by Teri (KO4WFP)
After a one-month hiatus, it was time for the POTA Babe to get back in the saddle. Tuesday, August 13, Daisy and I dropped off my son and headed out for an adventure. Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve (US-3913), across the Savannah River in South Carolina, is a 45 minute drive from my son’s high school.
The drive is a simple one from Savannah: take US Highway 17 across the Savannah River to Hardeeville, SC where one turns onto US Highway 321. This road cuts a straight line from Hardeeville to Tillman, a small town in the middle of nowhere. Though the day was sunny, shortly after turning onto Highway 321, I hit fog which I assume was due to the proximity to the Savannah River. Canals run along both sides of the road most of this stretch of 321 and they were full of water lillies.
In Tillman, one takes Sand Hill Road/SC Route 119 to the park. The preserve is on the left side of this road when heading north but if you don’t have a map as I did, you would miss the information kiosk which is hidden behind some trees.
For POTA, I usually like to operate out of or close to my car. In the summer heat (yes, it is hot and humid here even at 9 AM), I am not interested in hiking any distance. However, the access road to this preserve was gated so driving into the preserve was not an option. Time to rethink my game plan.
To the left of the kiosk is a parking area. Just past it inside the preserve is a dirt road which is not accessible due to wood posts. I parked my car Kai and walked to the road, looking to the left and right. Hmmm. To the right, I found an opening in the tree canopy a little ways up the road. Not being far from the car, this spot would make a suitable QTH.
Y’all know I enjoy using my arbor line and EFRW antenna; however, today I brought the Chelegance MC-750 for several reasons. A short activation is optimal in this heat and humidity and the Chelegance might be quicker to install than the EFRW, especially if it takes me multiple throws to snag the branch I want with the arbor line. (Some days I do a better job than others.) I also feel I should branch out and use different antennas on occasion. Last but not least, I just felt lazy given the weather. (Even POTA Babes have their lazy days.)
I found a spot on the dirt road nicely shaded by trees. Given the sun’s position, I figured we would have one and a half to two hours of respite from it. I threw a tarp on the road, my stuff on top of it, and finished setting up. Daisy, spurning the tarp, dug her own little cool place in the dirt.
I started with 40 meters, given the early hour. I found the band noisy due to RFI from either the nearby power lines or the residence across the street. I then discovered the cell coverage here was spotty. I’d be able to text for five minutes and then there’d be no service for ten minutes. Right when I was ready to text my partner Glenn the frequency to spot me on the POTA page, I lost service. (Great.)
Given the noise on 40 meters, I didn’t linger there long and moved to 20 meters, looking for a station to set up near and hope ops might run across me. Given how often I was calling CQ, this was the first activation I used the pre-recorded CQ POTA message on my KX2.
Finally, after calling CQ for 25 minutes, Steve N2YLO responded to my CQ. But then I lost him due to propagation. I went back to calling CQ and three minutes later I heard from a regular, Bob AB3GB in Pennsylvania. I gave him a 599 and he gave me a 579. YES! I was finally off and running.
But folks, that was all she wrote that day. I didn’t hear a peep after my QSO with Bob. While letting the KX2 call CQ, I listened to the birdsong around me, watched all the activity in the ant mound 10 feet from me, and tracked a dragonfly who perched on the top of the Chelegance.
As I was not getting any further response to my CQ calls and Daisy and I had only thirty or so more minutes of shade, it was time to call QRT. What I did not realize at the time was a solar storm was happening. When I finally reached a spot with cell service later, I checked the solar numbers and the A number was 122!
Having a bust activation like this would have demoralized me when I was new to POTA. However, I’ve had enough of these kind of activations now to know it is life with POTA. I recalled the first two activations when I was in Nova Scotia last summer and the third day of my North Carolina trip this past month. I struggled with those failed activations. But now, well, it is what it is. Conditions eventually improve and one can try the park again as I will undoubtedly do for this park.
Before I headed back to Savannah, though, I checked out the B&C Landing marked on the map. The road to the landing dead ends at the Savannah River which is the border between Georgia and South Carolina.
Along the road, one encounters private residences which are marked on the park map. After they disappear, a pretty blackwater swamp appears on both sides of the road. I love little swamps like this.
At the landing is a large gravel parking lot. The trees on the east side of the lot shaded the ground beneath. I noticed the location of the sun behind them. It was close to 11:30 by this point. An early activation here would work well. No power lines or residences nearby. Plenty of shade. Lots of branches from which an EFRW could hang. Check! Check! Check!
However, as I wrote this article and began thinking about the map of Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve, I remembered several little “cutouts” on the map of areas not included within the park boundaries. And wouldn’t you know – the gravel parking lot at the landing is NOT included in the boundary. Dang!
This means my “brilliant” idea of a location from which to operate is not so brilliant after all. So, next time I attempt to activate this park and want to use the landing location, I’ll need to do so from the opposite side of the gravel parking lot to ensure I am within the park boundary or return to the location I used today.
As today’s activation was a bust, it would not count toward my goal of 60 new parks for 2024. I’ll have to come back, hopefully under better conditions for propagation, or head to a new site. What will I choose? Stay tuned…
P.S. For those of you who are interested, I’ve posted a video on my fledgling Youtube channel about the activation. You can access it via this link:
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From the title of the article I thought you actually got skunked, like spayed by a skunk. Thank goodness that didn’t happen!
Fortunately I’ve never had a failed activation. If the band conditions are that bad I simply just don’t go out. The bands have been horrible ever since that huge solar storm that allowed most of the northern hemisphere to see the northern lights. Had I been in your shoes, I would’ve gotten on SSB to try and salvage the activation. Some people use FT8/4, but I refuse. I feel that it’s the computer that makes the contacts not me.
Mark:
Yes, thankfully I didn’t get sprayed by an actual skunk. (I honestly didn’t consider anyone would think of that by the title I chose.) Wouldn’t that make an interesting POTA story?!
Though there is room for different interests in our hobby, I agree with you regarding the digital modes. They just aren’t my cup of tea. As for SSB, I haven’t tried that with the KX2 but maybe I should sometime. This is one of the great things about ham radio – there is always something new to learn.
Thanks for your comment.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
Teri,
I’ve actually have completed activations with just my KX3 & 10 watts SSB. Amazingly still is I completed an activation using 10 watts and the AX1 (talk about a compromised antenna). Most of those contacts were on 40m, which still amazes me to this day. In all fairness I live about 20 miles from NYC & was perched up on a 500’ hill. 100% agree variety is one of the things that makes this hobby so great.
I did not get skunked, but fought band conditions and zero cell service on the 12th in US-0632. Called for over an hour before the RBN spotted me and logged 9 of 10 in the last 20 minutes of a 2+ hr activation. It was good sending practice (no keyer memory) and beautiful to boot. No such thing as a failed activation is my motto.
Enjoyed the article.
73 Shawn WS0SWV
Shawn:
A while ago, another ham echoed your sentiment – there are no failed activations. Every time one goes out to activate is a success. You may not get a “valid” activation for credit as an activator, but what you did IS successful.
Thanks for your comment. I am glad you enjoyed the article.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
Mosquito Bites!
Greetings
Factor in your trips one more item – Watch out for those Mosquito’s as you head north in the northeast which have EEE which is 30% deadly -eastern equine encephalitis especially with all the humidity. I would avoid that area for now especially if your blood is O+ which seems to attract them because it only takes one. You might run a DC fan to make your outing a bit more safe & enjoyable, blowing the mosquitos and humidity away in any of the other areas you operate, along with insect repellent or wait until after the first frost.
73
Rich
I’d rather take this type of skunked than the wildlife version. 😉 And speaking of wildlife: While activating US-2001 a couple of weeks ago, a black bear walked by my activation spot – about a half wavelength on 160m away from me. A save distance for both bears and skunks.
de Karl Heinz – K5KHK
Karl:
Good heavens! A black bear encounter! Thankfully I don’t have to deal with those in the coastal plain of South Carolina and Georgia.
Thanks for your comment and all the QSOs we’ve had in POTA.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
I had a busted activation yesterday. One contact from TX on 20 CW. I should have realized that conditions would not be good when the solar data went from poor to good so quickly. It happens.
Richard:
It does happen. This is why I wrote the article. You do enough POTA and you are going to encounter bad solar conditions, just like we do in our shacks.
Thanks for your comment.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
Thank you for taking us along to a very nice park and an interesting adventure.
You did set up, call CQ, and make 1 or 2 QSOs, so IMO you should count this one toward your 60 activations for the year. That’s because you did activate the park. Also, I looked it up and it shows as an activation on the POTA website 🙂
Best wishes for the next trip, and thanks for taking us along.
Roger:
Well, you have a point with your line of reasoning. However, I set the bar higher requiring myself to get a valid activation (at least 10 QSOs) at 60 parks. We will see if I make it to 60 valid activations or not by year end. If not, I’ll consider rephrasing my goal with your line of reasoning in mind – hi hi.
Thanks for your comment. Glad you are enjoying the articles.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
Sounds good. Best wishes.
I note that POTA considers 10 QSOs necessary for a successful activation, although they list all attempts as “activations”, whether the 10 mark is reached or not. I have 64 activations in 69 attempts. A couple failed because I was unaware of the night shift resetting the counter. The other ones I wasn’t even close. I’ve found that I can usually eke out the 10 if I stick with it, even if I have to go hunt P2P. The only downside is that my wife asks why I was gone longer than I predicted. You never know, but it’s always fun.
Terri, Thanks for the post. Like everyone else, I’m glad it wasn’t a real skunk.
I remember reading in your post last week that you commented on not having your KX2 mic with you when the rain affected your keyer.
Your KX2 works well on SSB, even if you use the internal mic. At most times, there are twice as many SSB activators and hunters on POTA than are on CW. In 10 minutes, you could scan 20 & 40 meters listening for other activators. Of course, if you have cell service, you can spot yourself or look for activators, but it sounds like that wasn’t an option here.
I don’t mind an occasional failed activation. If I enjoyed the fresh air and didn’t break anything, it was a good day at the park.
Glad you’re having fun out there and I will check out your new YouTube channel.
Best Regards,
Keith
KY4KK
Keith:
Y’all are determined to pull me back into the SSB realm! Just kidding. I actually did a shift for K2D from my shack on SSB last week, my first time using that mode in a year, and I enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure how successful SSB would be with 10 watts on the KX2 but I will give it a try in a future activation. It is always good to have options.
Thanks for your comment and suggestion.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
These narrated, travelogue-esque reports are just terrific! Many thanks and oh, how we wished we had a Mom like you in our youth…
Amham:
I need to show this comment to my teenage son! He has no interest in ham radio; however, he does want to go camping with friends next summer so he and I have a short camping/POTA trip planned for Thanksgiving break this November.
Thanks for the compliment. I’m glad you enjoy the reports.
72,
The POTA Babe
Teri KO4WFP
Congrat’s on the “mini” activation!
I’ve about decided that if all my activations succeed, I’m not being adventurous enough!
Fortunately, yesterday I scored another “mini” with a grand total of one contact before mosquitoes and nightfall drove me out of the park.
Thanks for sharing the less-glamorous realities of POTA!
Just one contact makes the activation a success !
Count me in among the crowd who expected to read about an unfortunate wildlife encounter!
Always enjoy reading your stories!
Hi Teri;
Yes we are all glad it was not the black pussy cat with the white stripe. My wife met up with one on the side porch last week, but he just stared and then left. We have a feral cat that is black and white, but he looks like a cow. We call him Holstein.
I am still not brave enough to do a complete CW activation and continue to use 5 watts SSB for my POTA activation’s but try to do a few P2P CW which has saved me a few times. I think for me that it will always be OK to have both available. It is positive that you were able to get out and attempt an activation. There are still more SSB hunters and it might be a good opportunity to tell one you are going to CW and to spot you there if you have a frequency in mind.
Thanks for the great posts and videos.
72, TIm VA3UZ.
Great field report! Tom Witherspoon has been testing a Thermacell Backpacker (Mosquito) Repeller. I wonder what his conclusions are.