On Thursday, January 30, 2025, I did something I hadn’t done in months—I activated the Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (US-6856).
Regular readers know that western North Carolina was hit hard by Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. The Vance Birthplace–nestled in the Reems Creek valley which experienced severe flooding–had been closed for months.
I hadn’t driven out that way post-Helene, assuming the worst. In general, I avoided traveling into affected areas unnecessarily to keep traffic light for those working on recovery efforts.
Recently, another local activator mentioned that the site had reopened. A quick call to the park confirmed that I was welcome to activate, so I packed up my gear and headed out.
Assessing the Site
Upon arrival, I was relieved to see that the site itself hadn’t sustained significant flood damage. There were several downed trees, including a few that hadn’t yet been cleared, but the picnic shelter—the spot I usually operate from—was in great shape. Two large trees had fallen near it, but thankfully, the structure remained unscathed.
For this activation, I opted to use my Chelegance MC-750 self-supporting vertical antenna rather than relying on one of the remaining trees.
Setup
I was so eager to get on the air that I nearly set up the antenna before starting my activation video. Fortunately, I caught myself just in time, grabbed the camera, and recorded the process.
Setting up the MC-750 was simple. I extended the stainless whip to a quarter-wave length on 20 meters, deployed the four counterpoise wires, and connected the feedline to my radio.
I brought my Penntek TR-45L (full-size version) for this activation, and setup was minimal. With its large internal battery, I only needed to ensure the Z-Match tuner was in bypass mode, plug in the antenna and key, and I was ready to go.
Originally, I planned to test a new prototype paddle that had recently arrived. However, the left paddle wasn’t functioning consistently. (After the activation, I discovered a bonding issue between two contact points—mystery solved!) I quickly swapped in my CW Morse double paddle, which I always keep as a backup.
With my logs in place, it was time to hit the air!
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Radio
Penntek TR-45L with optional Z-Match tuner and internal battery (note: this item has been discontinued)
Activating on the Road: National Forests and National Grasslands
by Brian (K3ES)
After a short break, with life getting in the way, this article continues my series on our 2024 road trip across the United States (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road). I hope to wrap up the series with a couple more articles (not yet written) over the next few weeks.
One of the goals of our great 2024 adventure was to make significant progress toward the Activated All States award for Parks on the Air (POTA). To do this, we planned our route across the American west to pass through all of the Western states that I still needed to activate. Since we still planned to spend time visiting with my parents at their home in California, we kept our travel time limited to about 2 weeks for the outbound trip and 1-1/2 weeks for the return trip. While our route would meander, we had to limit the time we spent in each of the states. Thus, many of the parks where we stopped were chosen because they were located very close to our planned driving route, and could be activated during a short break during the travel day.
To make activation planning work, we became very familiar with maps: Google Maps, the mapping function of POTA.app, a big handful of state highway maps from the American Automobile Association (AAA), and the National Park Road Atlas. While mapping with POTA.app was our go-to resource for choosing parks, it does have one significant drawback: there is only one locator pin for each park, which fails to convey the full extent of some vast entities. This is particularly true for National Forests (NFs) and National Grasslands (NGs). If you are trying to activate entities near your planned travel route through the American west, there is a good chance that you will find yourself within the boundaries of a NF or NG, and chances are equally good that the pin representing that entity on the POTA.app map will not be found anywhere near your current location.
We discovered that the expansive NFs and NGs were represented well on our paper highway maps, and were also well marked with signs along the highways. These entities, operated by the Department of Agriculture, have no general admission fee, are typically not crowded with people, and are generally a permissive environment for POTA operators. By permissive environment, I mean that there were not restrictive rules about antennas, ropes, wires, and use of trees. Some of these entities have picnic areas, campgrounds, and trails that can serve a POTA activator well, but it is also possible to find road-side sites that are suitable for quick activations. The following sections contain brief reports on the six NFs and NGs that we activated during our trip.
Buffalo Gap National Grassland US-7487
We found a trail head parking area in Buffalo Gap NG, located just outside the entrance gate to Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Having finished our drive through Badlands, I decided to do a quick activation of the adjacent entity. Although the trailhead area had few amenities, I was quick to take advantage of one: a couple of small trees that provided a patch of shade for the truck on a hot and bright afternoon.
On the air from US-7487 for a CW QRP activation.The truck is parked in the shade, with my collapsible fishing pole tied to the back bumper to support the antenna.
I set up using my Tufteln 35 ft end-fed random wire (EFRW) antenna, with a collapsible fishing pole supporting the apex for the inverted V configuration. I operated for less than 40 minutes on the 20m band, as usual running CW at 5 watts, and logged 34 contacts. That was a spectacular success in my book!
This map shows the contacts made from US-7487.
Black Hills National Forest US-4524
A few miles down the road from Mount Rushmore National Monument, we found the Breezy Point Picnic Area in Black Hills NF. Having already activated Mount Rushmore, we stopped to eat our lunch, use the comfort facilities, and give POTA dog Molly a chance to stretch her legs. In keeping with the name, there was a pleasant breeze. The temperature was comfortable, and there were a number of picnic tables shaded by adjacent trees. Naturally, I took the time to set up my station to activate this new-to-me South Dakota entity while we were there.
Setting up to operate from the picnic table, with the throw line supporting my antenna in the background.On the air at US-4524.
I threw a line up into the branches of a tall evergreen tree beside my picnic table, and pulled up my Tufteln 35 ft EFRW antenna into a near vertical configuration. In a bit less than 30 minutes, I logged 22 QRP CW contacts to complete a successful activation.
This map shows the contacts made from US-4524.
Oglala National Grassland US-7478
The truck in US-7478, with the collapsible fishing pole located behind it to support the antenna.
Having spent a few days enjoying spectacular sights in southwestern South Dakota, we were close to the corner of Nebraska, and wanted to make a quick hop across the border for an activation before continuing our travel northwest into Wyoming. Consulting our maps, we found that part of Oglala NG was located just across the border, making it very convenient for a quick activation. We followed a highway across the border, turned onto a gravel road, and followed it a short distance to the sign for Oglala NG. Continue reading Maps, Miles, and Morse: K3ES’ POTA Adventures in National Forests and Grasslands Across the West→
Many thanks to Tim (W8TMI), who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit, which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page. If you would like to share your field kit with the QRPer community, read this post.
W8TMI’s Elecraft KH1 Field Kit
by Time (W8TMI)
My Elecraft KH1 field kit is split into two parts: the bag provided with the Edgewood package and a separate bag for added functionality. The Elecraft bag is set up to venture out by itself without anything else required for an activation. The additional bag provides a longer random wire antenna and the ability to get it up into a tree, which increases its gain over the stock whip antenna.
[Note: Most Amazon links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]
Many thanks to Jonathan (KM4CFT) who shares the following note:
We are pleased to announce the release of some new products: a 100 watt version of the popular KM4CFT End Fed Kit as well as a Leg Strap, which is perfect for those who have the KM4CFT paddles, Bamakey TP-III or ModernMorse Paddles (or any small magnetic paddle).
Recently, @JasonMartinRF left a comment on my YouTube channel mentioning his excitement about getting on the air with CW but also his concern about the high cost of antennas—especially self-supporting options that don’t require trees. His comment resonated with me because many operators face the same challenge when setting up a portable station, particularly for POTA or other field operations.
I immediately thought of my friend Eric McFadden (WD8RIF), who has extensive experience with lightweight, affordable wire antennas that don’t rely on trees for support. Eric has long used a homemade end-fed random wire (EFRW) antenna paired with cost-effective mast solutions, making it a great choice for portable activations. I asked him if he’d be willing to share the details of his setup, and he generously wrote up the following guide.
A Budget-Friendly Self-Supporting Antenna System for POTA
by Eric (WD8RIF)
Because I’ve long used low-cost homemade wire antennas for POTA, and since I usually don’t rely on trees to support these antennas, Thomas asked me to describe an antenna and support systems I often use for my POTA activations.
My “Go-To” antenna for POTA is a 28½’ end-fed random wire (EFRW) antenna with three 17’ counterpoise wires. This antenna covers 40m through 6m (and sometimes 80m) and is constructed from inexpensive speaker wire which can be purchased at big box stores in 50’ and 100’ spools. This two-conductor cable can easily be split into two conductors and the thick insulation helps prevent the finished antenna from tangling.
The idea behind the EFRW antenna is that the length of the antenna is not close to a ½-wavelength on any frequency for which it will be used. The EFRW is not resonant on any band of interest and, thus, it requires the use of an antenna tuner (ATU).
The benefit of the EFRW is that it can be stealthy and lightweight, it can be relatively short when compared to simple resonant antennas, and it can support operation on multiple bands. It is true that this antenna requires the use of an ATU, but even an inexpensive manual tuner can be used for this purpose.
To construct my version of the EFRW, split the speaker wire into two separate conductors. Cut one conductor to a length between 28½’ and 29’ to create the radiator. Cut three more conductors approximately 17’ long. Strip a ½” or so of insulation off of one end of each of the four wires. If you wish, install banana-plugs on the stripped end; I put a green, red, or orange banana plug on the radiator and “stackable” black banana plugs on the three 17’ counterpoise wires so I can easily attach all three of them to a single “ground” post. Install an insulator of some sort on the far end of the radiator wire, or create a small loop on the far end of the wire using a knot or a nylon wire-tie for hanging the antenna. (I use military buttons as insulators on my field antennas, and I often use large paper clips to hang the wire to the top of my mast.)
The speaker-wire end-fed random (EFRW) wire antenna. The three 17′ counterpoise wires are on the left; the 28½’ radiator is on the right.
You can connect the radiator and counterpoise wires directly to your ATU-equipped transceiver or external ATU using a simple binding-post adapter or, preferably, a 4:1 unun. No coaxial feedline is needed or, in fact, recommended.
An LDG 4:1 unun (left) and a simple binding-post adapter (right).
I regularly use a simple binding-post adapter when I’m in the field with my Elecraft KH1 or KX2 field kits. I use a homebrew 4:1 unun when I’m in the field with with my Elecraft KX3 field kit. I use a commercial LDG 4:1 unun (link) when I’m in the field with my Yaesu FT-817ND field kit. (I should note that my KH1, KX2, and KX3 are each equipped with internal ATUs. The FT-817ND doesn’t have an internal ATU but I use a no-longer-available LDG Z-11 ATU with it when I deploy a non-resonant antenna.)
In the field, I suspend the 28½’ radiator as a vertical, as a sloper, or as an inverted-vee, and I lay the three 17’ counterpoise wires directly on the ground, arranged as symmetrically as possible while trying to avoid trip-hazards. (If space is limited, I might lay down only two counterpoise wires or, maybe, even just a single counterpoise wire.)
I usually support the EFRW with a 31’ Jackite telescoping fiberglass mast(affiliate link) or an inexpensive Goture Red Fox Super Hard 720 carbon-fiber fishing pole (available from multiple sellers on Amazon) from which I’ve removed the top three sections to create a sturdy 18’ pole that collapses to less that 30″. (If you order a Goture 720, be sure to order the “7.2m” version because the top three sections are far too whippy to support a wire.)
I’ve supported the 31’ Jackite mast using a drive-on base (more on this below), bungied to a fence-post or sign-post found on-site, and bungied to my folding camp-chair.
I’ve supported the Goture Red Fox 720 on a custom stake (more on this below) and bungied to my bicycle.
The Goture Red Fox 720 mast bungied to my bicycle and supporting a wire antenna as a sloper; the KH1 station is on the picnic table.
The sort of bungie I use to strap a mast to a post, my bicycle, or a folding chair.
I often support my 31’ Jackite mast using a homemade drive-on base. This base is constructed from a scrap of 2”x10” pine about 23” long, a 4″ black plastic toilet flange, a 2’ length of white PVC chosen to provide a friction-fit in the toilet flange, and a PVC reducer at the top. The photos below should provide enough information for you to build your own. I don’t glue any of the plastic items together; I rely on friction to hold the pieces together and I slip the 2’ pipe out of the toilet flange for easier transport in my car. (Disclaimer: I drive a small Honda Fit; I don’t know how well a 2”x10” pine board would survive repeated abuse by a large SUV or pick-up truck.)
The components of the drive-on mast support: a piece of wood, a toilet flange, and some PVC.The drive-on mast base, assembled.The drive-on mast base in use at Burr Oak State Park. The 31′ Jackite mast is supporting the 28½’ EFRW as a vertical and three 17′ counterpoise wires extend out from the bottom of the front passenger door. The station is inside the car.
The spike for the Goture Red Fox 720 is simply a 7” length of white PCV just big enough to slip the large end of the mast into, with a matching PVC cap on one end drilled to accept a 3/8” diameter, 8” long spike. Originally, I tried using epoxy to secure the spike in the cap, but this failed, and now I’m using an appropriately-sized push-nut to hold the spike in place. (The PVC and the 8” spike were found at the local big-box store; the push-nut was found at a local well-equipped hardware store.)
The Goture Red Fox 720 and the custom spike.A close-up view of the push-on nut securing the metal spike to the PVC cap.
I hope this article gives you some ideas for your own field operations!
A huge thanks to Eric (WD8RIF) for taking the time to document his antenna setup in such detail! His approach demonstrates that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get on the air with an effective self-supporting antenna system.
Personally, I believe that using an arborist throw line, a tree, and a simple wire antenna is often the most affordable and effective way to get on the air. However, depending on where you live or where you activate, trees may not always be an option. That’s why having a self-supporting antenna system in your toolkit is always a good idea—it gives you the flexibility to operate anywhere.
If you’ve built an affordable self-supporting antenna system that works well for your field operations, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to share your experiences, designs, or recommendations in the comments or in a guest post. The more we exchange ideas, the more we can help fellow operators—especially those just getting started—find practical, budget-friendly solutions for getting on the air.
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, was a busy day, but that morning, I was yearning for a little POTA time. I carved out an hour in the late afternoon to play radio—just enough time for a quick activation on the Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378).
I had two new pieces of gear I was eager to test:
A BNC mini antenna clamp mount, designed by my good friend Mike (KE8PTX), for use with Elecraft AX-series antennas and other mini verticals.
A vintage Swiss Army rucksack, a Christmas gift from a dear friend, beautifully restored by Jack Carter.
BNC Mini Antenna Clamp Mount
Mike designed this clamp to be lightweight, durable, and versatile—it can attach to more than just a tabletop. He’s even clamped his AX1 to tree branches! As with all of Mike’s creations, it’s purpose-built for field operators like himself.
If you have a 3D printer, you can print your own, or you can buy a professionally printed version from Joshua (N5FY) at Tufteln (links below).
A New Vintage Backpack!
This Christmas, I received a surprise parcel. When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes—a vintage Swiss Army rucksack in pristine condition!
Many of you know I have a soft spot for vintage military packs, and this one is truly special. Jack Carter, who restores these packs, wasn’t sure of its exact age but estimated it to be from the late 1950s or early 60s.
Specs:
Internal aluminum frame
Water-resistant salt-and-pepper nettle canvas with leather straps and bottom
External flapped pocket (9 x 11 x 2 inches)
Adjustable leather shoulder straps
Main compartment (20 x 16 x 8 inches)
Weight: ~6 lbs
Jack meticulously documented the restoration process, including deep cleaning, six rounds of leather cleaning, twelve coats of leather conditioner, and two cans of Filson Oil Wax applied with a heat gun to protect the canvas.
The result? A cavernous, beautifully restored rucksack that will accompany me on many POTA and SOTA excursions. At six pounds, it’s a bit heavy for longer hikes, but for moderate treks, it’s perfect.
I chose the TR-45L for its first POTA activation because I’ve always felt the TR-45L has a nice vintage/nostalgic look to it. It and the pack pair nicely!
Setup
Setting up the BNC clamp mount was a breeze. Mike designed it with a dedicated attachment point for the Elecraft AX2’s 13’ counterpoise.
After securing the antenna, I used the TR-45L’s built-in Z-Match ATU to achieve a near-perfect SWR.
Note: Unlike the AX1, the AX2 is a monoband antenna. Mine is set up for 20 meters, though the coil can be modified for other bands above 20 meters.
With everything in place, it was time to hit the air!
Gear:
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
Radio
Penntek TR-45L with optional Z-Match tuner and internal battery (note: this item has been discontinued)
To make the activation more fun, I lowered the output power to two watts. Earlier in the day, 20 meters had seemed lifeless, so I expected a casual activation with space between contacts.
I usually activate “what’s available,” so I like that I can generate a map that aggregates SOTA, POTA, GMA, and WWFF for a target place (e.g., when I go to Austria for a trip) so I can see what’s nearby my accommodation, etc.
Fine-tuning the map results
Click on the icon with three bars in the upper left corner and select your country. Then, you can select the activities you are interested in (WWFF, SOTA, POTA, etc.).
Then click the “Rebuild Map” button and the map will show you all of the activation entities you requested.
In order not to overload the application, you can either select WWFF for the whole world (which is the default) or various activities, but only for one country at a time, which is usually enough for trip planning.
If I am around country borders, I open two Firefox windows and have two countries at once that way.
72s,
Michael OK7SE
Thank you so much for sharing this resource, Michael. We’ve mentioned Ham-Map in the past, but it’s clear that it has only grown more comprehensive over time. It’s an incredible tool, and we owe a big thanks to our friend OK1SIM for creating and sharing it with the ham radio community!
Many thanks to Eric (WD8RIF), who notes that if you live in the US and have incoming packages from China or Hong Kong via the USPS, you may experience delays. Here’s the story from the BBC:
US Postal Service halts China parcels after Trump tariffs (BBC)
The US Postal Service (USPS) said it has stopped accepting parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong until further notice.
Letters will not be affected by the suspension, said the company, which declined to offer a reason for the decision.
However, on Tuesday new rules came into force which closed a loophole that allowed small packages worth $800 (£641) or less to be sent to the US without paying tax or fees.
It was one of the measures announced by US President Donald Trump who imposed an additional 10% tariff on all goods imported to the US from China. [Continue reading…]
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE SUSPENSION NOTICE – effective Feb. 4, 2025
Effective Feb. 4, the Postal Service will temporarily suspend only international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice. Note the flow of letters and flats from China and Hong Kong will not be impacted.
Note that this doesn’t currently affect items shipped via UPS, FedEx, or DHL. You may take this into consideration before placing an order from China or Hong Kong.
Many thanks to Bob (K7ZB), who shares the following guest post:
Experimenting with Low Voltage on the (tr)uSDX
by Bob (K7ZB)
I wanted to see how the (tr)uSDX would perform at lower voltages, so I decided to power it with a 6V Eveready lantern battery. With this setup, the radio delivered 1.1W to the antenna through an ATU-10, connected via 20 feet of RG-316 coax to a 20M Hamstick mounted off my condo balcony. I also used a wire counterpoise to complete the system.
Initially, I had planned to use a variable buck converter to step down the voltage from my 12V battery packs incrementally while measuring output power.
DROK DC Buck Module, Adjustable Buck Converter Step Down Voltage Regulator 6V-32V 30V 24V 12V to 1.5-32V 5V 5A
Unfortunately, the buck converter couldn’t handle the radio’s load and tripped offline each time I tried to use it. While it wasn’t suitable for this experiment, it’s still a handy and flexible little converter for other purposes.
Testing with the Lantern Battery
Switching to the 6V lantern battery, I used an antenna analyzer to fine-tune the counterpoise length, geometry, and placement. I achieved an acceptable SWR just under 3:1 at the radio end of the coax, which the ATU-10 easily matched down to 1:1.
Transmit performance was promising—I received a 10dB RBN report from AC0C in Kansas City at sunrise, running 1.1W. I also monitored my own signal using an ATS-20 receiver inside the condo.
The Receive Issue at 6V
However, reception was a different story. While the transmit side worked well, the receiver performance was significantly degraded. At 6V, my Malahit (tr)uSDX, which is normally a solid receiver at 12V, struggled to pick up signals. The noise level was noticeably high, and I could barely hear anything. I’m curious if others have experienced similar issues when running this radio at lower voltages.
Success at 12V
3-D printed hamstick AZ-EL adaptor design by AB7E
To compare, I switched to a Talentcell 12V 3000mAh Lithium-ion battery pack, and the radio instantly performed as expected. With 5W output, I quickly made a QSO with a station in Vermont—a night-and-day difference from the 6V test!
What a delightful little QRP rig this is!
73, de K7ZB
Bob
Gilbert, AZ
Update from Bob: There has been some interest in the AB7E antenna balcony mount designed for me and he is receiving requests directly as well as comments on the post.
From AB7E:
Well, I’m happy to provide the design files to anyone who wants to get them 3D printed, but it takes roughly 30hours to print them and I have no interest in printing and selling them myself. I would have to charge far more than it is worth. I made that one for my friend Bob because he wanted to mount his Hamstick to point out at an angle like shown in the picture, but in my opinion it would be just as effective (and far cheaper) to simply clamp the metal bracket to the balcony railing with a C-clamp or similar and have the Hamstick or other whip antenna point out horizontally. The bracket can be bought from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aLVTR4 (QRPer.com affiliate link)
On Thursday, January 16, 2025, I had a long list of errands to run in town, including a session with my physical therapist. After all the heavy lifting and chainsawing I’ve done post-Hurricane Helene, my shoulder has been letting me know it’s not too happy. The PT sessions are definitely helping, though—they’re tough, but I’ve noticed big improvements, especially in how quickly my arm recovers after a day of chainsawing.
One upside to these sessions? My PT office is practically next door to the Blue Ridge Parkway. So, as a reward for putting in the work, I’ve decided to treat myself to a POTA activation—either before or after PT—whenever possible.
On this particular Thursday, my schedule dictated that the activation needed to happen beforehand.
To maximize my limited operating time, I went with my go-to minimalist setup: the Elecraft KX2 and AX1 antenna—a truly dynamic duo!
The UMPP-1
For scale, Peter sent me this pic of my paddle sitting on top of his Begali Expedition.
This activation was also my first opportunity to test the UMPP-1 mini paddle, a compact and lightweight Morse key designed for portable operations.
Back in December, Peter (GM0EUL) reached out to see if I’d be interested in reviewing one of his 3D-printed paddles. These have been gaining popularity among SOTA and POTA operators in the UK, and after taking a closer look, I decided to order one for myself.
What caught my attention was its small footprint and sturdy design—it looked like a key that could handle the demands of the field while fitting neatly into one of my self-contained SOTA kits.
Pricing with shipping is:
UK: £50
EU: 60 Euro
US: $70 USD
If you live outside these regions, I’d suggest you contact Peter prior to ordering.
I felt like $70 was a very fair price, especially with shipping included. More importantly, I love supporting independent makers in the ham radio world—these small businesses are what keep our hobby innovative and thriving!
Setup
As always, setting up the KX2 and AX1 was a breeze!
I then connected the UMPP-1 paddles—they’re certainly compact, but they felt great in the hand and quite sturdy. Despite their small size, I’m not too worried about them breaking when packed tightly in a field kit.
The default action and spacing felt just right to me, but Peter also includes a wee Allen wrench in the Altoids-tin-sized metal box that ships with the key, allowing for easy adjustments.
Gear
Note: All Amazon and eBay links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
After tuning the KX2, I decided to lower the output power to one watt. Probably not the best idea when using such a wee antenna and being pressed for time—but hey, life’s all about these low-power adventures, right?
Connecting an international community through low-power field radio adventures.
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Regular readers know that western North Carolina was hit hard by Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. The Vance Birthplace–nestled in the Reems Creek valley which experienced severe flooding–had been closed for months.
I hadn’t driven out that way post-Helene, assuming the worst. In general, I avoided traveling into affected areas unnecessarily to keep traffic light for those working on recovery efforts.
Upon arrival, I was relieved to see that the site itself hadn’t sustained significant flood damage. There were several downed trees, including a few that hadn’t yet been cleared, but the picnic shelter—the spot I usually operate from—was in great shape. Two large trees had fallen near it, but thankfully, the structure remained unscathed.
For this activation, I opted to use my Chelegance MC-750 self-supporting vertical antenna rather than relying on one of the remaining trees.
I was so eager to get on the air that I nearly set up the antenna before starting my activation video. Fortunately, I caught myself just in time, grabbed the camera, and recorded the process.
I brought my Penntek TR-45L (full-size version) for this activation, and setup was minimal. With its large internal battery, I only needed to ensure the Z-Match tuner was in bypass mode, plug in the antenna and key, and I was ready to go.
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
I started calling CQ POTA, and since I had pre-announced the activation, I was auto-spotted via the Reverse Beacon Network. Continue reading Signs of Recovery: My First Activation at Vance Since Hurricane Helene 
