Unexpected Family Reunions on the Road

by Brian (K3ES)I don’t know how others feel, but one of the things that really appeals to me about the Parks on the Air (POTA) program is the sense of community that it encourages among participating amateur radio operators.  This is as true no matter how we participate.  I have operators that I consider friends, even though I have never personally met them, because I have hunted them across so many of their activations.  I have other operator friends who are familiar because they have hunted me across so many of my activations.  Best of all, I have operator friends who I have also had the chance to meet in the field.

During my cross-country road trip (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles:  Activating on the Road) I got to meet three kindred spirits through eyeball QSOs, because we crossed paths in parks along the way.  In this article, I want to share the story of three unexpected meetings on the road.

Activating Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site

I will confess that the goal to activate all of the states along our route sometimes meant that we would take an intentional zig in our travels to stop at a park in a “nearby“ state for a quick activation before zagging back to our primary route.  Our visit to Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site (US-5748) in North Dakota resulted from just such a zig.  After spending a nice couple of days visiting with my niece and her husband at their new home in Apple Valley, MN (just south of Minneapolis), we planned our next travel day to make a mid-day stop at Fort Abercrombie (along the MN-ND border, just south of Fargo), before turning south to spend the night in Sioux Falls, SD.

We knew the park buildings at Fort Abercrombie would be closed, because of the season, and were not surprised to find only one other vehicle in parking area.  With that said, two surprises did catch our attention.  First, a familiar sign shared billing with the State Historic Site, the medallion for the North Country Trail (US-4239), which I have activated multiple times in Pennsylvania.  That presented an interesting opportunity for a 2-fer activation.  Second, looking across at the other vehicle, I quickly saw antennas and radio equipment!

I walked over to the gentleman sitting next to the open lift-gate of his SUV, and asked the universal radio amateur question:  “How are the bands today?”  Introductions quickly ensued.  Todd – NO0X wondered if I were one of the frequent activators at the site, which was definitely not the case.  He was ranked third for number of activations at the site, and was looking to improve his tally.  He was running an FT8 activation that day using a vertical antenna, but he is also a CW operator.  I got a quick tour of his station.  Then we talked about the route of the North Country Trail through the site, and it turned out the trail ran within 100 ft of the site’s picnic pavilion.

So, I moved over to the pavilion to set up my Elecraft KX2, with a Tufteln EFRW antenna supported in a nearby tree, but not before inviting Todd to stop over to see my station.

On the air, I worked 26 contacts in just under an hour to complete the 2-fer activation of US-5748 and US-4239.  When he stopped over, Todd brought along his favorite straight key for field use.  Being a paddle guy, I did not try it out, but I certainly appreciated its small size and efficient design.

Having completed our activations, we packed our gear and parted company.  I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet a local activator, who knew the park, and had a distinctly different method of operation from my own.  One of the best things about POTA activation is that there are almost as many different operating styles as there are activators, and not one of them is wrong!

Walking Around Devils Tower National Monument

Unlike Fort Abercrombie, Devils Tower National Monument was the centerpiece of our day’s travels.  We sought out that spectacular landmark for my first activation in Wyoming.  Even so, our time at Devils Tower was limited, because we did not plan to spend the night nearby.

Our stop at US-0920 occupied a few enjoyable hours on the afternoon of one of our longest travel days of the trip.  As a quick aside, traveling with POTA dog Molly often meant that Becky and I had to take turns exploring the parks that we visited.  This was one of those occasions.  While we missed the sense of togetherness in experiencing the awe of the Devils Tower landscape, our split shifts actually helped use available time more efficiently.

I took the first shift to hike up to and around Devils Tower, while Becky took Molly for her constitutional around the parking area.  When I returned, Molly was ready to supervise my POTA activation from the truck, while Becky had her turn to take in the amazing views.

Since it was a bright afternoon, I decided to wear my wide-brimmed POTA hat for sun protection.  The hat is embroidered with the POTA logo, my name, and callsign.  As I walked the 1.4 mile trail that circles the base of Devils Tower a gentleman walking the other direction along the trail remarked about my hat, and asked if I planned to activate the park.  Mike – W8MSC (a member of the POTA administrative team) and I introduced ourselves.  I told him that I planned to activate after my walk.  It turned out that he was camping in the park, and would be activating later that afternoon.  Like me, he was on a driving vacation, activating parks along the way.  Unfortunately, without Becky along, I failed to get a picture with Mike at the base of Devils Tower.

I finished my walk, and set up for a stealth activation from the truck.  Once again, I clamped the AX1 to the base of my VHF/UHF antenna on the fender, and tossed the counterpoise wire under the truck.  I sat and operated from the drivers seat, with the KX2 and my log book on the center console.  Molly supervised from the passenger seat.  I succeeded in making 15 QRP CW contacts before Becky returned from her walk.  Another successful activation was in the books.

Taking a Break at Fort Harrison State Park and Lawrence Creek State Nature Preserve

Our trip was coming to a close, and we crossed from Missouri back into Illinois, having activated all of the new states along our pathway.  We had been thinking about plans and stops for the final days of the trip, and we realized how well it had worked to stop at a park for a mid-day activation to break up the drive.  So we decided to continue planning the rest of our travel that way, even though I had already activated the states that we would be passing through.

And so we found ourselves driving into Fort Harrison State Park near Indianapolis, IN around lunchtime on our next-to-last day of driving.  A map and a bit of research told me that there were two picnic areas in the park where I could set up for a 2-fer activation of Fort Harrison SP and Lawrence Creek State Nature Preserve.  We checked the first picnic area, and found it crowded with lunch-time picnickers, cyclists, and walkers, so Becky suggested that we move on the the second location.

What an awsomely amazing idea Becky had!  There were empty parking spaces, empty picnic tables, and even another POTA activator.

Paul – AD9EG was set up and operating FT8 when we pulled up.  While talking about the park, POTA activating, and our operating experiences, Paul and I found out that we had much in common.  He had just returned from a driving trip to activate parks in some of the western states we had traveled.  He was a current student in the Comprehensive Instant Character Recognition course offered by CW Innovations, the same course that had really helped me improve my capabilities (even now I am preparing to help Teri – KO4WFP coach one of the upcoming January 2025 classes).

After a nice conversation, I moved a bit away from Paul to avoid interference, tossed a throw line over a tree branch, and set up my Tufteln EFRW antenna.  I was on the air soon after, and finished the 2-fer activation with 23 QRP CW contacts on the 20m and 40m bands.

One of the 20m contacts came from AD9EG, who had a great signal.  It sounded almost like he was in the same park.  Oh wait, he was!  Thanks for the contact Paul!  After calling QRT, I packed up my station, stopped by for a word of thanks and a handshake, and we were on the road again heading to Ohio for our last night on the road.

Gear

• Elecraft KX2
• SideKX end-panels and cover for the KX2
• Bioenno 3 Ah LiFePO4 battery
• Elecraft AX1 antenna
• Elecraft AXE-1 40m antenna extender for the AX1 Antenna
• ProAudio Engineering AM1-2 clamp-on antenna mount
• Maxpedition Fatty organizer pouch
• Tufteln EFRW antenna with 35 ft radiator and 17 ft counterpoise
• 15 ft RG316 feedline with BNC male connectors at each end
• 2 ft, 3 ft, and 5 ft homebrew RG316 feedline with BNC male connectors at each end
• Homebrew VK3IL-designed, pressure paddles
• Generic earbuds
• Rite in the Rain No. 946 notepads
• Pentel Twist-Erase mechanical pencil in 0.9mm
• US M7 Army Light Weight Service Mask pouch:  WWII vintage, canvas construction
• Arborist kit with 2mm Marlow Excel line and Petzel 9 oz (250g) throw bag and Tom Bihn Small Travel Tray stuff sack

Final Thoughts

Every time I meet up with another POTA activator, whether in a park, at an area meetup, or at a hamfest, it always seems like a family reunion.  I am truly grateful to Todd – NO0X, Mike – W8MSC, and Paul – AD9EG for their camaraderie on the road.  Unexpected visits with other POTA enthusiasts always lift my spirits, and never more so than when traveling a long way from home.

Best 73 de Brian – K3ES