Please note that this POTA (Parks On The Air) activation took place on September 19, 2024—eight days before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. This is one of a few field reports and activation videos I’ll be sharing that took place before Helene’s arrival.
As I mentioned in my last field report, I haven’t been back to the Vance State Historic Site since the storm, as it’s been closed. Located in the Reems Creek valley, the site likely experienced extensive flooding. I hope this park can recover and reopen soon.
I hope you enjoy this field report and activation video. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reliving it while preparing this for you.
Thank you!
Thomas (K4SWL)
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, I made time for a POTA activation at the Zebulon Vance Birthplace (US-6856) and brought along a few new items to make it even more interesting.
New Pack
I packed my new gear along with extra equipment to fill out my new Nemo Resolve 25L backpack (check it out in gear links below). I wanted to see how well it could handle a full load and how comfortable it would be to carry.
Turns out, it’s very comfortable, and I could easily fit more in this pack than I’d likely ever need. It’s a keeper.
New QMX
First, I brought along a new QRP Labs QMX transceiver. If you’ve been a long-time reader, you’ll know I’ve had a QMX for about a year and think it’s a brilliant little radio. This one, however, is the “high band” version, meaning it covers 20-10 meters. My other QMX is the “low band” version, covering 80-20 meters.
As soon as the high band QMX was announced by QRP Labs, I grabbed one. I purchased an assembled version, knowing it could be a year (or much longer) before I’d have time to actually build one.
When I received this new QMX—I’m not sure, months ago?—I tucked it away in a drawer while reorganizing my shack, then promptly forgot about it (in my defense, I had a crazy year). I eventually rediscovered it, and here we are!
I’d been looking forward to taking it to the field.
New Carbon Fiber Mast
At Hamvention this year (2024), I ran into my good friend Mike Roberge (KE8PTX). He told me he was super excited about a new product that had been showcased—not a flagship radio or similar, but the Explorer POTA20Carbon Fiber Mast.
Mike was one of the very few people who actually purchased one at Hamvention to take home. I believe Gigaparts only had two or three on hand—mainly for demo—so everyone else had to place an order and wait 6-8 weeks for the first shipment.
Meanwhile, Mike, being the clever fellow he is, designed a 3D-printed ground spike holder that fits a tent stake. This allows the user to unscrew the base cap of the Explorer mast, insert Mike’s ground spike, and support the mast without needing guy wires, etc.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because Mike made a video about how easy it is to deploy the Explorer mast with his ground spike.
I purchased my Explorer pole via Gigapart’s online store during or right after Hamvention. I didn’t receive my mast until sometime in August. This activation was the first time I tried it out in the field.
I deployed my 20M EFHW (built on a TennTennas transformer) by attaching one end to the tip of the Explorer pole, then sloping it down so the feedpoint was close to the edge of the picnic shelter at Vance.
K3ES’s Grippy Pressure Paddle
Another item I rediscovered in September was a VK3IL pressure paddle my good friend Brian (K3ES) gave me at Four Days in May during Hamvention. His version is a standard VK3IL pressure paddle, but with some padded material under the heat shrink, making it easier for big hands to grip.
Brian’s paddle paired nicely with the QMX!
With everything set up, it was time to hit the air.
Gear:
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Radio
- QRPLabs QMX (High Band/Low Band)
Antenna, Support & Cable Assembly
- TennTennas 49:1 Transformer trimmed as a 20M EFHW
- Explorer POTA20Carbon Fiber Mast and Adventure Gear Ground Spike
- ABR Industries 25’ RG-316 cable assembly with three in-line ferrites (Use Coupon Code ABR10QRPER for 10% Discount!)
Packs & Cases
Speakers & Headphones
Logging Supplies
Key and Key Accessories
- K3ES version of VK3IL Pressure Paddle V2
Battery
Camera/Audio Gear
- DJI OSMO 4 action camera with Joby Telepod Sport Tripod
- DJI Wireless Microphones
On The Air
The QMX, of course, performed well during this activation.
I did encounter some difficulties at the beginning when the QMX produced significant audio pops in the CW sidetone audio whenever I keyed the radio. I spent a few minutes troubleshooting and even changed speakers, thinking it might have been an issue with the Soundcore Mini.
It turned out to be related to toggling the AGC function. I eventually managed to resolve the audio pops and used the Soundcore Mini. I’m not sure I could replicate the process exactly, but I got it working. (If you’ve had a similar experience, I’d love your input.)
Otherwise, the activation went very smoothly.
I worked my first ten stations in eight minutes—woot!
Activity slowed down a bit after the first ten, but I still managed to work 17 stations in under half an hour.
Many thanks to everyone who hunted me!
QSO Map
Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map:
Activation Video
Here’s my real-time, real-life video of the entire activation. As with all of my videos, I don’t edit out any parts of the on-air activation time. In addition, I have monetization turned off on YouTube, although that doesn’t stop them from inserting ads before and after my videos.
Note that Patreon supporters can watch and even download this video 100% ad-free through Vimeo on my Patreon page:
Click here to view on YouTube.
Explorer Carbon Fiber Mast
I love that the Explorer mast fits easily in my Nemo backpack. I see myself using it a lot for SOTA and POTA activations where suspending an antenna in a tree isn’t possible.
It’s super lightweight and compact, and Mike’s ingenious tent stake spike mod makes this mast so easy to deploy.
I also enjoyed using Brian’s pressure paddle during this activation—thank you, OM! It’s comfortable to grip and use.
This high-band QMX will make a brilliant SOTA transceiver. I need to take advantage of these high bands while the ionosphere supports them this solar cycle!
Thank you
Thank you for joining me during this activation!
I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating them!
Also, thank you for all of your recent support and kind messages following Hurricane Helene.
Of course, I’d also like to send a special thanks to those of you who have been supporting the site and channel through Patreon, and the Coffee Fund. While not a requirement, as my content will always be free, I really appreciate the support.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
Maybe you’ve figured out since this activation that the “popping” issue has been mostly fixed in the latest firmware revision.
You also experienced an issue I’ve also had in which the audio seems to spontaneously “freak out” and get very noisy and extremely loud. In fact, I don’t use the QMX with headphones because I’m afraid of damaging my hearing (even more than I already have from too much loud music*). In my experience the only way I can clear the issue is to power cycle from the battery.
All that said, the QMX is still one of my favorite QRP radios and I use it often.
* Seriously young people, take it from Uncle Matt, keep the headphone volume low and always wear ear protection when in noisy environments, like right next to the PA at a Green Day show. Protect your hearing!
Hi, Matt,
Thank you for the comment! Yes, I did sort that out post-activation so the popping should be all but gone next time.
And I second your recommendation about protecting your hearing. I’ve always done this at concerts since that time we had amazing seats at a B52s concert and I realized afterward just how it temporarily affected my hearing. Since then, I’m using earplugs anytime I’m at a concert.
And, yes, this will keep me from listening to the QMX via headphones until I feel the audio oddities are completely sorted. I don’t like those sorts of volume surprises with earphones. 🙂
It is a brilliant little radio, isn’t it?
Cheers,
Thomas
It is a FB little rig. I have a mid-band version on the bench, hopefully to build up before the end of the year.
I built the high band QMX this year and used it this last weekend for my very first CW contacts and also my first SOTA activation. It was super exciting. I’ve been considering that Explorer mast to pair with my 30-20-17m linked dipole which I think will work well and save some weight in my pack. The QMX is my first HF radio (except my QDX which only does FT8) so I don’t have much to compare it to, but it seems be a good choice for beginning CW ops. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Thomas! QRP Labs is awesome… I own six: QCX Mini 20, 30, 40 meters, Hi & Lo band QDX, and a Loβ QMX.
I pair my QMX with a 3aH TalentCell (velcro’d of course), a Palm Pico, and an EFλ/2 PackTenna cut for 40 meters.
Love em all! I’ve only had one issue with the QDX Hiβ…
Hope all the recovery efforts and repairs are going well. You have had a crazy year! 72 de W7UDT (dit dit)
Great video and I appreciate the ‘warts and all’ aspects of your radio adventures. I do have a technical question. Your coax had ferrites on the end and you were not using a counterpoise. Am I correct in thinking that the coax is your counterpoise and the ferrites block the common currents from the rig? Thank you again for doing this. 72 de W4ZY
Yes, Bob, you’ve got it! Your coax shield is your counterpoise. With EFHWs and similar end-fed antennas, I position the choke near the radio instead of the antenna.
Cheers,
Thomas