the air the most.  Mix modes if that works for you.
3. Join forces with refuge staff in this common effort to get the word out.  Operate at/near the visitor center, along auto-tour routes or anywhere else that gets some visitor exposure.
4. Promote the event locally through local/regional clubs, the ARRL Section (monthly summary, affiliated clubs coordinator), put quickie articles in the local papers, on the radio, at eham.net and qrz.com.
5. Do your own QSL's. Try to use some photos of the refuge and of your operation and some basic facts about the refuge.
6. Have a simple web page for your operation with some pictures and information about your Refuge and information for hams about your operating schedule and QSL requirements: SASE, green stamp, etc.  Tell me the URL of the website you use.  If you don't think you can mange to put one up yourself, I can do a simple one for you.  Please ask for this help specifically.
7. Include a simple, light (mailable!) brochure about the NWR system or your specific refuge along with your QSL.
8. Suggested benchmark frequencies: 21.310, 14.265, 7.240, 3.880 plus CW as you can manage.  To encourage some randomness to our respective frequencies, please move off these benchmarks by 5, 10 or 15 khz in either direction (your choice).  Feel free to work band opening and WARC bands, too.
9. Please feel free to offer up suggestions that you think would make the event more interesting and more fun for everyone!
10. Competition for frequencies has been one of our major issues during the NWR Week event.  Try these dodges and remedies:
    -Do some operating during the week if you can.
    -Do some digital: CW, PSK, RTTY
    -Upper and lower band edges seem to be a little more open when the QSO parties are going.
    -When it just gets too nutty to cope, play the party but include a comment like "visit a wildlife refuge near you" along with your exchange info