Kofa National Wildlife Refuge Camp Trip

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TemboTusk

TemboTusk

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Unfortuntily the Kofa run is out because of the current Heat Wave. However, we have substituted the Carrizo Plain National Monument run instead. Cooler temps and closer to the coast.

Meeting at the TemboTusk Shop in Anaheim Friday morning March 20th. 7:30am departure 8am. Address on the TemboTusk website. This will still be a camping trip with a possible side trip to Pismo Beach time permitting.

1: Jerry
2: Bryan
3: Joe
4: Chris
5: Rocky
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:

Links: Carrizo Plain Monument ----- More info about Carriso Plain




Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

The Club will be going to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge the weekend of March 20-22, 2026. Friday through Sunday.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge offers rugged, senic 4x4 Land Cruiser trails, and OHV trails through the Arizona Desert.

The trails are not technically difficult, but it is recommended to use high-clearance vehicles due to sharp volcanic rocks and sandy washes. A stock vehicle will not have any trouble negotiating the trails.

The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is located between Quartzite and Yuma off Hwy 95. Access is from the I-10 at the Hwy 95 exit in Quartzsite, AZ.
The journey from Orange County to Quartzsite is about 226 miles or 3.5 hours’ drive.

This will be a camping trip starting on Friday morning March 20 leaving the TemboTusk shop at 7am and returning Sunday March 22.

Limited to a minimum of 5 vehicles and a maximum of 10 vehicles.

Bring camping gear, water, food, wood and extra fuel. GMRC or race radio, 2-meter capable of transmitting on the GMRC channels.

Travel Plan or Trip Details for the Kofa trip: Meet at the TemboTusk shop in Anaheim at 6:30am and leave by at 7am. Travel time to Quartzsite, AZ is about 3.5 hours. Route: 91 Freeway to Route 60 and connect to I-10 E. Exit 17 at Quartzite. Turn Right and meet at the Love's Travel Center. We should arrive at the Love's gas station between 10:30am - 11am. Get gas snacks etc. and make our way to Route 95 heading towards Yuma. We well enter the Kofa Refuge at Route 95 and a left onto Castle Dome Mine Road. ( 32°57'41.38"N 114°17'35.67"W ) Our next meet up will be the Castle Dome Ghost Town. ( 33°02'45.6"N 114°10'41.2"W ) A good location for a late lunch.

The TemboTusk shop address is at the bottom of the TemboTusk website.


The trail leader is Jerry LEcuyer. We will start a list below.

1: Jerry LEcuyer TemboTusk
2: Jason Sidesx4
3: Marc OC Cruiser 97
4: Brent Brentbba
5: Chris ChrisLC250
6: Bob, P
7: Joe DirtyRice Joe
8: Rocky
9:
10:

kofa-map.webp

Kofa sign.webp

Bike view.webp
 
Last edited:
Sidesx4 said:
Count me in. I will go on this
TemboTusk said:
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

The Club will be going to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge the weekend of March 20-22, 2026. Friday through Sunday.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge offers rugged, senic 4x4 Land Cruiser trails, and OHV trails through the Arizona Desert.

The trails are not technically difficult, but it is recommended to use high-clearance vehicles due to sharp volcanic rocks and sandy washes. A stock vehicle will not have any trouble negotiating the trails.

The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is located between Quartzite and Yuma off Hwy 95. Access is from the I-10 at the Hwy 95 exit in Quartzsite, AZ.
The journey from Orange County to Quartzsite is about 226 miles or 3.5 hours’ drive.

This will be a camping trip starting on Friday morning March 20 leaving the TemboTusk shop at 7am and returning Sunday March 22.

Limited to a minimum of 5 vehicles and a maximum of 10 vehicles.

Bring camping gear, water, food, wood and extra fuel. GMRC or race radio, 2-meter capable of transmitting on the GMRC channels.

The trail leader is Jerry LEcuyer. We will start a list below.

1: Jerry LEcuyer Tacoma
2: Jason Sidesx4
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:

View attachment 4092654
View attachment 4092655
View attachment 4092657
Click to expand...
I'm interested in this trip Jerry
Click to expand...

Marc
 
Count me in. I've always wanted to see this area. Will need to pick up a GMRS radio. Neither my Yaesu truck mount ham or Wouxun handheld ham will transmit/receive GMRS frequencies.
 
Brentbba said:
Count me in. I've always wanted to see this area. Will need to pick up a GMRS radio. Neither my Yaesu truck mount ham or Wouxun handheld ham will transmit/receive GMRS frequencies.
Click to expand...
I have added you to the list!

I had to remove a diode in my HAM radio to get it to transmit at GMRS frequencies. YouTube: "Yaesu FTM 100 DR use with gmrs radio mars mod"
 
TemboTusk said:
I had to remove a diode in my HAM radio to get it to transmit at GMRS frequencies. YouTube: "Yaesu FTM 100 DR use with gmrs radio mars mod"
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same mod on the FT-8800, but I've chosen not to try. Knowing my fat fingers, I'd fry the whole radio!
 
Brentbba said:
You do the mars mod yourself or find someone?
Click to expand...
I used a jeweler’s magnifying ring and scrapped off the diode with a butter knife. Keep in mind the diode is the size of mechanical pencil lead end. Took two seconds. Put the radio cover back on and tested it with a GMRS radio.

The mod is not hard, just make sure you pick the correct diode.
 
Youtube video on the FT-8800 show the very bottom diode. I've got a small soldering iron with a very small exacto knife tip that should work just fine.
 
Live to Ski said:
what's the story, is the club switching to gmrs going forward?

btw: on my san filipe triip, one of the organizers was able to program my B uv-5r to an agreed upon gmrs. not sure how many frequencies are availbable though.
Click to expand...
Not willingly!!! Most of us in the club still use HAM or 2-meter radios. If all of us going on the trip have HAM radios, no need to go with a GMRS.

However, it is a trend that people are going to GMRS because of very good marketing on the side of GMRS radio makers. I find the GMRS don't have the reach that HAM radios have.
 
TemboTusk said:
I used a jeweler’s magnifying ring and scrapped off the diode with a butter knife. Keep in mind the diode is the size of mechanical pencil lead end. Took two seconds. Put the radio cover back on and tested it with a GMRS radio.

The mod is not hard, just make sure you pick the correct diode.
Click to expand...

Live to Ski said:
what's the story, is the club switching to gmrs going forward?

btw: on my san filipe triip, one of the organizers was able to program my B uv-5r to an agreed upon gmrs. not sure how many frequencies are availbable though.
Click to expand...

TemboTusk said:
Not willingly!!! Most of us in the club still use HAM or 2-meter radios. If all of us going on the trip have HAM radios, no need to go with a GMRS.

However, it is a trend that people are going to GMRS because of very good marketing on the side of GMRS radio makers. I find the GMRS don't have the reach that HAM radios have.
Click to expand...
Yep, not pleased with this switch either. Leaning to just picking up a cheap $30 GMSR radio than doing the mars mod on my ham radio. Hate to do either for one trip .
 
TemboTusk said:
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

The Club will be going to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge the weekend of March 20-22, 2026. Friday through Sunday.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge offers rugged, senic 4x4 Land Cruiser trails, and OHV trails through the Arizona Desert.

The trails are not technically difficult, but it is recommended to use high-clearance vehicles due to sharp volcanic rocks and sandy washes. A stock vehicle will not have any trouble negotiating the trails.

The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is located between Quartzite and Yuma off Hwy 95. Access is from the I-10 at the Hwy 95 exit in Quartzsite, AZ.
The journey from Orange County to Quartzsite is about 226 miles or 3.5 hours’ drive.

This will be a camping trip starting on Friday morning March 20 leaving the TemboTusk shop at 7am and returning Sunday March 22.

Limited to a minimum of 5 vehicles and a maximum of 10 vehicles.

Bring camping gear, water, food, wood and extra fuel. GMRC or race radio, 2-meter capable of transmitting on the GMRC channels.

The trail leader is Jerry LEcuyer. We will start a list below.

1: Jerry LEcuyer Tacoma
2: Jason Sidesx4
3: Marc OC Cruiser 97
4: Brent Brentbba
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:

View attachment 4092654
View attachment 4092655
View attachment 4092657
Click to expand...
Is the baoefang handheld, that many of us use going to work?
 
oc cruiser 97 said:
Is the baoefang handheld, that many of us use going to work?
Click to expand...
Yes, the Baoefang will work just fine. They have no band restrictions., they work on both the 2-meter and GMRS channels.
 
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