Category Archives: Off-Road

Conventions, Ham Radio, Off-Road, Quartzfest

Quartzfest: Ham Radio & Off-Road Event

Quartzfest is what you get when you take a ham radio convention, put it in the Arizona desert, and sprinkle in a bit of off-road action!

My wife and I have been attending Quartzfest since 2019 and we’ve had a great time every year. The timing of the event works out extremely well for our schedules (typically the last full week of January) and the location is typically very mild this part of the year too.

The 2024 Quartzfest is taking place the week of January 21st through the 27th just south of the small town of Quartzsite, Arizona. What is typically a town of 2,400 explodes in January and February — attracting approximately 1.5 million people!

The week that Quartzfest takes place coincides with the annual Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show where many full-time travelers take the opportunity to make plans for the year and get any necessary maintenance and upgrades performed on their RVs and travel trailers.

Quartzfest itself has varied in size over the years, the 2020 event was the largest at almost 1,000 attendees in recent history. The event takes place at the Road Runner 14-day Dispersed Camping Area managed by the BLM and has zero amenities, so you have to pack in everything you need and pack out everything when you leave.

On your way in, you’ll want to stop at the RV Pit Stop in Quartzsite and fill up with water and make sure your tanks are empty if you’re brining an RV or travel trailer — tent campers can relax knowing that Quartzfest provides on-site portable toilets for use that are kept clean and well stocked.

It can be a challenge to find the Quartzfest group after dark, however the Road Runner BLM site has a large parking area right off of US Route 95 — park there and camp for the night and come find the group in the morning.

Typical events include a daily morning, Noon, and Happy Hour radio net, special event station, ham radio license testing, pico-balloon launches, and SOTAs & POTAs! The Northern Arizona DX Association hosts an annual distance challenge contest too. Every night is Happy Hour around the community fire where a raffle is held and at least a Baofeng or two are given away!

Every day will have a variety of seminars, tutorials, demonstrations, and tours of a variety of topics — related to ham radio, camping/RV, cooking, and much more. There is at least one hosted off-road trip during the week — it’s never been too challenging, but 4×4 and high-clearance has always been recommended. We’ve never seen anyone get stuck during the off-road trip, but there are enough friends around that it wouldn’t be a problem for very long.

The event is definitely family friendly and I suggest checking out the schedule on a regular basis as it constantly is receiving updates as we get closer to the event.

Off-Road, Tread Lightly

What does it mean to “Tread Lightly?”

Whenever we drive, bike, hike, or do anything off-road, we need to keep in mind the principal of treading lightly. We all hear the horror stories about areas being gated closed and we don’t want our favorite sites suddenly being restricted.

The Tread Lightly non-profit organization works to help educate the public on how we can recreate responsibly and share that information with others.

Here is their list of T.R.E.A.D. Principals:

  • Travel Responsibly on land by staying on designated roads, trails and area. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. when possible, avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.
  • Respect the Rights of Others including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers and those on or near shore.
  • Educate Yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.
  • Avoid Sensitive Areas on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams. Always ride with caution any time water is present. Wet soils are more susceptible to damage. Riding along river and stream beds causes erosion and habitat destruction. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.
  • Do Your Part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.