N2EChttp://n2ec.us/feed.xml2024-01-16T04:20:21.400000ZWerkzeugBuilding the Penntek TR-35http://n2ec.us/post/building-the-penntek-tr-352024-01-16T04:20:21.400000Z2024-01-15T23:24:24ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4aa0d4a3-8400-de07-0a6e-53b9d11ad14d/f6ce168b-7898-9c45-b78f-58bcecb33dba.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3443; --en-naturalHeight:2033;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>A while ago I saw a review of the Penntek TR-35 and I thought to myself that this could be one of the best options for a super-portable POTA CW transceiver. It is incredibly small, has very low power consumption, has great audio, pleasantly narrow CW filtering, has four bands that are heavily used in POTA (40m, 30m, 20m, and 17m), and is a kit to boot. I ordered one with the optical encoder option (now standard) and then life got in the way and it sat on my shelf for longer than I'd like to admit. Then one weekend I had plans fall through that suddenly gave me unexpected free time, so with a desire to spend some time behind my magnifying glass and soldering iron, I pulled down the TR-35 from my shelf and got to building.</div>
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<div>The first thing I noticed was that the kit was organized better than any kit I had ever done. Each step on the manuals had a sealed bag connected on a strip that kept them all together. This eliminated one of the more tedious first steps for building a kit: part inventory. It meant that instead of having a big pile of parts, you only had to deal with what you needed for that step. Absolutely fantastic. The kit consisted of an upper board with the user interface elements (display, knobs, LEDs, and switches), a lower board with the RF components, and a specially made case. Construction started with the upper board and installing the 16 MHz crystal which needed to be installed with a gap from the board. Next came a pin header and the OLED display which was cleverly suspended from the board with standoffs and connected via leads from sacrificial resistors. Then LEDs, capacitors, jacks, switches, potentiometers, and the tuning encoder were added. The assembly was straightforward, although the encoder did require some fairly fine solder work with only a few millimeters between the pins. Finally the switches and knobs were soldered using the front of the case as a jig to ensure alignment. It sounds complicated, but it was fairly straightforward in practice.</div>
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<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4aa0d4a3-8400-de07-0a6e-53b9d11ad14d/3269b0cf-d1b0-7202-4a0c-acf43092863e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2707; --en-naturalHeight:1587;"/><div><i>The TR-35 Upper Board Assembly</i></div>
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<div>Next came the lower board assembly, starting with the relays and a polyfuse. Then some jacks and potentiometers were added along with some FETs and a series of capacitors. Then it was time for the final amplifier, an IRF510 FET complete with a heat sink, mica insulator, and a plastic spacer to provide electrical isolation between the FET's metal tab and the mounting hardware. This proved to be a tricky step as the initial placement of the FET requires it to be bent over. When I first did this there was enough tension from the bent over leads that even with the plastic spacer the FET was shorting out to ground. I had to disassemble things a bit and bend the leads so that it was no longer pressing against the mounting screw. After a few attempts the continuity function on my multimeter was no longer beeping at me and we had success. The next step was the installation of the many toroids required for the radio. There are many people who do not like winding toroids. I don't mind winding them and find the process somewhat meditative, but I understand how they could be frustrating. For the toroid averse, this kit provides the answer: all the toroids needed are pre-wound at the factory and the enamel pre-stripped as well. If you can install a capacitor on a board, you can install the toroids here. Simple as can be. The toroids were then followed by a bank of 4 filters that needed to have their cases grounded as well. Then we were near the finish line and needed to do a bit of assembly to get the pin headers lined up so that the lower assembly would be electrically connected to the upper assembly. After a lot of solder connections were made, the two boards were mated and the microcontroller was installed and we had an assembled radio.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4aa0d4a3-8400-de07-0a6e-53b9d11ad14d/6c9cea0a-bef9-5409-99be-b478a9678857.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2708; --en-naturalHeight:1490;"/><div><i>TR-35 Lower Board Assembly</i></div>
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<div>Now it was time to check my work. There were resistance checks for the 3 power supply rails to ensure there were no shorts, and then I hooked it up to an antenna, power supply, and an external speaker and powered it up for the first time. Right away the display came to life and showed 7030 kHz. I could hear sound too and no "magic smoke" had been released - a welcome result. I went through several tests of functionality ensuring switches did their thing, knobs changed the desired functionality, and then made my way to the encoder. While it could be clicked to change the tuning steps, it wasn't changing the frequency on rotation. Something was wrong. Remembering the tiny pins that needed to be soldered earlier and the fact that it had partial functionality, I powered everything down and disassembled the boards to inspect the pins. I saw some pins that may have been a bit light on solder. I had been conservative on the solder to avoid bridging the fine pins. I gave each pin a bit more solder, gave a continuity test to each pin to make sure I hadn't bridged them, and then re-assembled the board. After getting everything connected the encoder changed the frequency as it should have done from the start. Success.</div>
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<div>Next it was time to bias the final RF amplifier, a process that involved using a digital multimeter in current measuring mode to measure the receive current drain (in my case a very small 79 ma) and then to transmit at the very lowest power output which caused the current draw to go up about 11 ma. From there you adjusted to have the draw go up another 5ma and the PA was successfully biased. Further adjustments were made to set the CW sidetone level to a pleasant volume with a potentiometer. One thing that is unique about this kit is the sidetone you hear is actually your transmitted signal, giving you silky smooth QSK. If you're using an unprotected lithium battery, you can even set the voltage for a low power warning. I will be using a regulated supply or a battery with a BMS, so I skipped that step. Finally, you adjust the CW narrow bandpass filter to be properly centered by listening for peak amplitude and then you're done. All that was left to do was assemble the case, install the knobs, LED lenses, vinyl switch covers, and the rotary encoder.</div>
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<div>After getting it all together I started spinning the dial around the bands and I was amazed with how low the noise floor seemed to be. The CW signals seemed to pop-out from the background noise and sounded quite pleasant. There are two CW filter modes, one very wide filter around 1.6 kHz and a narrower filter at 350 Hz, albeit with somewhat soft skirts. At the narrower filter setting noise and adjacent signals drop dramatically. I started calling CQ and looked onto the reverse beacon network and saw I was being received well into Europe on the East and West nearly across the US on 40m. Sadly, there were no takers to my CQ, and I decided to give the 30m band a try.</div>
<div> </div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4aa0d4a3-8400-de07-0a6e-53b9d11ad14d/e02c650e-8923-70b2-1680-44e6d4d19b9d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3840; --en-naturalHeight:1610;"/><div><i> Reverse Beacon Spots on 40m</i></div>
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<div>On 30m I had similar RBN results, getting into Europe and across the United States. I heard a signal about 1 kHz down just faintly as I was calling CQ so I paused for a moment to see who it was. It turned out to be Wolf, DF2PY in Germany calling CQ. I had the pleasure of working him in the past, so I decided to return his call. He heard me gave me a 549 and I heard him a solid 559 and we had a nice chat about home built rigs (he also likes to build rigs) until we were taken out by some QSB. Not bad for a first contact on the rig. In the next day I was able to contact Curacao on 17m as well with 1 Watt. I also made contacts with Oklahoma, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Central Virginia on the 40, 30, 20, and 17m bands. The rig is a lot of fun, and most of the stations I called I was able to work. I even broke a few POTA CW pileups by going off frequency and using the RIT control to listen to the activator on their frequency, thus making my signal stand out from the zero beat crowd. I am very pleased with the results.</div>
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<div>So now that we know it works, what can it do? Well, the power output is variable and somewhat based on input voltage. On the lower bands I can get as much as 9 W out with the output power getting lower as the frequency goes higher. There is an RF output knob that allows you to change your power output, if desired. One thing you notice about the TR-35 is there are no deep menus to learn, almost every function has a button or knob dedicated to it. There are knobs for keyer speed, RF power, RF gain, and volume as well as an optical encoder for the VFO that is smooth and stepless. Pushing in on the VFO encoder changes your step, allowing you to go by 10 Hz and 100 Hz increments with a short press or by 1 kHz increments with a long press. When it comes to switches, you have a power switch, as well as a couple momentary switches that are bi-directional. The first momentary switch allows you to change the receiver mode from wide to narrow bandwidth if pressed up quickly, or to a full SSB width if long pressed. If pressed down it allows you to access the CW memories (there are 2) that are selectable by hitting either the dit or dah side of your paddle. A long press down allows you to program those memories. The final switch allows you to switch bands with a single fast press cycling 40, 30, 20, and 17 and then back again. If you long press up on this switch it will store the current frequency into a band memory. To recall that memory you would press up quickly twice. Finally pressing the switch down engages RIT allowing you to modify your receive frequency while maintaining your transmit frequency. Very helpful for those callers who may be calling you off frequency and not in the center of your filters. This can also be used to allow for split operation, albeit in reverse. Long pressing down will engage a dial lock, useful if you're running a frequency and don't want to accidently go off frequency. There are also LED indicators for signal reception (which shows as blue), red for a low battery warning that is configurable to your preferred voltage via an internal potentiometer, and RIT activation via an amber LED. Another useful feature is that this radio has 2 key input jacks: one for a paddle and another for a straight key. You can have both hooked up simultaneously, in fact in my shack I keep both connected to make for easier tuning with the straight key, or to switch things up if I feel like going manual.</div>
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<div>So everything sounds pretty good, right? Well there a few things to note that are missing. There is no internal way of knowing what your output power is, and the output varies by band and input voltage. If you have a wattmeter you could make a table of dial positions and output powers, but you won't see it on the screen. Also, the TR-35 does not have an SWR meter, so you'll want to pack one, or have an antenna tuner available if you plan on using a non-resonant antenna. I have these in my arsenal, so I can deal, but it would be much nicer if the SWR were displayed either on the OLED screen or via some LED metering. Finally, I do get a significant reduction of output on the 17m band, and I've reached out to Penntek to see if they have any idea why this is. I have made plenty of contacts on 17m with the 1-1.5 W I've measured from the radio, but when 40m and 30m are 7-9 W and 20m is about 3.5 W, 1-1.5W is a big drop-off. </div>
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<div>All in all, I have been very pleased with my new TR-35. At time of this review they are currently going for $319 as a kit or $419 fully assembled from the Penntek web site. While not the cheapest radio out there, I have been impressed with the quality of the kit and the wonderful sound that it is capable of producing. I look forward to getting it out in the field for years to come.</div>
POTA Activation #65: A Commute-to-Work 2-fer in DC (DC) (8/4/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-65-a-commute-to-work-2-fer-in-dc-dc-8-4-20232023-08-04T17:22:25.610000Z2023-08-04T16:50:10ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b423429a-ec4b-0a07-d142-ef7e02183385/8af55dad-964a-3767-030c-38cd83c72c08.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1209; --en-naturalHeight:907;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>It was a cloudy morning with some intermittent light rain, but somehow I willed myself to get up a bit early with my alarm and the promise of a delicious morning espresso. It had been a while since I had done a morning activation before work and I was definitely feeling the itch to hear the symphony that is a CW pileup that comes when you active Parks on the Air. Thankfully the dreary conditions encouraged other commuters to stay nestled in their beds, so I had almost no traffic as I drove into the District of Columbia. I listened to a few ragchews on the way into work and could tell that the 40m band was working well, so I decided that would be my first band of the day. I also had seen that several of my LICW friends were already up and enjoying their morning coffee and playing radio across the globe, so I was excited at the prospect of getting some of them in the log.</div>
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<div>I rolled up to my usual spot and found that Hains Point was closed due to "unsafe conditions". Presumably the recent precipitation had caused some flooding along the drive. I did not despair, as I knew of another spot, not far away, that would allow me to activate another 2-fer along the banks of the Potomac. This time at Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and the Potomac Heritage Trail NST. This spot would not be free -- I had to pay a couple bucks to feed the meter -- but with my nominal fee paid to the US Park Service, I sent out a "QRL?" on the empty frequency I had been monitoring, spotted myself on the <a href="http://POTA.app">POTA.app</a> site, and notified my LICW friends that I was about to get on the air. </div>
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<div>After a few CQ calls, I heard from a station in Tennessee followed by another in Virginia and then another in North Carolina. Then, clear as a bell, Mike N2PPI came in like he was in the passenger seat from New York, making my first LICW contact of the morning and putting a big smile on my face. Next up, working just a bit up in frequency was super-hunter Dan, WD4DAN who was a solid 559 in Georgia. Always good to get him in the log. Next I heard from Connecticut, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and South Carolina. Then I got some more LICW magic from my friend Chris, N8PEM in Ohio. He also had a big signal and I was excited to get him in the log. Everything was off to a great start. Next I heard from Indiana, North Carolina, Michigan, North Carolina again, New York, and finally just up the road in Maryland. </div>
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<div>The crowd had thinned and I still had some time, so I decided to try a second band to see what I could do. I set up camp on 30m and called CQ, and for a while heard nothing back. Eventually, I heard from Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Florida once more. The band definitely seemed noisy though, and some of the signals were down in that noise, so after another lull I thought I would give one more band a try.</div>
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<div>With just a few minutes until I would have to head in to the office, I started calling CQ on 20m and initially didn't hear all that much. After keeping me guessing for a bit I heard from Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Florida again, and then I heard a call that initially threw me as it had 2 digits in it ... after a resend I realized it was a station in Belize! Nothing like some DX in the morning! Finally, I got a call from my most prolific hunter, none other than Paul KJ7DT in Idaho, who got in the log for 46th and 47th time! He and I are only 3 QSOs away from an Activator Operator to Operator award. As always it is great to get Paul in the log and I look forward to us hitting that milestone soon. After his call I looked at the clock and realized that I had to call it an activation and get into the office.</div>
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<div>After 42 minutes on the air I ended up with 32 QSOs in 2 parks on 3 bands. A great result and a whole lot of fun. Sometimes the early bird really does get the proverbial worm.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b423429a-ec4b-0a07-d142-ef7e02183385/0464c5b2-f092-e65f-6d07-bea108efbf50.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1589; --en-naturalHeight:983;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Key</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>SV8/N2EC: Working the World (And Some Friends) with Battery Powered CW on the Island of Mykonos (Greece) (7/8/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/sv8-n2ec-working-the-world-and-some-friends-with-battery-powered-cw-on-the-island-of-mykonos-greece-7-8-20232023-08-20T01:56:41.170000Z2023-08-02T20:39:49ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fbbe6d2d-6972-1a61-7b92-f774f2c1a83e/81032d23-fcc7-b411-576a-2af1e4fddd81.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1209; --en-naturalHeight:907;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>In July of 2023 I visited Greece for the first time with my family. We visited Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Mykonos, and Santorini over the course of two weeks and had an absolutely wonderful time. In addition to visiting the sights I brought along my uSDX 8 Band QRP Transceiver along with my Chelegance MC-750 vertical antenna to see if I could play a little radio while I was there. Since Greece is a participant in the CEPT treaty, my Extra Class privileges allow me to operate as SV8/N2EC as long as I have an official copy of my license as well as a copy of the FCC Public Notice in multiple languages describing the CEPT agreement. My initial plan was to try to activate a park on the island of Mykonos for Parks on the Air. Unfortunately, when I got on the island and talked to the locals, it appeared that the park that was listed on the POTA site was not going to be suitable to activate, so I had to change my plans.</div>
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<div>Conveniently, the hotel I was staying at, the Mykonos Beach Hotel, had given us a room that had its own semi-private patio overlooking the Aegean Sea and the hotel's infinity pool. Perfect to use with my vertical and its tripod. Very nice operating conditions! I decided to set up the radio and antenna and see what I could hear. I could hear a lot. I had set up my station in the midst of the IARU HF Championship, so there was plenty of DX on the bands blazing along at the speed of light on CW. After tuning around I decided to contact one of the contesting stations, UC7A, who was coming in strong in Mykonos from Tikhoretsk, Russia, just a bit East of Ukraine. I was happy that I was able to make the trip on my 7.5 Watts.</div>
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<div>After tuning around a bit and finding the bands pretty packed, I decided to take refuge in the 17m band and give calling CQ a try to see if I would be picked up by the RBN, and hopefully another station. I was able to see that I was, indeed, getting out with my modest station. I was getting spotted as far North as Estonia, to the Northwest in Great Britain, and to the West in Spain and all throughout Western Europe. After a few calls I heard back from Vlad, UB1AKA, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. We fought the QSB to have a nice ragchew, and Vlad seemed excited to work me in Mykonos with my QRP station. It was a very nice chat and Vlad was very patient as I struggled with the fading. So much fun. Looking at the clock I realized it was time for us to find a place to get dinner, so I broke down the station and we hiked into town to have a delicious meal.</div>
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<div>After we returned from dinner, I decided to set the station back up again and see if I could make some more contacts. All throughout my trip I had been corresponding with my friends from the Long Island CW Club on our WhatsApp group, and I let them know I was about to get on the air to see if we could make the impossible possible and make a contact from Mykonos to where they were. I started calling CQ as SV8/N2EC on the 20m band and excitedly listened to the static on the band through my headphones as I watched the lights from the island shimmer on the water of the Aegean Sea. </div>
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<div>After a few calls I heard a familiar call down in the noise. My buddy David, SM2YUW, was returning my call from inside the Arctic Circle in Kiruna, Sweden! He and I have become good friends chatting on the LICW DMR group and we had both been hoping that one day band conditions would be right for us to make a QSO without the aid of the internet. Today was the day! Copy was rough, but we were able to get it done. At the peaks we heard each other 559, and we were both giddy with excitement that we were able to have the QSO even though we were around 3,000 miles apart and I was running QRP. Amazing.</div>
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<div>Word got around that we made it happen on WhatsApp, and soon I was able to hear another familiar call, this time from 5,000 miles away. Another LICW buddy, Mike, N2PPI, gave me a call from Long Island, New York. He was even deeper in the noise, but I was able to hear him and he was able to hear me down around a 529 RST. I had made it all the way back to the States using 7.5 Watts and a radio I bought on a lark for $139. QRP can definitely be magical. The success was exhilarating for all of us. </div>
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<div>But wait, someone tail-ended Mike's QSO with me, this time at a solid 579 from the Netherlands was Jan, PA3CXB. What a night! Jan was excited to work me down in SV8 as well, and I was feeling incredibly lucky to have such a great run on the bands. It was getting late, so I decided to call QRT and break down the station, but it would be a while before I could go to sleep after such an exciting time on the air. I may not have been able to activate a park on the trip, but I can't imagine having more fun than I did contacting friends in the Arctic and the US, and making new contacts all over Europe. </div>
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<div>After such a great time on the air, I hope to be able to bring a radio with me on future trips abroad. It really was a lot of fun.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fbbe6d2d-6972-1a61-7b92-f774f2c1a83e/7a120340-6a87-288c-d720-39f7d1a042f5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3201; --en-naturalHeight:1666;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">uSDX 8 Band QRP HF SDR Transceiver</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Paper Log</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #64: 4 Park QRP with Gersohn (VA) (7/23/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-64-4-park-qrp-with-gersohn-va-7-23-20232023-07-24T19:48:24.492000Z2023-07-24T15:07:35ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b51975f6-f30b-6aea-ff24-c77ce63eab99/636a0c33-36ea-45d8-12c5-45e6b1374ec9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2696; --en-naturalHeight:2023;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>On Saturday my local club, the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club, had its monthly breakfast and I got to see my buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK. He suggested that we go out into the parks and do an activation. On Saturday I had a lot of chores to attend to so I couldn't get out that day, but I had a window on Sunday after an afternoon meeting. So we decided to give it a go on Sunday at Belle Haven Park in the George Washington Memorial Parkway, one of our favorite activation sites. It is also coincident with the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, the Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and the Potomac Heritage Trail NST, so it is a full-fledged 4-fer on the banks of the Potomac. My meeting ran a bit late, so Gersohn was already set-up at a picnic table as I was driving over, so I tuned him in on my mobile rig and was able to give him his first contact while I was on my way. It was interesting, from a few miles away he was somewhat quiet, but once I was over a ridge that was between us, his signal got significantly stronger as we became line-of-sight.</div>
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<div>Gersohn was using his Xiegu X6100 along with his AlexLoop Magnetic Loop antenna and had setup right by the Potomac in a nice shady spot. After I rolled in I brought my Icom IC-705 and Chelegance MC-750 antenna and as I was setting up I decided to try to activate using the internal battery alone on the 705, something I had never tried before. Using the internal battery (the same ones that Icom HTs use) you're limited to 5W output on transmit, usually I do 10 with the 705. I knew this might be a challenge, as earlier in the day solar activity had caused a lot of D-Layer absorption in the ionosphere, so conditions were a bit challenging. But, as ever, when you're doing Parks on the Air as an activator, you are the DX. So I decided to give it the old college try.</div>
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<div>I had the Chelegance MC-750 up and running in no-time, this time using the ground spike into the relatively soft soil of the park. That antenna never ceases to amaze me at how quickly and effortlessly it is able to be setup and tuned precisely. I decided to start on the 15m band, in the hope of bypassing some of the problems relating to D-Layer absorption, and using the in-built markings the SWR was pretty much spot-on from the initial setup. I used my antenna analyzer for the first band, but for subsequent tunings I found just by moving it near the markings I had a sufficient match to just use the radio itself. Nice. As has been my recent custom, I put out a notification on the LICW WhatsApp group to let my friends there know I was going on the air and I started calling CQ. After calling CQ for a while, it became clear this might not be an easy one. After a few minutes I heard from Jerry, WB7S, in Wyoming, an LICW member on the WhatsApp group who came in with a very strong signal on my end at 559 and was doing more work to get me with a 339. Was great to get started with an LICW friend. Unfortunately, that would be the only 15m contact I would get. </div>
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<div>After about 13 minutes of calling CQ without an answer, I moved on down to the 17m band and heard a familiar call, KJ7DT in Idaho, who gave me my first reply on 17m. Two minutes later I got a call from Florida that came in nice and loud for me but reported me down at 229. Glad they did the work to copy me. After another 5 minutes I got a station in England that similarly was blasting in, but heard me a 339. Always great to get across the pond ... and with 5 Watts, no less. I'll take it. </div>
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<div>After another 7 minutes of CQing into the void, I decided to take my chances with the D-Layer absorption and move on down to the 20m band to see if one of the two workhorse bands of POTA could pull me back from the jaws of defeat. Sure enough, I was getting some distance with my 5 W as my first two replies were all the way from Washington state! Next I heard from Texas, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas (twice), Indiana, and Florida. I had tried to call QRT for a bit, but I kept being called afterward, so I ended up making more than just the activation requirement. Once I got a break in calls I shut down for a while to allow Gerson to get some more operating time in to see if he could finish his activation, too. He was making contacts with the AlexLoop, but things seemed to be going a bit on the slow side, so he decided to hook up to my Chelegance MC-750 and the calls started picking back up. In short order he made his activation and another successful one was in the books. He started to shut down, but I wondered if I could get some of the LICW friends who had been having trouble hearing me on the higher bands.</div>
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<div>So I tuned the antenna to 40m and decided to give another go at it to see if I could get some more close-in friends in the log. Right away I heard from Michigan, Virginia, Massachusetts, Ohio, and then I got LICW buddy Chris N8PEM booming in from Ohio! I was very pleased to get him in the log another time. I was coming in 559 for him, but still doing well for 5 W. In fact I was getting great signal reports on 40m, and looking later it looks like the sun started to stop its tantrum of charged particles, so the bands were shaping up. Next I heard from New Jersey, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, New Jersey, Arkansas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and finally New Jersey. Once again I had tried to call QRT so I could pack up and chat more with Gersohn, but once again (actually about 4 times again) after calling QRT I got more callers, and I hate to leave people hanging. </div>
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<div>By the time I shut off the radio I had made 30 CW QSOs on 4 bands over the course of 2 hours and 5 minutes. Since I took a break in there while Gersohn was finishing up his SSB activation, actual time on the air was about 60 minutes. Considering I was at 5 W, not bad at all. If I had stuck around later on I probably could have gotten a lot more as the rate seemed to be escalating quickly, but dinner time was calling. I had a great afternoon out with Gersohn in one of our favorite operating spots. As we packed up we discussed some plans for our next rove together. We need to work out the logistics, but if we can pull it of, it will be one to remember. Definitely stay tuned, you won't want to miss this one. Until then, 73.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b51975f6-f30b-6aea-ff24-c77ce63eab99/ffe08498-5380-1b11-55cc-af2ab5fff128.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3737; --en-naturalHeight:1386;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan = 15m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br/></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b51975f6-f30b-6aea-ff24-c77ce63eab99/b5ab26a4-2482-8973-708e-d91530a8f230.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3545; --en-naturalHeight:1914;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan = 15m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div>Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Paddle</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #63: A Support Your Parks Weekend 4-fer (VA) (7/16/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-63-a-support-your-parks-weekend-4-fer-va-7-16-20232023-07-18T20:51:48.771000Z2023-07-18T17:53:54ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/28d888fb-cc8d-0199-d45c-c5eaad6f444c/7a1be5b0-a317-da03-efae-5af38315a8c6.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>Four times a year, Parks on the Air has a special weekend where activators are encouraged to get out into the parks for what they call "Support Your Parks Weekend". I always try to get out at least once to activate during those weekends if I am able to do so. I had just gotten back home on Saturday from a two week vacation to Greece, so I was still recovering a bit from the jet lag, but I had some time in the afternoon and I had the itch to get out into a park and make some contacts. So I went to one of my favorite 4-fers along the banks of the Potomac River inside the George Washington Memorial Parkway to activate GWMP, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, and the Potomac Heritage Trail National Scenic Trail. In the interest of keeping things simple and being time efficient, I decided to make this one a mobile activation.</div>
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<div>I decided to start on 20m and began hunting a Park to Park in Missouri. After making the contact I set up camp just above his frequency and started calling CQ. My first response was from KJ7DT in Idaho who always is good at making hunting magic, it would not be the last time today that he would be on my log. Then I heard from Wisconsin, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas (3 stations in a row), Florida, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, Illinois, and Florida again. Then I heard a weak signal that I could hardly believe. It was KL7AC in Alaska giving me a call, 539 both ways, but man I'll take that any day. Some fantastic DX. Then I heard from Ohio and Tennessee and then things slowed down for a bit. After a few minutes I heard from DL2COM in Germany who came in at a 529, but we made the contact, more DX magic. After some more quiet, I switched to the 17m band and called CQ for a while but heard nothing but noise for a while until KJ7DT in Idaho broke the silence just above my noise floor at 529, he heard me a bit louder at 559, and he was in the log again. Next I heard from California after a few more CQs, and then crickets. It was time for another band, so I moved down to the 30m band and right off the bat I heard from Maine, Arkansas, Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin, and Georgia. </div>
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<div>Next I heard a solid loud signal from a familiar call, KK4WDP, my friend Josh who was just a few miles away in Alexandria. I told him it was great to get him in the log, and then heard from Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas, Florida, and Tennessee. The contacts started to slow down a bit, and I hadn't been heard by some of my LICW friends who I knew were looking for me, so I decided to hop down to the 40m band to see if I could make it up to New York. In a word, yes. Contact number one on 40 was Ed, N2GSL, coming in a solid 559 and sounding great from NY. Always puts a smile on my face to get Ed in the log. Next up was Wisconsin, Michigan, and South Carolina. Then I heard from Karl K5KHK up in Rochester, NY who I got to meet at FDIM this year, and another station in New Jersey. That was followed by another LICW buddy Mike, N2PPI on Long Island, NY who I was excited to get into the log again. I had the good fortune to work him when I was on vacation in Greece while operating patio portable on battery power. Next up was South Carolina and another New York station followed by yet another LICW buddy, Chris N8PEM who had been activating a few SOTA summits earlier in the day and was doing his first POTA activation of the day. He came in like he was sitting next to me from Ohio and I was glad we were able to make it happen. I would try to hunt him later on 20, but would only hear the Spanish DX he was working at the time, and not him. Very glad to get him in the log on 40.</div>
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<div>Next I heard from Georgia, New York, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Ontario (Canada), a Virginia station just down the road in Woodbridge, and then I heard Josh again, KK4WDP, for a second band just down the street in Alexandria. I thanked him for another one and then heard from another Virginia station, then Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, and then finally a pair of Virginia stations before things got quiet again. I looked at my clock and saw it was getting late and I had been out for 90 minutes already, so I called QRT and called it an activation. By the end I had made 55 CW QSOS ranging from Alaska to Germany. So much fun. With a 4-fer, that was another 220 in the log and another Support Your Parks Weekend in the books.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/28d888fb-cc8d-0199-d45c-c5eaad6f444c/112c0575-370f-7d9b-43b3-b0080141b087.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3423; --en-naturalHeight:1614;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
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<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/28d888fb-cc8d-0199-d45c-c5eaad6f444c/3926fe78-cc18-2d69-1c22-48f7452a1b59.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2207; --en-naturalHeight:1177;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Key</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #62: A QRP 4-fer Activation Testing a New Rig (VA) (6/17/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-62-a-qrp-4-fer-activation-testing-a-new-rig-va-6-17-20232023-06-28T14:45:55.525000Z2023-06-20T01:59:34ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/d8d7e931-6d08-6957-d675-ad8eafe4750d/5197c485-9e52-7f26-1fe2-917c7ebf66fe.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2730; --en-naturalHeight:2048;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>In preparation for an upcoming trip to Greece, I had been doing some field tests of my Mountain Topper MTR-4B and I had noticed that the receive audio on it was super quiet, to the point where it was getting hard to listen to signals, even with amplification. So I decided to try another rig that I had recently picked up to play with, a uSDX clone that I had picked up from the Banggood online marketplace in China. </div>
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<div>I had purchased it for $139 on sale, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting great performance. Reviews online were mixed with some people having good results and others having issues. However, at that price, I was willing to take the risk and see if I could have some fun with it. And now, with my most portable radio having some issues, it was fortuitous that I had a backup.</div>
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<div>The rig is capable of operating on 8 bands from 160-10m, has an internal battery, operates on CW, SSB, AM, and FM, has variable filters, and a surprisingly effective CW decoder built in. It claims up to 10W power output (I was getting about 7.5 in my initial tests), and while chunkier than the MTR-4B, it is surprisingly compact considering it has its own battery. Like other rigs of this size, it does not have an internal antenna tuner.</div>
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<div>I had done some back yard work with the rig and had promising results, so I decided it was time to get it into the field for a POTA activation to test its mettle and see how it would fare under potential pile-up conditions. I decided to pair it with my Chelegance MC-750 so that I would not need to use an external antenna tuner (although I did bring one, just in case) and my N0SA designed SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddles to give a real test of the entire setup I would likely deploy in Greece.</div>
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<div>I was able to very quickly get a perfect match with my MC-750, and I noticed as I was preparing to spot myself that my good friend Ed, W4EMB was activating a park at that very moment. Naturally, I had to get him in the log, so I sent him a hello and got a solid signal report back from him. I thanked him for the Park to Park and told him he was sounding great on 20m from Tennessee, and then moved down a bit and found a clear frequency on 14.059 and started my activation. </div>
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<div>Almost immediately, I heard back from a station in Arkansas, then I heard from another LICW friend, Rin, W4RIN in Georgia. Great as always to get him in the log. Then I made contact with Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Illinois again, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and Alabama. The rate wasn't super fast, but the rig was working well. I was getting mostly strong signal reports with a few weak ones in there, but it was working, and from what I could tell, it was working well.</div>
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<div>One of the advantages of this rig is the large number of bands available to me on it. The MTR does 4 bands (80m, 40m, 30m, and 20m), only 3 of which are actually useful in a field situation (I don't have any field capable 80m antennas). The uSDX adds some higher and lower bands to the mix, so I was excited to see what I could do with them.</div>
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<div>I retuned my Chelegance MC-750 for the 17m band and began calling CW. For a while I didn't get any takers, but finally got a contact with Alabama where I received a 579 signal report and he was popping out a solid 599. After a bit more time with no responses I moved up to the 15m band and got Florida and Utah in the log before before moving down to the 40m band to see if I could get some more contacts. Interestingly enough, I just made one with a station in Ohio, who heard me at 449. After a while of calling CQ and hearing nothing I decided to move back to 20m.</div>
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<div>First I decided to look at the spots and see if I could get another park to park contact, and I did with a station in Kansas, and then again with a station in Colorado. Then I decided to call CQ again and made contacts with Tennessee, Nebraska, and Georgia. After a bit of a lull, I hunted Park to Parks in Florida, Georgia, and Florida again. It turns out that each of them were in 2-fers (and I was in a 4-fer) so many P2Ps ensued.</div>
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<div>I went back to calling CQ and heard from Florida, then got a second call from Ed, W4EMB, this time from his house also in Tennessee. After a quick chat telling him I was testing a new rig, I heard from Florida again, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, Florida, Illinois, and then my longest distance contact of the day with super hunter KJ7DT in Idaho (who heard me surprisingly well). Next up was Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, and finally Georgia.</div>
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<div>I had tried a few times to make contacts on SSB for some park to parks ... but nobody heard me, so I'm guessing that there is something wrong with it on the voice side. I'll have to hook it up to the spectrum analyzer to see what's going on, but it works well on CW, and that's primarily what I bought it for.</div>
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<div>My wife and daughter drove up and brought me some lunch and we had a picnic at my beautiful operating position on the banks of the Potomac River. By the end of the day I made 37 contacts on CW and had a lot of fun in about 2 hours and 39 minutes. It wasn't what I'd get at 100W, but it was a whole lot of fun with a station that weighs almost nothing. This little rig, which costs less than the antenna it was connected to, certainly did the job. Additionally, it did it entirely on its internal battery. Not bad at all.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/d8d7e931-6d08-6957-d675-ad8eafe4750d/e584ebac-ea16-e41e-3c15-19708c6736df.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2942; --en-naturalHeight:1502;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">uSDX 8 Band QRP HF SDR Transceiver</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #61: A Post-Concert Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Activation (VA) (6/8/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-61-a-post-concert-wolf-trap-national-park-for-the-performing-arts-activation-va-6-8-20232023-06-13T20:29:11.297000Z2023-06-08T19:21:37ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/326a676f-3301-bef0-5e22-c2df5972e68a/ad97f63a-07b6-e28c-3fde-c903dfa8d484.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2730; --en-naturalHeight:2048;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>My beautiful wife has been on a bit of a concert kick of late, so she's been looking out for shows of interest that the family can enjoy together. She and I have been long-time fans of the Indigo Girls, so when she heard they were going to be performing at Wolf Trap she jumped at the chance to get tickets to the show for the three of us. Wolf Trap is a beautiful venue situated in Northern Virginia near Tysons Corner surrounded by a beautiful park. </div>
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<div>You may be guessing where this is going ... Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts just so happens to be the one and only National Park dedicated solely to the performing arts. It also happens to be one of the parks that is a part of Parks on the Air. So once we had tickets in hand, I was excited to see the show, and to get the park on the air as we waited in the long lines that always are present to get out of the parking lots after the show. For once waiting in a line was a feature and not a bug ...</div>
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<div>The three of us arrived at Wolf Trap with time to spare on a pleasant late Spring afternoon from a temperature perspective, however, from an air quality perspective it left something to be desired. Due to wildfires in Canada, the air quality was quite terrible and the air was heavy with the vague smell of a campfire and the acrid byproducts of combustion. We made it into the Filene Center fairly quickly and after getting some snacks and souvenirs made our way to our fantastic seats a short distance back from the stage.</div>
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<div>The show was excellent. Emily Saliers and Amy Ray performed all their hits and some of their newer material and the audience was enjoying every second as they were dancing and singing along to the songs they all knew by heart. The venue was nearly sold out and the hazy skies were unable to put a damper on the spirits of the thousands assembled. After a two hour set capped by a 3 song encore, the Indigo Girls bid us good night and we made the slow trek back to the car. I was excited to get an activation in the books from a new (to me) park, but looking at my watch I noticed that the show had gotten us past the eleven o'clock hour, and I worried that all the hunters might have called it a night already. There was only one way to find out ...</div>
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<div>Since it was in the evening, I gravitated toward the 40m band, thinking that would give me the best shot of making my 10 while I waited for the parking lot to clear out at Wolf Trap. So I spotted myself, notified some friends, and called CQ. And then I called CQ again ... and again ... and again. Crickets ... is this thing on? Since I was using HAMRS, I saw spot after spot coming in on the RBN, but SDR receiving stations don't make contacts. </div>
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<div>So I moved up to the 30m band and called CQ again. Wow, the spots really were coming in. I was killing it in Europe ... but it seems most of them were asleep. I kept calling, and silence was my only response. So I decided to move on over to the 20m band. As I was searching for a spot I heard A LOT of activity there. Quickly I realized I was in the middle of the CWops CWT, a regular weekly contest held by CWops for an hour where the operators who run tend to absolutely fly at speeds that can be in excess of 35wpm. Usually they hang out in the .028-.045 region, so I went a bit higher and started calling CQ POTA.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/326a676f-3301-bef0-5e22-c2df5972e68a/e39d218c-43b3-6d8f-abbb-829e8df2b270.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1440; --en-naturalHeight:1308;"/><div><b>Where I was spotted on the RBN</b></div>
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<div>For several minutes I heard no replies to my CQs. I contemplated calling QRT and going back to watching cars not move around me. Then I got my first reply. A station in Texas was hearing me at 559, so now if I called QRT it would be a failed activation. Time to redouble my efforts. Next I got another call, and then after 4 minutes a third, this time in Oklahoma. Then I had 6 minutes of nothing at all. Was this going to be my first failed activation? Looking at the RBN I was getting out like crazy across 3 continents ... they just weren't looking for me. </div>
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<div>So as I was sitting there, I realized something. I had heard dozens of stations when I switched to the 20m band. The CWT was on. Then a light bulb went on in my head. Any QSO is a valid QSO for POTA. Hunters are hunters, even if they don't know they're hunters ... Contesters will work to make contacts with me if I call them, they want the QSO just as badly as I do. And the CWT has a quick and easy exchange just like POTA. If you can't beat them ... <i>join them. </i> And so I did. </div>
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<div>Scrolling down the dial I heard a station in the Czech Republic blazing at the speed of light. I threw my call out and got an immediate response. 4 in the log. Next I heard a station from Alberta burning that paddle like the wildfires plaguing us all. I called him and boom, 5 in the log. Then I heard an Illinois station running at speed. Number 6. Next was a Texas station for 7, then some Hungarian DX for 8, Kansas for 9, and finally Georgia (the state, not the country) for 10. Not a second too soon, as the parking lot had started to clear and the Park Police were starting to circle the parking lot which meant that it was time for us to head on home.</div>
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<div>With 12 minutes until midnight I called it an activation and got my 36th unique park on-the-air. It was certainly an unconventional activation, but a lot of fun. I didn't realize I could hang with guys going at double the speed I usually activate at, but I was able to get it done. Perhaps I'll participate in more CWTs in the future. A good reminder to not give up. Sometimes one operator's contest is another's activation. Dit. Dit.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/326a676f-3301-bef0-5e22-c2df5972e68a/f6029df2-5079-211e-ea86-acdbb646f9e2.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3529; --en-naturalHeight:1331;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br/></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/326a676f-3301-bef0-5e22-c2df5972e68a/2c482ce8-491c-1842-d6c6-d2341bd84f42.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3100; --en-naturalHeight:1818;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Key</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #60: A Club 4-fer Activation and my first Kilo with Friends Old and New (VA) (6/3/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-60-a-club-4-fer-activation-and-my-first-kilo-with-friends-old-and-new-va-6-3-20232023-06-14T14:05:57.244000Z2023-06-06T15:47:12ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/8d62f313-d8fc-8991-3d5e-a64f5b4ec0c1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1024; --en-naturalHeight:769;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>Saturday, June 3, was a busy day in the world of Amateur Radio. Locally the Ole Virginia Hams club had their Manassas Hamfest which was attended by several MVARC members and across the airwaves the Parks on the Air Plaque Event was underway. It was also the day when the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club would have its very first activation for Parks on the Air. For the first time in several weeks, the weather was looking to be cooperative, so a message was sent out on the MVARC reflector inviting all interested in joining to Belle Haven Park in Alexandria to learn how to get antennas in trees and how to get on the air with Parks on the Air.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/8f49f2f4-dbe2-241d-00c5-448bbbac358c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1287; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Greg Josephs, AJ4QZ</i></div>
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<div>I wasn't sure how many people would join in the fun, but I was hopeful that the great weather and close-in location would get members out into the park. Gersohn, KO4IUK, was the first to commit to joining me, so after getting home from the Manassas hamfest, I made my way to Belle Haven Park. As it turns out, I wasn't the first person there. I was joined by Greg KC5QCN, the president of the Arlington Amateur Radio Club, who had already arrived and had set up his well appointed QRP station on a well shaded area along the banks of the Potomac. He had an FT-818 and a Chameleon Delta Loop already up and operational and gave me a hearty welcome as I arrived. He assisted me in moving some tables together so we could accommodate anyone else who joined us and helped me haul some gear I had brought, including my electric cooler with some cold sparkling water to enjoy.</div>
<div> </div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/762e9fa7-632d-27a9-229b-e9eed990cff1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1024; --en-naturalHeight:769;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>I set up my Icom IC-705 and we were soon joined by Gersohn, KO4IUK, who set up his Lab599 Discovery along with his Chelegance MC-750 and AlexLoop Magnetic Loop Antenna. In short order we were joined by MVARC members Brian KQ4GWB, Corey KN4YZY, Greg AJ4QZ, and Bob KT4KS. Also joining us was friend, author, and fellow POTA enthusiast Larry KN4XW and Alexandria Radio Club President Don KI4D. Brian had also brought some gear, and with 10 of us at the park, the outing was already a big success. </div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/0d8b7432-181b-d2e9-8b52-43eeb6942ccf.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1182; --en-naturalHeight:665;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>Gersohn and I showed how to use an arborist throw line to get a wire antenna into a tree, both by swinging it with your arm and by using Gersohn's air cannon to launch it into the next county. Once we had an antenna up in the trees we took a look at the spots and saw that we were not alone on the bands, with over 160 other activators in parks around the globe. We decided to start on SSB, but were met with some surprisingly challenging conditions. We started on 40m and the going was slow. Our first contact was with North Carolina, followed by Ohio. Then we had radio silence. After a long time of calling and hearing nothing back I decided to move over to CW and see if we could get some more contacts in the log.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/e0154d56-2b3f-b35d-fb91-7edcda44bbbe.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1024; --en-naturalHeight:769;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>In short order we got contacts with Pennsylvania, Virginia, another Pennsylvania station, another station in Virginia, New Jersey, Virginia again, Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Things quieted down, so I went to do some hunting on 20m and got YouTuber Kyle AA0Z in the log, and then I saw the big prize: KL7AC on 15m CW. I have gotten several calls while in a park from Alaska, but being able to hit a park in Alaska is quite rare. I tuned to his frequency and deep in the noise I could hear him with some fading, but definitely readable. I called him using the club call K4US and after a few calls, I got him. Then I switched to my own call and after a few fade-outs I was able to make the QSO and get into his log. It never ceases to amaze me what is possible with a few watts and a wire in a tree.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/8d9be5c1-adff-ad67-ad83-e014dd6af008.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1024; --en-naturalHeight:769;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>While I had been making contacts on my 705, Gersohn had also been making contacts on his Lab599 Discovery using his AlexLoop Magnetic Loop Antenna and his Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna and had made contact with stations in Massachusetts, Colorado, Slovenia, Nova Scotia (Canada), Florida (twice), Ontario (Canada), Nova Scotia (Canada) again, all on 20m. For the last contact of the day, he made a local contact on 2m simplex. All in all, we made 36 contacts while in the park and had a blast with club members and friends from other clubs as well. We'll definitely look to get out in the field as a club again soon.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/30208174-2d8b-9ccb-1154-b4a5f18c26d2.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1024; --en-naturalHeight:769;"/><div><i>Photo taken by Corey Law, KN4YZY</i></div>
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<div>One last thing of note personally -- my contacts in the park this day took me past my 1,000th contact in the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, so Parks on the Air awarded me my first Kilo award for the achievement. Lots of fun. Thanks to everyone who joined us -- I look forward to our next time out together.</div>
<div><i><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br/></span></i></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/ffd9fa6a-60f6-84f9-b352-9799ec4582e6.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2135; --en-naturalHeight:1636;"/><div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/ea812c5a-055f-f806-e24f-817fbd77e0f4.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3310; --en-naturalHeight:1406;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8c05f3c5-ab94-24d8-11cb-cc407b82d1bb/e37d67ba-5bff-eb65-e700-52d4809c14d7.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2631; --en-naturalHeight:1240;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Laboratory599 Discovery TX-500</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984-MP End Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">AlexLoop Magnetic Loop Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Key</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite Tablet</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Logitech K380 Bluetooth Keyboard</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
POTA Activation #60: A Before Work 2-Park 3-Band Activation With A New Begali Key (DC) (5/30/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-60-a-before-work-2-park-3-band-activation-with-a-new-begali-key-dc-5-30-20232023-05-30T15:19:20.243000Z2023-05-30T13:41:46ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/1f943be5-7e6d-8550-312b-8df49741bc3a/1b23f077-08f1-7002-df29-e162915ca4cd.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1217; --en-naturalHeight:913;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>After a great trip to Dayton Hamvention, I had some new gear to get out into the field. Specifically, I had picked up a Begali Magnetic Traveler Light with an eye toward using it for my POTA activations. It was a significant investment, so I was glad I could give it a test at Hamvention to make sure I liked how it felt. Of course I loved it, so I purchased it from them and dreamed of many activations to come. I actually had my last activation after I purchased the paddle, but unfortunately, it was packed up with all my gear in the trunk since originally I wasn't expecting to do any CW for that one, so I used my CW Morse Pocket Paddle which was in my 705 backpack and easily accessible.</div>
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<div>This morning I got up bright and early and today was the day for me to get some QSOs in the log for my beautiful blue Italian racer. Since I was activating mobile, I used the leg strap to attach it to my leg. I actually did this before I left the house so I could see how comfortable it would be and how stable the strap was. It was solid as a rock and quite comfortable with enough friction from the strap that I didn't have to tighten the strap too much. I also liked that the movable paddle guards acted as a "safety" of sorts so that while I was listening to CW on the way into work (this morning a weather net on 40m) I didn't have to worry about accidentally bumping an errant dit or dah onto the air.</div>
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<div>Traffic was moderate, but I had gotten up with plenty of time to spare, so I enjoyed hearing weather from around the country on the way in and enjoyed how it made the traffic seem to go by faster. Finally I made it to my activation site, sent a note to some LICW friends, got myself spotted, and got on the air on 40m. </div>
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<div>It took a few CQ calls, but eventually I heard back from Illinois with a 559 both ways. From there I had to call from a really fun call in Massachusetts that showed me there might be magic yet in the ionosphere, WI1ZRD. Next up the pace quickened and I heard from North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Then I heard my buddy Ed, N2GSL, just off frequency with a distinct pitch from LICW in New York. In the clear he was a good 559 and he later told me that he was working his Heathkit HW-9. I noticed a hint of drift in his tone, so he must have turned it on recently, but he was loud and clear running QRP and sounding great. Always a good start to the day when I get Ed in the log. </div>
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<div>Next up I heard from Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Ontario, Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina again, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and finally Ohio. Then things got quiet and I decided to move on up to the 30m band. The band seemed a bit noisy, but I still wanted to give it a go. I had to call CQ for a few minutes, but eventually heard back from Missouri and Georgia with some weak signal reports, then I was heard more strongly in Massachusetts and Michigan. Then I was delighted to hear a familiar call, K5KHK, who I met briefly at Four Days in May. Great to get Karl in the log again. Then I heard another familiar, LICW member, YouTuber, and Cootie enthusiast K9NUD. Great to get him in the log as well. After that contact things died off on 30 so I decided to make one more band change to 20m and give the band a try before I had to head in to work.</div>
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<div>My first contact was with Georgia where I wasn't coming in too strongly, but we got it done. Then was Michigan where I was coming in a bit stronger for a repeat hunter -- thanks N8BB for finding me on another band! Next I contacted a pair of stations in NY, followed by KJ7DT in Idaho giving me my longest contact of the day. I always love when I get to work Paul - he's a great hunter and I always get a kick out of working Idaho. Finally I got one last contact with Missouri and I noticed some QRN was building on the frequency I was on. I moved to another frequency 6 KHz up, but got no takers after an RBN re-spot. Looking at the clock I realized it was time to go QRT and make my way into the office.</div>
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<div>At the end of the activation I had 36 QSOs in the log in 51 minutes on the air on 40m, 30m, and 20m. The Begali Magnetic Traveler Light performed valiantly, and it was nice to have it strapped to my leg so I didn't have to hand hold the key as I have done for many previous mobile activations. I had a few mis-keys as I was getting used to the feel, but for the most part it went smoothly. The keying was pleasingly tight as adjusted from the factory and I can't wait to get some more QSOs in the log with it soon.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/1f943be5-7e6d-8550-312b-8df49741bc3a/3560e807-feaa-53ab-6539-d7eeee2922cf.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1373; --en-naturalHeight:734;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Begali Magnetic Traveler Light Iambic Key</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #59: A First Ohio Activation Returning from Hamvention at Buckeye Lake State Park with Gersohn and Nick (5/21/2023) (OH)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-59-a-first-ohio-activation-returning-from-hamvention-at-buckeye-lake-state-park-with-gersohn-and-nick-5-21-2023-oh2023-07-18T20:44:31.582000Z2023-05-24T16:33:10ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b7be8745-1841-3438-8813-b3b98c82121e/da18b51b-87d9-7885-514d-23d18ea17df4.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>After a fun trip to Four Days in May and Dayton Hamvention, my buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK, and I made our way back home. While at Hamvention on Saturday, we met up with Nick, AJ4YB, a member of MVARC who recently moved to the Columbus area. While exploring Hamvention together we came up with a plan to meet up Sunday morning at Buckeye Lake State Park which was conveniently situated near Nick's QTH and also just off Interstate 70 on our way back home. Gersohn and I set the alarms for an early start and after having breakfast and packing up the car, we were off to the park. I had been hearing reports from friends that the bands were in bad shape the previous day. I had a friend who had a failed activation on the WA/OR border, although from the pictures I saw later on, it was a failure only in not getting 10 contacts ... his operating environment could not have been more beautiful, being on the banks of a lake with a mountain visible in the distance. So with no small amount of trepidation, we made our way to the park with some new equipment in tow to give a 3-op activation a try.</div>
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<div>Gersohn was lucky enough to get one of only two Chelegance MC-750 verticals that Chelegance had on display at Hamvention. Reviewers including Thomas, K4SWL, have been singing the praises of this design, which features a collapsible whip with screen printed markings to aid in tuning. The display unit had a damaged 4th ground radial that we didn't have the tools to fix, so we made do with 3. Even with that 25% reduction in the radial field, we were able to get excellent SWR on the bands we tried almost instantly. With my RigExpert Stick Pro zeroing in on the perfect point of resonance was quick and almost effortless. For a radio we decided to use my Icom IC-705 as it has proven to be a capable performer in the field and very easy to use.</div>
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<div>Nick arrived at the park shortly after we did on his motorcycle, and we showed off the new equipment while setting up camp on a picnic table on a creek that fed into Buckeye Lake. It was a beautiful morning and once we got everything set-up we decided to set ourselves up on 20m and hoped for the best. Scanning through the bands we saw a few stations on the waterfall, so we were hopeful and we spotted and called CQ on 14.312. It took several CQs, but after a while we got our first taker, a call from Colorado who boomed into our park with a 59 and heard our 10 Watt signal at 55. We then hopefully signed with a QRZ ... but our hopes were not met with success. Instead they were met with silence. We tried for a while, then switched to 40 m, where we got no callers for our efforts. After no luck on 40 m we returned to 20 m on 14.322 and let our recorded CQ save our voices. 19 minutes after our first CQ, we got a call back from a station in Louisiana, again at 59 for us and 57 from his side. Then we kept going and got no callers for another 19 minutes. </div>
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<div>It looked like we were going to have a failed activation, so Gersohn and Nick insisted I do some CW to see if at least one of us could make some contacts, so I set up on 40 m at 7.044 and the calls started coming in. A pair of callers from North Carolina started things off with strong signals, then Tennessee, super hunter K9IS in Wisconsin, Virginia, Connecticut, super hunter Joe N3XLS in Pennsylvania. Then things stopped dead on 40, this activation didn't want to be complete. So I decided to go back to 20 m and I heard a quiet station who gave me a 339 in Texas and a pair of strong stations in Florida who got me to 12 QSOs and a successful activation with 10 CW QSOs in 17 minutes. If you need a reason to learn CW ... this definitely isn't a bad one. Gersohn and Nick needed 8 more and I didn't want to give up so easily. So we went to 14.320, spotted ourselves and gave it another go.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b7be8745-1841-3438-8813-b3b98c82121e/abb239de-fb3e-67a1-4c62-89565381771a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:3530; --en-naturalHeight:2648;"/><div><i>(Photo Taken by Nick Bloom, AJ4YB)</i></div>
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<div>We heard from Rhode island first (SSB #3), then after a few minutes got a caller from Florida (SSB #4), and after 5 minutes heard back from a station in Pennsylvania (SSB #5). Interestingly, while the QSOs were slow and far-between we were getting solid signal reports and strong signals. We were getting close enough to be able to start doing some inside-the-park park-to-parks. Since we had 3 ops, each person could get 2 P2Ps on each band. Not the way we like to do things, but with only 5 needed we could do one 20m QSO, 2 on 2m, and 2 on 70cm and get it in the logs. Interestingly enough I had a conversation the previous day with Jason W3AAX, the founder of POTA, about this and my general reluctance to do it on anything other than 2m/70cm. He said in no uncertain terms it was okay, so I made my way to the mobile station to get one more HF contact before switching to the HTs. As I tuned to the frequency on my 891 I heard Gersohn chatting with a mobile station, just a few miles a way going down Interstate 70. They were surprised they got us on ground-wave -- they must have been super close (so alas their map locations are incorrect). I shut off the 891 and ran back to our operating position. The POTA gods smiled on us and the car had 3 ops in it. All 3 of us made contacts with all 3 of them for SSB contacts 6, 7, and 8. We thanked them profusely and now all we needed to get 10 was for each of us to make a contact on 2m. So we pulled out our HTs and called CQ POTA. We got no other takers than the ones we could see across the field from us, but that got us up to FM contacts 9 and 10. A successful activation for everyone. </div>
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<div>From first QSO to the last we were on the air for 94 minutes. I got 20 in the log and Gersohn and Nick got 10. More importantly, the three of us had a great time together and Nick got his first POTA activation in the books. I had to reassure him that they're usually easier than this, but we still had a blast. We also got to test out that Chelegance MC-750 antenna and it was an absolute joy to use. While many of my antennas can theoretically go without a tuner, this is the only one that I can confidently say doesn't need one at all. I may have to pick one up myself.</div>
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<div>After staying in the park longer than expected, we had to make our way back to the road. So Gersohn and I gave best 73 to Nick and headed back to Interstate 70 for home. We had initially planned on activating in Pennsylvania to get another state on the board, but with conditions like these we decided getting home before dark was the better plan. That will have to wait for another trip. Even with challenging band conditions, there is nothing like activating POTA with friends.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b7be8745-1841-3438-8813-b3b98c82121e/36a1fc02-322f-458e-a18b-8cea081a3843.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3826; --en-naturalHeight:1786;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB, No Pins = FM / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m, Yellow Lines = 2m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Chelegance MC-750 Vertical Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #58: A New West Virginia Park En Route to Hamvention with Gersohn (WV) (5/17/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-58-a-new-west-virginia-park-en-route-to-hamvention-with-gersohn-wv-5-17-20232023-05-24T17:24:37.737000Z2023-05-18T01:35:52ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/d09e72ea-8a3c-e41d-217f-609e0cdcce38/09681028-ab9e-ddd0-cc69-e74a8b3ac515.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2882; --en-naturalHeight:2162;"/><div> </div>
<div>My buddy Gersohn and I decided that this was the year to make the trek out to the QRP ARCI Four Days in May (FDIM) conference and Dayton Hamvention. FDIM is the premier conference for QRP (low power) Amateur Radio Operators, with a focus on building radios, accessories, and sharing knowledge. Attending the conference was somewhat of a bucket list item of mine, so I was excited when the stars aligned and I was able to make the trek out to Fairborn, Ohio to attend. I was even more excited when upon mentioning it to my buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK, he was interested in joining me. FDIM's big day is Thursday with the seminars, but there are also evening events on Friday and Saturday. Dayton Hamvention runs from Friday-Sunday, so you can easily attend both. So, as you can imagine, our thoughts immediately went to ways we could get activations in on the route to and from the convention. I planned a route and found a few parks along the way, but unbeknownst to me, Google Maps had different ideas and it took us on another route out to Ohio. I only realized this after we were past the point of no return, so we quickly found a park in West Virginia that was right off our route (less than a mile off the Interstate) and decided to do a quick mobile activation.</div>
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<div>Coopers Rock State Forest is located a stone's throw from Interstate 68 about 13 miles from Morgantown, West Virginia. Right as you get off the road there is a large gateway that you pass under to let you know you're entering the park, and we immediately saw a parking lot that looked perfect for our activation. We could not have asked for more perfect accommodation as the parking lot was spacious and mostly empty, was surrounded by a beautiful sylvan setting, was high atop a mountain, had a picnic table under a shelter, and even had bathroom facilities. Amazing -- this is a place I'd love to explore more of on a future visit. Since we had the mobile setup, we were able to get on the air quickly and chose to use the 20m band in the hopes of a getting a quick and efficient activation.</div>
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<div>This would be an all SSB pass-the-mic affair, so we fired up HAMRS, spotted ourselves on the POTA spotting page, and started calling CQ. We didn't have to wait long until we got our first contacts with prolific activator and hunter AD0WN in Missouri. He was coming in 59 to us, although he was doing some work on his side hearing us 44. Next up was a Park-to-Park with N2EOM at Two Rivers State Recreation Area in Nebraska. He was on the quieter side, but we were able to make the contact from high atop our mountain. Next up we got another call from Missouri, followed by a Park-to-Park with N5SLY at Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site in Texas with a 55 both ways. Next up we heard from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Illinois, and Arkansas. Next we got a pleasant surprise (not reflected on the map, unfortunately) when WA1MAD gave us a call with a /VY2 suffix from Prince Edward Island, Canada. He was coming in strong and we talked about how beautiful it is up there (I had visited as a teenager many years ago). Finally we heard from another station in Florida and with 12 QSOs in the log, we decided to use a break in the action to call QRT and continue on our journey to Ohio. Even with 2 ops, we got 12 contacts in 12 minutes, not a bad rate when you consider that's about one every 30 seconds for the 24 contacts in all. This is definitely a park I wouldn't mind revisiting someday.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/d09e72ea-8a3c-e41d-217f-609e0cdcce38/7a0f1352-4dfc-4860-d27d-bba3df2e39d1.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3111; --en-naturalHeight:1600;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m </b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #57: A Commute to Work CW 2-fer on 40m (DC) (5/12/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-57-a-commute-to-work-cw-2-fer-on-40m-dc-5-12-20232023-05-12T16:51:46.707000Z2023-05-12T14:20:19ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a135bc96-9e35-5050-7dd0-c57f882abd51/55cd5a28-644b-f471-976c-1177290b07c1.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1217; --en-naturalHeight:913;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>It was a glorious Spring morning here in the DC area this morning and I was able to get up a bit earlier than usual so I was on my way to work bright and early. I was treated to abnormally light traffic as well, so I crossed the 14th Street bridge with plenty of time to spare and was able to take the exit to West Potomac Park and drive around Hains Point to one of my favorite drive-up activation spots in both Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT. My usual parking spot was cordoned off for the Police Unity Tour which I presume was scheduled to roll-through later on in the day, so I went a few feet down the road to the next parking area and got myself ready for an activation.</div>
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<div>This morning I had time on my side, so I opted to give 40m a go, hoping I could get some of my LICW friends in the log and knowing that I would have some time to work the pile-up if it decided to happen. I sent out a note to the LICW group that I was QRV, spotted myself, and started at 7.042 MHz calling CQ. It didn't take long for Mike N2PPI to give me a call with a solid signal into DC from NY -- always fun to get him in the log. Next up I heard from a station in Michigan, followed by Ed N2GSL in NY coming in a bit soft (he was probably running QRP) but fully readable in the District. That made 2 LICW buddies in 3 QSOs, I was loving it. </div>
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<div>Next up I heard from Georgia, New York, and Massachusetts. Next up was frequent hunter Dan WD4DAN with a strong signal from Georgia, followed by New York, North Carolina, super activator KU8T in Indiana, New York, Virginia, Ohio, Rhode Island, and another Ohio. Next I heard a very faint Rin W4RIN just above my noise floor in Georgia. Great to get another LICW member in the log (#3)! Then I got a call from super hunter Joe N3XLS in Pennsylvania (also an LICW member if memory serves me correctly, #4), then I was treated to another LICW contact with Chris N8PEM in Ohio coming in like he was transmitting right next to me for my 5th LICW contact of the activation. It was good to get him in the log and I am hoping to see him and Ed N2GSL at Hamvention next week.</div>
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<div>The pile-up kept running, so I heard from Tennessee, Maine, North Carolina (x2), Ohio (x2), New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Ontario (Canada), Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, Pennsylvania (x2), Maine, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and finally Massachusetts. There was a stop in the action and I saw my time was running late, so I called QRT and called it an activation. </div>
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<div>In all I had 40 contacts in 45 minutes on the air with 5 of those being LICW members (12.5%!). It was a lot of fun making contact with so many friends and familiar calls and a wonderful way to start the day. These two brought my activation count to 115 activations with 4,146 total QSOs. Definitely a lot of fun.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a135bc96-9e35-5050-7dd0-c57f882abd51/eb1b6722-7f54-7d22-3f39-a2482d3adc0e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1014; --en-naturalHeight:1004;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m </b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #56: A Commute to Work CW 2-fer on 30m (DC) (5/3/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-56-a-commute-to-work-cw-2-fer-on-30m-va-5-3-20232023-05-04T15:25:49.889000Z2023-05-03T14:57:04ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8459b72a-c212-fbba-7cbc-fda46d4264bf/cd0dd14b-806e-83e0-a587-5161b6f3099c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1217; --en-naturalHeight:913;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>Things have been busy at work recently with a multi-year project coming to its completion in the last month. As a result, I have not been able to get out into the parks for over a month as a lot of my "off" hours had been turned "on". While things are still busy on that front, I had some time this morning before work to get into a park on the way into work for a very quick activation. The month gap had been one of the longest periods of time between activations since I had started activating. It felt good to be back.</div>
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<div>With time limited, I decided to hit up Hains Point in DC and one of my easiest to activate 2-fers at Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT. It was a cool and cloudy morning that was threatening rain. While there were some drops on my way in, they stayed away while I was in the park. I had been listening to the bands on the commute and 40m had seemed to be alive. I even was able to make a quick POTA contact with a station in Southwest Virginia while I was stopped at a gas station refueling. When I got to my activation site I decided to go up a bit into the 30m band where there was less of a chance of an endless pile-up so that I could do a relatively short activation without leaving anyone out with a reasonably quick QRT. </div>
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<div>I set-up shop on 10.111 MHz, checked my tune on the ATAS 120A, notified some LICW friends, and put out a spot on the POTA spots page, and I was off. It didn't take long for me to get my first contact with a station in Illinois with a 599 both ways. Next up with Missouri with another strong report, followed by fellow LICW instructor Gary, W5GDW, in North Carolina. It was good to get him in the log. Next up was Arkansas and Massachusetts, followed by a frequent hunter in MD just a few miles away, N3VO. I was excited to hear Marc so clearly -- usually getting him on 30m is much more difficult being so close-in since we're shooting over each other with our RF. Next I got another Massachusetts station, then Iowa, Tennessee, Massachusetts again, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, and finally Michigan. There was a lull in the action, and looking at the clock I saw it was time to make it into the office, so I sent QRT and called it a day. </div>
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<div>If I had more time I would have dropped down to 40m as some of my LICW friends had tried to hear me on 30 with no luck, but it just wasn't possible today. In all I got 15 contacts in 21 minutes on the air getting a nice spread across the Eastern United States. It felt good to be back out in a park and hearing the rhythmic music that is Morse code contacting friends old and new. I'm looking forward to my next outings. I have some new gear to test and with the weather getting nicer everyday, it will be great to be outside playing radio.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8459b72a-c212-fbba-7cbc-fda46d4264bf/49639e9e-4626-a3d1-f4de-6786fa843df5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1221; --en-naturalHeight:938;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 30m </b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #55: A Lunch Break QRP 4 Park Activation with a New Rig and New Antenna (VA) (3/28/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-55-a-lunch-break-qrp-4-park-activation-with-a-new-rig-and-new-antenna-va-3-28-20232023-12-24T19:01:13.209000Z2023-03-28T19:06:26ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/e38a1fa9-102e-cba6-9fdd-ed1c321bfcc8/87eafc31-4ba3-bba1-ae02-7fbe8267e26c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2864; --en-naturalHeight:2148;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>I have been interested in getting a Mountain Topper radio for a while now, but they have been mostly out of stock for a long time. Supply definitely has been outstripped by heavy demand and when a new tranche of radios is released into the wild, they are usually gone in a day's time. I was looking at an online forum and saw someone mention that a set of 100 Mountain Topper MTR-4B radios had been released on the LNR Precision site, so I decided to go for it and get my order in for one of the radios. I believe I was #26 in-line and they said they hoped to ship some out immediately and others could take a month or more. As Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part, but after about a month I received notification of my radio being shipped from North Carolina. It finally came in the mail on Friday, and on Saturday I was able to get it hooked up at home and run it through its paces. I tested it on all 4 bands (80m, 40m, 30m, and 20m) and was spotted with just under 5 W on all of them on the Revere Beacon Network. I even had a couple of really nice ragchews: one with a station in Binghamton, NY, and another with a station in Raleigh, NC, both on 40m, even with some challenging propagation conditions. The receive audio was astonishingly quiet with so little noise that I had to initially wonder if it was on, but the signals were very clear on receive. I was very happy.</div>
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<div>Of course, that's not all that is necessary for an ultra-portable setup. I pulled out an MFJ-971 Portable Antenna Tuner to make sure that it was well matched with my home antenna, and it did the job quite well on all bands with a 1:1 on 80m, 40m, and 30m, and about a 1.4:1 on 20m. It is on the bigger side, but it was what I had on hand. I have a smaller QRP tuner on my kit building queue that will allow me to get everything even smaller. I also decided to run on battery power with a new power bank during my testing as well. The MTR4B really wants 12V, and no more than 13V for its supply voltage, so I looked at various options for powering it. I could use my LiFePO4 batteries with some in-line diodes to drop the voltage, but I decided to investigate an idea that I found quite intriguing. Using a USB Power Bank that supports the PD standard. </div>
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<div>If you're not familiar with PD, it is short for Power Delivery, and it is one of the primary ways that fast charging is being implemented on USB C devices these days. Basically, there is a chip in the power supply that communicates with the load device that allows the load to request a higher voltage for a given current, allowing more power to be delivered. Regular USB uses 5V, but PD can also supply 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V. To get the voltage you want for non-USB devices, trigger cables are created that have a chip in them to negotiate a desired voltage with the power supply and then provide that voltage as a regular DC power output. In my case, I wanted 12V, and I was able to find a trigger cable purpose-built for that voltage complete with the right dimension barrel jack with the correct polarity from Amazon from the vendor JacobsParts. It put out 12.0 V on the nose. Fantastic.</div>
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<div>For the power supply itself, I got a 65W 20,000mAh PD USB power bank from Baseus on Amazon. This has the benefit of being able to power all my devices with ample power including my phones, tablets, laptops, and yes, my radios. For the MTR4B I'm using the 12V cable, for the others, I can use a 15V cable. The battery is below the 100 Wh threshold that garners extra scrutiny from the TSA and they see power banks all the time. For my upcoming trip to Greece, this will be an essential part of my kit. When I first hooked things up, it was with some trepidation as I worried that the boost converters on-board might introduce noise into the HF bands. Thankfully, no noise was heard, only quiet receive. Perfect. So we have power, we have a tuner, and we have a radio. How about the antenna?</div>
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<div>For this first activation with the radio I decided to use my recently acquired Elecraft AX1 antenna for its maiden voyage. It is a multi-band whip antenna capable of being used on 20m, 17m, and 15m out of the box, and with the AXE1 loading coil, it can be tuned up on 40m and 30m as well. With that antenna and the coil, I can use 75% of the bands the rig can use. The antenna is certainly "compromised" with its small form factor, but there are a lot of POTA activators that have had success with it, so when you're the DX, it might be a great tool to have a super portable antenna that can be deployed almost anywhere. We would certainly find out.</div>
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<div>Rounding out the kit was a new Anker Soundcore Mini speaker since the Mountain Topper doesn't have an internal speaker (or even a volume control for that matter). Unlike many modern speakers, this one has an 1/8 inch stereo jack, so I could connect the headphone out to the input of the speaker. I could also use headphones with an in-line attenuator if desired, but I knew that the park I was going to was relatively quiet and usually not busy enough on a weekday to have my beeping be a nuisance to other park visitors. I even got a kid and his mother come by and ask about the Morse code and who I was talking to, and they were stunned when I said I had just talked to someone in Colorado. But hey, I'm getting ahead of myself.</div>
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<div>I had a window of time on my lunch hour while I was working from home, so I decided to head over to one of my favorite spots that also happens to be a 4-fer. I was able to have everything radio and CW related in the hip pack and the antenna was in the Maxpedition organizer. The tuner I carried by itself. I found an empty picnic table right on the banks of the Potomac river and started setting up the station. Everything worked perfectly, and after a few seconds switching the inductor to maximum noise, I was able to modify the transmitter capacitance to get a 1:1 match on the 20m band CW portion. I gave a heads-up to my friends in the Long Island CW Club, spotted myself on the POTA spots page, and started calling CQ on 14.042 MHz.</div>
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<div>I'll be honest, the going was slow. My first contact was with a station in Florida, followed by about 6 minutes of no responses to my CQs. Then I heard back from a station in Tennessee that was giving me a rather optimistic 599, but hey, I'll take it. 2 in the log. Shortly thereafter I got a call from a station in Wisconsin who heard me 339, so 3. After another 4 minutes of calling CQ, I heard back from a station in Minnesota who heard me better than I heard him, so 4 in the log. After another minute I heard from a Texas station with a 559 both ways, followed by 6 minutes of unanswered CQs. Colorado was next, with a 559 both ways for the 6th entry in my log. </div>
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<div>Shortly after that contact a woman and her son came by to inquire about the Morse code and I gave a quick explanation and told them I had communicated with someone in Colorado and they seemed very excited to hear that. </div>
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<div>I kept calling CQ and after another 3 minutes heard back from a station in Illinois. 7 in the log. After a lot of 100W activations lately, I forgot how QRP can test your patience. But it felt good to be making my way toward the goal, so I kept calling CQ, quietly wishing I had set the memory keyer up before I started the activation with my CQ. </div>
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<div>I would be calling CQ for quite a bit of time -- 12 minutes, before I would hear from a station in Florida who gave me a 229. Glad he stayed with me, I really needed the contacts and was starting to worry I might have to fall-back to my mobile station and 100 W to finish this thing. </div>
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<div>I kept going and after another 2 minutes got a call back from a familiar call, Dan, WD4DAN, who was loud and clear and gave me a (likely optimistic and kind) 599 both ways from Georgia. That made 9 contacts. So close. Unfortunately, I would be on the precipice for another 12 minutes, calling out into the void. Then 47 minutes after I started, I got contact number 10 from a station in Illinois. We had some QSB between us, but on the peaks I heard him 569 and he heard me 559. The activation was made. I decided to keep going and 2 minutes later got a call from Iowa, hearing me 319, very glad he was able to pull me out of the noise. After making 11, I decided to call QRT and call it an activation.</div>
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<div>I packed up my station and made my way back to the car and saw an alert from my LICW friend Mike, N2PPI. He was down in Florida on a vacation and had been operating and asked the group if anyone wanted to make a contact. My QRP setup was dismantled, but I turned on the mobile rig and heard him calling CQ, so I called him back and we had a quick QSO. Since I was still in the park(s) I added him to my log and headed on home. </div>
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<div>In all I had made 12 contacts in 1:06, tested out a lot of new gear, and got to enjoy a bit of a QRP adventure. When I got home, I saw that band conditions were not great on 20m and below, so that might have explained some of the challenge I had faced. Even with the slow rate, it was a lot of fun digging out the signals from the noise to find the auditory treasures beneath.</div>
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<div>I am pleased with how everything worked. The Mountain Topper is a wonderful rig that is a pleasure to listen to super simple to operate. The AX1 has to be the easiest antenna to deploy I own -- I look forward to giving it some more activations, hopefully on days with better band conditions. The Baseus USB PD Power Bank really impressed me with how easy it made powering everything. Even after nearly an hour on the air, I had gone from 100% to 98% on the battery pack. This thing can activate forever. The MFJ 971 did the job quite well. It is big though, so I'm looking forward to building a smaller manual tuner soon. And finally, it was a lot of fun having a setup this compact. This will be great for Greece and would be great for a long hike-in to a park or a summit. It still blows my mind that a radio in a hip pack and a skinny little whip can communicate clear across the country using a phone charger. So much fun. </div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/e38a1fa9-102e-cba6-9fdd-ed1c321bfcc8/7997b80c-c5d7-75ab-3d4e-11bc46908cf6.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3025; --en-naturalHeight:2207;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m (N2PPI actually near West Palm Beach, FL)</b></div>
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<div>Gear used in this activation</div><ul><li><div>LNR Precision Mountain Topper MTR4B</div></li><li><div>Elecraft AX1 Multi-Band Whip Antenna</div></li><li><div>MFJ-971 Portable Tuner</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Baseus Power Bank (65W, 20,000 mAh, PD3.0)</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">JacobsParts 12V/5A USB C PD Trigger Cable</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Anker Soundcore Mini Portable Speaker</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Topo Designs Hip Pack</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Maxpedition Fatty Pocket Organizer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Amazon Basics Lightweight Mini Tripod</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #54: A Rainy Day 4 Park 3 Band Activation Before Work (VA) (3/24/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-54-a-rainy-day-4-park-3-band-activation-before-work-va-3-24-20232023-09-08T00:39:57.505000Z2023-03-24T14:10:19ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/de9abb87-cdb8-7a87-cd90-7b731fcbecae/b51f3860-5a0f-6771-2cf5-b8aaf36c6d34.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>My car had been in the shop for 10 days for some repairs and I very quickly was reminded how much I've gotten used to having a mobile HF setup in the car. Suddenly, my impromptu activations before work were no longer an option, and I missed getting on the air on the way to the office. Thankfully, I got the call last night that my car was ready and I was able to scratch the POTA itch that had been calling to me for so long.</div>
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<div>This morning was a dreary one, so it was especially nice to be able to activate from the car. As frequent readers here know, I like to activate in DC on these early morning excursions, but there was a potential wrench thrown into the works. The cherry blossoms by the Tidal Basin and Hains Point are in full bloom. While I love seeing them, so does everyone else, so finding a parking spot, or even getting around down there within the parks I frequent in DC would be a distinct challenge. So I decided to make a stop at Gravelly Point on the George Washington Memorial Parkway which is just before the turn-off into DC at the end of the runway of Washington National Airport in Virginia. Due to its location it is also in 3 other parks: Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage Trail NST. A 4-fer right off the parkway.</div>
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<div>I had been listening to the bands on the commute and heard another activator on 40m CW calling, so once I was safely parked I gave him a call to his park Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area in Georgia. I gave him a 599 and he gave me a 559, and I was off to the races. I decided to move up to the 30m band to get a bit less noise and more distance. After tuning up and sending a few CQs I was answered by a station all the way over in California with a 599 both ways. Next up was Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia, and Minnesota. The going was slow, and there was a station 1 kHz below me that moved in shortly after I started and was blasting so loud that he could have been transmitting in the same parking lot. So I decided to move up to the third band of the day, 20m.</div>
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<div>After re-establishing myself I got a solid 599 signal from Florida, followed by Oklahoma, and Florida. Then I heard a weak signal at 559 (although at times lower) just down the road in Woodbridge. We were probably just on the edge of shooting our signals over each other, but with some persistence we got it done. Then I got a beautiful signal booming in from an LICW friend, Greg KD5HIZ, in Texas. It was great to get him in the log. Next up was Dan, WD4DAN, who also had a booming signal from Georgia. Nice to get 2 familiar calls back-to-back.</div>
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<div>Next up was a signal just down in my noise floor from Maryland, I heard him 539 and he heard me 339, but we did it. Given his location in Northern MD, I am surprised we didn't skip over each other, but we made it. That contact was followed by a pair of strong signals from Florida both with 599 both ways. Finally the last contact of the day was a weak one from Georgia, 539 for me but 599 for him. I looked up at the clock and realized it was time to may my way to the office. 16 contacts in the log on 3 bands and 4 parks in 34 minutes.</div>
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<div>The low number of contacts was curious -- it seemed contrary to everything that has been happening with the setup. So I scratched my temple and got into the office and then decided to look at solar conditions. The A index was 60! That explains the challenge right there. I feel lucky I was able to make my activation. I'm glad I didn't look beforehand, as I might have skipped it, and this was definitely a fun one, even if it was at a more leisurely pace. Interestingly enough though, I was getting out. Looking at the Reverse Beacon network, my CQs were heard in Australia (6dB), New Zealand (16dB), Samoa (15db) and Germany (6dB) on 20m, and in Samoa (8dB) on 30m! Interestingly enough, the path for Australia and Samoa were almost completely coincident, even with Samoa being on 2 bands. Now, if only it wasn't the middle of the night for them maybe we could have made a contact. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/de9abb87-cdb8-7a87-cd90-7b731fcbecae/cda52fbc-f205-8052-7281-68ac3b618f1b.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:860; --en-naturalHeight:297;"/><div><b>Reverse Beacon Network Map (Where my signal was being heard by the network)</b></div>
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<div>Shortly after the activation, I received an award that I had been working toward, the Early Shift Activator award. I didn't realize that I was activating during that window today, but I guess with the change in Daylight Saving time, it must have shifted by an hour. Nearby parks have it set for 1300 Zulu, so now that is until 9 AM. I suppose that means I will have more Early Shift contacts in my future. This activation also was my 20th activation of the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, so I was also awarded another Oasis Repeat Offender Award for the park. It is always fun to reach the goals you set for yourself.</div>
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<div>I guess it goes to show, you can only trust the propagation numbers to a certain extent. The only certainty: if you don't give it a try, you won't make the contacts. This was a fun one, and I'm looking forward to more activations in the future.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/de9abb87-cdb8-7a87-cd90-7b731fcbecae/3b391c6a-a6c6-df87-17c2-9b7d361d14b0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1515; --en-naturalHeight:757;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #53: A 3 Park 2 Mode Activation with My Daughter and Bald Eagles at Widewater State Park, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (2/20/2023) (VA)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-53-a-3-park-2-mode-activation-with-my-daughter-and-bald-eagles-at-widewater-state-park-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-2-20-2023-va2023-03-08T17:43:50.875000Z2023-02-21T16:26:13ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/242ce939-cd9a-3173-bc95-c18509fb0e1e/bde4e6bb-faca-fb50-95d8-b789638a840c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>On Presidents Day my daughter had off from school, so she and I decided to visit a new park and do some hiking and exploring. With all my study of the maps for Parks on the Air, I had found some new-to-me parks that were on a short-list for a visit. One that I had been eyeing for a while was Widewater State Park near Stafford, Virginia. The park is on a peninsula at the confluence of the Potomac River and Aquia creek. The park is on the smaller side, with some private property interspersed within and was a relatively recent park addition to the Virginia State Parks. Getting there from Interstate 95 took a bit of winding through some back roads, but when we got there we put on our State Parks pass and went into the visitors center. </div>
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<div>Inside the beautiful and brand new facility were a series of exhibits and a gift shop, as well as a glass case with a beautiful snake. My daughter was drawn to take a look and the rangers took the snake out of its glass case and allowed her to hold it briefly. Caitlin really enjoyed that and the rangers answered her questions and gave us some information about some of the best places to visit while in the park.</div>
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<div>We were told that the Holly Marsh Trail would be a good route to take as it ended on the banks of the Potomac River and was home to numerous Bald Eagles. So we set out on the trail, going along the banks of Long Pond, crossing over Brent Point Road, and then tracing the waterline of Holly Marsh.</div>
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<div>The trail was an easy out-and-back hike, just shy of a mile with gentle changes in elevation down by the water. As we made our way along, we heard the cries of many species of birds and saw a few gliding over the water. When we made our way around the mouth of the marsh where it opened into the Potomac, we were greeted by a rather large fish carcass, still mostly intact. This was one of our first indicators that there were plenty of eagles in the area. </div>
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<div>When we made it to the banks of the Potomac, we saw what must have been at least a dozen eagles, some young and still having their youthful brown plumage, and others more adult, with their striking white heads. Unfortunately, the only camera I had with me for the day was my cell phone, so pardon the zoomed out image below. As we were taking the path down to a canoe launch, we saw another fish being dropped into the water with a thunderous splash by an eagle just 15 feet away from us in the Potomac. Lunch, evidently, had been served. </div>
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<div>After watching the eagles playing in the air and looking majestic in the aeries, we took a look at the picnic area and playground that was there. This would be a great place for an activation. Being on the banks of the Potomac, this was a 3-fer, with Widewater State Park being joined by Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and the Star-Spangled Banner NHT. Caitlin could play on the playground and I could play radio for a quick activation. With a plan made, we hiked back to our car, retracing our steps, and enjoying the Winter scenery and pleasant weather.</div>
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<div>Once back to the starting point, we grabbed a couple ice creams from the visitor center and Caitlin played at the playground near the center, making a new friend along the way. After some play time, we hopped into the car and drove to the picnic area we had hiked to just minutes before. I asked Caitlin if she'd like to do some sideband with me, but the playground beckoned, so I decided to get started with some CW. I decided to start on 20m, to ensure that I could make the 10 needed in case Caitlin got bored and wanted to move on. It didn't take long to get responses once I was spotted, and I got calls from New Jersey, Michigan, and from frequent hunter Dan, WD4DAN in Georgia within the first minute on the air. An auspicious start. Then I got a call from Ontario (Canada) followed by a call from Alaska and NL7V! It had that warble that you sometimes hear from DX, perhaps some auroral distortion, but I heard him clearly and he also gave me a solid signal report. Great to get Paul in the logs again. </div>
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<div>Next up I heard from New York, Wisconsin, Ontario (Canada), South Carolina, Maryland, New York, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Maine, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, then frequent hunter KJ7DT in Idaho, then Montana, Virginia, Georgia, New York, Illinois, Arkansas, South Carolina, Michigan, Florida, and North Carolina. Then I was surprised with one of the most dit-laden DX calls I have ever heard ... EI5JL from Ireland. In one go I had reached from North Pole, Alaska to Dublin, Ireland! What fun. I got 31 contacts on CW in 39 minutes.</div>
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<div>My daughter had had her fill of time on the playground and came back and asked if she could take me up on the offer to allow her to operate sideband under my call sign. I was delighted to hear this, and I quickly wrote out the script she would need to follow on-the-air. We found a clear patch of frequency on 20m, got spotted, and she started calling CQ. After a few calls, she got a response from Tennessee. As usual the POTA hunters were kind and patient and Caitlin did a great job on the air. I handled logging duties for her and passed along the signal reports for her to give. Next up was a pair of stations in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Ontario, Canada. Caitlin was starting to get quite the pile-up! She even asked me the best question of the day "Why are so many people talking at once?". I had to smile and I was proud of her keeping her cool in the pile-up. </div>
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<div>I logged the calls that I could hear so she could read them back, or would give her partials I heard out of the pile-up so she could ask for repeats. She was a real pro and even said "This is fun, I want to get my license". Music to my ears. We got another pair of calls from Tennessee, another from Michigan, Arkansas, Georgia, and Indiana. Finally we heard another young voice who asked Caitlin how old she was and then told her he was 14 and that she was doing a great job. All-in-all she got 12 contacts on SSB in 9 minutes and decided it was time to head home. </div>
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<div>Lots of fun and a great day out with my daughter. I can't wait to do it again soon.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/242ce939-cd9a-3173-bc95-c18509fb0e1e/4edbdfec-01d0-aae0-ed36-f6c252bac7f7.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3005; --en-naturalHeight:1402;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/242ce939-cd9a-3173-bc95-c18509fb0e1e/082ad02f-44cd-b9ad-aab4-b923e3587603.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3754; --en-naturalHeight:2096;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #52: A 4 Band, 4 Park, 4 Country 100th POTA Park Activationhttp://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-52-a-4-band-4-park-4-country-100th-pota-park-activation2023-06-20T02:08:07.285000Z2023-02-16T19:02:17ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4154de24-bdf3-c04e-62ca-b9b3868a0223/476fd701-7ae4-371e-7c7e-c78119bdcfd9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2944; --en-naturalHeight:2208;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We have been having some unseasonably warm weather of late. Life has been busy, but I have been wanting to get out into a park and activate it ever since my activation last Friday. When I found out that I had an early morning meeting that would make a before-work activation challenging tomorrow, I thought that perhaps using my lunch hour for a quick one might be a good idea. So I decided to go to one of my favorite spots to activate that just so happens to be in 4 parks at once.</div>
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<div>Frequent readers of the blog probably have noticed that I number my activations on the title of each post. This particular activation was the 52nd time I have gone out to activate POTA. However, this doesn't tell the story from POTA's perspective. When I activate a park that is in fact multiple parks, each park I am in counts as an activation in the parlance of Parks on the Air. So while today I was out one time, from a statistics perspective on the POTA site, I was really out four times. So if we go based upon that metric -- number of parks activated on a given Zulu day -- today was a special milestone. It included the 100th park activation I have done for Parks on the Air (and also the 97th, 98th, and 99th). Hard to believe in just under a year I have 100 park activations under my belt. It has been a lot of fun.</div>
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<div>Recently the higher bands have been very productive as we've been ascending sunspot Cycle 25, so I decided to give things a go on 10m first. While I was spotted by the RBN pretty quickly, I didn't get any callers back after a few minutes. I decided to look at the MUF map, and although the rest of the country had a high-enough maximum usable frequency, it appeared that the mid-Atlantic did not. So, I took the hint and moved down to the 15m band, which was well within the frequencies that the forecasters said should be productive. As has become my recent custom, in addition to spotting on the POTA site, I have been dropping a note on the Long Island CW Club talkgroup's group chat, and my first contact was from group member Gregory, TI2GBB, all the way down in Cartago, Costa Rica! I heard him a solid 559 and he got me 599 -- with DX like that my lunchtime activation was off to an auspicious start. Next up I got a call from KJ7DT in Idaho, who has been a frequent hunter of mine on my CW outings. I was very glad to get him in the log again. Next up I got a response from Florida, and then a call from K1NGZ with his mobile bus station in Texas, followed by Michigan, Florida, Alabama, California, Alabama again, another California, and then some serious DX all the way from Germany! Next up was Louisiana and California and then more DX, this time from Spain! What a great run on 15m! I made a few more calls, but heard nothing back, so I decided to work my way down, this time to the 17m band.</div>
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<div>After the RBN re-spotted me I was able to work a station in Minnesota, and then got another call from KJ7DT in Idaho. Then things quieted down again for another few minutes and I decided to work my way down again, this time to 20m. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4154de24-bdf3-c04e-62ca-b9b3868a0223/c0869adb-5023-0d14-c552-4879cd0093c0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2944; --en-naturalHeight:2208;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>20m is where the calls really started to come in with responses from Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, Texas, and Kansas. After a nice run, things slowed down there as well -- I guess everybody was out to lunch -- so I decided to do one more move down to the 30m band before calling it an activation. The first response was from Virginia, followed by Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and North Carolina again. Looking at the clock I decided to call QRT, but just as I was about to put down the key I got a call from Georgia, so I got him in the log for the last contact of the day. He was very appreciative that I came back even after a QRT call and I am glad I was able to do it.</div>
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<div>As my 100th activation came to a close I had 37 contacts in the log in 4 parks from 4 countries in 1:01. Not bad for a lunch break in the rain. In addition to the regular QRM an QRN, I had the pitter patter of rain to contend with, but I definitely enjoyed getting out to the park. Before heading out, I took a brief stroll by the water and enjoyed the beauty of the Potomac. Then it was back home to work. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4154de24-bdf3-c04e-62ca-b9b3868a0223/7145d0ad-ee77-c5da-0f99-0834730ea94f.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2601; --en-naturalHeight:1246;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/4154de24-bdf3-c04e-62ca-b9b3868a0223/94ee57f3-28a5-2f5a-3ef3-a57e43e50601.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2237; --en-naturalHeight:1137;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul><div><br /></div>
POTA Activation #51: A 3 Band 2-fer on the Commute to Work in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (DC) (2/10/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-51-a-3-band-2-fer-on-the-commute-to-work-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-dc-2-10-20232023-02-10T16:26:42.010000Z2023-02-10T14:38:47ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ade45735-4c5c-c13e-959c-0e51ce87a1a8/f00a2bd5-06e2-2b38-3a00-87e3450a2ac9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After joining some friends for in a park to test some antennas earlier in the week on my lunch break, I felt the need to scratch the POTA "itch". The weather in the DC area has been unseasonably pleasant, so I definitely didn't need any prodding to get into the parks. I set my alarm for the pre-dawn hours and decided to see if I could get a jump on the day and get in another before work activation in DC. If the stars aligned, maybe I could get a few Early Shift QSOs in the log.</div>
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<div>So I drove into the District of Columbia, watching the sun rise over the shimmering Potomac river and got myself QRV and spotted on the POTA spotting page and also with some friends on the LICW group chat.</div>
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<div>I started on 40m and it didn't take long for me to get a call from Illinois, 559 both ways. Next up with my friend Ed, N2GSL, working QRP on a Heathkit HW-9 and sounding great with another 559 both ways report. Always enjoy hearing that 72. Next up I got a call from Virginia, Michigan, New York, Ohio, a call from prolific hunter and activator Joe N3XLS in Pennsylvania, another from North Carolina, Kansas, Maryland, South Carolina, New York, Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, and a final one from New York. Knowing that the Solar Flux Index has been high I took a lull in the action as a good time to QSY up to 30m.</div>
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<div>After getting the antenna tuned for 10.111 MHz, I called CQ, notified the LICW group, and the RBN re-spotted me. My first two calls were from friends in the LICW group. First up with Rin, W4RIN in Georgia who was coming in well for me at 559 but did the work digging me out of the noise with a 539. Was great to get him in the log. Then I heard Jimmy in Texas, WB5MET, another LICW friend who was soft but readable at 539, the ionosphere was working and this was a lot of fun. Next up I got call from Arkansas, followed by the second contact of the day from Ed, N2GSL making his HW-9 sing with a 559. He was able to pull me out with a 339 and it was great to get him again, 72! Next up I got Joe N3XLS on a second band in PA, and contacts in New York, Maine, Ohio, Massachusetts, Georgia, New Jersey, Virginia, New York, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Maine, Missouri, and finally Texas. What a great run on 30m! After a few unanswered CQs, it was time to move one last time to 20m.</div>
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<div>I announced the QSY on the LICW group and let the RBN do its thing, and Rin W4RIN had a nice strong signal on 20m, getting in the log for another band. Great to get another one. I also got another contact from Georgia that was also the second band from N0FUA, followed by Louisiana, Arkansas, a pair from Georgia, Arkansas again, Indiana, Florida, Ontario (Canada), Kentucky, Texas, South Carolina, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, and New York. Things quieted down after that run and I was about to call QRT when I heard a fragment of a call. First I heard a YZ, so I called back YZ? Then I heard an ON, so I asked for another send. Finally I heard ON7YZ, all the way from Belgium coming in 529! He heard me 559 and I was very happy to get some DX in the log. What fun. </div>
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<div>I looked at the clock and realized I had to call QRT and make my way to the office. In 1:17 on the air I worked 61 stations in 3 countries, in 2 parks. 16 of those were during the early shift (so with 2 parks, 32 contacts for POTA). A very successful and very fun outing with a lot of friends and familiar calls in the log. </div>
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<div>I also received a new award from Parks on the Air - the Oasis Repeat Offender Activator award for activating K-4567 (Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT) for the 20th time. How about that? Looks like I am also nearing a Kilo for the park, with the current contact count for K-4567 at 787. I'm getting close to both awards for K-4581 (Star-Spangled Banner NHT) as well. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ade45735-4c5c-c13e-959c-0e51ce87a1a8/332b909d-f00c-185c-5d5b-b7fd314ab160.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1023; --en-naturalHeight:766;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Happy Friday, indeed.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ade45735-4c5c-c13e-959c-0e51ce87a1a8/f754e67e-9979-897f-e472-5967fb2f62b5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1342; --en-naturalHeight:516;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ade45735-4c5c-c13e-959c-0e51ce87a1a8/675eb8b5-ae32-1d25-6e17-2c8e7cb9a5b1.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1405; --en-naturalHeight:1080;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #50: A 2-Band 2-fer on the Commute to Work in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Potomac Heritage Trail NSThttp://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-50-a-2-band-2-fer-on-the-commute-to-work-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-potomac-heritage-trail-nst2023-02-01T15:11:12.342000Z2023-02-01T14:33:52ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/f2075784-fe67-16af-7841-f70eacaa2fb2/f2e33e5f-401f-6d0e-9efa-424e1866df2c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>You would think that having hit up 10 parks on the rove I did over the weekend, I'd be wanting a break from activating. Nope. I just can't get enough lately. I had to come into the office today, so I decided to set the alarm for super early and get out into the parks for a morning CW activation. I had some errands to run, so I didn't get the early shift time in as I would have liked, but alas the car needs gas and I needed coffee (both brewed and in bean form), so I had to make some stops on the way into the District. </div>
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<div>I was going to do another activation at Hains Point, but when I arrived, the gate was locked, so that was not to be. Thankfully, about a mile from there is another location that is also a 2-fer that I have activated before. You do have to pay for the street parking, but that's a small fee for 2 parks and a lot of fun. The DC area had a dusting of snow overnight, so at home I had clear the windshield. By the time I got into DC there was still a little snow on the grass (as you can see above) but thankfully nothing was sticking on the roads. It was a beautiful morning to activate in the shadow of the Washington Monument and on the banks of the mighty Potomac river.</div>
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<div>I had mentioned to some Long Island CW Club members the previous evening that I might do a before-work activation, so as I tuned up my radio to the 30m band I sent a note out to our text group that I would soon be QRV on 10.111 MHz. After calling QRL and spotting myself on the POTA page, I was off to the races. My first contact was at 13:00:03 ... so not an Early Shift, but that's okay, I had coffee and life was good. That first contact hailed from Georgia, and the getting was good on 30m. Next came Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, Ontario (Canada), Illinois, Texas, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Arkansas, Dan from Georgia (for the first of 2 bands for the day), Texas, and Massachusetts. </div>
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<div>Then I got a very pleasant surprise and got a call from Chris, N8PEM from the Long Island CW Club out of Ohio. He teaches one of my favorite intermediate CW classes and is an all-around great guy. I was very happy to get him in the log and have our first on-air QSO. Next up I got a pair of calls from Georgia, including one that would work me on the next band, and finally one last contact on 30m with a station in Michigan. Things slowed down a bit, and I noticed several of the folks on the LICW text group mentioned they could not hear me up in the NY area. So I decided to fix that and QSY down to 40m. </div>
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<div>The band was busy -- there must have been a contest or something. At first I started calling around 7.053, but shortly I had someone sending a wall of code over top of me, so I moved up to 7.062 and started calling there and updated the LICW crew. Very quickly I got a call from Virginia and then the pileup came! Wow there were a lot of people on top of each other. I was able to pull out a LICW member, Rin, W4RIN, out of the pileup with a solid signal out of Georgia. It was nice to get him in the log, next up was a station in Michigan, also booming. Then I heard Mike, N2PPI, also of LICW in NY with a solid signal, followed by super-hunter N3XLS in PA. After that I heard a quieter signal just off frequency with an N2 ... I had a hunch that might be Ed, N2GSL of LICW working QRP, so I sent out an N2? and sure enough it was Ed! He had a nice 559 signal on a Heathkit HW-9 and showed how it is done working QRP, making his signal stand out by <i>not</i> zero-beating me. Good to get Ed in the log too, with a 72. Next up the pile-up kept coming with calls from Virginia and Georgia. Then I got Dan, WD4DAN on a second band out o NC, and another big hunter, NE4TN with a big signal out of Tennessee. Then I got calls from West Virginia, Tennessee, a repeat caller from Georgia on a second band, North Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and finally New Hampshire. </div>
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<div>I looked at the clock and was faced with the reality that I had to end my activation and get to work. So after 43 contacts in 2 parks on 2 bands, I called QRT and called it an activation. It was great to be able to work so many friends early in the morning. What a great way to start the day. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/f2075784-fe67-16af-7841-f70eacaa2fb2/ab6102f7-3876-9622-5ac2-261223d223e0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1443; --en-naturalHeight:1062;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activations #43, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48, and #49: Getting the Rhino Rover Award with Gersohn - 10 Parks in One Day (VA & MD) (1/30/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activations-43-44-45-46-47-48-and-49-getting-the-rhino-rover-award-with-gersohn-10-parks-in-one-day-va-md-1-30-20232023-01-31T22:16:22.693000Z2023-01-30T20:22:25ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/406b9ab9-3fd6-312f-2335-a62207bbecde.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2454; --en-naturalHeight:1882;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Long-time readers of this blog will know that my buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK, and I like to go out and activate the parks together. Interestingly enough, most of our activations are done in parallel, where we both bring our radios, antennas, and other gear and activate alongside each other. We really haven't done many dual-operator pass-the-mic activations in the past. A while back, while talking about future POTA activations, as we often do, I mentioned that the rules for roves (formerly RADAR runs) had changed. In the past, to do a multi-park RADAR (Rapid Deployment of Amateur Radio) you had to have a certain distance between your activation sites. This made the logistics a bit more challenging, especially since there were different distance minimums based upon your mode of transportation (pedestrian, bicycle, automobile). Because of those requirements, you had to apply for these awards in the past since accreditation was a manual process. I had considered doing a RADAR run under the old system, and had planned out a bicycle mobile path in Downtown DC, but life got in the way and I never got around to it. When they changed the rules a few months back, they took out the distance limits, and the new rules were simply having a certain number of park activations in a Zulu day.</div>
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<div>So this got me to thinking ... what would a new rove look like? The biggest challenge in all of these roves was the setup and take-down of equipment. Getting antennas into trees or verticals onto tripods with radials and getting an operating position going. However, I had a new mobile HF setup that has been working phenomenally well from my car. That changes everything. I can roll into a park, tune the ATAS 120A, and get on the air within a minute or so. So where to go? I started looking at the map for Parks on the Air and noticed that there are a lot of parks along the water's edge of the Potomac on the Maryland side of the river, or a few miles inland. Some parks I have already activated, others that were small tracts of wildlife management areas, some were full-blown parks that were new to me. </div>
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<div>Awards are given starting at 5 parks in increments of 5 up to 30 parks. So one day I charted out a potential route to 30 parks basically doing a loop from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95) down to the Nice Bridge (US-301) and back up, finishing up with a spur in DC. That would be an epic undertaking, and I'm not even sure I could do it in a 24 hour period. But it got the wheels in my mind turning. So on Saturday, January 28, 2023, I was at the MVARC club breakfast and was chatting with Gersohn over coffee and we decided this would be a good day for a smaller scale test. After taking my daughter to her piano lesson, I drove over to Gersohn's and we set out to hit up 10 parks in what we had left of the day. We set out a bit after 11 AM from Alexandria, which gave us 8 hours to work with. We felt reasonably confident we could hit 10, but we didn't know if the bands would cooperate. We also didn't factor in that this particular Saturday was during Winter Field Day, so finding spectrum to operate on would be a challenge. We would primarily operate SSB and pass the mic since Gersohn isn't a CW op (yet). So with some cold drinks in the back seat and an air of excitement, we were off.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2>Stop 1 (Parks 1-4): A Familiar 4-fer in Virginia at George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage Trail NST</h2><div><br /></div>
<div>Since we were doing this for the first time, we decided to take advantage of a 4-fer that we had activated many times. This would get us 80% of the way to a 5 park rove in one fell swoop. Under the old rules, this would not have been possible to do, but with the new rules, it was fair game, so we drove up to our activation zone and got things tuned up. We set up with a beautiful view of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and the Potomac River, and of course, I forgot to take a picture. That said, I've taken pictures of the location several times before, this is one of our favorites. Gersohn insisted I start the activation with a bit of CW, so I hopped on the 20m band, found a free spot and started calling.</div>
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<div>In short order I heard back from stations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Idaho, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, Montana, New Hampshire, and a final call from Texas. My activation (or 4, really) was already made, but the point was to do this rove together. So I called QRT for CW and moved up the band to the SSB portion (no mean feat ... the bands were quite busy with over 100 park activations and Winter Field Day in full swing). I found a clear patch at 14.296 MHz and we started calling. Very quickly we heard back from Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, Quebec (Canada), North Carolina, a pair from Florida, Ohio, a Virginia station just a mile or so away, Alabama, Florida, and a trio from Ontario (Canada). Next we got some nice DX from Poland from a hunter I've had the good fortune to work multiple times in the last couple weeks. It was good to be able to hear his voice, and I thanked him for our multiple contacts on the two modes. Next up was Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, and finally Indiana. </div>
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<div>We were having a good run, but we wanted to make another 7 stops, we realized we would have to call QRT and get on the road. From first contact to the last we had spent a leisurely 46 minutes behind the radio for 37 contacts total (12 CW and 25 SSB). We would have to get going faster if we wanted to get to 10 parks. So we drove across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to a park we could practically see from our initial operating position.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/b45b1d1c-4b9a-89d3-2489-d3758eaf8a2d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2745; --en-naturalHeight:798;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/cbdb977f-c130-941d-afb4-aaeae017b9a5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3727; --en-naturalHeight:2094;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div><h3><br /></h3><h2>Stop 2 (Park 5): A New (to us) Park at Oxon Cove Park & Farm National Historic Park in Maryland</h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/bd44b023-4609-ced1-cc11-bb63961ed9ef.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1571; --en-naturalHeight:1178;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>This stop was a park that I had never activated before, despite being one of the closest ones to my QTH and seemingly ideal for the task. For this rove, it had a nice and mostly empty parking lot, and for fair-weather operations, it had several picnic tables nestled between great antenna supports ... err ... trees. The park itself has a working farm that you can visit, and of course, picnic grounds. It is situated at the top of a large hill ... Oxon Hill ... that overlooks the Potomac. Although, from our operating position we mostly saw the parking lot. This, and the rest of our activations on this day, would be 100% SSB, dual-op pass the mic affairs. We decided to give 10m a go and see what we could do, and almost immediately we were picked up but AF4LL in Arlington, a frequent participant in our local club 2m nets. He was booming in, of course, and was testing out a mobile setup. He just happened to hear us. We chatted for a bit and got him in the log, and then tried calling CQ for a while, but got nothing, so we move down to 12m. </div>
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<div>On 12, we got a park to park contact with Texas, almost right away, but then we got nothing for about 10 minutes. So we decided to go down to old reliable, 20m. Our first contact was from Spain 55 both ways! It was nice to get EA1GIB into the log again -- he is a frequent hunter and a patient operator. Propagation was certainly working. Next up we got Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Quebec, a pair from Indiana, a pair from Minnesota, Georgia, Michigan, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Ontario (Canada), Florida, Wisconsin, Alabama, Minnesota, New York Mississippi, a pair from Georgia, and another Mississippi before we looked at the clock and realized we'd have to move on soon. All In all we had 26 contacts in 47 minutes on SSB including our across-the-pond DX. We also had made the first minimum for a Rover award at 5 parks. That said, we weren't content to stay there, so we drove off to our next park. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/5481666e-0291-e7e1-b251-79d3b07522d4.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3465; --en-naturalHeight:1085;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/150f75ad-4574-f158-85d7-35c4ab431c64.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2627; --en-naturalHeight:1980;"/><div><b>Domestic Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div><h3><br /></h3><h2>Stop 3 (Park 6) : Fort Washington Park in Maryland</h2><div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/4f0f0b2e-4364-1f22-58fe-0ff29f8a5371.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1915; --en-naturalHeight:1436;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Our initial plan was to stop at Harmony Hall National Heritage Site, a place that I had not ever visited. When we got there, the gate was closed, so there was no way for us to drive onto the property. Since we didn't have a portable setup with us, we decided to move in to the next park on our list: Fort Washington Park. I had done a previous activation portable with great success, and I have been to the park several times to visit the fortifications as well as to picnic with friends for some fair weather barbecues. Gersohn and I elected to setup in the parking area at the top of the park with an eye toward the best position for the RF, even if it wasn't the best position for the views. </div>
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<div>We started out on 20m SSB and were able to make a quick park to park contact with an activator in Tennessee, but the band was super crowded. We had stations on either side of us giving is QRM at S7-S9 levels, so we decided to take refuge in the WARC bands, specifically a perennial favorite of ours, the 17m band. Immediately it was clear we had a pipeline to Missouri as we got a trio of stations from there including a park-to-park contact. That was followed by contacts from Ontario (Canada), Mississippi, Wisconsin, another pair on the Missouri pipeline, another Wisconsin, another Ontario (Canada) and finally a contact from Illinois. 17m was definitely working -- and we'd need that as the day progressed.</div>
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<div>In all we got 12 contacts on SSB during this activation in 21 minutes. We were starting to hit our stride and build up a bit of speed. So no stopping us now, we set off for our next stop.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/68a7ccee-1ca2-f613-f4bb-bdfbef4be107.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2604; --en-naturalHeight:1927;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><h2>Stop 4 (Park 7): Another New (to us) Park at Piscataway Park in Maryland plus Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (Maryland) and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (Maryland)</h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/c2fbdba1-f097-4e0e-d62e-02cb64990ad3.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1789; --en-naturalHeight:1342;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Our next park is one that I have seen numerous times, too many to count, but one that until this day I had never set a foot inside. How was that? Well, a bit of history about Piscataway Park is in order. The park was created in response to the potential for development in the area, which just so happens to be in the viewshed of George Washington's Mount Vernon. Private individuals bought up the parcels and eventually the foundation that managed the land donated it to the National Park service in the 1960s. As a neighbor and member of Mount Vernon, I see it from the Virginia side of the river every time I visit. This would be my first time inside the park. For this visit, we decided to go into the Farmington Landing boat launch which goes right down by the river. So, this activation was a 3-fer, getting the Maryland side of two parks we activated earlier on our first stop, but not adding to our park totals. The view was quite beautiful, and we were very close to the water's edge. </div>
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<div>Knowing that the 20m and 40m bands were super crowded, we decided once again to seek refuge in the 17m band. After finding a free space, we started calling CQ and heard back from Florida, followed by a call from the complete opposite direction in Nova Scotia (Canada), then a good way West to Minnesota. Then we got another bit of DX, with a call from South America in Venezuela from YV1GIY. We were definitely getting out and it was exciting to get a third continent in the log for the day. Next up we got another Nova Scotia (Canada) station in the log, followed by another from Minnesota. Next was Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, and then clear across the continent to British Columbia and VA7HUM who was in an island just off the coast between the mainland and Vancouver Island. We would end up working him again in other parks, too. Next up we heard from Colorado, New Brunswick (Canada), and finally North Dakota before calling QRT and moving on to the next park.</div>
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<div>In all, 13 contacts on 17m SSB in 22 minutes. Not bad for a 17m only activation.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/a98f6990-e553-1b35-3aee-d37f155421fe.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2712; --en-naturalHeight:1899;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><h2>Stop 5 (Park 8): Another New (to us) Park at Smallwood State Park in Maryland plus Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (Maryland) and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (Maryland)</h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/a88b412a-33d0-e1f2-9d21-df70638cc1ec.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2176; --en-naturalHeight:1632;"/><h3><br /></h3><div>Next up was a Maryland State Park called Smallwood State Park, another one I had never visited before. When we arrived at the entrance station there was nobody at the gate, just a box with envelopes to put a $5 entry fee (less for MD residents) and get a permit hang-tag to put on our rear view. From my research, I saw that there was an art center inside the park that was situated on the banks of the river with a parking lot that would make a nice operating position. Looking at our watches, we had a little over an hour until closing time for the park, but the art center itself was closing within minutes. There were a couple vehicles in the parking lot that would leave while we were operating, so eventually it was just us.</div>
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<div>Since we already had the VFO of the radio on the 17m band, we decided to start there and we got replies from Illinois and Mississippi. Unfortunately, the band appeared to die out on us, so after a 6 minute dry spell, we migrated over to 20m to see if we could get the rest of the contacts we'd need to complete the activation. We had a challenge finding a spot, and were surrounded by QRM, but we were able to get through. We heard first from Indiana, then South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Then we got a little Caribbean DX from the Dominican Republic, followed by Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, a pair from Indiana, Montana, Michigan, a park to park from Michigan, Georgia, another Georgia this time a park to park, a pair of Florida park to parks, and one last call from Illinois. It was interesting to get all those park to parks and my hypothesis was that with all the Winter Field Day stations, lots of activators were having the same trouble we were finding a space and were resorting to hunting to finish their activations. Glad we were able to get them all in the log. </div>
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<div>All-in-all it was a 31 minute activation with 20 contacts on SSB, mostly on 20m with a pair on 17. The sun was starting to get low in the sky, so we moved back on the road with a purpose for our next stop.</div>
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<div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><h2>Stop 6 (Park 9): Another New (to us) Park at Chicamuxen Wildlife Management Area in Maryland</h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/334677f4-dd7e-2510-2bdb-946a4a439dbd.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2018; --en-naturalHeight:1513;"/><h3><br /></h3><div>Not too far from our previous park, we saw that the Chicamuxen WMA was pretty close by, so we punched the location into Google Maps and had it navigate us to where it said it could be found. As it turns out, blindly following navigation instructions can be a bit perilous. It took us to a dead end at the Naval Support Facility Indian Head Stump Neck Annex. There was a blocked off bit that seemed to go into the WMA, but we certainly could not drive there, and I'm guessing that the military security would not be interested in us going there either. So it looked like we had a bit of a swing and a miss, so we set up for the next park we had on our list and made all due haste to leave the entrance to the base. As we were on our way, we saw a sign to parking lot/trailhead for the very WMA we had just tried to go to. Would be nice if that was the one listed on Google Maps ... but at least we found it. So we pulled into the parking lot of the trailhead, and got our radio ready to transmit.</div>
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<div>Once again the 20 and 40m bands were packed, so we decided to once again use 17m. Things were noticeably quieter on the band, leading me to worry that we might be losing 17m as an activation option. With us using SSB, that meant our only two options would be 20m and 40m ... and those were packed. We might be forced to scrape by on hunting. Considering how our time was drawing short, I hoped we could finish calling CQ. Our first two contacts were from Florida, the first one being a park to park. Our third contact was a park to park in Illinois. Our fourth was a park to park contact in the Dominican Republic. The density of the park to park calls made me think they were in the same boat we were, watching the spots for fresh activations to make their ten. Next up we got calls from Florida, Missouri, Idaho, Arizona, South Dakota, Alabama, Florida, the Dominican Republic, and another from Florida. At the end we ended up having a conversation with the last station about what POTA was. He wasn't familiar with the program, and wondered how it differed from a contest, and why we were on 17m. I explained how you had to be in the park to activate, so it wasn't like a contest in that respect. I also mentioned that the IARU, which came up with the convention of not using the WARC bands for contesting had given their approval to POTA being used on the bands due to it being more akin to a special event station as opposed to a contest one. In the end, I think it was a positive conversation, and he was happy to get into our logs and thanked us for the explanation.</div>
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<div>We had made it, 24 minutes on the air and 13 contacts in the log with 3 being park to park. We were now down to our last park to make the 10 rove and had just under 90 minutes to get there and finish the activation. With the bands fading, we weren't sure if we could do it, but there was only one way to find out. Onward we went, back on the road.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/b00e11d6-7cdf-6376-a0e1-306de0ef5fbf.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2298; --en-naturalHeight:1348;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><h2>Stop 7 (Park 10): Another New (to us) Park at Ben Doane Parcel of Nanjemoy Wildlife Management Area in Maryland</h2><div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/1254bc0e-fcc5-af4b-f7ff-29c6a7f08361.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1736; --en-naturalHeight:1302;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Luckily for us, this last stop was just a couple miles down the road. Similar to Chicamuxen WMA, this was a parking lot trailhead. This time it was under a power line, so we had a bit of QRN to contend with, but it wasn't terrible. The sun was setting below the trees and the darkness of night was starting to envelop the woods. This was an interesting parcel of land -- although the sign said Namejoy WMA, POTA saw it was particularly the Ben Doane parcel of that WMA, which had its own reference number. It had not been activated many times in the past, in fact our activations would be numbers #13 and #14. It made me smile to see that #12 was our friend David, KU8V. MVARC members were responsible for over 21% of all activations, how cool is that? </div>
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<div>Once again, we didn't have any luck finding room on 40m and 20m, so with no small amount of trepidation, we gave another try to 17m hoping that we would be able to make our 10. We tuned up the ATAS 120A and hoped that propagation would be in our favor for at least 10 contacts. Here we go. After calling CQ for a while we got our first contact with a station we worked just a half hour before at our last park from Florida. Next after a couple minutes of silence we heard from Minnesota. Then more silence followed by a contact from Illinois. We kept calling for 4 minutes and then got a contact with Florida followed by crickets. We were starting to worry we may need to get some hunting into the mix to close this thing down, but we kept calling. Next we had a weak station from Arkansas who we heard 52 and who heard us 44, but he stuck with it and we got him in the log for a park to park. Following that we were able to work a Nevada station who came in strong for us at 57, but heard us 44. We were grateful for him sticking with us to make the contact. Shortly thereafter we heard VA7HUM off the coast of British Columbia who worked us once again, we were ecstatic to hear him come through and while he was 57 to us, we were 45 to him, but he graciously worked us both for another contact at another park across the continent. 7 down, 3 to go. </div>
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<div>"CQ POTA, CQ POTA, this is November Two Echo Charlie at Park Kilo Seven Seven Eight Two for Parks on the Air". Over and over I repeated that refrain for 6 minutes with no response until finally a station in Texas gave us a contact at 55 both ways. Shortly after that we heard a station in North Dakota come back to us, also 55 both ways. Almost there. We called again and again and then finally at 22:53Z we got a final contact with a station in New Mexico! He was 55 to us but we were 33 to him. When we gave our 73s we had 10 contacts in the log. I usually like to have an insurance contact in there, just in case, so I kept calling for a bit, but nothing was heard. Looking out my car window I saw that sun had set down behind the dirt road just beyond our operating position. Undoubtedly, the charged particles in the ionosphere had taken notice and 17 was done for us for the evening. With 10 contacts in the log here, and 10 parks activated for the day, we had met our goal with 67 minutes to spare. Rhino rove complete.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/a75dba38-c693-9ee2-6853-ac59a30e0d1d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3672; --en-naturalHeight:2280;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><h2><b>Successful POTA Rhino Rove: 10 Parks in 1 Day for 2 Operators </b></h2><div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>By the time we called QRT for the last time, we were tired and hungry, having skipped lunch in all the excitement. But we were happy that we were able to complete the rove successfully. We had made a total of 168 contacts in 10 parks for the day with 12 of those on CW and 156 on SSB. Due to the 3-fer and the 4-fer, for POTA the total count when adjusted for multiple parks was 308 total contacts with 260 on SSB and 48 on CW. We contacted stations in the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Spain, and Poland, while activating from the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland. A very successful day in the parks.</div>
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<div>What would I do differently next time? I probably would not activate during a contest weekend, for one. Not being able to use 20m and 40m definitely slowed our rate considerably. I also would get an earlier start, so we would not be getting so close to the end of the Zulu day. Also, while I enjoy setting up in a park and activating for as long as I can, for a rove, that's not a winning strategy. If I do something like this again, I definitely need to keep the activations quick, and the transitions efficient.</div>
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<div>This was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed spending the day with my buddy Gersohn and stretching ourselves to reach a challenging goal. Who knows, maybe another rove may be in the cards someday. The overall activation maps for the entire day are below.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/f12b2e7d-e990-af0c-6cbc-021bb5804dff.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2832; --en-naturalHeight:1209;"/><div><b>Overall International Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB , Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/c6b5779d-c1c4-04af-8de6-8aa252d040ed/d4abefd6-a320-f969-99a8-0777ceba0759.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2468; --en-naturalHeight:1882;"/><div><b>Overall Domestic Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB , Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #42: A CW Activation on 4 Bands and in 2 Parks Before Work at Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (DC) (1/26/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-42-a-cw-activation-on-4-bands-and-in-2-parks-before-work-at-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-dc-1-26-20232023-01-26T16:02:44.893000Z2023-01-26T14:50:11ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7b7636d7-546c-7d4c-98d6-5ec22eadb386/27a22af2-a4fe-d47a-5b71-32de3551b1c0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Parks on the Air has a way of motivating you. There are dozens of awards to chase, personal statistics to grow, the fun of activating a park, and interacting with people around the globe. So, I decided to see how early I could get up and see if I could get some Early Shift contacts in and work toward a new award. I set the alarm early and got out to the park as the sun was rising. As I drove to my operating position the sun was shimmering over the Washington channel and dozens of cyclists and runners were taking the loop around Hains Point. There was even a peloton of Metropolitan Police Department officers doing a group ride that came around several times. DC was showing off, and I loved every minute of it.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7b7636d7-546c-7d4c-98d6-5ec22eadb386/7092a91a-e343-c57e-262c-eec298132360.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The previous day had been decidedly dreary and wet, so with a clear morning in the 40s, people were making sure to get out and savor the sunshine. I was no exception to this, and was enjoying feeling the warmth of the early morning sunlight stream through my car window. This was the kind of morning that makes up for the ones that are cold, wet, and gray. On the way in I had heard several QSOs on 40m CW, so I decided to start there. I didn't have a lot of time until the Early Shift ended (8AM local), so I thought starting on the "easy" band would give me the best success.</div>
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<div>I did have an ace up my sleeve, though. I had much more time to linger this morning, due to my earlier departure. So I was in it to spend some time and savor my moments in the sun along the banks of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. I also had another ace up my sleeve. I had recently joined a text group with some friends from the Long Island CW Club that is particularly active, even in the early hours of the morning. So, in addition to posting a spot on the POTA spotting page, I dropped a note to my friends in the club that I was starting an activation on 40m.</div>
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<div>Mike, N2PPI, the leader of the text group and an avid POTA activator himself, came back to my CQ with a 599 both ways from New York and said hello. It was nice to have him be the first contact in the log. Next up I got calls from Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, and Kansas. Next up, I heard from Ed, N2GSL, another club member from New York, who gave me a cordial greeting and a 599 both ways. I was also pleased to hear that this was his first time getting one of the parks I was activating. Glad I could get him in the log, too. After that I got a call from WD4DAN, Dan, in Georgia. He would end up working me on all 4 bands I activated this time, a lot of fun. He also is the developer of a script that allows you to put live POTA data on your QRZ page, which is a very helpful tool. Thanks to Dan for hunting and all his hard work! One more call from North Carolina would close out the Early Shift on 40m, but I kept going, making contact with Ohio, a pair of New York stations, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and finally a station on Ohio.</div>
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<div>The calls slowed down a bit, so I decided to hop up to the 30m band and see what I could do there. After a few CQs I got contacts from Tennessee and from Brian from QRPARCI in Indiana who was working QRP, as usual (72!). Always fun to get him in the log. I also got my second contact from WD4DAN in Georgia (Thanks Dan!), as well as a pair from Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Once again the calls slowed down, so I decided to move on up to the 20m band and started calling CQ. I had a bit of a false start when after calling QRL? a few times and then calling CQ, a really weak QSO came out of the noise. I had been spotted by the RBN, but I didn't want to interfere, so I moved up 2 kHz and started calling again. After a minute or so, the RBN caught up with me and I got responses from Arkansas, and then New York. Next I got a very fast call from a station in Poland who was coming in 599 both ways -- nothing like some morning DX! He was followed by New York and Indiana and then another DX station, this time from England! All from the lid of my trunk on a "compromised" antenna. Yeah, I love this thing. Next we got back stateside with Oklahoma, the third call from Dan in Georgia, and one last call from Missouri.</div>
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<div>The time was getting late and the calls on 20m slowed, so I wondered ... could I get in another band before going to the office? Well, there was only one way to find out. I changed the band to 17m, spun the VFO to a clear frequency, spotted myself, and gave it a go. I called for a few minutes and thought I was going to get nothing. After all, this was a bit early for 17m ... but I had heard some SSB stations on the top end of the band just moments before and the MUF was well above 18 MHz for me ... so there had to be a chance. Who came the rescue, well, none other than Dan WD4DAN, of course! Fourth band of the day! I gave him sincere thanks, and his contact was followed by a station in Florida. I called a few times, to no avail, and after looking at the clock, realized it was time to head to the office. I called QRT, snapped a few photos, and called it an activation.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7b7636d7-546c-7d4c-98d6-5ec22eadb386/12b6d025-ff71-03ae-b080-63d37fd7df0f.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:684; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>What an amazing way to start the day. Savoring the sunrise over the Potomac, talking to friends around the world, and challenging what you think is possible. All-in-all I made 35 contacts on 4 bands in 3 countries from 2 parks in just under 1 hour. Thanks to everyone who hunted, this one was a whole lot of fun.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7b7636d7-546c-7d4c-98d6-5ec22eadb386/afa8a2af-b30d-c9f4-1b9f-9e36acd4a620.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1447; --en-naturalHeight:524;"/><div><b>International Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7b7636d7-546c-7d4c-98d6-5ec22eadb386/c5c533b9-d865-c395-cea4-afbc4002ffe9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1442; --en-naturalHeight:1061;"/><div><b>US Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #41: A Mobile Late-Shift Support Your Parks Weekend 4-fer at George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage Trail NST (VA) (1/21/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-41-a-mobile-late-shift-support-your-parks-weekend-4-fer-at-george-washington-memorial-parkway-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-trail-nst-va-1-21-20232023-01-21T04:11:02.565000Z2023-01-21T03:08:49ZEd Cabic<div>I always like to participate in the Support Your Parks Weekends for Parks on the Air, but for the Winter 2023 SYP weekend I was going to be out of town on Saturday and flying back home on Sunday. I had the unfortunate realization that I would not be likely to be able to pull off an activation if I stuck to my normal activating hours. I had to get on the road early on Saturday, so the only window I had was actually on my Friday shortly after the start of the Zulu day. </div>
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<div>I went out to a nice dinner with the family mere feet away from the George Washington Memorial Parkway at a restaurant called Cedar Knoll. When there is daylight it has commanding views of the Potomac. It was dark out, so all we could see were the headlights of cars making their way down the Parkway. Our dinner was delicious, and afterward I drove a little bit down the road to a pull-off that was right by the water and the trail, giving me a 4-fer from the car. My normal spots would not have worked as those parts of the park were closed. But in this particular location, it was right on the parkway itself, which never closes.</div>
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<div>It was pretty dark out, so I don't have any pictures of this activation, but the stars were out in full force and we saw countless planes coming in to Washington National Airport on the Mount Vernon visual approach. We also saw the lights of a few boats on the Potomac slowly making their way to their destinations.</div>
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<div>Before leaving the restaurant I had looked at the MUF map, and it looked like a 20m activation on CW might have been possible with the SFI being well over 200, so I decided to start (and I was hoping to end) there. This would be a quick one, I hoped. After setting up and spotting myself, I started calling CQ on 20m and after a couple minutes I got a call from Kansas, followed by Texas, Oregon, and Colorado. The going got slower and I got a contact in California, then Texas, and then I got nothing for many minutes.</div>
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<div>Nothing on the East Coast followed by weakening signals on the West and then radio silence made me think that the band may have died on me as the country got blanketed in inky darkness. I moved down to 30m. I was re-spotted by the Reverse Beacon Network pretty quickly, so I was hopeful that I would get some luck there. I eventually did get a strong signal from Missouri, although he wasn't hearing me anywhere near as clearly as I heard him. After that I called and called to no avail. I had 8 contacts, but I needed 10. </div>
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<div>Time to move down once again, this time to 40m. After finding a clear frequency (which was a bit harder than on 20 and 30 as this band seemed quite a bit more alive), I started calling CQ and after a slow start was greeted by a call from Brian from QRPARCI coming in 599 with a QRP signal from Indiana. It is always great to get him in the log (this was the second time he hunted me this week), and he always sounds super strong, even at QRP. I smiled when he sent a 72 letting me know he was low power. Next up I heard from New York and I had a valid activation, but now I had a mini-pileup. So I got contacts from Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois again, Michigan, and finally a contact with Woodbridge, VA that came in super quiet, so we must have had just enough groundwave propagation to make it happen, even though we were just a few miles apart.</div>
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<div>In all, in just over 35 minutes I had 16 contacts on 3 bands ranging from the West Coast to the Canadian border and down to the Gulf of Mexico, all on the late shift. I had a few moments where I doubted whether I would make the activation, but perseverance prevailed. Since I had a tired and full crew, I called it an activation and headed on home. Another Support Your Parks Weekend activation (or 4) in the books.</div>
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<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/48f1ff16-5541-001f-fac0-adc156300406/93d5f6d0-2bc0-50e0-c6d3-f06509363689.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2760; --en-naturalHeight:1440;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Flyboys Classic Kneeboard</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gasuuo College Ruled Spiral Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sharpie S-Gel Retractable Pen</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #40: 2-fer Commute to Work on 20m in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (DC) (1/18/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-40-2-fer-commute-to-work-on-20m-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-dc-1-18-20232023-01-18T15:32:41.992000Z2023-01-18T14:40:52ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b116b9f2-6342-2c75-a013-e34ff0e7c26c/54de1847-9a0a-b964-a263-705fea70497d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>There is nothing like a POTA activation first thing in the morning. I knew I would have to come into the office today, so last night I was already planning to get a pre-work activation in the books from what is fast becoming one of my favorite roll-up activation sites in the District of Columbia. This morning the weather did not disappoint with mild (for Winter) temperatures around 42 degrees F and mostly clear skies. On the drive into DC I was treated with a beautiful sunrise over the Potomac river and fairly light traffic. I also got to chat with my buddy Corey on the local repeater who just upgraded to General (Congratulations Corey! Can't wait to get you in the log for POTA).</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b116b9f2-6342-2c75-a013-e34ff0e7c26c/c0de60e9-29e9-90f8-ea1c-e50a72124cb4.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>While I was having my morning coffee, before heading out for the day, I looked at the solar weather forecast, and saw that the SFI this week is well over 200, so I hatched a plan to give some early morning 20m CW a go to see what I could do. With luck I'd get some of the Eastern half of the States as well as some European DX. On the drive in I didn't hear a lot of activity on 20, but I did hear some, so I had my plan. </div>
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<div>When I rolled into the parks I setup in my spot nestled by the water just across from Washington National Airport, found a clear frequency, and gave myself a spot on the POTA network. At first, I didn't have any takers, so I was concerned maybe the propagation magic was not in my favor. I kept at it though, and I saw Reverse Beacon Network spots coming in from Europe and the US with respectable signal-to-noise ratios. When all else fails, perseverance prevails ... so I kept calling CQ.</div>
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<div>Finally, after a few minutes I got my first reply from super-hunter Mike, CU3HY, in the Azores. He was a solid 599 on my end and he sent me a 559 from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Things were starting to look up. Next I got a call back from Florida with 599 both ways and then had a few minutes of calling CQ with no response. The silence was broken by DX in Poland with 559 sent and 599 received. Fantastic! After that the pace quickened and I got responses from Texas, Tennessee, Texas, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, a pair from Illinois, Georgia, Maine, Texas, Iowa, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. On the last few of those calls I was getting some pretty intense QRM. A station with a pretty big signal had set up camp just up the band from me, so I decided to find another frequency and found some quiet 12 kHz up. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b116b9f2-6342-2c75-a013-e34ff0e7c26c/87a6dec9-c2cb-78c7-9cc8-0a29eb4e8527.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:684; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Thankfully, I was on CW, so the RBN re-spotted me quickly and I got a call from Kyle, AA0Z of YouTube fame, 599 both ways from Missouri. Next up I heard from Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, and last but not least, Minnesota. I looked at the clock and realized it was time to call QRT and make my way to the office. As I sometimes do, I sent "QRT QRT de N2EC TU (dit) (dit)" which basically means I'm stopping my transmission, thank you. The dit dit is a pleasantry that many CW operators do at the end of their transmissions that comes from the last two parts of "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits". I don't expect a response, but I got one from my last contact in Minnesota who had been listening to my last CQs after our contact. That put a smile on my face and I sent another "TU (dit) (dit)" and called it an activation. CW operators are the best.</div>
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<div>All-in-all I got 27 contacts from 3 countries in the log in 42 minutes -- not quite the rate I usually get from the lower bands in the morning, but very much a success. It was great to get some morning DX in the log, and fun to get some familiar calls on there too. The Polish DX was 4,537 mi (7,301 km) away and Mike in the Azores was 2,649 mi (4.263 km) from me. The farthest US station was 1,314 mi (2,114 km) in Texas. Not bad for a vertical on my trunk! As Sunspot Cycle 25 keeps rising, maybe I can activate even higher bands before work. Could be fun.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/b116b9f2-6342-2c75-a013-e34ff0e7c26c/f322fe85-b42a-eb17-7ed6-5cc469a66c77.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1505; --en-naturalHeight:586;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Flyboys Classic Kneeboard</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gasuuo College Ruled Spiral Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sharpie S-Gel Retractable Pen</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #39: Another 2-fer Commute to Work in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (DC) (1/10/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-39-another-2-fer-commute-to-work-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-dc-1-10-20232023-01-10T16:46:05.971000Z2023-01-10T14:17:48ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/388e28dc-eb9c-f13b-2e70-ee9d7ddff25d/a0fc089a-545b-4067-4cd3-9355b85082c0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1142; --en-naturalHeight:856;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>My new mobile HF setup has really been paying dividends. I've been enjoying listening in on the air to CW QSOs as I am going down the road for great code practice and hearing people talk all around the world. But perhaps the most fun part has been how easy it has become to roll into a park, adjust my antenna, and get on the air for a Parks on the Air activation. There are now all sorts of opportunities to get on the air that were simply impossible before. One situation that has been particularly fun for me is activating in the morning before I get into work on days when I'm driving into the District of Columbia.</div>
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<div>It seems like any time I activate DC it is as though I've got an extra 6 dB of gain on my setup. Since it is the Hunted All States wildcard, people go pretty crazy when it is on the air. So even at 7-8AM on CW, you'll get instant pile-ups. If I can get up even earlier, maybe I can get some Early Shift awards, too. I've found a few great spots to activate not far away from my normal commuting route that are 2-fers that are easy to activate and surprisingly quiet for rush hour in one of the busiest metropolitan areas in the country. Watching the sun rise over the Potomac and the world spring to life as daylight banishes the darkness is a wonderful way to start the day.</div>
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<div>Today I decided to go back to Hains Point to activate Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and the Star-Spangled Banner NHT on 30m CW. Hains Point is a beautiful peninsula just across from Washington National Airport that features a loop road that goes along the coastline that is very popular with the cycling community in DC. There are numerous pull-offs along the way where you can park, bathroom facilities, paths, picnic areas, and beautiful views across the Washington Channel to the East and Washington National Airport and Gravelly Point to the West. In its center is a large municipal golf course run by the District of Columbia. In the pre-work hours, a visitor practically has the place to himself, save a few cyclists enjoying the views and getting some miles in on the pancake flat loop.</div>
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<div>I had done my last activation at this spot on 40m, and it worked well, as you would expect. But I was eager to give a higher band a try to see what could be done. I elected to give 30m a go to see if I could get some stations a bit farther out this time. I got the ATAS extended to the right length and got a pretty good match, called QRL?, spotted myself on the POTA spotting network, and started calling CQ.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/388e28dc-eb9c-f13b-2e70-ee9d7ddff25d/488920ca-bc6d-f3cd-b2c7-c3b1d9a92e8e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1142; --en-naturalHeight:856;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I didn't have to wait long to get a response. The first station I heard was out of Texas with a solid signal. Based on his report to me, he was pulling me out of the noise, but we were able to make the contact, so we were off. Next I had a contact with Tennessee 599 both ways, so I thought to myself, I must be doing alright. Then the pileup came, and I heard from Florida with another strong report, Georgia with a 559 both ways, Kansas with 599 sent and 539 received, and a 599/539 in Illinois. Next up were Kentucky, New York, Brian from QRPARCI in Indiana was next with a very solid 559 on QRP (of course), followed by Marc in MD who is a prolific hunter who always does a great job of getting into my logs (thanks for being out there). Marc was a 559 both ways, even with us being so close, so I was glad to get him in the log. Next up was a booming station in New Hampshire, another in Florida, and another station in NY who I heard loud and clear but who had me in his noise, but all was successful with that QSO.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/388e28dc-eb9c-f13b-2e70-ee9d7ddff25d/4b4b3e5d-cc60-7a9c-64db-833a62fa2797.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1142; --en-naturalHeight:856;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The contacts kept rolling in with a pair of 559 both ways reports with Florida, followed by a very weak but workable 529 sent and 339 received with Virginia. Next we got some longer distance contacts with a 599 reception from Minnesota with a 479 from him, and a 599 signal from Arizona who was hearing me 339. Not bad at all. I made contact with a frequent hunter in Tennessee 599 both ways, a station in Arkansas 599 both ways, and finally a station in Pennsylvania I heard 529 who heard me 339 -- glad we were able to make the contact. I called CQ a couple times as things slowed down, looked at the time, and decided to call it an activation and call QRT to make my way to the office.</div>
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<div>All in all I made 21 QSOs in just over 21 minutes. Definitely a lot of fun and a great way to start the day. This was also the first activation with a new bit of gear I recently picked up, the Flyboys Classic Kneeboard. Although I mostly just used it as a platform for my phone on this activation, it is a neat little item that straps to your leg to allow you to have a surface to write on while you're seated. My understanding is that they're popular with pilots who use them to take notes and to have flight instructions attached to their leg so they don't have to mess with them as they're flying. I teamed it with a spiral notepad that should allow me to easily flip pages if I want to paper log. Having a flat platform to rest my phone on was definitely helpful, and it is nice to not have to worry about stuff falling on the floor.</div>
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<div>Until next time, thanks for being out there and 73.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/388e28dc-eb9c-f13b-2e70-ee9d7ddff25d/5db486f6-de16-0f94-c71c-038fc225328b.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1524; --en-naturalHeight:750;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Yellow Lines = 30m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Flyboys Classic Kneeboard</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gasuuo College Ruled Spiral Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sharpie S-Gel Retractable Pen</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #38: A 2-fer on the Commute to Work in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (DC) (1/5/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-38-a-2-fer-on-the-commute-to-work-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-dc-1-5-20232023-01-05T15:12:41.626000Z2023-01-05T14:44:43ZEd Cabic<div>I set the alarm a bit earlier than usual this morning to get a jump start on the day. In the back of my mind last night when I set the alarm I was having daydreams of a quick before-work POTA activation. Of course, this always depends on me actually getting up and on the road on-time, and also on the traffic conditions. Thankfully the stars aligned and I rolled across the 14th Street Bridge with plenty of time to spare on my commute into the office. So I pulled off into East Potomac Park from Interstate 395 and went to see if the gates to Hains Point were open for the day. Thankfully they were, so I started my slow roll down the scenic peninsula. </div>
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<div>I knew that if there was a spot to be had by the point itself, I would have a very nice 2-fer with Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (on the Potomac) and the Star-Spangled Banner NHT (on the Anacostia as it meets the Potomac). Oddly enough, even though the park itself (East Potomac Park) is a federal (NPS) park, with a name and everything, it isn't part of the parks in the POTA system, so no 3-fer for me on this one. I got a spot by the water (and promptly forgot to take pictures of the beautiful view of the Potomac river, Anacostia river, and National Airport across the Potomac -- sorry about that). I had been listening to some activity on the 40m band on the way into work, so I new that the band was doing pretty well, so I decided to make my calls there. I found a clear bit of spectrum on the CW portion of the band, spotted myself on the POTA spotting page, and started calling CQ.</div>
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<div>It did not take long to hear back from my first caller in Pennsylvania. Next I heard a prolific hunter in Maryland give me a call, followed by a station in Charlottesville, Virginia. Next up was another station just up I-81 in New Market, followed by Ohio, Ontario (Canada), Indiana, another prolific hunter and activator in Massachusetts, another prolific hunter and activator in New York, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania ,another prolific hunter and activator in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, yet another prolific hunter and activator from Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and finally Tennessee.</div>
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<div>All-in-all I got 21 contacts on the 40m band in just 28 minutes, and all on my way to work. I really am enjoying having the mobile station so I can get in more of these impromptu activations. Thanks to all the hunters out there who made it so much fun this morning. The only way it could have been better is if I had gotten up even earlier to activate longer!</div>
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<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/d2c60819-29ff-2596-db16-161b158c1a0a/f6ab1050-33c1-60e9-facf-2da4374e0afc.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1318; --en-naturalHeight:983;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #37: New Year's Day Activation 4-fer in Mason Neck State Park, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage Trail NST (VA) (1/1/2023)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-37-new-year-s-day-activation-4-fer-in-mason-neck-state-park-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-trail-nst-va-1-1-20232023-01-02T01:01:04.525000Z2023-01-02T00:19:57ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/6b4b1b6c-90b0-1593-b1a5-9316bba981cc/4e27473c-6b08-adbd-9014-1e0ed4839e98.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1040; --en-naturalHeight:1388;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After the damp and dreary weather on New Year's Eve, we were treated to some unseasonably warm weather (around 65 degrees F) with a whole lot of sunshine. I have always liked the idea of a first day hike, so I convinced the family to join me at one of our favorite local parks, Mason Neck State Park, on beautiful Mason Neck in Northern Virginia. We love the trail network in the park and with my annual state parks pass, we're frequent visitors. One of our favorite trails is a short mile-long route called the Bay View Trail. As its name implies, it takes you along the banks of Belmont Bay at the confluence of the Occoquan and Potomac Rivers. </div>
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<div>The trail is a real gem with incredibly varied scenery for such a short route. The trail starts at the parking lot for a picnic area where you're greeted by signage that reminds you that you're along the Star-Spangled Banner NHT and points out some history for you to enjoy. The trail also coincides with a stretch of the Potomac Heritage Trail NST and the water that it borders is part of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT. Of course the State Park itself is a listed POTA entity, so if you're in the right place, you get 4 parks for the price of one. As you walk beside the bay you cross over the outlet of a marshland and come to a boardwalk that takes you to a beach on the bay that is quite beautiful. Then the trail goes over the marsh via a boardwalk, up a hillside to a point with a observation blind overlooking another part of the marsh, and then into a forest area that provides yet another ecosystem to enjoy. We have done this hike numerous times, but it never gets old.</div>
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<div> After we finished our hike, the family was ready for a late lunch, but allowed me to get in a super-fast activation. Luckily, our parking spot was within range of all 4 parks, so we were able to get a 4-fer going with my mobile setup. I didn't want to make them wait a long time, and I also didn't want to annoy them with too much beeping, so I set up for 20m SSB and after some trouble finding a spot on the band spotted myself and started calling CQ POTA. It didn't take long to get a call back from a station in Illinois, followed by Georgia, a Park to Park contact with Stones River National Battlefield in Tennessee, another Park to Park contact with Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi, another contact with Georgia, a Park to Park contact with <span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, and another Georgia contact who let me know that I was being crowded in a bit by some stations in Texas. So I decided to move up 2 kHz and after re-spotting and calling CQ for a couple minutes I was back in action with a contact in Arkansas, followed by Illinois, Georgia, Illinois again, another Park to Park contact with Elk River Lodge State Park in Alabama, a contact with Tennessee, and two contacts with Missouri. Next up I had another Park to Park contact with Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park in Florida, followed by contacts with Wisconsin, Georgia, Texas, and finally another with Florida. </span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);"><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">For the first time in a while there was no answer to my CQ, so I decided to call it an activation so we could head to a nearby chili parlor for a hearty post-hike repast. This was probably my fastest activation ever with 20 contacts in 14 minutes. Not bad at all, and since it was a 4-fer, that technically 80 contacts in 14 minutes. This park holds a special place in my heart as it was also the first park I ever activated. That activation probably could have been a 3-fer based on where I set-up, but I didn't know that at the time, so it is in the logs just as the one. It was good to get it back on the air again. I was chatting with some friends tonight who also activated today and they saw me in the spots, but I was a bit too quick for them to be able to make the contact. They are frequent activators and we're in each other's logs several times, so we'll get it done next time. We really do have a great community doing Parks on the Air.</span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);"><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Happy New Year to you and yours and until next time, 73.</span></div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/6b4b1b6c-90b0-1593-b1a5-9316bba981cc/101f5f6a-fc96-5d6f-28f5-adfc72032d6e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2507; --en-naturalHeight:2251;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #36: New Year's Eve with 4 Bands and 4 Parks-in-one with the XYL at George Washington Memorial Parkway, Potomac Heritage Trail NST, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, and Star-Spangled Banner NHT (VA) (12/31/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-36-new-year-s-eve-with-4-bands-and-4-parks-in-one-with-the-xyl-at-george-washington-memorial-parkway-potomac-heritage-trail-nst-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-va-12-31-20222023-05-24T16:38:11.891000Z2022-12-31T23:32:18ZEd Cabic<div>We were having an easy day at home for New Year's Eve and I asked my wife if she would like to go for a quick jaunt over to the park to do an activation with me. Much to my pleasant surprise, she said yes, and we were off in the car to one of the 4-fer spots near my house. The weather was pretty dreary with rain and fog enveloping the Potomac, but since we were using my new mobile setup, we were cozy and dry in an almost empty park. Normally we can see the dock for Mount Vernon, but today, the fog over the Potomac was thick enough that our visibility did not include the dock.</div>
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<div>Before leaving the house, I had a look at the MUF map, and saw that all the bands from 10m down should be open, so I decided to get started on 10m SSB and work my way down from there. I offered to let my XYL run the mic in a control operating situation under my call, but she opted to just soak in the fog laden scenery and listen in. Unfortunately, I only thought about pictures after we had headed home, so I don't have any pictures to share of this activation, save the activation map below.</div>
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<div>I got my FT-891 set-up on a blank patch of spectrum in the technician portion of the 10m band, tuned up the ATAS 120A, spotted myself on POTA and started calling CQ on SSB (I thought my XYL would appreciate to hear the voices from far off places instead of the incessant beeping that only an amateur radio operator can love). Pretty quickly I heard back from a station in Arizona, and after a few more minutes I got a call back from Saskatchewan (Canada), Idaho, Minnesota, Saskatchewan (Canada) again, and finally Venezuela. My signal was getting out, but there weren't too many people on, so after giving another try for about 10 minutes, I moved on down to the 12m band.</div>
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<div>On 12m, things started slowly, but I got a booming signal from Puerto Rico coming in, and had a nice quick QSO thanking him for his call and wishing him a very Happy New Year. After a few more minutes I got a response from Wyoming and then there was much calling of CQ, but not much in the way of a response. So I moved the VFO down to 15m, gave the ATAS a tune, and tried yet another band.</div>
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<div>The first call was from Texas, then Minnesota, Kansas, Illinois, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Missouri. Then I heard a station from Panama and had a nice chat thanking him for his call and wishing him a very Happy New Year. He was followed by Florida, California, Missouri, Texas, Missouri, Idaho, Florida,and one last call from Idaho.</div>
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<div>All-in-all I had 32 contacts in 50 minutes, all on SSB. Pretty respectable considering the higher bands were slower going than the lower ones. I would have kept on going, but we were getting close to dinner time, so it was time to call QRT and head on home. It was fun having my wife along with me and being able to activate when the weather outside was dreary.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9e6e0c09-849d-6502-d7bd-c973eb47ef74/fed59a55-9315-8681-80e3-c45820db496c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1574; --en-naturalHeight:1391;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #35: 6 Bands, 149 contacts, and DX Aplenty at Seabranch Preserve State Park (FL) (12/26/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-35-6-bands-149-contacts-and-dx-aplenty-at-seabranch-preserve-state-park-fl-12-26-20222022-12-27T04:39:43.487000Z2022-12-27T02:58:58ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/887c1fa0-7759-d789-ee24-70efbb1ce05b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1575; --en-naturalHeight:1181;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The day after Christmas I had some time in the early part of the day and I decided to get in a solid activation of a new park. Unlike the earlier activations this week, I didn't have to rush things, so I decided to spend some time on as many of the bands as I could on both CW and SSB. Before leaving our rental, I looked at the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) map and saw that 10m should be open, so I hoped to work 10 on down. My park for the day was Seabranch Preserve State Park just South of Port Salerno in Florida. There was a trailhead right off Dixie Highway where I parked, as far away from the power lines as I could.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/835154f5-9f36-4f04-84d5-26e17c002412.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1947; --en-naturalHeight:1461;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>From what could see that was the only part of the park that allowed motorized vehicles, but there were extensive trails on offer that I would very much like to visit on another day when the weather is more cooperative. The temperatures were on the cool side for Florida, due to the unseasonable cold snap that Florida (and much of the rest of the United States) was experiencing. Fortunately for me, I was running my mobile setup, so I kept comfortable as I got my radio ready for an activation.</div>
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<div>I started on 10m on SSB in the Technician part of the band and got a quick response after I spotted myself from Nebraska. The going was slow, but I got another a few minutes later from Colorado, and after a few more minutes Maine. There was a fair amount of calling between contacts,and most of them were pretty light on the s-meter. Next came Massachusetts and Vermont. As things were slow going I decided to migrate to the CW portion of the band and then I got my first DX of the day from Germany blasting in at 599. Next I got a response from Colorado, then another German station, followed by a French station, followed by another French station (this time portable), followed by a station from Belgium. Next I got a station in New Mexico, followed by a French station, and a station in Croatia! Next up was a station from Arizona, followed by a station in Spain. The amount of DX I was getting off the back of my car with a "compromised" vertical antenna was blowing my mind. The band was definitely acting a bit weird, but it was working. It reminded me of some of the magic I experienced on the band when I got my Novice and Technician licenses all those years ago.</div>
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<div>Since the stated plan was to get on as many bands as I could muster, I decided to hop on down to the 12m band (and announced that intention on frequency as I went QSY). Much to my surprise, the last Spanish station I worked on 10m was the first I worked on 12. On CW, that was followed by Maine and Illinois. I called CQ for a while, but wasn't getting a lot of responses on 12m, so I decided to call QSY again and hop on down to the 15m band.</div>
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<div>Right away, it was clear that 15 was going to be more productive. Maine, Ohio (x2), Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Kansas, New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and New York followed. One of the stations I worked on 15 was fellow Long Island CW Club member, Drew, N2AKJ. Was nice to get him in the log.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/d585dd18-3c1d-3560-f261-da4c105e896c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1378; --en-naturalHeight:1836;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>As things slowed down on 15, It was time to make the jump to 17m. I made contact with stations in Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Louisiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Tennessee, Idaho, and New Hampshire. Once again, things slowed down and it was time for yet another band change -- this time to one of the meat and potatoes bands for POTA -- 20m.</div>
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<div>I knew it was likely that the pace would quicken once I got on 20m, and that likelihood was proven to be 100%. The first response came quickly from Virginia, followed by Oregon, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Wisconsin, New York, Idaho (a second band for a previous caller on 17m), Louisiana, Indiana, New Jersey, Colorado, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, some DX from the Azores, New Jersey, Indiana, Arizona, another Indiana, Florida, New Jersey, Kansas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Indiana, Rhode Island, Georgia, New York, Indiana, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington State, some DX from the South of Spain, and Indiana.</div>
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<div>Once again I was treated to a contact with Thomas, K4SWL in North Carolina. As usual I took some time to slow things down and say hello. Then it was back to this amazing pileup with stations in Alabama, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Maine, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, New Brunswick (Canada), Virginia, North Carolina, Connecticut, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, Quebec (Canada), Kentucky, and finally Wisconsin. Things had been going fast and furious for the last 91 minutes, and finally there was a bit of a break. So, I figured it was now or never if I wanted to move down to another band, so I took the leap down to the 30m band.</div>
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<div>On 30m I got calls from South Carolina, Florida, South Carolina again, Indiana, Alabama, and Tennessee before things stalled once again. So I thought time to jump down to the 40m band and get another band in the logs ... but alas it was not to be. I tried for 15 minutes, but go no callers back on 40m CW. I could see myself getting out on the Reverse Beacon Network, and I was spotted on POTA with that, but never heard any responses to my CQs. So with my ATAS 120A fresh out of unworked bands (save 6m, which the MUF indicated would not work). I decided to shift modes again, this time to SSB, and bands again, once again to the 20m band which had been on-fire just minutes before.</div>
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<div>It was not long until I got callers back form Missouri, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. I decided to band hop again, this time up to the 17m band where I made contact with Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia, Virginia again, New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia once more. Then I was treated to a contact from none other than my buddy Bill from the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club, WB4KFO. He had seen me on the DX spots and we had a quick chat on the air. It was great to talk with him -- I usually get to catch up on the weekend Cherry Tree Net with him, but since I don't have an antenna that can do 80m down here in Florida, I wasn't able to check-in this week. I was delighted to have a QSO with him. Once we said 73, it was back to the activation with contacts on 17m with Missouri, New York, Missouri again, Texas, and finally a DX contact that looked like it was from Iran ... but the call doesn't resolve on QRZ, so may not have been what it appeared to have been.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/d9cda599-5635-c01b-62ef-36208e3cfa52.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1900; --en-naturalHeight:1424;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>It was one heck of a run on the bands and so much fun. The activation had run longer than expected and I needed to call it day, so after 4 hours and 20 minutes I called QRT after making 149 contacts in the United States, Canada, Azores, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia on both CW (121 QSOs) and SSB (28 QSOs). I also had the pleasure of making contact with some friends along the way. Since the map is a bit more densely packed than usual, I gave two renderings below. The first shows all contacts, and the second shows the US and Canada a bit closer so you can see things a bit more clearly. The FT-891/ATAS 120A combo has really shown it can perform across the bands and give some fun DX. Definitely looking forward to whatever park is next.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/4d08f2f8-9a3f-c3dd-09e2-4e1b773005dd.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3658; --en-naturalHeight:1027;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map (International): Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB/ Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5825bc6a-3563-ca29-d6fb-ffa2787526be/ca1554d6-b5f6-b83b-417e-80a39529a6c5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2830; --en-naturalHeight:1436;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map (US Detail): Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB/ Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m, Pink Lines = 12m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #34: Just Passing Through POTA at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park (FL) (12/23/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-34-just-passing-through-pota-at-st-sebastian-river-preserve-state-park-fl-12-23-20222023-05-24T16:38:17.301000Z2022-12-24T13:39:28ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9653e461-77bb-ae52-fa48-f6ca1ae1080a/b749dfab-4c26-98c2-4263-685bc53b0eeb.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1931; --en-naturalHeight:1449;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The trip to St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park took us on a bit of a detour from the direct route to our destination after we had to take a pit stop along the way. We ended up winding our way through suburban Palm Bay until we got to the visitor center. The center was quite nice with helpful staff and a nice parking lot for the activation as well as rest room facilities. Interstate 95 runs through the middle of the park, so we could have conceivably activated from the side of the road, but that would have been significantly less pleasant.</div>
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<div>My mom decided to go and check out the visitor center while I got the third and final activation of the day underway. 20m had been good to me, so I decided to give it another go, once again on CW.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9653e461-77bb-ae52-fa48-f6ca1ae1080a/f78b4126-7be0-95ab-ba53-3e0c119da167.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1771; --en-naturalHeight:1328;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I pulled out the phone, spotted myself on 14.042 MHz, and started calling CQ on my CW Morse SP4 paddle. Now safely away from power transmission lines, the sweet sounds of an S0 noise floor allowed me to hear every signal as Yaesu intended. My first call back was from North Carolina, followed by Maine , and Maryland. A good start from my location in Florida. Next I heard from Wisconsin, Texas (a station who also worked me in the previous park), North Carolina, Alabama, West Virginia, a pair of Pennsylvania stations, and Ohio. </div>
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<div>Then I was treated to a very familiar call, K4SWL. I was very happy to hear Thomas and to get him in the log. I slowed down the pace a bit to say hello and thank him before getting back to the pile-up that the activation had attracted. Next up was a station from Maryland, one from Minnesota, a pair from Tennessee, one from Massachusetts, a Virginia station with a great CW call sign (W5FB -- FB is used in CW to mean "Fine Business" when you're positively acknowledging something someone had sent you), Texas (this time from another repeat hunter), Kentucky, Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois, Tennessee, and finally one last caller from Texas. I had a pause in the pile-up for the first time, so I let the silence hang there for a few moments and finally called QRT DE N2EC and the activation was complete.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9653e461-77bb-ae52-fa48-f6ca1ae1080a/51e8dae2-7945-55fd-a2f7-9d1ba9f4590b.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1244; --en-naturalHeight:932;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>All told, in 37 minutes on the air I made 31 contacts and had a whole lot of fun in the process. It would have been nice to explore this park a bit more as it looks like it has a lot to offer, but I was expected down in Stuart, so I put away my key and left the park with another activation in the books. While I've technically activated more parks in a single day when doing my 4-fer activations, this was my first time doing multiple parks in multiple locations in a single day. I did do two locations in Shenandoah National Park in one calendar day, but it was two different Zulu days. The new Yaesu FT-891 paired with the ATAS 120A is really showing itself to be a solid performer and I'm excited to have it as part of my park activating toolkit. </div>
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<div>I hope to get a proper rove in sometime soon. POTA has awards for activating 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 parks in a single Zulu day. There used to be distance requirements depending on the mode of transportation, but now it is just individual references. It would be fun to see just how many I can activate when I get back home, and if multi-park activations count, there are some good places to help raise the number of parks a bit in the DC area. </div>
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<div>For now, I hope to be able to activate more while on my trip to Florida, and if the scheduling works out, I'll post it here.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9653e461-77bb-ae52-fa48-f6ca1ae1080a/e30b0c05-89b6-b761-87e9-98cee02ff9b5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3322; --en-naturalHeight:2278;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #33: QRM Heavy Just Passing Through POTA at Buck Lake Conservation Area (FL) (12/23/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-33-qrm-heavy-just-passing-through-pota-at-buck-lake-conservation-area-fl-12-23-20222022-12-25T02:33:09.218000Z2022-12-24T13:34:43ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/54ba1487-5852-5af1-f92a-965c530bc2d9/d1b9ed8b-2fe5-0e1e-e3ba-27440efc091a.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2317; --en-naturalHeight:1738;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Fresh off my successful and quick activation of Lake Monroe State Conservation Area, I was excited to make our next brief stop at nearby Buck Lake Conservation Area just a few miles down the road. Google Maps had me overshooting my route to my final destination a bit, but as I was driving down route 46, I noticed there was a trailhead on the West side of the area that was right on the way. I decided to give it a go, and as I pulled in to park I noticed that the parking lot was right underneath some high voltage transmission lines. In the spirit of keeping things moving along I decided to give activating at the site a try and was curious what the power lines would do to the noise level on HF</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/54ba1487-5852-5af1-f92a-965c530bc2d9/fa06790b-83e0-3b8b-236f-e0e3e38024be.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1204; --en-naturalHeight:1606;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Spoiler alert: a lot. </div>
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<div>I decided to set up camp on the same 20m frequency I was on at the last park, re-spotted myself, and started calling CQ. I noticed that I now had an S5 noise floor (up from the essentially S0 noise floor I enjoyed at Lake Monroe) but with the numerous S9+ signals I was getting before I figured it might still work out and ease the pile-ups a bit. As I got some calls back from my CQ, I noticed that the power lines were making things almost unintelligible. I cranked the noise blanker up to the maximum and although it was incredibly distorted, I was able to discern the code buzzing in at that setting. Pretty it wasn't, but it was able to work. The first intelligible call back was from Mississippi, followed by a pair in Texas, a Virginia station who worked me just minutes before at the previous park, Connecticut, Tennessee, Mississippi again, North Carolina, Texas, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia, and finally Oklahoma. The going was slow, the copy was challenging, and seeing that I comfortably passed the threshold for activation, I called QRT with a sigh of relief.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/54ba1487-5852-5af1-f92a-965c530bc2d9/6f8c1c71-7420-59a0-cbae-f1e5e7bec5fa.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1962; --en-naturalHeight:1472;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>All in all I made 13 contacts in 21 minutes more or less all in a straight line between the western edge of Texas to New Hampshire. Definitely some of the most difficult noise I've had to contend with in an activation. I had one more park on the list for this mini-rove, and I set its coordinates into my navigation software and headed on my way hoping the next park would be a return to the silky silence of the parks I have enjoyed so often. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/54ba1487-5852-5af1-f92a-965c530bc2d9/6981a9e8-2282-d1b7-132a-b3bb0c81df24.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2258; --en-naturalHeight:1399;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul><div><br /></div>
POTA Activation #32: Just Passing Through POTA at Lake Monroe State Conservation Area (FL) (12/23/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-32-just-passing-through-pota-at-lake-monroe-state-conservation-area-fl-12-23-20222022-12-25T02:26:15.494000Z2022-12-24T13:26:48ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/734b7b1d-66b4-9977-fa12-3a2a53bb3b4e/571f95b0-a325-1391-776d-99f82fbc5427.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2474; --en-naturalHeight:1856;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Our family went to Florida for the holiday season to visit family and decided to take the Auto Train from our QTH near DC down to Sanford, Florida just outside Orlando. We have taken it several times and it is a more pleasant way to get down to Florida then the marathon drive. We brought two cars with us this time, so I was driving my car along with my mother to make our way down to the Treasure Coast of Florida. Looking at the POTA map, as I frequently do, I realized that we would be very close to three different POTA references on our trip to Stuart. So I did a bit of research, planned a route, and decided to use the new mobile HF setup to see what kind of contacts we could get with a Yaesu FT-891, 100 W, and an ATAS 120A in a short period of time. I didn't want to take all day, just have a few pit stops along the way, so I was a bit worried that either band conditions or a scarcity of hunters would make getting 10 difficult.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/734b7b1d-66b4-9977-fa12-3a2a53bb3b4e/3a948890-cbd2-34ba-e0ac-e805916d13c4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1852; --en-naturalHeight:1389;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The park itself was quite easy to get to, just off a main road with lots of parking. I set up in an empty parking lot for the trailhead in the park. In terms of making contacts -- I should not have worried. At all. I spotted myself and started calling CQ on 20m and my first caller was Maryland at 529 both ways. Thankfully this park was low in noise, so that was workable, but then the pileup came with many strong signals. There were so many callers it was hard even getting a single character out of the warbling tone to limit the callers. In rapid succession I got North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Idaho, and Delaware.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/734b7b1d-66b4-9977-fa12-3a2a53bb3b4e/4929bc01-6afb-646d-e0bb-736a6d0e8fdf.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1876; --en-naturalHeight:1406;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>This mini-rove was off to an auspicious start. 24 QSOS on CW in 27 minutes, not bad. I was originally thinking of sticking to a lower number, but there were so many callers I felt bad calling QRT right away. Eventually, I had to do it, and we made our way off to the next park.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/734b7b1d-66b4-9977-fa12-3a2a53bb3b4e/667f4b2e-e576-931d-84f7-f08dedb1d772.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2727; --en-naturalHeight:1488;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #31: Early Shift Commute Mobile 2-fer in DC in Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and Potomac Heritage Trail NST (DC) 12/20/2022http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-31-early-shift-commute-mobile-2-fer-in-dc-in-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-potomac-heritage-trail-nst-dc-12-20-20222023-08-04T13:59:30.525000Z2022-12-20T14:24:46ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ec3dc8d1-4ed9-9359-f897-1d6b9028f742/f9794cd6-28b7-8607-6a1f-a8f9124eb606.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>When it comes to playing radio on POTA, I am very fortunate to live in the Washington, DC area. There are a lot of parks close by to activate, and several of them overlap, so it is easy to get 2, 3, or even 4 -fers. Part of the fun for me is doing the research to find where I can activate to maximize those overlaps. Now that I have a mobile station in my car, there are a lot of activation options that I pass on any day that I go to work. A good chunk of my commute is on the George Washington Memorial Parkway (K-0670), which goes along the Potomac River which at various sections has the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (K-4567) and the Star-Spangled Banner NHT (K-4581) in its waters (and 100 feet ashore), and at various sections is adjacent to the Potomac Heritage Trail NST (K-4564). So as you can imagine, I've activated those a few times (9 times for GWMP, 9 times for CJSCNHT, 7 times for PHTNST, and 7 times for SSBNHT). </div>
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<div>I was thinking about places near my commute I could activate after work, and there are some good options out there, but as I was thinking about the logistics, I asked myself a question: Could I activate early in the morning <i>before</i> work? I decided to set the alarm early in the morning to see what I could do. When I left the house I saw the MUF was around 14 MHz, so maybe I could do a 40/30/20 activation. The sun had not yet made itself known, but as I got closer to DC I saw its amber and red hues ready to peek above the horizon. What I didn't know was whether there would be any hunters ready to contact me. Only one way to find out ...</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ec3dc8d1-4ed9-9359-f897-1d6b9028f742/fe10cb81-af4c-c58d-64f2-9412d93a72ff.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>So I set off for what I thought would be an interesting 2-fer at Hains Point at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers -- but when I got there, the road was closed. So, I had to think quickly. I re-routed to go North along the banks of the Potomac toward the FDR Memorial where there is a lot of parking alongside the river. At that location the river is coincident with the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, and the road where I was parked is adjacent to the Potomac Heritage NST, so a 2-fer nonetheless. </div>
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<div>I paid for parking (even though I was in the car, I figured it was the right thing to do) and got my setup ready. I tuned up the ATAS 120A on 40m, gave myself a spot, and in short order made my first contact with a station in Texas. He would call me several times on this activation on the same frequency -- perhaps he didn't hear my confirmation that I got him (he was 599 and I was 449 from him). Nonetheless, he's in the log. Then I got contacts from New Hampshire, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New York, Georgia, Alabama, Georgia, Maine, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The contacts were pretty much non-stop. So much for hunters sleeping in! In fact, I tried 3 times to QSY to 30m and immediately people came back with calls (so of course I answered). On the 4th try, nothing was heard, so off to 30m I went.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ec3dc8d1-4ed9-9359-f897-1d6b9028f742/e46fc4e1-be8b-df6f-6e83-3d01c712a9db.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1216; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Within a minute or so the Reverse Beacon Network spotted me on 30m and I got a call from a station in Michigan who got me earlier on 40m (always fun when propagation lets it happen). That contact was followed by Alabama and Indiana. I noticed something quite strange ... every time a Metrobus drove by I got astonishingly high amounts of noise, sometimes up to S9 (and I had the noise blanker on). So it was getting tough as the busses rumbled by to hear the weak signals, so I decided to make one last move up to 20m.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ec3dc8d1-4ed9-9359-f897-1d6b9028f742/060c163e-be92-b609-39d1-d4eceb09f015.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:684; --en-naturalHeight:912;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I started calling CQ and so quickly did I hear a response, they must have beat the RBN to the punch, I heard a US station operating in the Dominican Republic (that pin didn't show up on the QSO map below, but imagine a blue line down there all the same). I had a bit of a challenge getting his HI7/ prefix on his call, but he was quite patient. That would be my only DX of the day, very fun. Next I got calls from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, Virginia, and Florida again. I had a bit of a pause in the calls, looked at my car's clock, and realized it was time to call QRT and head into the office. Another 2 activations in the books.</div>
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<div>All-in-all I made 39 contacts on CW (9 on 20m, 3 on 30m, 27 on 40m) and still got in to the office on-time. What a fun way to start the day! I think it also helps a bit that I was activating from DC -- being relatively small with only 30 parks and surprisingly lightly activated, hunters get really excited when DC gets on the spots. Also, being able to run a full 100W didn't hurt, either. Everything went pretty well. I still have to work on bonding (have gotten some of the materials I need to use, so hope to work on that soon) to get the SWR down closer to where I'd like it to be, but that as mentioned, it is workable where it is, and clearly I'm getting out. </div>
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<div>The pages for the the two parks aren't clear, but at least some of these contacts are likely to count as my first Early Shift contacts -- as the system processes the stats this evening it will be interesting to see how they're tabulated. If 1300 UTC is the cutoff (as it is for smaller local parks - the page for these two says coming soon...) then I got 18 contacts before the cut-off in 2 parks, so likely 36. I know they changed how they did Late Shift (and added Early Shift), so I believe it is now number of contacts not total activations (how they used to do it), but we'll find out.</div>
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<div>Being able to do impromptu activations like this really changes the game for me. I'm excited to be able to do more of this as my schedule allows. I hope to see you soon down the log and in the parks.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/ec3dc8d1-4ed9-9359-f897-1d6b9028f742/0e1c0f79-2aca-e0bb-2ab2-d7aabacb8622.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1010; --en-naturalHeight:894;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #30: Strange New Worlds at 100 W - Activating a 4-fer with My New Mobile HF Station in George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage NST (VA) (12/16/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-30-strange-new-worlds-at-100-w-activating-a-4-fer-with-my-new-mobile-hf-station-in-george-washington-memorial-parkway-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-nst-va-12-16-20222022-12-16T22:31:21.274000Z2022-12-16T19:32:29ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/805f5eab-bb56-f581-e739-a244a5ef6ae3.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2600; --en-naturalHeight:1950;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>If you've been reading this blog, you have probably noticed I really enjoy activating Parks on the Air. I'm a fairly hardy soul who has gone bike commuting in snow and temperatures below 3 degrees F and camped in a hammock in the snow, but in the late Fall and Winter, the conditions outside aren't always cooperative with my goal to get on the air without damage to myself or my equipment. So, I've been long considering getting myself a mobile HF setup so that I can activate from my car (or just operate from there in general). I still like getting out into nature, finding creative ways to get an antenna into a tree or setup on a tripod, setting up an operating position in a good spot, and feeling the sun beating down and the breeze against my face. But having the ability to activate whenever I want, in whatever weather I want, from the comfort of my vehicle is a bit of a game changer.</div>
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<div>As I started researching what my options were in the world of mobile HF radios, there were a few that stood out. Ultimately, due to supply chain issues, only one was easily obtainable. In the unobtainable category (at least on the new market) was the Icom IC-7100. I really enjoy my IC-705, and the IC-7100 has HF, VHF, and UHF just like its QRP cousin. Unfortunately, it is out of stock nationwide, and although HRO says they expect it in May on their web site, privately they say it could be longer, if ever. The 7100 has been out for a while, and if the supply issues continue, they may just replace it. Additionally, if you want an easy multi-band antenna, you'd probably want a screwdriver, but ones like the Tarheel are out of stock in most outlets. Unobtanium.</div>
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<div>So that left one great combination that is a perennial favorite in the POTA community: the Yaesu FT-891 radio and the Yaesu ATAS 120A antenna. When Black Friday arrived, Ham Radio Outlet had a great deal on the radio cutting $40 off of the asking price, and everything was in stock! So I pulled out my credit card, filled my electronic cart, and hit submit. Then I got a phone call from HRO -- turns out they just sold out of the radio. They could ship me all the other things, but the radio would be back ordered. Bummer. They didn't know when they would get stock, but I decided to wait it out. A few weeks later, I got a shipping notification and the 891 showed up at my door.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/7737bb15-6d62-a7c4-6f33-5c980a2c9f71.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1326; --en-naturalHeight:1706;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Now I had to figure out how to install the thing. My buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK, graciously offered his assistance in getting everything installed. We tried valiantly to find the pass-through grommet that YouTube assured us was to be found by the foot well of my 2006 Honda Accord, but alas it was not to be. I wasn't flexible enough to warp space and time to find it, so I reached out to a car audio and security systems installer near where I lived, Car Trendz. They were incredibly helpful and for a reasonable fee routed the power cables through the firewall, so my radio could have power. They also gave me a hand with putting on the bracket for the radio. Once I had that in place, I went back home and put the radio into the bracket and connected it to power. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/84d066df-df07-48ec-5410-2f019c03cb6a.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1462; --en-naturalHeight:1950;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Next I had to install the antenna, the Yaesu ATAS 120A, a vertical capable of operating from 40m-70cm. For this purpose, I had purchased the Diamond K400C lip mount to attach to the trunk of my vehicle. The ATAS 120A is a large antenna weighing around 2 lbs and with a considerable wind load, so from what I had read, a good mount was paramount. The K400C came well recommended from Yaesu for the task. The installation of the mount was quick and straightforward with 4 grub screws clamping it to the trunk lid where it meets the rear of the car. An SO239 UHF connector provides the connection to the antenna, which simply screws on to the base. The antenna itself came basically pre-assembled, with the only task for the operator being to install the whip with a hex screw and its accompanying weatherproof cap. So far, so good.</div>
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<div>The one last thing I had to do was connect the antenna to the radio. For this, I needed to make a cable. Unfortunately, although I had connectors, and I had cable, I didn't have the right tools for the job (I had crimp connectors, not solder-on ones). Once again, Gersohn came to the rescue and provided time, tools, and some extra materials to help me build the cable. I'm very grateful for his help. So after a series of false starts and setbacks, we finally had a radio that was powered and connected to an antenna properly mounted to my car. Time to get on the air. Time was getting short, so we looked at POTA spots while parked in Gersohn's driveway, and I made contact on 17m a station in Kansas and on 40m with a station in Virginia. Success!</div>
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<div>SWR was higher than I'd like, but under 2:1 -- I'm going to work on improving the bonding of my vehicle -- but we were in a good place. So, I decided to use my lunch hour today to give the new rig its first activation at a 4-fer location just a few minutes from my house. The location could not be more ideal -- 4 parks all within proper range of the parking spot. I decided to take my new CW Morse SOTA/POTA paddle designed by N0SA with me and just use the HAMRS app to log. Ultra fast and light (well, if you don't count the vehicle ...). </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/faaafaea-36d3-1995-c78c-6f6dd876705e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2600; --en-naturalHeight:1950;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I figured out how to work CW on the new rig, spotted myself on the 20m band, and I was off. It didn't take long for the pileup to commence. I found out (the hard way) I didn't quite have the paddle magnetic returns properly configured, so my code was a lot sloppier than I would like, but as always, the hunters were gracious and patient. When I got back home, I upped the magnet force so that the bouncing I experienced should be resolved in the future. Being used to operating POTA with 10W maximum output power, 100W was a whole new ballgame. I probably only called CQ around 5 times in the hour I was out there, the contacts just kept coming. Eventually, as my time was growing long, I had to call QRT to get back to working at home.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/2dfdd0b1-b08b-bb7b-df17-b8dd8e639753.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2600; --en-naturalHeight:1950;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>My first caller was in Michigan who gave me a solid 579 report, followed by a station in Idaho who gave me a 599. Then came a pair from Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia. Next I was treated to a call from my buddy Ed, W4EMB, in Tennessee, followed by Quebec (Canada), Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Michigan, Ontario (Canada), Florida, a pair from Illinois, Wisconsin, Virginia, Georgia, another pair from Tennessee, Texas, Florida, MIchigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and one more call from Michigan before I had to call QRT. In all I had 45 QSOs in 4 parks (180 total, in the POTA accounting) in just under an hour from the comfort of my car.</div>
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<div>So much fun.</div>
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<div>I can't wait to do it again ... and with a mobile setup, I would imagine that I won't have to wait long! Impromptu activations are now simply a short drive away.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/8308917d-4c22-9ea0-f0e3-60f31d2151a8/25c546bd-6ea2-e9ce-7482-3169aca28e3d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3481; --en-naturalHeight:1935;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu FT-891</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Yaesu ATAS 120A Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse SP4 POTA/SOTA Mini Morse Code Magnetic Paddle (N0SA Designed)</span></div></li><li><div>2006 Honda Accord EX V6</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Samsung Galaxy S10+</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">HAMRS Logging App</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #29: A 4-fer on 7 bands with Gersohn in George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage NST (VA) (10/30/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-29-a-4-fer-on-7-bands-with-gersohn-in-george-washington-memorial-parkway-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-nst-va-10-30-20222022-12-16T21:15:10.951000Z2022-10-30T23:55:52ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9f53ddd0-98fe-3bb9-57d4-d6b9c0aa0c4a/2ae4fd69-9cf9-cbb9-1163-2eceafe8d952.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1620; --en-naturalHeight:1215;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>As sunspot cycle 25 has been coming into its own recently the higher bands have been coming alive with the sound of Amateur Radio. On the day before Halloween, the DC area was having a particularly pleasant fall afternoon, so I decided to get out into Belle Haven Park inside the George Washington Memorial Parkway and meet up with my buddy Gersohn for some fun in the Autumn sun on the bands. As is frequently the case, I setup where several POTA park entities overlap, so I was also adjacent to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, the Star-Spangled Banner NHT, and the Potomac Heritage Trail NST. Four Parks for the price of one.</div>
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<div>Since the bands were active, I decided to use my 40-10m EFHW teamed with my antenna tuner to keep things nice and frequency agile. I started out on 20m CW since I figured when Gerson arrived, he might want to use that band. I got my first response at 17:39Z from a station in Alabama and then in short order made contacts with South Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Ontario (Canada), Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Texas. Then I was very pleased to hear my buddy and fellow Long Island CW Club member Ed, W4EMB, giving me a call from Tennessee. It was great to get him in the log. After Ed, I got calls from Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana. </div>
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<div>Gersohn arrived and we chatted for a bit and he setup some of his equipment. I decided to implement my plan to work a bunch of bands and gave 10m a go on CW. Right away I picked up New Mexico, Texas, Montana, France, another hunter from Texas who worked me a second time on this second band, and Northern Virginia. After things slowed down a bit, I moved down to 12m and didn't get any CW callers. I really wanted the band though to add to my N1CC award titles, so I pulled out FT8 on the laptop and contacted Minnesota, and Texas. </div>
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<div>Next up it was time to get back on CW and move down to the 15m band. First to respond was an operator across the country in Washington State followed a couple minutes later by Arkansas. Things didn't seem to be as active on 15, so I moved down again to the 17m band where my first contact was with North Dakota, followed by Idaho, Texas, South Dakota, Alabama, and Florida. Hard to believe I got both Dakotas on a single band within a few minutes of each other! </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9f53ddd0-98fe-3bb9-57d4-d6b9c0aa0c4a/e9d0dc52-232a-150a-79ba-99e3e4523731.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1642; --en-naturalHeight:1232;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After things slowed down a bit I moved to my 6th band, old reliable, the 40m band. My first response was from Tennessee, then Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, another Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, and a second contact from a station in Michigan. As time was getting late and I had to prepare to go QRT, I decided to give one more band a try, 60m. In a few minutes I had replies from New York, Georgia, and a final contact with North Carolina.</div>
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<div>What a fun activation! I'm really enjoying being able to activate on the higher bands. The different skip distances allow for some states and DX that I don't usually get in the logs. At the end of the day, my 10W and a wire netted me 59 contacts in about 2:30. I really enjoyed being out with Gersohn just a few feet from the Potomac at one of our favorite activation spots.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/9f53ddd0-98fe-3bb9-57d4-d6b9c0aa0c4a/01852e5c-a57f-5aa8-c2a9-86ff0f99b134.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3348; --en-naturalHeight:1378;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Blue Pins = FT8 / Black Lines = 60m, Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Pink Lines = 12m, Cyan Lines = 15m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #28: A Support Your Parks Weekend 4-fer CW Activation at Riverside Park in George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage NST (VA) (10/15/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-28-a-support-your-parks-weekend-4-fer-cw-activation-at-riverside-park-in-george-washington-memorial-parkway-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-nst-va-10-15-20222022-10-31T00:47:21.394000Z2022-10-29T00:58:57ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/bab1df05-94d3-6d0b-5951-9724103b377e/c7950bde-ee0c-ceac-c450-76d5cfb2364e.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1678; --en-naturalHeight:1259;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Sometimes life comes at you fast and you don't have the time to get out. That definitely was my last month an a half. Thankfully, on October 15, I had a bit of time for an activation on the POTA Fall Support Your Parks Weekend. It was a beautiful day, so I brought my daughter along with me to enjoy some fresh air at one of our local parks that is one of my favorite activating locations. We lucked out and got one of the prime picnic tables nestled between the Potomac River and the Mount Vernon Trail, easily within the activation zone for 4 parks. There were no shortage of beautiful trees to assist with the use of my MFJ 1984 MP End Fed Half Wave, so with a quick throw of my arborist line, my antenna was lifted skyward and I was quickly on the air.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/bab1df05-94d3-6d0b-5951-9724103b377e/0908e5b5-4508-bc70-2bad-9b401212959d.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:991; --en-naturalHeight:1321;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>had been hearing reports of how the higher bands had been "on fire" of late, so I decided to start at the top with 10m and see what I could get. After several calls on 10 without any takers, I hopped down to 12, and similarly had no luck. Next was 15m, and there I did get two contacts with Louisiana and Florida and then the contacts dried up. So I decided to move down to 20m, and boy was that band "on fire". The first contact came from Maine, followed by some nice DX with Belgium. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/bab1df05-94d3-6d0b-5951-9724103b377e/0959d850-66da-aa43-161f-6542241121fb.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1721; --en-naturalHeight:1290;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Michigan, Florida, and Tennessee came next. Another hit of DX was in the cards with a contact in Finland, followed by Missouri, Georgia, Florida. DX came again with the Dominican Republic, followed by Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Maine. Then more DX, with a call from France, followed by Minnesota, Kansas, Montreal (Canada), Illinois, Texas, Oregon, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan. More DX was in store from Germany followed by Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, another contact with Germany, Texas, Georgia, Florida, and finally Utah.</div>
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<div>Usually when I activate, I don't get a lot of attention from passers-by, but this day I had a friendly woman who had a lot of questions and seemed excited by the calls from far away stations around the globe. I tried to be a good ambassador for the hobby, answering questions and trying to do some real-time decoding of the calls coming in. I have to admit, it was quite a challenge to manage to answer her questions while still making the contacts on CW. My daughter helped with answering many of the questions and chatted with her while I was making contacts in rapid fire. The 20m part of the activation was pretty much non-stop.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/bab1df05-94d3-6d0b-5951-9724103b377e/c5c7b0dc-ca59-0312-1cef-7d36e8e1e9c0.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1936; --en-naturalHeight:1452;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I had to cut things short as my daughter was hungry and anxious to head home. In an hour and two minutes I made 42 contacts in 7 countries -- a quick but decidedly effective activation. Although I didn't have time to hunt, I did get 2 park to park contacts who hunted me, ending up counting as 8 when the 4-fer was counted. Sunspot Cycle 25 is starting to get really exciting -- getting these kind of results with 10 Watts and a wire is exhilarating. So much fun.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/bab1df05-94d3-6d0b-5951-9724103b377e/9db8e03d-4457-8e1f-697e-5de875d93209.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3677; --en-naturalHeight:1763;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #27: A DC 2-fer at the Washington Monument National Memorial and the National Mall Park (DC) (9/3/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-27-a-dc-2-fer-at-the-washington-monument-national-memorial-and-the-national-mall-park-dc-9-3-20222022-09-04T01:29:13.756000Z2022-09-04T00:07:35ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/1215c57b-9553-e369-817d-fe99ddedc55d/f0baa41f-54ba-84c1-36d6-c7474d616161.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1008; --en-naturalHeight:1343;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The first day of Labor Day weekend was looking to be delightful, if a bit cloudy. My family had plans on Saturday, so I decided to get an activation in. Looking at the POTA map, I noticed that although I had two DC parks in the books, I had not yet activated anything on the North side of the Potomac River. I had been thinking about doing a RaDAR run, with a bunch of parks in the monumental core of the city, but as I was getting ready to head into DC I decided that I would activate the Washington Monument (and by extension the National Mall) and focus on spending my time in that one spot. The RaDAR run would wait for another day.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/1215c57b-9553-e369-817d-fe99ddedc55d/9b1c99bc-6fe6-ae35-152d-d6b7970bafe6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1334; --en-naturalHeight:1000;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I decided to have a bit of hybrid transportation for this activation. I drove into my office in downtown DC and then used Capital Bikeshare to bike to the activation site. I found a delightful grove of trees in the shadow of the monument which kept me out of he sun and also away from the throngs of tourists that had descended upon the monument and the mall. There was a large concert, the Capital House Music Festival, that was at the nearby amphitheatre. Under my grove of trees I was well shaded and out of the way, so I decided to setup my MFJ 1984-MP End-Fed Half-Wave in a nearby tree and started to get on the air.</div>
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<div>Before I left the house I had checked band conditions, and the forecast for 40m wasn't good. So I decided to get on 20 CW to see if I could make my 10, not sure if I would be able to make it. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded and quickly I was able to get several contacts. The first contact came from Florida, then Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas. Next, I had some trouble copying a call, but after a resend I realized it was a a DL call -- from Germany. Dead bands? I think not. Next came Florida and Virginia, and then a bit of silence. I tried switching to SSB, but got no calls, so I decided to give 40m a try. On CW I got calls back from Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, Illinois, and South Carolina. </div>
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<div>After another slow down I decided to give SSB a go on 40m and worked Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Ontario (Canada), Michigan, New York, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. With that great run I thought I'd give 20 SSB another go and got Minnesota, Florida, and a final Minnesota before things slowed down again, so I decided to use the frequency agility of the end-fed half-wave and moved to 30m CW. Right away I worked Michigan and Indiana before things once again went silent. So I got another band on the log with 17m working two Texas stations and a weak one in Wisconsin.</div>
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<div>I noticed on the spots that a station really wanted to work me on 20m, so I decided to make the switch as 17 was quite quiet. Immediately I was able to work the station in Wisconsin, and then after a lot of quiet a station in Florida before I decided to move back to 40m on CW this time. Contacts came in from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ontario (Canada), Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, another Ontario station, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Ohio, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and another New York. Then as I was getting another call in, I was approached by a Park Ranger who asked me to take down my antenna, since it was in a tree. I quickly complied and asked if my vertical antenna which was free-standing and not in a tree was okay to use, and she indicated I could use that and continue operating. I explained what I was doing and thanked her, and set up the Buddistick Pro.</div>
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<div>Since 40 was working so well just minutes before, I decided to continue on it and got calls from New York, California (although I suspect they may have been operating elsewhere based on the band), Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maine, New Jersey, Ontario (Canada), Massachusetts, and a couple of Virginia stations. I was getting ready to call it an activation and had already crossed 100 QSOs, so I decided to give SSB another try and worked Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, and New Jersey again before calling QRT. One last look at the spots and I saw W2AEW activating a park in New Jersey -- I'm a fan of the videos he puts out on his YouTube channel (great educational content on amateur radio and electronics), so I decided to try for a park to park with him on CW, I was successful, and thanked him for his great videos before packing up the station.</div>
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<div>I headed for the nearest Capital Bikeshare station, loaded up the basket with my gear (the radio was on my back) and biked my way up the hill to my office. It was a very successful activation with 113 contacts, 75 on CW and 38 on SSB in two parks. I also was excited to have contacts with my friends KK4WDP (who was activating his own park -- we worked on CW and SSB) and K3WD who was looking out for me on the spots after he found out I was activating on the Cherry Tree Net earlier in the morning. Also, I was delighted to work Thomas, K4SWL, who hunted me from NC on this activation. Hearing familiar calls put a big smile on my face. So many of the hunters were excited to get DC parks -- I guess they're a bit hard for people to get in the logs, so it was like I had an extra 6db of gain being in DC with all the hunters seeking me out. I can't wait to activate some more DC parks soon.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/1215c57b-9553-e369-817d-fe99ddedc55d/9e87b8e1-25e3-122c-eda8-84c8cbf2e3ed.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3234; --en-naturalHeight:993;"/><div><b>Complete Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Cascade Mountain Tech Ultralight Highback Chair</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #26: A 4-fer with Gersohn and a New Radio at George Washington Memorial Parkway, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, Star Spangled Banner NHT, and Potomac Heritage NST (VA) (8/20/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-26-a-4-fer-with-gersohn-and-a-new-radio-at-george-washington-memorial-parkway-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-star-spangled-banner-nht-and-potomac-heritage-nst-va-8-20-20222022-08-26T14:49:00.464000Z2022-08-23T16:30:30ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/412ac024-576a-cf9a-fa80-9e77a6737044/44136bce-e45e-aca6-0b52-7b04e08abae0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2697; --en-naturalHeight:2023;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I've had a bunch of amateur radio projects that have been stacking up over the Summer, and I finally had some time to work on one of them: the QCX mini from QRP Labs. The QCX mini is a single band QRP (5 W) CW transceiver (mine was built for the 40 m band). I had seen a lot of reviews of the radio and was amazed with the quality of its receiver and its compactness. The radio is astonishingly inexpensive as well, coming in under $60 for the radio, and under $100 including the case and all the add-ons. I was excited to build the radio, and with a couple days of work I had assembled, aligned, and tested it successfully. I made contacts on my home antenna with an external antenna tuner was amazed with the quiet that I was hearing on the band. Where my Kenwood TS-440S had significant noise, the QCX mini had near silence. CW just popped out loud, clear, and easy on the ears.</div>
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<div>The 5 W definitely made things more of a challenge at home, but after repeated CQs I made some contacts, including a Canadian contact and great rag-chew with a station in Maryland. I was also getting solid reports on the Reverse Beacon Network. When I connected it to the QRP Labs Dummy Load, it estimated that I was getting the full 5 W output, so I was excited to get it into a park, put it through its paces, and enjoy the "+6dB" that comes from being on the POTA spotting network.</div>
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<div>My buddy Gersohn (KO4IUK) had gotten back from a vacation on the West coast and we had a beautiful day forecast on Saturday, so we decided to meet at Belle Haven Park on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Due to the location of our operating position we were within 100 feet of 3 other parks: Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (on the Potomac), Star Spangled Banner NHT (on the Potomac), and the Potomac Heritage NST (on the Mount Vernon Trail). That made this activation a 4-fer. </div>
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<div>I brought my QCX mini and my Icom IC-705 so I could operate on other bands as well. Gersohn was also interested in getting more familiar with FT8, so I made sure I could operate my station digitally to show him how I've activated on FT8 as well. We got an early start and quickly got our antennas up into the trees. I used my throwline and got a nice inverted-v setup and Gersohn used his air cannon and got his line into two trees using all 175' of line! You can see the tree he used in the picture above and he got to the very top of it. He used his Nelson 49:1 matching network into an end-fed half-wave and it performed like a champion with low SWR on the bands. Shortly after getting up and running Gersohn made an SSB contact with Alaska! Can't beat that.</div>
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<div>I used my trusty MFJ 1984-MP end-fed half-wave antenna and was pleased to see that on 40m I was getting an SWR of around 1.3:1 -- plenty good to go direct into the antenna without a tuner for my QCX mini. I got everything connected, programmed the keyer, and started calling CQ. I got my first two responses to my CQ in relatively short order with my first coming from Ohio and my second coming from Pennsylvania. Not bad for 5 W. I kept calling and got a response from a station that QRZ says was in California -- a bit of a surprise on 40 m, but I'll take it. Finally after calling CQ for another 10 minutes I got contact number 4 in Tennessee. I kept calling, but the band seemed pretty dead, so I decided to take a pause with the QCX and setup my IC-705.</div>
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<div>I wanted to see if it was the 5 W or the band, so I gave 40 m SSB a go and made contacts with New Mexico, Virginia (about 6 miles away), Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and North Carolina. The going was slow, with those contacts taking about 29 minutes, so I had my answer: it was the band. So I decided to move over to 20m and start calling CQ on CW and was answered by Georgia, Texas (x2), Oklahoma, and after a bit of a delay Pennsylvania. I had made my activation, so the pressure was off a bit. I mentioned to Gersohn that I had been able to make contacts on 60 m at other parks using a tuner and a 40-10 EFHW, so we gave it a try on his antenna and sure enough, it tuned up and I was able to make a contact with North Carolina bringing the number of bands I had worked in both Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT and the Star Spangled Banner NHT to 9.</div>
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<div>Next I took a break in operating to try to lend a hand to Gersohn in getting his digital setup on the air. He was having some really strange noise coming in on his receive audio, and we weren't able to figure out what was going on. We went back to my IC-705 and I showed him my setup for FT8, this time on 40 m as I had some RFI issues on 20 m causing my radio to disconnect from the USB connection when I was transmitting. FT8 has a bit of a learning curve as the user interface isn't the most intuitive, so I was happy to show how I operate. I was able to make contact with stations in Connecticut, Virginia (this time just 4.4 miles away), Ontario (Canada), Texas, Ontario again, New York, and Tennessee. We tried to get things rolling on his FT8 setup after working those stations, but for this day it was not to be.</div>
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<div>Emboldened by the success on FT8 on 40 m I decided to hook up my QCX mini one more time and see if I could get enough contacts to have had a full activation on it, if I had not brought the IC-705 along -- maybe the band had improved. And quickly I had my answer, it had gotten better. I had a park to park with Ontario (Canada), followed by contacts with South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina again, Georgia, New Hampshire, Quebec (Canada), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and another Michigan contact. A great run on 40 m with just 5 W. What a great little rig.</div>
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<div>Before we packed up, Gersohn and I pulled out our VHF radios and made a couple park to park contacts (from the same park) for fun. I tried calling out on the calling frequencies as well, but today there were no takers aside from Gersohn. All told I made 22 contacts on CW, 7 on FT8, and 7 on SSB for a grand total of 36 contacts. Of course, since this was a 4-fer 36 becomes 144 contacts in all. A fun day out in the park with a good friend.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/412ac024-576a-cf9a-fa80-9e77a6737044/7c4cb0f9-863d-5834-a875-dfd4359cef40.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2621; --en-naturalHeight:1435;"/><div><b>QCX Mini 5W Activation Map: Green Pins = CW, Green Lines = 40m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/412ac024-576a-cf9a-fa80-9e77a6737044/2b21a4c6-18e7-d2be-d61a-48cefa92866e.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2717; --en-naturalHeight:1426;"/><div><b>Complete Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW, Blue Pins = FT8 / Black Lines = 60m, Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">QCX Mini (40 m version)</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Leadsound Crystal 3W Speaker</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Nelson 49:1 End Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activations #24 and #25: Lake Anna State Park (VA) (7/26/2022 - 7/27/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activations-24-and-25-lake-anna-state-park-va-7-26-2022-7-27-20222023-07-24T15:10:14.015000Z2022-08-09T21:53:02ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/9530f853-8863-8c8d-1659-5d3b6fd322f4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1154; --en-naturalHeight:1539;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>After the challenging activation at Lost River State Park, I wasn't sure what to expect as we made our way East to our second park for the week, Lake Anna State Park, in Virginia. I knew the area was substantially less remote with plenty of homes along the lake that gives the park its name, so I was hopeful that at the very least I would be able to spot myself. Lake Anna State Park is on the banks of Lake Anna, a man-made reservoir that was created as a source of cooling water for the North Anna Nuclear Generating station. The lake is about 17 miles long with 200 miles of shoreline. The park is along the public side of the lake and it is used heavily for recreational watercraft, fishing, and swimming at a man-made beach. The park has water access, trails, and a campground. In addition to traditional camping and RV sites, there are a handful of what they call "Camping Cabins" that have power, bunks, lighting, and an internal fan. There is no air conditioning, but while we were there we stayed quite comfortable.</div>
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<div>After being off the grid and significantly shaded (so our solar setup was unable to generate power) it was nice to be able to recharge our batteries and let our cooler run off the mains. When we arrived at the park we were a bit early, but we were able to check-in and our cabin was ready for us to move in. There was one challenge -- the electronic locks had not been updated with the new code. We went back to the ranger station and they had someone come out to reprogram the lock and we got ourselves situated. The cabin was spacious for the two of us and my daughter excitedly chose one of the upper bunks as hers. We had some fixings for sandwiches, so we made ourselves lunch, and took-in our surroundings. Being in the middle of the week the campground was mostly empty, but we got to chat with some neighbors who had an adorable little dog that my daughter quickly befriended.</div>
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<div>After lunch I set-up my station to see what I could do on the bands. In some of the information from the park they mentioned that they frowned upon using ropes in the trees, so I decided to use my Buddistick Pro once again so as not to run afoul of their rules. I got my table out of the trunk of my car and set up my operating position on the front deck of the camping cabin, using the provided rocking chairs for a place to sit. Having the roof above me would prove to be quite nice throughout the trip as we did have some rain during times when we wanted to cook and operate. Having the shelter allowed us to not worry about what the sky was doing. I got everything up and going on 20m and my plan was for a quick CW activation to take advantage of the Zulu day still having some time left, with an eye to a second activation after dinner on the late shift.</div>
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<div>Once again, I noted that the RBN spotting connection wasn't working on the POTA site, but this time, I could do something about it. I self-spotted on my cellular connection and the hunters came quickly. The first call came from Illinois, then came Michigan, Utah, Missouri, Illinois again, and California. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the California station spotted me on the World Wide Flora and Fauna network, so I was quickly treated to some unexpected DX. I got calls from Texas, Michigan, Nova Scotia (Canada), Florida, Washington, Spain, Sweden, and finally Michigan again. Getting two contacts well across the pond and four West of the Rockies was pretty great. It felt like my luck had turned around and I was excited about the late shift to come.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/96b51859-ad83-0883-2c24-db466bb5ec23.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3453; --en-naturalHeight:1566;"/><div><b>Activation 1 QSO Map: Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div>After the first activation, with the temperatures rising a bit, we decided to go explore the lake and see about going for a swim. Normally there is a fee for using the beach, however, when the beach is unguarded on Mondays and Tuesdays access is free. We brought a blanket and made our way into the pleasant waters of Lake Anna. After a couple days of being out in the woods without a shower, taking a dip in the lake was a small slice of heaven. We ended up splashing around for quite a while enjoying the delightfully cool lake and it was great to see my daughter enjoying some time in the water after we missed out on the pool at the previous park. After we had our fill of beach time and our stomachs started reminding they were there, we made the hike back up to the campground through the trail that connects it to the beach through an educational forest. Every few feet there were signs pointing out different species of trees along the way, so we enjoyed learning about them as we hiked.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/403aed53-8d64-3456-6e0a-6206822db130.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1804; --en-naturalHeight:1353;"/><div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/018e5c69-57c6-4259-028d-96c2b6e2759d.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1863; --en-naturalHeight:1397;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>Once we got back to the cabin, I took out the camp stove and prepared for one of the meals I was most looking forward to making during the trip, cheeseburgers. Thankfully, with the battery power in West Virginia, car power on the drive, and shore power at the cabin, our cold chain remained unbroken, so we were able to enjoy some delicious burgers on potato rolls with all the fixings along with some potato salad that I had been saving for one of our dinners. Everything was delicious and we enjoyed our dinner under the roof of the front porch. As the day came to a close we sat outside and enjoyed the view, talked, and relaxed. My daughter enjoyed reading her book, eagerly devouring every page, and as the start of the new Zulu day approached I set-up my station once again.</div>
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<div>Eager to get another late shift in the books, I started once again on 20m and didn't have to wait too long to get plenty of calls. My first 4 callers hailed from Texas and then I did a double-take as I heard an NL prefix. I must have been hearing things, right? NL is the prefix for Alaska. I sent a "?" to make sure ... QSL, that was NL7V from North Pole, Alaska! The first time I had ever made a contact with an Alaskan station! AMAZING! To me he was a solid 559 and he gave me a 319 -- big thanks to Paul for pulling me out of the noise. I was just 5 contacts in, but I my activation was made, I was floating on air. Next came another station from the other side of the continent in California, then down the other way to the Dominican Republic. Then it seems like I had a pipeline into Missouri and Minnesota, I also made contact with Texas, and Louisiana before I had another DX surprise with Hungary! The bands were on-fire. Up next was Puerto Rico, Kansas, Arizona, Puerto Rico again, a California station I had worked on the previous Zulu day, Indiana, another California station, and Arkansas. What a run on 20m!</div>
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<div>As the sun had set, things started to slow a bit, so I went out and re-tuned my radial and re-tapped my coil and decided to give 40m CW a go. I got my first response from North Carolina, followed by New York, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia again, Ontario (Canada), Louisiana, New Jersey, Dominican Republic, another Ontario (Canada), Ohio, Delaware, and a Park to Park with POTA legend KE8PZN on SSB (very surprised I broke his pile-up with 10 W! -- a testament to his ability to hear multiple stations in a pile-up). By this time it was 10:04 local time and I decided to call it a night and get some rest for the day ahead. Besides, I had been getting eaten alive by some huge bugs that were attracted to the light of my computer, radio, and lantern. Time for sleep.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/61bc4e0b-f027-cc41-d4b2-31b0a34a1b41.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1927; --en-naturalHeight:1445;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>The next morning we had a traditional camp breakfast with all the trimmings: pancakes, eggs, bacon, coffee (for me), and hot chocolate (for my daughter). It was absolutely delicious. The more I use that Eureka Ignite Plus camp stove the more I love it. It is plenty spacious and the burners can be controlled just as well as those as home. Being able to boil water for coffee and cocoa while cooking breakfast is a wonderful thing, too. Once again we sat out on the porch together, avoiding the water all over the picnic table beside the cabin from earlier rain. We enjoyed a slow start to the day, great conversation, and good food. </div>
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<div>As noontime rolled around (local time) I decided to get back on the air for a bit and see if I could get some more of the magic I had experienced just hours before. I set up camp on 20M CW and got my first response from Charlottesville, VA, followed by Louisiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Ontario (Canada), South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois.</div>
<div>Next I decided to give SSB a try and made contacts on 20m with Mississippi, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Florida, and a final contact with Wisconsin. </div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/b9cb7c81-8c20-54ed-b753-f8788dfc5e9c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1861; --en-naturalHeight:1395;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>With the peak of the afternoon upon us we decided to head down to the lake and see about having a swim. This time the beach was guarded, so we had to get our wrist bands to enjoy the beach. Conveniently, right where we had to buy our admission was a snack stand with ice cream, so we availed ourselves of a tasty treat on the pavilion overlooking the beach. After enjoying our snack, we made it down to the beach and moments after getting in the water there was thunder which forced us to get back out again. We sat on the beach for a bit with my daughter enjoying some fun in the sand until we were once again allowed back in the water where we spent a good amount of time until more bad weather sent us back up the hill to our cabin. Still, a fun time was had by all.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/13d8ad9b-3e09-f4ba-a1c7-d32d37bef63c.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2376; --en-naturalHeight:995;"/><div><b>Activation 2 QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div>That evening we decided to go out to a local restaurant and chose The Cove at Lake Anna. After a week without climate control, it was quite nice to be in an air conditioned space and we both enjoyed our dinners, both with ample portions. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner and by the time we got back it was already getting quite dark. My initial plan had been to get a third activation in before we were to depart the next morning for Williamsburg. I decided that with a full day ahead of me I would skip the second late shift and get everything packed up so we could make a fast departure the following morning and make it in time for the opening of Busch Gardens. Although it would have been fun to get another activation in the books, getting rest was the right decision. With two activations totalling 91 contacts (84 CW and 7 SSB) ranging from Alaska and Sweden in the North to Hungary in the East, and Puerto Rico to the South, all on 10 Watts, the activations can only be considered a smashing success.</div>
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<div>Even more important, my daughter and I had a blast exploring a new park and getting time to swim and enjoy ourselves. So much fun.</div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br/></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/099e8f88-b2c6-70df-2991-e3d479865c58/2551ed48-fbcf-c3e9-1048-732bd1abdd1f.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2300; --en-naturalHeight:1066;"/><div><b>Overall Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br/></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Hcalory 50L Portable Fridge/Freezer</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #23 - Lost River State Park (WV) (7/25/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-23-lost-river-state-park-wv-7-25-20222023-05-24T16:38:22.670000Z2022-08-09T21:49:39ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/c2fe2573-ff06-d33e-3542-5d786308b722.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1121; --en-naturalHeight:841;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I have been having a lot of fun this Summer exploring new parks while doing POTA activations that I otherwise may have never visited. I get a kick out of reaching new milestones on my POTA profile, getting new states, more parks, and more contacts. Discovering new and unexpected natural beauty is also its own reward. When I activated the Lumber River State Park in North Carolina on a whim while driving home from a visit to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I took a look at my list of states activated and was thinking about ways to add more to the list. </div>
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<div>On the week of 7/25 my daughter didn't have any Summer camps scheduled, so I decided to take the week off with her to go on camping trips and visit some amusement parks. The big question was "where to go"? We've always loved camping in Shenandoah National Park, but since I already activated it 3 times this year I went to the POTA web site and looked at other parks nearby. Just West of the VA/WV line I noticed a park that wasn't too far from home, but was in a state I had never activated before: West Virginia. The park was Lost River State Park and after a quick look at the park's web site I discovered that there were platform canvas tents available for rental and beautiful surroundings to be had. After consulting with my daughter I booked a tent and started to plan for our trip.</div>
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<div>The plan was to get there Sunday afternoon, get situated, and spend two nights at the park. We left home during a heat wave where the heat index was in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When we arrived at Lost River State Park, the temperatures were absolutely delightful. I don't think it ever went above the low 80's and in the evenings the temperatures must have been in the 60s. The accommodations were quite nice for camping, with a bed and a sturdy and waterproofed canvas tent. This would be important for this trip as it would rain for much of our time at the park. Also at the campsite was a fire pit, a picnic table, and a standing table where you could cook with a cook stove. </div>
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<div>After getting situated we went up to the main park offices and saw the big pool, which was to close in just 15 minutes. We asked what time it opened on Monday, but were disappointed to hear that it was closed. No pool for us at this park while we were there. After getting a bag of ice from the camp store to help our electric cooler make it for the two days we would be off the grid, it became clear that there were not many people in the park on this day. We practically had the place to ourselves. There were some clouds threatening, and they made good on their threats with rain and thunderstorms scattered throughout our stay. Thankfully our tent was up for the task and my daughter had packed lots of books and games for us to enjoy in the tent. Many a game of Uno and Sushi Go was played, so even though the hikes we had planned had to be skipped, we still had a great time together.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/bf3d5dc9-098c-70ef-a25f-28dd30234547.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1334; --en-naturalHeight:1000;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Once the new Zulu day had started, I decided to set-up my station in the tent to try activating the park. This would prove to be quite challenging, for several reasons. Due muddy conditions and tall vegetation, I elected to use the Buddistick Pro for my antenna. Our tent was large enough for me to setup everything else inside, which was very convenient. Our campsite was right in the middle of a valley between two very tall and steep hillsides. I was concerned about how my signal would get out with the topography. One of the biggest challenges was that I was fully reliant on the integration with the Reverse Beacon Network for spotting. I had scheduled my activation well in advance of my trip, but I didn't know what the cell service situation would be. Turns out, it was non-existent. Our phone (Verizon network) stopped working about a half hour before we made it to the park and we would not get a signal until we got back to Virginia after our stay. I hoped that the RBN integration would work, and my plan was to focus on CW, which would hopefully keep me near the top of the spots as I called CQ.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/3998d546-c447-46e4-7cf0-ad255e46c334.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1330; --en-naturalHeight:998;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I decided to give 40m a try, given the time of day, and started calling CQ. After several minutes I got a response from a station near Atlanta and I thought to myself "Great, I've been spotted". That was not the case -- I should have asked the station to spot me. I continued calling CQ for nearly an hour and never got another call. Later I would look at the history on the RBN and would see that I had, in fact, been spotted on the RBN. So the integration with the POTA site must have been down (as sometimes happens). I was faced with the very real possibility that I might not be able to have a successful activation in West Virginia, after all. As darkness fell upon us, I decided to call it a night and see what the following day would bring.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/23190c08-f50e-af8e-7658-d38eccf37990.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2162; --en-naturalHeight:1621;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The next day we made a great big breakfast with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hot chocolate for my daughter and coffee for me. It was a delicious feast. We attended to camp chores and did a little exploring around our campsite. The weather wasn't super cooperative, so we got in a lot of games and reading. While she read her books, I decided to give CW a go once again. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/6845af93-dcc8-4dac-459a-38df951bfa95.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1870; --en-naturalHeight:1402;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Once again, nothing. Not a single call. I had the one call the previous night, and knew it was down to Georgia ... so I must be getting out a little, right? Call after call went unanswered and I was beginning to think I was in an RF black hole. I switched over to 20m. With CW still fruitless, I decided to make the digital hail Mary pass and see if I could save the activation with FT8 before my laptop's batteries were depleted. I just needed to make 9 more contacts before the end of the Zulu day. </div>
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<div>It was a slow start, but I eventually got a response from Wisconsin, then Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, Arkansas (Park to Park), Washington (state), Indiana, Michigan, and Ontario, Canada. 10 FT8 contacts in 46 minutes, a bit of a slog, but an activation saved nonetheless with 11 total contacts. I decided to leave well enough alone and skip doing a second activation in the park on the next Zulu day as I wasn't sure I would have enough power to complete another digital activation with my laptop and rig batteries. Instead my we focused on playing more games and enjoying our camp by the creek. Mission accomplished.</div>
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<div>Lost River State Park was beautiful and surprisingly remote for how close it is to the Washington, DC area. I would like to go back and explore the trails it has to offer when it is less rainy. Even with the soggy conditions, the cool temperatures and quiet solitude were delightful. We had a lot of fun. If I were to attempt activating the park again, I would either set up the station near the ranger station (which has free wifi), get one of the cabins (which have wifi), or make very sure the RBN functionality is working.</div>
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<div>The following morning we packed everything up and headed east for our second park, another new one to us in Virginia.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fc70280b-7827-f806-f589-69e3138b31e7/50949e24-9ea4-d30b-3301-fbaf7eefb59b.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2767; --en-naturalHeight:1583;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Blue Pins = FT8, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Jackery Explorer 500</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Hcalory 50L Portable Fridge/Freezer</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #22 - A 3-fer at Leesylvania State Park, Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, and Star Spangled Banner NHT (VA) (7/17/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-22-a-3-fer-at-leesylvania-state-park-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht-and-star-spangled-banner-nht-va-7-17-20222022-07-20T04:31:49.488000Z2022-07-18T15:50:15ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a59aff28-1bb8-249b-7c47-13bd984b3bd0/33a02b16-207b-c58b-41de-1ad638748d1c.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1704; --en-naturalHeight:1278;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Driving down to Leesylvania State Park and being turned away due to the park being closed for being at capacity was frustrating. I was really looking forward to activating the park and scouting out locations for multiple park activations. The next day it became clear that I could have some time to give it another try, so I left before Noon, picked up a sub from Subway for a lunch in the park, put it in my new electric cooler, and decided to give it another try. If it hit another roadblock I would continue South to reactivate Prince William Forest Park. It was a reasonably hot and humid day, but in the shade it was pleasant enough. I brought a small ocean of seltzer to provide refreshment in my cooler, so I planned on spending a good chunk of time of the park, if I could get in.</div>
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<div>As I got to the entrance of the park the sign that had flashed at me the previous day was dark, and I was able to continue to the entrance station, show my state parks pass, and enter. I was in! I asked the ranger for a map and scrutinized the road system in the park and the parking lots. It was becoming clear that the 4-fer I had hoped for would require a significant hike-in. Also, the areas by the water and the trail didn't have a lot of area to set up my station, so I decided to go for the 3-fer instead. I knew about the main parking area by the boat launch, but just before that I saw a turn-off to a car-top canoe launch and group campground. First I went by the group campground, but it wasn't clear if it would be okay to operate there, and anyway, it wasn't close enough to the water to get the other two parks. So I went to the canoe launch and parked at the last parking spot and got out to explore.</div>
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<div>Immediately I saw an empty campground across from the canoe launch. I would later discover that the campsites were for campers who arrived by canoe. The reason they were empty was because in order to camp there, you have to canoe in from somewhere else. You can't do an out and back from the state park. There aren't a lot of options on that front. Later, I would talk to a ranger and he said he had only seen them occupied once. There is a part of me that would like to give it a go sometime -- I just would need to figure out a place to start from.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a59aff28-1bb8-249b-7c47-13bd984b3bd0/0b15901d-c8e2-a798-229a-5eae24ffd884.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1491; --en-naturalHeight:1118;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Between the canoe launch and the campground was a picnic table that had a nice bit of shade and some good trees for getting an antenna in the air. I quickly got all my gear out and set up my station. The bands seemed to be in better shape than the day before and I was hearing a lot of stations. I decided I wanted to see how many bands I could get on the air as an impromptu challenge. At 1700Z I was off, starting out on 20m CW. At first it was a bit of a slow-burn, but in time the rate picked up. Contacts came in from Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas. After a bit of a lull, I decided to go onto the second band of the day: 40m. The contacts started rolling in from Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Indiana. After another lull it was off to 30m to make contacts with Tennessee, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Utah, Missouri, and Illinois. After another lull, I switched to the 17m band and made contact with Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas.</div>
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<div>Next it was up to the 15m band where I had contacts with Kansas, Texas, Mississippi, California (!), and Arizona -- amazing. That California contact was in the Los Angeles area, so truly a coast-to-coast affair. I gave 12m a try, but had no luck. Then I went to 10m, and my CW calls went unanswered. Curious if the band was just dead I tuned to the FT8 frequency and heard signals, so I decided to hook up the laptop and give it a go. I heard a few stations from South America, and after several attempts I was able to make a contact with a station in Venezuela! Another band in the log. I tried FT8 on 12, but still no luck, so I was thinking what other bands could I do? </div>
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<div>Looking on the spots, I saw a station on CW on 60m. Even though my end-fed half wave is 40-10, I decided to see if my tuner could tune up on one of the 60m channels. Sure enough, it could. I could not hear that station calling CQ, but I hopped to another channel on 60 and started calling CQ myself. Pretty quickly I got a contact with a station in Ohio. Another band in the logs. Quickly I started to hear multiple other stations calling me, but I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. A truck had pulled up by my operating location and a park ranger was walking out, waving at me. I had to leave those stations hanging (sorry if you were one of them) and talk to the ranger.</div>
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<div>He introduced himself and said he remembered me from the day before. When we had been turned away I had mentioned our intent to operate a special event, and the park manager who he had been with mentioned that if we had a special use permit, we would have been let in, even if the park was closed. The ranger asked me if I had acquired the special use permit, and what the process was like. I told him that I had interpreted what the park manager had said was optional and a way to ensure access, not a requirement for being there. I explained what I was doing and showed him the setup. He seemed genuinely interested and he told me that as far as he was concerned what I was doing was fine and that I was likely the "least problematic person in the park today". We talked about the park, and I found out that the park regularly closes on weekends due to capacity issues, it wasn't a one-off. In fact, I was lucky to get in when I did as it is often full by the time I entered. </div>
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<div>Evidently, there was a person who was there when the gates opened in the morning (officially at 6, but in practice at 5) who had arrived at midnight and slept in his car to be the first one in the park. He said he was going to report back to the park manager what we had discussed, but that he didn't see there being any problems. I told him I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing and was happy to change what I was doing if there were any issues. He never came back, so everything must have been all good. The ranger was a really nice guy and it was interesting learning more about the park and what it has to offer.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a59aff28-1bb8-249b-7c47-13bd984b3bd0/59cba3f3-b4ca-0862-db97-844853b8673f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1491; --en-naturalHeight:1118;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I decided to re-spot on 60m and see what else I could work and made contact with Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina. Having done a full run of the bands, I decided to switch over to SSB on 40m to see what I could do and made contact with Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Indiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut, Ontario (Canada), and Georgia. Quite the run. Since the band was working so well, I decided to give CW another go on 40m and worked Connecticut, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida.</div>
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<div>Next I gave a try to 20m, and got a contact with Texas. Then I gave 30m a go and contacted Illinois. Finally, I went back to 40m CW and had one last run contacting Kentucky, Wisconsin, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and finally North Carolina. I would have kept going ... but a storm was moving in and the previously still air became a stormy blast of air that quickly dropped in temperature as dark clouds moved toward me. With those huge wind gusts I worked to disconnect my radio and get the electronics protected and then got the antenna down as fast as I could and drove over the car so I could quickly load everything. I lucked out -- there were a few rain drops visible on the car windshield, but while in the park the soaking rains never came. I got everything loaded, made sure to leave the area cleaner than I found it, and then drove off from my beautiful operating site. I did a loop of the park to explore a bit before heading home. I definitely want to come back and hike some of the trails, and I would love to operate from the same location again. It was wonderful</div>
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<div>This was by far my most successful activation to date. In total I made 108 contacts on 7 bands (60m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 10m) in 3 countries and 2 continents with 69 on CW, 38 on SSB, and 1 on FT8. Since it was a 3-fer those count for 324 contacts, 207 CW, and 3 FT8. I also made quite a few Park to Park contacts on this outing, including one with a 2-fer that counted for 6 contacts in one QSO. In all, I was on the air for 5 hours and 23 minutes and had a whole lot of fun.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a59aff28-1bb8-249b-7c47-13bd984b3bd0/080bf517-9006-b267-e226-b63ffe61de5b.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3074; --en-naturalHeight:2168;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW, Blue Pins = FT8 / Black Lines = 60m, Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m, Yellow Lines = 10m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Jackery Explorer 500</span></div></li><li><div>Hcalory 50L Portable Fridge/Freezer</div></li></ul>POTA Activation #21 - Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge (VA) (7/16/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-21-occoquan-bay-national-wildlife-refuge-va-7-16-20222022-07-20T03:01:13.389000Z2022-07-18T15:49:30ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a88617bf-8357-e799-a688-c449165a812e/33fd03f7-d375-072e-9755-9cfe8d069fd4.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1946; --en-naturalHeight:1460;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The weekend of July 16-17, 2022 was the Summer Support Your Parks Weekend for Parks on the Air as well as the annual Plaque Event. What that means is that there are extra awards to be awarded, and a a result, a lot more parks (and hunters) on the air than usual. Support Your Parks Weekends happen quarterly, but the Plaque Event happens only during the Summer Support Your Parks Weekend and gives you a chance to get a plaque in various different categories. I was not aiming for any plaques with my QRP setup, however, I definitely wanted to get on the air in some parks during the special event.</div>
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<div>I was nearing the next award level with individual parks activated, so I wanted to see if I could activate a new (to me) park over the weekend. I had not activated Leesylvania State Park yet, and looking at maps it appeared that not only would it be a new park, but depending on where in the park I set up my station it could be a 3-fer or a 4-fer, so all those contacts would be multiplied by 3 or 4. This was exciting, and I reached out to my buddy Gersohn, KO4IUK, to see if he was interested in joining me. He was, so I found some time for us to meet up after the birthday party of my daughter's friend. I picked up Gersohn, we drove down to the park, and came upon a road block. The park was closed due to being at capacity. I did not see that one coming.</div>
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<div>The Rolling Stones had a song about this ... you can't always get what you want ... We had to think quickly for a plan B. We were just a few miles from where I had activated the previous Sunday, Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I wouldn't get a new park on the map, but we could still have a lot of fun, so we headed to the NWR and almost had the place entirely to ourselves.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a88617bf-8357-e799-a688-c449165a812e/da378d4a-ab63-3d51-553e-9eca322c0c7d.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1710; --en-naturalHeight:1283;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>We ended up setting up under the shelter that I operated next to the previous week and since there was only one good tree to use, I elected to use the Buddistick Pro for my antenna while Gersohn used his end-fed half wave over the tree and tied off to my car. We situated our antennas as far away from each other as we could, and for the first time we didn't interfere with each other's reception, even though he was running a full 100W.</div>
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<div>In addition to using our radios, I was also trying out a new bit of gear that added a bit of luxury to our operation. I had picked up a 50 L electric cooler from Hcalory that runs off 12V power for a deep discount online. My intent was to run it through its paces and see how long it would run with my Jackery Explorer 500 (which has about 500 Wh of battery). I had it loaded with some ice cold seltzers and Gersohn put in his water to keep it cold. Having cold drinks on a hot day was quite the luxury. After 10 hours on the Jackery it still had 75% of its power remaining. I'm looking forward to using it more in the field for activations, for car camping trips, and for long car trips as well. So far it has been working very well.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a88617bf-8357-e799-a688-c449165a812e/63f98a18-e778-889a-5203-d01e07e5fdc6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1222; --en-naturalHeight:916;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>But we weren't there just to drink cold drinks in the shade. We were there to make some contacts. I set my Buddistick Pro up on 20m and Gersohn started on 40. I started on CW and gave myself a self-spot and I was off. Contacts came in from Minnesota, Florida, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, Alabama, Illinois, and Oklahoma. I decided to give SSB a try and made contacts with Oklahoma, Ohio, and Ontario (Canada). After things dried up on SSB I went back to CW for a couple contacts with Florida and Illinois before the winds picked up and the skies darkened and distant lightning threatened our activation. </div>
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<div>We decided to break down the station after about 2:39 on the air to get ahead of the weather. All told I made 28 contacts (23 CW, 2 FM, and 3 SSB). Once we got everything packed away, we decided to take advantage of being in the park together and made two Park to Park contacts from the same park on 2m and 70cm.</div>
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<div>We celebrated another fun activation together with dinner at the Bar J Chili Parlor in nearby Occoquan and another joint activation was in the books. Activating with Gersohn is always fun and it was great that we weren't interfering with eachother's stations. I'm not sure if it was the antennas chosen or the distance between them (or both), but it was a great time.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/a88617bf-8357-e799-a688-c449165a812e/c9604a75-5756-05ff-f9c8-551fff7f4ab3.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3109; --en-naturalHeight:2365;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m, Yellow Lines = 2m/70cm</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Jackery Explorer 500</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Hcalory 50L Portable Fridge/Freezer</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #20 - Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge (VA) (7/10/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-20-occoquan-bay-national-wildlife-refuge-va-7-10-20222023-12-24T19:00:25.373000Z2022-07-10T22:02:54ZEd Cabic<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/36cd5351-8d1d-6d37-713f-17e918da51ae/0e072228-67c6-b131-311e-06bf0d491bc8.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1595; --en-naturalHeight:1196;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>The day after I returned from my vacation in South Carolina we were having a particularly pleasant day in Northern Virginia (especially when compared to the humid swelter of South Carolina). I saw myself nearing 20 distinct parks activated on the POTA web site and was in the mood to spend some quality time outside. The family was enjoying a rest day after the travel of the previous day, so I decided to explore a new-to-me park less than a half hour from where I live.</div>
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<div>The Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge sits across Belmont Bay from the first park I ever activated, Mason Neck State Park. The NWR is tucked on the Northeast corner of Woodbridge, Virginia and is a densely vegetated 642 acre refuge for wildlife near the confluence of the Potomac and Occoquan rivers. There are 4 miles of trails through wetland areas and along the banks of the Occoquan. Within 100 feet of the river the activation would be a two-fer with the Captain James Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, so I decided to hike on the trail before the activation to scout for a potential operating position near the water. Unfortunately, there weren't many good places to operate since the vegetation was fairly dense along the trail and I didn't want to be blocking part of the trail to activate. </div>
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<div>I did find one potential location at a point jutting out into the river, but I would have had to bring in my table and equipment nearly a mile and it was getting hotter, so I decided to loop back to my starting point and set-up near a pavilion (but not in it, as it was already being enjoyed by other visitors). One park was just fine for me.</div>
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<div>I assembled my table in front of a bench behind a tree so that I would not be in anyone's way and used my arborist throw line to get my end fed half wave up and over the top of the tree. I was actually able to tie off the end of the line to my antenna to my car, which was quite convenient. Using that trick the line was out of the way of other visitors and I was able to get a nice slope on the antenna.</div>
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<div>I decided to start the fun on 20m CW. I have been finding in my last few activations that the RBN spotting for POTA has been a bit (pardon the pun) spotty. So after it became clear it wasn't picking me up I spotted manually and I was off. My first contact was with Wisconsin, then Texas, New York, Alabama, Tennessee, Colorado, Florida, and Kentucky. Then I gave 20m SSB a go and made a contact with Kentucky and then the contacts dried up. So I switched over to 40m SSB and made a contact with Connecticut and then had a bit of silence again. I moved down to the CW portion of the band and made contact with Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Ohio.</div>
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<div>After another lull in contacts, I made a move to the 30m band and had contacts with Illinois, North Carolina, Ontario (Canada), and Missouri. Hopping to yet another band I gave 17m a try, but got no replies, so I went to 15m and made a contact with a station in Arkansas. I gave 12m and 10m a go, but didn't get any takers, so I went back to 20m to hunt some Park to Park contacts and call CQ as well. Calling CQ I made contact with Oklahoma and Wisconsin. With Park to Park contacts I contacted parks in Nova Scotia (Canada) and a pair of activators in Wisconsin. Next I went for a CW Park to Park contact with a station in Ohio. </div>
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<div>Next I decided to give calling CQ on SSB another go on 20 and my first contact was a Park to Park in Delaware (although as of this writing, he hasn't posted his logs yet). That contact was followed with contacts in Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina. </div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/36cd5351-8d1d-6d37-713f-17e918da51ae/64ec0892-c527-3ec5-9e1d-d4a8cd27d610.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1665; --en-naturalHeight:1249;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>With my cache of cold drinks nearly depleted and 36 contacts in the log (24 CW and 12 SSB) I decided to call it an activation and head back home. I am glad that I decided to visit the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, it is a hidden gem right in my back yard. Once you're inside the refuge, it is easy to forget you're adjacent to considerable suburban sprawl and get lost in this green oasis for wildlife. The activation was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed being able to linger for a while and explore different bands. </div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/36cd5351-8d1d-6d37-713f-17e918da51ae/60462a1e-2d25-24d1-931b-552895f9eb66.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1755; --en-naturalHeight:1316;"/><div><br/></div>
<div>The picture above shows the pavilion by the parking lot that could be used for future activations. My operating position was behind the tree that is next to it.</div>
<div><br/></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/36cd5351-8d1d-6d37-713f-17e918da51ae/614f13c3-7673-7b02-5725-dbff44a51a56.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3686; --en-naturalHeight:2270;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #19 - Lumber River State Park (NC) (7/9/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-19-lumber-river-state-park-nc-7-9-20222022-07-14T01:00:29.795000Z2022-07-10T22:02:18ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fd7970cf-4c28-e519-d395-129e1098cc02/b3c69a35-310d-5f04-59c0-d1c53af966c1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1320; --en-naturalHeight:990;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I have to be honest -- POTA can be addictive. The operating part is a lot of fun, of course. The deployment of the equipment can be a fun challenge, where you have to make snap decisions about where to operate, which antenna to use, and where to deploy it. The logistics of planning and researching an activation can be a blast, especially when you can find places that exist in multiple parks at once. And actually visiting all these beautiful places is incredibly rewarding in itself. But even apart from the actual activation, the POTA web site turns the whole thing into a game where you're competing against yourself, gaining awards, and deciding what challenges you'd like to pursue. So, while in South Carolina, I was looking at the number of states I had activated parks and saw that I had already activated in 5 of them (Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia [not technically a state, but I'm counting it since POTA does], Florida, and South Carolina). I had already been planning on ways to venture out into other states, and it occurred to me ... I was about to drive back home through the state of North Carolina. I had not activated that state yet.</div>
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<div>A quick look through the POTA park map and I realized there were some options not too far off my route going home. Closest to the route was a fishing lake just off I-95, but as I researched it, it didn't really appear to be suited for it. It was undergoing some construction and didn't really have any picnic facilities for me and my family to use during the activation. I had my folding table and chair with me, but didn't have enough for the three of us. Looking further I noticed the Lumber River State Park just South of Lumberton, NC. It wasn't too far from where we usually rejoined Interstate 95 and looked to be a pleasant little park that was free to visit and had picnic facilities. After consulting with the family, a plan was hatched. We would leave for the Lumber River State Park, make a quick activation, and then continue on home.</div>
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<div>The park itself has two main access areas along the Lumber River which facilitate taking journeys down the river aboard a kayak or canoe. We decided to drive to the Princess Ann access area and were greeted by a sylvan setting that immediately took you past an office by the entrance, past a pavilion, and down to the river itself. There was a boat launch, some seating alongside the river, and a few primitive campsites that were available by the riverside.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fd7970cf-4c28-e519-d395-129e1098cc02/dccb8cae-50f3-620a-387f-03fd41daa554.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1367; --en-naturalHeight:1025;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>I decided to setup under the large pavilion which was surrounded by trees suitable for the deployment of my end fed half wave antenna. The park was mostly empty, with the exception of a few park employees who were driving around. It was nice to be able to set-up in the shade of the pavilion and I was able to get the antenna in the air and the station on the air in short order. I started on 20m and my daughter assisted in calling CQ. Initially we got two contacts in quick succession with Pennsylvania and Mississippi and then things slowed down quite a bit. In the end we got two more SSB contacts with Indiana and Michigan. It was lunch time, stomachs were grumbling, and we still had many hours of driving ahead of us, so I broke out my trusty morse code paddle and moved down to the CW portion of the band and started calling CQ.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fd7970cf-4c28-e519-d395-129e1098cc02/a0999dd7-08b6-dd83-7d86-89150fe8175e.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1322; --en-naturalHeight:992;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Once I got my spot into the network I started getting replies from New York, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Idaho, Illinois, West Virginia, a trio of Texans, and finally a station in Nebraska. I was impressed that my signal got as far as Idaho. It definitely was the distance winner on this day, reaching nearly across the entire country. My activation had been made and then some with 15 contacts (4 SSB, 11 CW) in just 39 minutes. Since we had a long way to go, I quickly packed up the station and took a stop by the banks of the Lumber River to see some of the beauty the park had to offer.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fd7970cf-4c28-e519-d395-129e1098cc02/501627ec-d2b4-3aef-43ba-3a9f6ab9d299.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1327; --en-naturalHeight:995;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>It would have been a nice spot for a hike if we had more time. Even on our abbreviated schedule it was nice to take in the views from the banks of the Lumber River. With a quick activation another state was in the books, bringing my grand total to 6. If all goes well, another one should be added later this month. We were able to grab a quick lunch in Lumberton and then made our way back home, arriving home before dark. It was nice to be able to break up the long drive with an activation to stretch my legs and have some fun amidst the monotony of the road. It was definitely worth the stop.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/fd7970cf-4c28-e519-d395-129e1098cc02/9aa978c4-933a-ad69-56c4-0b7366efc36f.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2765; --en-naturalHeight:1451;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #18 - Myrtle Beach State Park (SC) (7/6/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-18-myrtle-beach-state-park-sc-7-6-20222022-07-13T17:52:54.651000Z2022-07-10T22:01:50ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/8bea0cff-9558-8b7d-7eca-a768ec5825b6.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1735; --en-naturalHeight:1301;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Just one day after my successful activation of Huntington Beach State Park we took a trip just up the road to Myrtle Beach State Park for some time at the beach and fun on the air. As soon as you pull off of US-17 Business at the park entrance you're taken through a dense forested drive that winds around until you emerge in a parking lot just behind the dunes that protect the beach. It was a bit busier than it was over at Huntington Beach State Park, so we went South along the drive that parallels the beach until we found a parking spot near the beach access. Conveniently, a sizable covered pavilion was near where we had parked our car, so we had a great spot to eat the picnic lunch we had brought with us. It was also a great spot to be able to activate the park in the shade. A short walk from the pavilion was a bathroom facility with changing rooms.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/9bf3fd8c-2546-a953-a2c5-b5180481da96.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1112; --en-naturalHeight:834;"/><div>The area around the pavilion was fenced off, so getting a line up into the trees was not going to be an easy proposition. Thankfully, I brought my Buddistick Pro with me, so I was able to set it up just outside the pavilion with the vertical and radials out of the way of passers-by. I was able to get everything up and running pretty quickly on 20m and my daughter helped me call CQ for a few contacts.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/ceb1bca0-b3ec-8744-8e28-cb6948208702.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1891; --en-naturalHeight:1418;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The first contact on SSB was from Florida, followed by Indiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky. After some initial success things slowed on SSB, so my family headed to the beach for some time in the sun and sand and I shifted down to the CW portion of the band to see what I could do with my paddle.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/09a735be-3a08-f834-7bdd-48a2f8768a00.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:4000; --en-naturalHeight:3000;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Conditions may not have been fantastic this day, but I made up for it with persistence. I made contacts via CW with North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas (a Park to Park contact), Iowa, two more Texas contacts, Illinois, West Virginia, and a Park to Park with Colorado. Finally, I looked at the spots and decided to hunt for whatever Park to Park stations I could find and ended up getting one on SSB in Ohio.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/62d359a6-52cc-1c3d-f405-74c492a13b68.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:4000; --en-naturalHeight:3000;"/><div>With 16 CW contacts, 5 SSB, and 3 Park to Parks for a total of 21, I decided to call it an activation and join the family on the beach. Not the highest QSO count, but still a lot of fun. After breaking down the station and changing into my swim trunks, I went into the water with my daughter. Although the surf was a bit rough, we had a lot of fun cooling off in the cool waters of the Atlantic.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/e757768b-eb24-3d3a-7f39-85fc18822627.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1836; --en-naturalHeight:1377;"/><div>One thing of note: this park, like Huntington Beach to the South can be closed if the parking lots fill up (we experienced that on a weekend day going to Huntington), so if you're going to activate on a weekend, you may want to get in early. That said, with the shelter and facilities, this is a fun place for an activation and a swim.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/7627e5de-30f7-549f-491f-2a7ce2bca531/ddbab11f-39d3-a85e-72d7-08a531aa146a.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:3128; --en-naturalHeight:2281;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #17 - Huntington Beach State Park (SC) (7/5/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-17-huntington-beach-state-park-sc-7-5-20222022-07-13T17:50:04.336000Z2022-07-10T22:00:50ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/53af7406-5040-5284-0181-13b3650429fc.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1518; --en-naturalHeight:1139;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The first week of July I went down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with the family to visit my mother. I brought my portable radio setup and planned on getting a few activations in while on the trip. The first park we decided to visit was Huntington Beach State Park, just South of Myrtle Beach near Murrell's Inlet. The park was derived from 2,500 acres of property owned by Anna Hyatt Huntington and Archer Huntington. The park also has their castle, Atalaya.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/eb2c2f2b-e3d8-30b2-0496-2ebd98aba7ce.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1112; --en-naturalHeight:834;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Anna Hyatt Huntington was a sculptor of renown who was afflicted by tuberculosis. Atalaya was built as a warm weather retreat for her by the sea during the depression in the hopes of ameliorating her condition. The castle is large and sprawls around a central courtyard. The North side of the castle has the support structures housing the staff and the kitchen, while the South side has the rooms that were occupied by the Huntington family. They intentionally built it without guest rooms, as they did not want to entertain guests while at Atalaya. The ocean is a short walk away from the castle and the waves can be heard gently rolling in from inside the house which is currently open to the outside air without windows. The park itself is across US-17 from Brookgreen Gardens which was also owned by the Huntington family and is definitely worth a visit (we went later in the week). </div>
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<div>One thing of note: on weekends this park can fill its parking lot to capacity and be closed to additional visitors. This happened to us over the weekend, so we had to come back during the week. If you're looking to activate over the weekend, you may want to get there early.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/95b9d17b-fb94-38eb-b853-468c01bc073f.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1310; --en-naturalHeight:982;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>In addition to Atalaya Castle, the park has a beautiful beach on the Atlantic with white sand that was mostly empty the day we visited. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/040692d0-3764-b1c8-f91b-f47344555f05.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1820; --en-naturalHeight:1365;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After touring Atalaya I found a nice shady spot under some trees beside the castle and set up my station. Since I had trees available, I decided to use my MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave antenna and used my arborist throwline kit to get it up in a tree. I started the activation on 20m SSB and after a slow start made contact with Texas, Maine, Florida, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, New York, and Minnesota. Things slowed down and I decided to drop down to the CW portion of the band and made contact with Maryland, Puerto Rico, Ohio, New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Kansas, Texas, Arizona, and Ontario, Canada. After another slow down I decided to take advantage of the frequency agility of the antenna and move over to 30m making contacts with Maryland, Alabama, and Ohio. After another dry spell I moved over to 17m and made contacts with Alabama and Florida. After another period of calling CQ into the void, I went over to 40m and made contact with Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Virginia.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/e8b54b58-ab15-0dce-ee76-ce03d49e7f33.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1594; --en-naturalHeight:1195;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After she had done some exploring around the park, I was rejoined by my daughter who wanted to join me on the mic and call CQ for a bit. Together we worked 40m SSB and made contact with North Carolina, Maryland, Kentucky, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. </div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/500015c0-9da4-712e-81f9-954ba9352698.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1636; --en-naturalHeight:1227;"/><div>She did a great job on the mic and the hunters were extra friendly when they heard her voice. She had a lot of fun and so did I. One of the things I love about Parks on the Air is the kind and collegial manner in which activators and hunters interact. Hearing a young girl on the air, everyone was so kind and did everything they could to make it a great experience. The POTA hunters are a great group of operators. All told we made 43 contacts with 27 on CW and 16 on SSB including 2 Park to Park QSOs. A very successful activation on 10W.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/9a141ad2-ecd4-86b9-20a3-52b5af9294a1.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1899; --en-naturalHeight:1424;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After breaking down the station we walked on the beach for a bit and Caitlin enjoyed running through the waves on the beautiful white sand beach.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/5641cfe8-4932-5b5a-9015-4741f14edb22/ffc1e5c3-e849-e9cc-8822-e11c8bad9de5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2910; --en-naturalHeight:1805;"/><div><b>Activation QSO Map: Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m, Purple Lines = 17m, Cyan Lines = 15m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activations #14, #15, and #16 - Shenandoah National Park 3 Day Activation (VA) (6/18/2022-6/20/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activations-14-15-and-16-shenandoah-national-park-3-day-activation-va-6-18-2022-6-20-20222022-06-28T15:35:45.630000Z2022-06-21T19:03:03ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/e4188a0c-4fdb-3508-d35d-1f83a6ab8200.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After the four-fer earlier in the week, I was energized and eager to get back out in the field and see what I could do. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long this time. In fact, technically, it was the next Zulu day. My daughter has a sleep-away camp scheduled for later in the Summer in the Shenandoah valley and they were having an open house so that parents and campers could see what is in store. We decided to make the nearly 3 hour trek down to the campground and then backtrack for a three day, two night stay at Skyland Resort inside Shenandoah National Park. The open house was fantastic -- I wish I was able to go to this camp! My daughter was excited too. We ended up spending most of the day there exploring all the different campsites and facilities. We got to shoot a slingshot, see the archery grounds, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. When we headed back to our car we saw that it was getting close to the end of the Zulu day. We made our way to Shenandoah National Park's Swift Run Gap entrance and headed North on the Skyline drive in search of a place to get in a quick activation.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/36bf52f9-4c69-7423-c2a1-0984c5055bc9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Just up the drive from the entrance station was South River Picnic Grounds. When I got out of the car I noticed it was surprisingly chilly, so I put on a jacket and got started setting up. I got my gear onto a picnic table by a grand old tree and tossed my line up to a high branch to pull up my MFJ 1984 MP End Fed Half Half Wave antenna. I was up and running pretty quickly and decided to start with CW on 20m, but heard nothing but crickets. I then called CQ on 40m and started getting answers. My cell phone was not working, so I was completely reliant on the Reverse Beacon Network to hear me and to report me on the spots. I got replies from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. Then nothing for several minutes. I had 7 contacts and I had less than an hour to make 3 more to have a valid activation, so I decided to fall back on FT8 to save the day and in short order I had 5 more contacts from Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania. 12 contacts in 49 minutes -- longer than I had hoped, but it worked. With the first activation validated, I quickly broke down the station and we made our way to dinner at Big Meadows Lodge as everyone in our crew was quite hungry.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/869d9a22-d2e9-0bd9-1cea-01f176a7d235.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:991; --en-naturalHeight:694;"/><div><b>6/18/2022 Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Blue Pins = Digital / Green Lines = 40m </b></div>
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<div>After dinner we checked-in to our accommodations further up the drive at Skyland Lodge. It was already dark, and we quickly unloaded our car and got situated in our room. Although we could only see the lights in the valley below that night, our room had a commanding view. After everyone else was ready to retire for the evening, I set up my station on the balcony our room had. I didn't want to mess with shooting my wires up into the trees at night, so I decided to use the pole I use for my Buddistick Pro to keep the antenna off the ground, albeit not very far. I doubled up on jackets as the temperatures were going down into the lower 40s and got out my paddle and started calling CQ. At 2:32Z I got my first call and the calls kept coming. Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire answered my calls on 40, 30, and 20m. In all I got 20 contacts in 1:09 of operating during the late shift. I had a few times where my sending was not the best due to cold fingers, but I had a lot of fun. With more than double the amount of contacts needed for a complete activation in the books and the midnight hour fast approaching, I decided to call it a night.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/e8c6ff85-8cde-fc72-2258-f93dd525fd4b.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1400; --en-naturalHeight:1067;"/><div><b> 6/19/2022 Activation QSO Map A (0:00-4:00Z): Green Pins = CW, Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/a4cb3de8-3fb1-1c3c-a67a-548d47863468.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>The following morning we got up and had breakfast up at the lodge and enjoyed the beautiful blue skies and a bit of a chill in the air. We got back to the room for a little after breakfast break and I made a handful of contacts doing a little hunting on 40 and 20 CW and SSB along with some calling CQ. After getting 5 more contacts we decided it was time to go for a hike and opted for a quick trip up to Stony Man Summit as a family. The hike from the trailhead was 1.71 miles according to my Strava app with 297 feet of elevation gain. The view from the summit at 4,011 feet was spectacular. We were surprised to find that the puddles in some of the rocks at that elevation had what appeared to be tadpoles in them. Life definitely finds a way, even on the summit of a mountain. We savored the views for a bit before heading back down to the trailhead.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/a7acf987-9b98-27c4-a797-4650f6d147b5.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/16486d1a-d573-0924-bd69-c48f80f084cc.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After our hike we made our way back to the hotel and I also got my antenna higher up into a tree using my throw line kit. I decided to give 20m a go on CW and made 8 contacts in quick succession, then I decided to head over to 40m where I got another 11 quick contacts. After a 50 minute operating break I decided it was time to give SSB a try, so I got onto 40m, found a clear frequency, and had an absolute blast. Very quickly I got into a rhythm and was having fun with the ensuing pileup. When the dust cleared I had 38 contacts in 49 minutes on SSB. With 50 minutes left in the Zulu day we decided to get some dinner up at Skyland Lodge. For the non-late shift part of the activation I was able to work stations in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/1fc82c09-9c75-97d0-a4dd-ce89d5760cd9.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1505; --en-naturalHeight:1067;"/><div><b>6/19/2022 Activation QSO Map B (4:00-23:59Z): Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB, Green Lines = 40m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
<div><b><span style="--en-markholder:true;"><br /></span></b></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/b68bfe39-364c-4a98-7ada-6e6ccf61dd20.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/f7c98a85-1b9c-db9a-aa9a-4e02a49e5353.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1292; --en-naturalHeight:969;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>After dinner we made it back down to our hotel for the evening and I got back on the air at 1:19Z on 40m SSB. Almost immediately I got a bunch of hunters responding to my CQ. I got 28 SSB contacts in 27 minutes before deciding to make the switch over to CW. On CW I hunted a Park to Park and then set up shop calling CQ. I ended up making 24 more contacts while calling CQ in 39 minutes and then I called it an activation to get some sleep. In all my second late shift of the trip had 53 contacts (28 SSB and 25 CW) with Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas, and Illinois. Not bad for 1:17 on the air!</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/47afacfc-500f-2b79-ca13-0ea8394d4fe6.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1252; --en-naturalHeight:1042;"/><div><b>6/20/2022 Activation QSO Map: Green Pins = CW, Red Pins = SSB / Green Lines = 40m</b></div>
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<div>I had an absolutely wonderful time up in Shenandoah National Park with my family and was very pleased with all three activations and two late shifts during my time on the mountain. In total I was able to make 147 contacts over 3 Zulu days in the park -- 75 CW, 67 SSB, and 5 FT8. Operating from the hotel balcony inside the park was a wonderful treat, and the South River Picnic Grounds had their charms, too. The QSO map for the entire trip is down below.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/dfa045b0-c69a-fe6c-8729-c48416a553f0/6192856f-ae3b-bab1-ce33-f45ac5196a1a.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:2731; --en-naturalHeight:2400;"/><div><b>Entire Trip QSO Map (6/18/2022-6/20/2022): Red Pins = SSB, Green Pins = CW, Blue Pins = FT8 / Green Lines = 40m, Orange Lines = 30m, Blue Lines = 20m</b></div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div>Camp Chef Mesa Folding Aluminum Table</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Fellow Carter Move Mug (12 oz ... for coffee)</span></div></li></ul>POTA Activation #13 - Four Parks on CW over Two Days with a Late Shift - George Washington Memorial Parkway, Potomac Heritage NST, Star Spangled Banner NST, and Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT (VA) (6/16/2022-6/17/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-13-four-parks-on-cw-over-two-days-with-a-late-shift-george-washington-memorial-parkway-potomac-heritage-nst-star-spangled-banner-nst-and-captain-john-smith-chesapeake-nht2022-06-23T15:14:43.448000Z2022-06-17T13:58:51ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/84cb02a4-2688-75f6-0aa9-5388be34ed26/cb6a3198-02ca-2a2f-ac68-d9b222eb76e8.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1217; --en-naturalHeight:913;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>Life has been busy of late and it had been a few weeks since I was able to get out into the field and activate a park. My schedule on the weekends has been completely filled, so when my buddy Gersohn mentioned doing an activation together, I had to get creative. Ever since my Fairy Stone State Park activation, I wanted to get in another Late Shift. I also have been spending some time learning about the park boundaries in my area and exploring the possibilities when it comes to multiple activations. I've gotten more familiar with the National Park Service web site and the mapping features therein. Through that exploration I've come to realize that there are a lot of overlapping and adjacent parks in the DC metropolitan area. Some of these overlaps are difficult to access, but I found a few places that have 4 parks in one location that don't involve climbing through forests of poison ivy.</div>
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<div>How is this possible? Well, in addition to the traditional idea we all have of a park with specific boundaries, the NPS also designates several National Historic Trails and National Scenic Trails. Some of these are on land, while others are on the water. Some are on both. The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is a water-based trail that covers much of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including much of the Potomac River. Since operating on a trail is generally bad form (you don't want to block a trail with your gear ... and operating on the water can be a challenge) you're allowed to claim a trail as long as you're within 100 feet of it. So for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT, if you're within 100 feet of the Potomac where it goes, you're able to claim it. The Star Spangled Banner National Scenic Trail has portions that are on roads and others that are on waterways. North of Alexandria City it largely follows the George Washington Memorial Parkway and South of Alexandria it follows the Potomac River for a while. Finally, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail has many disjoint sections on the map. There are proper trails, as well as trail spurs that are disconnected. </div>
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<div>I found a couple locations where all of these parks coincided within the rules of POTA and got excited for the possibilities. The last thing I had to do was look at operating hours, if I wanted to do a late shift. Many of the parks are closed at dusk, which isn't great for a late shift, even as we approach the longest days of the year. I discovered that the parking lot by the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove in DC was open until 10 PM and was walking distance to the spot on the other side of the humpback bridge where the 3 trails and the George Washington Memorial Parkway overlapped.</div>
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<div>We had a plan. After work we could get to the spot around 6-6:30, get our activation for day 1, keep operating past 8:00 for day 2 (the next Zulu day) and get a second activation and a late shift. With 4 parks in two "days", that's 8 activations in about 3 hours in the field. Gersohn and I were excited and got our gear together ready to hit the park. Then this happened:</div>
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<div>The weather situation was not looking good. That mass of red, orange, and lightning bolts was hurtling toward our operating position right as we were about to depart. We decided to go anyway and make a last minute call when we got to the LBJ Memorial Grove parking lot. If the weather would render our activation unsafe we could go into the marina area and get a bite to eat while we waited out the maelstrom. Thankfully, the weather gods were with us and the bad weather went just South of where we were to operate. No rain, and the lightning was safely to our South. The activation was a go.</div>
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<div>Gersohn had a brand new cart to help bring my camp table and some of our bulkier gear. Being at a 4 park nexus meant we had no picnic tables at our disposal. We had to pack it all in and then pack it all out. Once we found a flat spot within 100 feet of the water and 100 feet of the roadway we set up our table and radios and then got our antennas in the air. I used my arborist throw-line and Gersohn use an air cannon he had built specifically for the purpose. Traffic had pushed us closer to the end of the Zulu day than I had hoped, so I got my station up as quickly as I could, plugged in my CW paddles, tuned to 7.050 MHz and started calling CQ POTA.</div>
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<div>I didn't have to wait long. One after another they came, sometimes piling up. I didn't really get any breaks for about an hour and a half, and even then it was only long enough to take a sip of my water and catch my breath. So much fun. My calls were answered from New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio, New Hampshire, Delaware, Kentucky, Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, Illinois, Oklahoma, Ontario (Canada), Kansas, South Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota, Texas, and Puerto Rico. In all, 68 contacts, a new record for me (although, it was technically split over two activations ...). The signal reports I was getting were fantastic, mostly 559-599 with a few fringe reports coming in as well. It never ceases to amaze me what's possible with 10 Watts and a bit of wire. Although the prior activation saw my first time having enough CW contacts to make a valid activation, it was mixed-mode. This activation was entirely in CW. My goal of having a complete activation with nothing but CW was met and then some. I really felt myself get into a groove with it and it was a lot of fun. Multiplying the 68 contacts over 4 parks gave 272 contacts! I was so busy I never had a break to change bands. While I had to throw in a few question marks here and there, everything went smoothly and I think I can safely say I'm a CW operator now.</div>
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<div>The location was not one to disappoint either. It was just North of the Mount Vernon Trail spur to the 14th Street Bridge into Washington, DC. I had biked by it hundreds of times, but had never pulled off into the grass at the spot before. The view from our table was a stunning panorama of DC's monumental core. Right in the middle was the George Washington Memorial standing 555 feet 5.5 inches tall surrounded by the Jefferson, Lincoln, and FDR Memorials. We could see the Kennedy Center off to the North and the lights of the city shimmering on the Potomac. All the while we could watch the traffic on the 14th Street Bridge. As the day became night we were also treated to a dazzling light show as hundreds of fireflies lit up the small grove of trees ahead of us on this beautiful point into the Potomac. As I got more comfortable in my copy of the code I leaned back to soak it all in and watch the beauty happening right in front of me. Although I had seen this spot hundreds of times on bike commutes, it took an activation for me to truly experience it. Simply stunning.</div>
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<div>A little bit after 9 PM, both activations made, I turned off my rig and started to pack up my gear under the light of my headlamp. I've been getting into a good rhythm putting up and taking down my gear. The replacement insulator I designed and 3D printed in PETG for my MFJ 1984 MP (the supplied one broke) did a great job and was very easy to deploy. I even embossed my call in it for fun. After getting everything into our bags and loading up Gersohn's cart, we wheeled everything back to my car and were able to head out right around the closing time of Columbia Island. Another 8 activations in the book from POTA's perspective, and a whole lot of fun. Since we were in a bit of a hurry to get there, we decided to head over to Bob and Edith's diner over in Huntington for a late dinner. We had a great meal and even better conversation before calling it a night. The QSO map below shows just how well CW can do on 10 W ... pins everywhere! Such a great time. </div>
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<div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Pocket Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnets</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div>Zebralight H600Fc Mk IV Headlamp</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div>Camp Chef Mesa Folding Aluminum Table</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>HamGadgets Ultra PicoKeyer Kit Build and Reviewhttp://n2ec.us/post/hamgadgets-ultra-picokeyer-kit-build-and-review2022-11-29T19:17:28.815000Z2022-06-14T05:49:18ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/e39aee5f-863a-6340-2c04-a1425d2e4cef/b84ef5fc-07a1-e1e4-c58a-c97047c7e7ed.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:1382; --en-naturalHeight:1037;"/><div><br /></div>
<div>One of my goals for this year was to become a more capable CW operator and be able to have a valid POTA activation using nothing but Morse code. While I haven't activated solely with Morse code as of this writing, I did get 11 contacts during my activation at Theodore Roosevelt Island on 5/28/2022, which would be a valid activation if taken by itself. I was able to hit this milestone well before I thought I would be able to, which surprised me. What surprised me even more is how much I enjoy working CW. While I have a straight key, I've found that I enjoy using an iambic key for operating as it does a great job at keeping the code I'm sending consistent and on-speed. For portable operation, my Icom IC-705 has a built-in keyer that does a great job, but for my older Kenwood TS-440S that I use at home, I need to use an electronic keyer in tandem with the key to get my code on-the-air. </div>
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<div>To that end, I had been using the Morserino kit that I <a href="https://n2ec.us/post/morserino-32-version-2-review" rev="en_rl_none">reviewed earlier</a>. It does a great job as a keyer (as well as being great for code practice and echo training, along with many other features), but it has one feature that makes it difficult to use as a dedicated keyer. After a period of inactivity it shuts itself off to preserve battery life, even if it is plugged-in. After having it shut-off in the middle of a couple MVARC CW Roundtables right before my turn to send, I decided I needed a dedicated electronic keyer. Thankfully, Thomas (K4SWL) had a <a href="https://qrper.com/2022/06/solar-pota-pairing-the-buddipole-powermini-2-with-folding-panels-and-the-ft-817nd-at-new-river-state-park/" rev="en_rl_none">write-up of an activation</a> at <a href="http://QRPer.com" rev="en_rl_none">QRPer.com</a> where he was using a Yaesu FT-817ND without a built-in keyer and was using the HamGadgets Ultra PicoKeyer. It looked like a great solution, so I went on over to eBay to order one for $44.95 plus tax and $5.95 in shipping. Since my purchase the price appears to have gone up about $5.</div>
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<div>I ordered on June 9 and it was at my door June 13 via the US Postal Service. It was well packed inside a cardboard box filled with two poly bags containing the parts and a case. Some newspaper served as padding inside the box and everything arrived as expected. I went to the <a href="http://www.hamgadgets.com/ULTRA-PICOKEYER" rev="en_rl_none">HamGadgets site </a>to download the instruction manual, did a quick inventory of the parts, turned on my soldering iron, and got down to business.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/e39aee5f-863a-6340-2c04-a1425d2e4cef/d421cab0-4619-171b-e6d5-754dff5a2200.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1063; --en-naturalHeight:1047;"/><div>The build itself was very straightforward and consists entirely of through-hole components. I was able to finish the entire build in about an hour of relaxed assembly. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. The only hiccup was that the instructions mentioned a few capacitors that were supposed to be on a paper holder that were loose within the poly bag. There are a couple different types of capacitors in the kit, so I needed to inspect the labels on them to ensure I was installing the right ones. Thankfully, the needed information was on the instructions, and after a little squinting, I was able to identify which ones went in what places. In all there is a coin cell battery holder, 3 x 3.5mm (1/8th inch) stereo jacks, 4 momentary push-button switches, a potentiometer, 2 transistors, 3 capacitors, a small speaker, and a microcontroller chip with a DIP socket to install. There are multiple capacitors provided so you can tailor the sound level of the headphone output, depending on the impedance of the headphones you would like to use. When you're done with the circuit board build the moment of truth comes when you insert the CR-2032 coin cell battery (provided). If everything is wired up properly, the on-board speaker sends "73" on power-on. Happily, I was greeted with a cheerful "73" and everything worked the first time.</div>
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<div>With the circuit assembled, it was time to put it into its case. When you buy the kit from eBay, they mention that there are 6 colors available for the front and back panels (black, white, blue, gray, green, and red). There isn't a check-box, so make sure you put in as a message to the seller on check-out or you'll get the default color of black. I requested the red panels and they fit the case snugly. They look to be 3D printed with recessed labels for the buttons and jacks. The case itself appears to be injection molded plastic and is held together with a couple screws that are provided. Once it is together it makes for a handsome little box that is quite small (a photo below shows a quarter for scale alongside my CWMorse Pocket Paddle).</div>
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<div>Once it is all together, the unit is ready to be connected to your paddles via a 3.5 mm stereo cable (not provided). 3.5mm jacks are also provided for a pair of headphones (without volume control -- that's why the capacitor selection is important) and to control the key input on your rig. By itself, it works as a practice oscillator, and teamed with your radio you're ready to transmit. Out of the box the key speed is set to 13 words per minute if the potentiometer is fully counter counter-clockwise. Otherwise, the potentiometer allows you to change your speed between two values that you can set -- by default the range is 5-30 WPM, but 5-60 WPM is supported. The full left rotation setting is also able to be set, so you can set a favorite speed for the far left rotation, then QRS or QRQ as needed. Although the potentiometer is analog, the actual setting is digital. If you would like to know what speed you are sending pressing the buttons for ▼ and ► together (the second and fourth buttons) will send the current speed in Morse code over the internal speaker.</div>
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<div>Pressed by themselves, the four buttons act as memory keyers. They are easily set by pressing the button until a "K" is sent through the speaker. Then key the message desired into memory, press and hold the same button, and when you hear an "R" you're done. To abort, press any other key instead. Short pressing the key will now send your message at the current speed. This is very helpful for sending a CQ message repeatedly, as well as for sending your call, or a contest exchange. There is even an option to use a QSO counter for contests that have a serial number in the exchange that gets incremented during each QSO. The memories even have their own scripting language of sorts to allow for words to be repeated, pauses to be inserted, QSO numbers to be incremented, speed to be changed, and for things like QRSS to be done. The repeats can be especially helpful as the memories themselves are limited in length, so using the scripting commands (using the / character) allows you to get more out of the memories. Each of the 8 main memories can contain 127 characters. They can also be chained together using the commands. There are 4 messages readily accessible, and in the settings menu you can move to a second bank if desired, but this is not something you'd be able to do quickly during a QSO.</div>
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<div>There is also an extensive setup menu (entered using the ▲ and ► key combination -- buttons 3 and 4) that uses Morse code to communicate with you to announce the feature, its current value, and then allow you to modify it using the buttons. I found most of the defaults to be satisfactory, but you can modify the stored speed for the fixed speed, the QSO number, set the range for speeds on the potentiometer, enable or disable automatic letter spacing, enable or disable leading zeroes for the QSO numbers, set a beacon delay, change the weight for the code being sent, enable or disable the sidetone, choose your keying mode (iambic A, iambic B, and Ultimatic are supported as well as a straight key mode and a bug mode that simulates a bug style key), choose which side on your paddle is a dit, what frequency the sidetone is sent at, which bank to use for memories, and whether to have the menu send long titles for each menu item.</div>
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<div>It is quite full featured for something that is so small. HamGadgets says that in normal usage the battery that is supplied should last about a year. Within a few seconds of inactivity the microcontroller for the unit goes to sleep to save power, but hitting a button immediately wakes the unit and performs the requested operation. For the end user, the effect is that the unit is always "on" and ready for use while being power efficient.</div>
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<div>It is not without its faults, although the ones I have found are fairly minor. The speaker on the unit is not very loud, especially inside of the provided enclosure. If your primary use is for a code practice oscillator for use without headphones, this may be a problem. I use it as a keyer for my rig, so that isn't an issue for me, but it is worth noting. The lack of a volume control for headphones may similarly be an issue. The volume is adjustable by changing the soldered capacitor depending on the impedance of the headphones, but it is not able to be changed in normal use. A passive headphone volume control could be added if attenuation is needed. Some users may be unhappy with the default sidetone frequency of 2,000 Hz (700 Hz is the standard for most similar devices). The sidetone can be changed in a menu setting, but the manual suggests keeping it at 2,000 Hz as that is where the supplied speaker has peak loudness. Considering how quiet it is at 2,000 Hz in the case, I've elected to keep it where it is, although I do wish it was closer to 700 Hz. That said, when operating my rig, I hear its sidetone through my headphones, so the speaker isn't necessary for on-the-air usage. The menus are fairly involved, and to use them successfully you must know Morse code as there is no display. That said, the documentation is thorough and easy to follow and if you're buying a CW keyer, you probably already know or are in the process of learning Morse code, so that's not likely to be an issue for long. Finally, although long-lived, the reliance on a coin cell battery inside of a case with a screw enclosure means that if the battery dies while away from the shack, it isn't easy to change in the field.</div>
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<div>I've been very pleased with the HamGadgets Ultra PicoKeyer. As a kit, I would say that the Ultra PicoKeyer would be suitable for beginners. If you can make a basic solder joint, this kit is easy to build and hard to mess up. As a keyer, it does a great job in a compact and inexpensive package that is power efficient and easily portable. The memory keying features make it a great companion on-the-air, whether calling CQ, activating a park on POTA, or working a contest. It was fun and quick to build and works well.</div>
POTA Activation #12 - Theodore Roosevelt Island (DC) (5/28/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-12-theodore-roosevelt-island-dc-5-28-20222022-06-01T15:24:13.003000Z2022-05-31T14:11:52ZEd Cabic<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/475daeb6-ab48-d33a-b8e2-bc0d33a10b2a/479b4576-8f0c-77fb-8945-bb3d5289a777.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2979; --en-naturalHeight:2234;"/><div>Getting out into the field to activate a new park is always a lot of fun. Getting to do it with a friend is even better. Gershon, KO4IUK, let me know that he had some time available on May 28, 2022, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Conveniently, I was able to get out for a few hours so we decided to activate a new (to us) park -- Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC. </div>
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<div>I have visited this park on multiple occasions. It is a often overlooked gem right in-between Georgetown and Rossyln on an island in the Potomac River. It can be accessed by bike, on foot, or on the Northbound side of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Parking is limited, so you may have to wait for a spot to free up when there are a lot of visitors and you're visiting by car. The island is a memorial to President Theodore Roosevelt, who was instrumental in the creation of the National Park Service. The island itself is closed to vehicles and is accessed through a footbridge that crosses from Virginia over a part of the Potomac River to the island in the District of Columbia. </div>
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<div>Once on the island there are several trails traversing the island. Some skirt the coast and offer beautiful views of the Potomac and the marshland on the island. Others climb up into the interior. A short distance from the footbridge is a striking memorial to Theodore Roosevelt with a statue that towers over an expansive plaza. Initially we tried to get an operating location near the coast since if we were to operate within 100 feet of the Potomac River, it would have been a twofer with Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Unfortunately, muddy conditions and dense vegetation made that more difficult than it was worth, so we decided to set up camp on the outskirts of the memorial itself, well away from the heavily trafficked areas so as not to interfere with the enjoyment of the visitors to the memorial.</div>
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<div>Gersohn and I had a lot of gear we brought-in together. I had my radio in my backpack, but also took my Camp Chef Mesa table and a Wren folding chair which ended up holding the matching unit for my antenna as we sat on the ledge to the memorial. I also opted for my laptop so that I could introduce Gersohn to operating with FT8. I brought the Buddistick Pro as well as my MFJ 1982 MP End Fed Half Wave antenna. I decided to use the EFHW for this activation for its frequency agility and since I was near some great trees. Gersohn brought his more high-powered setup along with his Alpha Antenna vertical and we got setup pretty quickly.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/475daeb6-ab48-d33a-b8e2-bc0d33a10b2a/c28d24e6-dd9d-6430-490d-0bd2987dd066.jpg" style="--en-naturalWidth:2979; --en-naturalHeight:2234;"/><div>Some activations can be a real challenge on 10 W, while others just seem to come easy. This one was the latter. I set myself up on 40 m SSB, self-spotted, and I was off. My first contact was with New Jersey followed by New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario (Canada), Connecticut, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vest Virginia, and Massachusetts. In all, I had 21 contacts on SSB, including 3 Park to Park contacts with Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Next I moved over to 2m and 70cm to make some calls on the calling frequencies. Unfortunately, nobody outside the park answered, but Gersohn and I made two inside-the-park Park to Park contacts for fun. Next I hopped over to 20m to do a little FT8 on the laptop and show Gersohn how it works. I made 3 Park to Park contacts with the Dominican Republic, Florida, and Ohio and also contacted Minnesota and Florida (not a park) as well. </div>
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<div>Finally, as we were starting to wind things down I mentioned to Gersohn that I had brought my paddles for CW. I have been hunting POTA for a while from home using CW as I've been re-learning Morse code and have been having a lot of fun doing it. I looked on the spots and saw that there was one station in the entire world who activating CW at that time that I could hear, so I decided to throw my call sign out there to see if he could hear me. Turns out, he could, and pretty well at that as I got a 569 report. Unfortunately, nobody else was activating in CW, so I had nobody else to contact. Gersohn suggested I call CQ, and I explained that calling CQ was harder since instead of having all the time in the world to get the call (or get it from the spots) and only having to send and receive a signal report and location you have to decipher the calls in real-time and deal with pile-ups. But as I sat there, I realized he was right. Why not give it a go? So I found a free bit of spectrum at 7.047 MHz and started calling CQ. I had the spots up on my phone and after my first call I saw that <i>immediately</i> my spot updated from the Reverse Beacon Network (how cool is that?) and now I was the second person in the world activating POTA on CW. </div>
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<div>A quick aside -- for the last few months I've been practicing my Morse code pretty much every single day. What motivated me to give it another go after learning it 32 years ago to pass my novice exam and then promptly not using it again was POTA. I set a goal for myself -- and when I set it, I wasn't sure it was one I'd be able to meet. I wanted to be able to do a complete POTA activation with CW. After getting started in POTA I found the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHntBZOSZ-QPJfMyn_M8QEw" rev="en_rl_none">YouTube Channel of K4SWL</a> as well as his site <a href="https://qrper.com/" rev="en_rl_none">QRPer.com</a>. Thomas makes what he calls "real-time, real-life activation videos" where he shows an unedited and unvarnished look into his activations for Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air. Most of his activations are on CW (although he does SSB as well), done at QRP power levels, and I quickly got hooked on his videos. You are listening along with him to the calls coming in and can view his log book. I would listen to the code coming in and try to decipher the calls before he wrote them down (and then check my copy). Over time I came to become more comfortable with the cadence of the exchange and was able to understand more and more of what I heard. His activations are usually around 18 words per minute, but he would slow down if someone called slower. He really showed what it was to be a courteous and kind operator and watching his videos was an inspiration. My family may think I'm a bit crazy watching YouTube videos with a bunch of beeping and a steady camera angle of a radio and a notepad, but I could not get enough of it, and went deep into his back catalog and was excited for each new video. His site <a href="http://QRPer.com" rev="en_rl_none">QRPer.com</a> (and also the <a href="https://swling.com/blog/" rev="en_rl_none">SWLing Post</a>) is also great for his activation reports (which inspired me to do something similar here) and honest gear review for QRP rigs and equipment. Seriously, it is great stuff. </div>
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<div>So back to the activation. Almost immediately I got a response from W8ARC in West Virginia who heard me at 579. Then came calls from Ohio, New York, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Quebec (Canada), and Pennsylvania. My 10 W on the IC-705 was getting great signal reports -- the lowest was a 559 and I was getting plenty of 599s as well. In the middle of my run had a bit of a pile-up where I could hear that characteristic warble of multiple CW calls overlapping. I took a deep breath and kept my cool, extracting a character or two from the sea of tones and sending it back with a question mark. I had to have a few of the calls re-sent in that manner, and although that was my fear going in (that I'd have difficulty copying) I quickly realized it wasn't a big deal. In fact, after getting a re-send on the calls I got partials on, I got a solid copy on the second go-around and nobody had to correct my copy. Everybody was having a good time. It required my full concentration, but I was doing it. Before I knew it I looked at my log and realized I had just gotten 10 contacts from my CQ calls. A valid activation. I sent out a QRT de N2EC, took a deep breath grew a big grin -- I did it. Technically, the goal was a CW activation, and I had already made the activation on SSB, but if I removed all those other contacts, it would have still been a valid activation. I'll take it.</div>
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<div>It isn't everyday that you get to reach a long-term goal you set for yourself. To be honest, I thought it would be a few more months before I gave it a try out in the field. Thanks to Gersohn for pushing me out of my comfort zone and for Thomas for showing me how it could be done. It was an absolute blast. With the adrenaline still running through my veins I took down my antenna, packed up my gear, and headed back to the car with Gersohn, floating on air. So much fun.</div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/475daeb6-ab48-d33a-b8e2-bc0d33a10b2a/f1673c4c-49d2-2690-672d-8cb70f437b64.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1550; --en-naturalHeight:948;"/><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Stainless Steel Double Paddle Morse Code Key with Magnet Base</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">CW Morse Steel Base for Pocket Paddles</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div>Camp Chef Mesa Folding Aluminum Table</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul><div><br /></div>
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POTA Activation #11 - Fairy Stone State Park (VA) (5/14/2022)http://n2ec.us/post/pota-activation-11-fairy-stone-state-park-va-5-14-20222022-05-26T16:25:13.073000Z2022-05-19T03:29:05ZEd Cabic<div>Over the weekend of May 14, 2022 my daughter's Girl Scout troop had a cabin camp scheduled at Fairy Stone State Park in Southern Virginia. I am the camp and cookout certified parent in the troop, so I was excited to be able to join them on the trip. Our family had visited Fairy Stone a few years ago and had a great time in our cabin enjoying some time away from it all and hiking on the trails that the park has to offer. For this outing, I decided to bring my portable radio setup and see if I could manage an activation while staying in the park.</div>
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<div>The park is somewhat remote with spotty cellular service, so I made sure to schedule my activation window on the POTA web site so if I did FT8 or CW I would show up on the spotting section of the site. We made the five hour drive down to the park after the girls were done with school for the day and got settled in the lodge that we rented for the troop. The lodge was spacious and quite nice with a well equipped kitchen, a gas fireplace, and a dining room table that was able to accommodate the entire troop.</div>
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<div>After getting situated I decided to setup under awning that went over the sitting area by the front door to keep out of the light rain that was a persistent companion. I was able to use my new aluminum Camp Chef Mesa folding table to set up my equipment and used one of the rocking chairs out front as my seat. Since it was dark, I figured it would be easiest to get on the air with my Buddistick Pro antenna, so I set it up in the clear and started trying to make some calls for my first attempt at a late shift activation. SSB was fruitless, but I decided to take my first attempt at using FT8 to make my activation. For those who may not know, POTA uses Universal Coordinated Time to determine the boundaries of a day. So even though I started on Friday night, any time after 8 PM Eastern is actually the following day in UTC. Also, any activation that happens between 0000-1200Z (8PM-8AM Eastern) is considered a "Late Shift" and is counted as that on the site.</div>
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<div>I had to dial back the power initially as I was having some issues with RFI causing my sound card connection to fail on the IC-705, but once I got down to around 5 W, I was able to have a reasonably reliable connection. Later on I was able to shift some of the gear to reduce interference. I was able to get out on 40 m pretty well, making my first contact with Iowa. Next came New York, Tennessee, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, Idaho, Colorado, Missouri, Florida, and Oklahoma. It wasn't the fastest activation, and I have to admit I missed the conversational nature of SSB, but I had successfully activated for the Zulu day, so the pressure was off to make my 10 on the local Saturday. </div>
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<div>The girls had a bunch of activities planned, including working on the ARRL Radio and Wireless Technology badge program. When they had a break in their activities, they came out to see the radio setup. We talked about how the station worked and I told them about the contacts I had made at night. There was a lot of interest in Morse code, so I showed them my portable paddle and let them send some code using the 705 as an oscillator. They seemed to get a kick out of me sending their names in code to them. Next we tried to make some contacts, but it was in the morning and the bands were pretty dead. I decided to get my EFHW into a nearby tree to see if a change of antenna would do the trick, but we had nothing but crickets on SSB. Unwilling to give up, I hooked up the computer and got on FT8, this time on 20m. </div>
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<div>Immediately we were able to make contacts, which I was able to show them on GridTracker so they could see how far we were going on our low power. Digital was able to save the day again. We contacted stations in Minnesota, Texas, Washington, and Florida and decided to call it a day on the bands. Since our activation had already been made for the Zulu day, we were happy for the contacts we made.</div>
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<div>The rest of the trip we got to enjoy some truly wonderful ranger programs where we all learned a lot about the park and its inhabitants. We also got to go hunting for Fairy Stones, which are found in some dry stream beds on the outskirts of the park that have crystal formations that are distinctive. The girls loved getting their hands dirty and the park allows visitors to take the fairy stones they find home. I had a lot of fun scrambling over the hillside with them to hunt for the stones. </div>
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<div>All in all it was a great weekend. We had a lot of fun at Fairy Stone State Park and I'm glad we got to get an activation in and work toward their Radio and Wireless Technology Patch. Maybe some of the scouts will be interested in pursuing their license someday. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the activation, but I did make a map of the QSOs below.</div>
<div><br /></div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/3ebf189f-1e92-2dfe-4454-827824a44df7/41ecd6ca-511c-a970-8e31-959bf280052b/d42e1d82-dc6e-8fb6-1253-9a8cc30ee3f0.png" style="--en-naturalWidth:1704; --en-naturalHeight:852;"/><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Gear used in this activation</span></div><ul><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom IC-705</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Buddipole Buddistick Pro Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">MFJ 1984 MP End-Fed Half Wave Antenna</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">LDG Z100 Plus </span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">RigExpert Stick Pro Antenna Analyzer</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Icom LC-192</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Bioenno 12V 6Ah LiFePO</span><sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">4</span></sub><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);"> Battery</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Sony Headphones</span></div></li><li><div>Dell XPS 13 Laptop</div></li><li><div>Camp Chef Mesa Folding Aluminum Table</div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Rite in the Rain Notebook</span></div></li><li><div><span style="color:rgb(38, 38, 38);">Zebra DelGuard Mechanical Pencil</span></div></li></ul>