All posts by Thomas Witherspoon

Articles, Field Reports, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel

Bob and Alanna’s POTA Adventures Along the Cabot Trail!

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Many thanks to Bob (K4RLC) & Alanna (K4AAC) for the following field report:

Cabot Trail Activations on Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia  – August 2024

 By Bob K4RLC & Alanna K4AAC

In August 2024, K4AAC, my YL Alanna and I took a trip to magical Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was Alanna’s suggestion to celebrate my 74th birthday in July. She knew my “Bucket List” had a goal to visit and hopefully activate the two Marconi sites east of Sydney, the Parks Canada Marconi Memorial Site and the original 1905 Marconi House National Historic Site, both POTA sites.  Thomas K4SWL kindly published the write up of this adventure a few weeks ago.

After initially activating the Marconi Park station at Glace Bay, we decided to drive the beautiful 300 kilometer Cabot Trail, which circles Cape Breton Island and parallels the rugged Sea coast on both the East and West sides, allowing you to have the steep mountains on your left and the Sea coast on your right – if you make the decision to drive the trail counter-clockwise.

As this was a last minute trip and we had complications with Air Canada delaying our trip by a day, we decided to follow the major points of a clock, and visit sites at the 3:00, 12:00, 9:00, and 6:00 PM positions. The major problem is that there are so many wonderful sites, it’s hard to decide where to visit.

The first day after we left Sydney (see Marconi write-up), we drove to Ingonish Beach Campground on the East, an easy drive from Sydney. You take the the Trans Canada Highway to pick up the northward Cabot Trail in South Haven. The Ingonish area has many places to visit. Alanna had done much Internet research and really wanted to visit Ingonish Beach at the campground. This is a very pleasant white sandy beach, bordered by smooth, rounded glaciated stones and views to the south of Cape Smokey Provincial Park.

As someone who lives part time in North Myrtle Beach SC, I was pleasantly surprised to see a lifeguard but even more surprised to see lots of people enjoying the very cold waters of the north Atlantic, with water temperature almost 20 degrees cooler than SC. It’s not even that cold when we do the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s at North Myrtle!

Less than a mile north of the beach, you enter the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, an almost 1000 sq KM park that spans from the east side to the west side of the island and has some of the most pleasant  hiking and camping possible,  including 27 different hiking trails.

We decided to hike the Middle Head Trail starting near the historic Keltic Inn. The trail is on a mile plus long narrow finger of land that juts into Ingonish Bay, separating its North and South parts. Middle Head is a rocky, up and down trail, very similar to parts of the Appalachian Trail back home in North Carolina. (While the Scots settled in Cape Breton, many also settled in Western North Carolina, as both areas reminded them of their Scottish Highlands home).

The trail ended in a high rock outcropping. We spent time there enjoying the beautiful ocean view and seeing one lone seal, but it is very popular so we went off to the side and set up the radio on a flat-top boulder. The radio was again Rhett KB4HG’s KX2 (as mine was in the shop), with the modified MP1 base loaded coil Vertical on a camera tripod. Unfortunately, our timing was bad as there was another major solar flare. We only had a few contacts on 20 CW. Nevertheless, the beautiful view and hike was well worth it. We spent the night at a country inn there, overlooking the Bay, and enjoying fresh local lobster tacos.

Figure 1 Middle Head Trail Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Figure 2 K4AAC at Middle Head Trail
Figure 3 Middle Head Trail End Ingonish Bay

The next morning, we resumed driving north toward Bay St. Lawrence with a few possible activation sites in mind.  The first was in the very small fishing village of Neils’ Harbor, where the 1899 Lighthouse is both a POTA site (Neil’s Harbour Lighthouse National Heritage Site) and a Canadian Heritage Lighthouse. There is a small fenced in area around the Lighthouse, keeping you from falling over the cliff to the ocean below, and two picnic tables.

While picturesque, this area had the worst electrical noise I’ve ever heard, ranging from S 6-8. Consequently, I only made two 20CW contacts with Ontario, using the stock KH1. Some may consider this as “failed” activation but, to me, it’s a success to operate in a beautiful, historic site by the ocean. On the positive, inside the Lighthouse is an ice cream shop, selling local flavors, but Cash only.

Figure 4 K4RLC & KH1 Neils’ Lighthouse

Driving 10 KM north off the Trail, we stopped at another POTA site (CA-0454), Cabot’s Landing Provincial Park,  on the shore of Aspy Bay. The park has a white sandy beach coastline, and a monument to John Cabot, who allegedly landed there in 1497. The location also marks the 1856 western terminus of the proposed Transatlantic Telegraph cable from Cape Breton to Newfoundland. It was another Kodachrome day by the ocean, with a scenic vista of the steep face of the Pollets Cove-Aspy Fault Wilderness Area to the north of the coastline.

Having gotten there before lunch, I was really happy to see few beach-goers and several high posts around where I hoped to erect an EFHW for 20 meters. Unfortunately, just as we began setting up, the park became filled with sunbathers, of course walking through the planned antenna area. Thankfully, the trusty KX2 and Modified MP1 on the camera tripod by the picnic table did fine. Propagation was decent for a change, and I soon was working a pile-up of other Canadian stations and into the US on 20 CW. But the most amazing aspect was that there was absolutely no electrical noise to interfere with this activation. It was a wonderful experience to operate in a really quiet and picturesque area, so far off the electrical grid. Continue reading Bob and Alanna’s POTA Adventures Along the Cabot Trail! →

Field Reports, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

Xiegu X6200: Does version 1.0.1 firmware fix CW keyer timing?

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I’ve had a production unit of the Xiegu X6200 since June of this year and have made several field reports using it for both SSB and CW.

You may have noticed, though, that I haven’t used it much in the field since June.

The reason? I’m primarily a CW operator, and the original firmware had some frustrating CW keyer timing issues.

These keying issues are most noticeable when operating in iambic mode, especially when trying to form letters like C, R, or K by squeezing the paddles. Often, when I try to send a “C,” as in “CQ,” the keyer produces a “B” instead. If you’ve watched any of my previous X6200 videos, you might have seen this happen a few times.

After some time using the radio, I can adapt and reduce the miskeying, but it still happens occasionally. I suspect part of the issue is related to the keyer timing in relation to the transmit/receive switching.

While these keyer issues aren’t severe enough to prevent me from completing an activation, they are certainly annoying.

As I’m reviewing the X6200 (thanks to Radioddity for the extended loan!), I reported the issue to Xiegu back in May and hoped the first firmware update would address it.

The first firmware update, Version 1.0.1, was released in early August. There was an earlier release, but it was retracted due to other issues.

I checked the release notes and didn’t see anything specific about CW keyer timing in the long list of fixes. I had hoped another update would follow soon, but none has been issued yet. Meanwhile, several readers and subscribers have asked me if the keyer issue was resolved.

I decided to update the firmware and take the X6200 out for another field test.

If you follow QRPer.com daily, you may have already seen the spoiler alert: unfortunately, the keyer timing issue was not fixed in this release.

Still, I had a great time squeezing in a quick activation with the X6200, and I thought I’d share the video and a mini field report with you now!

Pisgah National Forest (US-4510)

My wife and I were out while one of our daughters was in Shakespeare rehearsals in Mills River, NC on Friday September 6, 2024. We had a number of errands to run, but my wife kindly worked with me to carve out 30 minutes for a quick activation.

The most convenient POTA location was the Sycamore Flats Picnic Area in Pisgah National Forest.

By mid-afternoon, the park was busy, but most of the picnic areas were open, giving me plenty of options for setting up.

With limited time, I turned on the camera to start my real-time, real-life activation video and got straight to work.

Since the X6200 has a built-in ATU, I decided to use my PackTenna End-Fed Random Wire, as it’s quick to deploy with its 31’ long radiator—any nearby tree would do.

Next, I paired the X6200 with my BaMaKeY TP-III, plugged in the antenna, and found a spot on the band to start operating!

Time to POTA!

Gear

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On The Air

After tuning up on the 20-meter band, I spotted myself and started calling CQ POTA. Fortunately, hunters quickly responded.

In just twelve minutes, I logged thirteen contacts. Thanks to all the hunters!

My activation was brief, and I was so focused on making contacts and packing up that I forgot to take any photos of the radio in action. I’ve included some screen captures from the video instead.

I did manage to take photos of the logs:

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.

CW Keyer Timing

As I discovered during this activation, the CW keyer timing issue has not yet been addressed in the firmware update.

After returning home, I made some notes and reached out to Xiegu to confirm that the CW keyer timing is still on their radar. They assured me that it will be addressed in the next firmware update. I’ll definitely test it and let you know once it’s resolved, so stay tuned!

If you’ve already purchased an X6200, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this all-in-one radio in the comments!

Thank you

Thank you for joining me during this short activation!

I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating them!

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.

As I mentioned before, the Patreon platform connected to Vimeo makes it possible for me to share videos that are not only 100% ad-free but also downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account also serves as a third backup for my video files.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me! Have a brilliant weekend!

Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

Field Reports, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

CFT1 QRP: Labor Day Morning POTA with Vlado at Lake James State Park!

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Labor Day weekend turned out to be full of labor here at QTH K4SWL. My wife and I had numerous projects to tackle, and my daughters had various activities scheduled as well. By Sunday, my wife looked at me and said, “You need a break. Why not spend tomorrow catching up on POTA?”

That was music to my ears.

I messaged my buddy, Vlado, to see if he might be interested in joining me, and he quickly replied, “Of course!”

So on Monday, September 2, 2024, Vlado packed his radio gear in my car, and we discussed where we should go. We had most of the day for radio, but we needed to decide if we’d head north, south, east, or west. In the end, we chose to travel east, as it offered the most options, including one site Vlado had never activated.

We decided to start at Lake James State Park. Since Vlado had only activated Lake James for the first time the previous day at the Paddy’s Creek Access, we opted for the Catawba River Access.

Lake James State Park (US-2739)

It was Labor Day, so we knew Lake James would get busy around lunchtime, which is why we hit it early. I also knew Paddy’s Creek Access would be much busier today because it has the beach, and I remembered how full the parking lot was during my Labor Day activation in 2023!

At 9:00 AM, when Vlado and I arrived at the Catawba River access, we were among the few people there, so we had our pick of spots to set up the POTA station.

For convenience—especially since there had been a deluge of rain the night before—we chose a spot close to the car, where I’ve activated a number of times in the past.

I also took this opportunity to show Vlado how to use an arborist throw line.

While I didn’t record the antenna deployment—frankly, I didn’t think about it at the time—I wish I had. Vlado was a natural!

On his second-ever throw, he snagged the perfect branch to deploy a 40-meter end-fed half-wave antenna.

CFT1 Time!

The CFT1 with Tufteln cover/stand, audio cable and pack with battery.

I knew exactly which radio I wanted to operate during this activation: the CFT1 by Jonathan (KM4CFT).

I had only recently swapped out my Beta unit for a production CFT1. As a thank-you to Beta testers, Jonathan let us keep the units we tested. I worked with Jonathan and Dan to return the Beta unit and compensate them for the difference.

In truth, there were only a few changes, mostly cosmetic, between the Beta and production units. The biggest improvement for me was that the Beta unit lacked a way to adjust the sidetone level independently from the AF gain. The production unit has this feature, which was my primary motivation for upgrading.

In addition, I prefer using radios that match what my readers and subscribers have. When I use a Beta unit, even if the changes are purely cosmetic, it generates more questions.

Interestingly, this wouldn’t be Vlado’s first time using the CFT1. He must have been one of the first people outside the Beta testing team to try it because we used it on Field Day alongside the TR-45L and X6200 (although you won’t see it in my report since it was still somewhat of a secret project at the time).

We paired my MW0SAW 40-meter EFHW and Bamakey TP-III with the CFT1. I also used my Anker Soundcore Mini speaker for audio.

Time to POTA!

Gear:

Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.

On The Air

Beforehand, Vlado and I decided to set up just one station and take turns activating.

Vlado went first! He called CQ POTA, and hunters started replying. Continue reading CFT1 QRP: Labor Day Morning POTA with Vlado at Lake James State Park! →

Field Reports, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP

Jeff’s Backcountry POTA Adventure: Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve Activation

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Many thanks to Jeff (VE7EFF) who shares the following guest post:

Off The Beaten Path – Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve, CA-3925

by Jeff (VE7EFF)

This is the 2nd backpacked-in POTA activation outing that my wife and I have done this summer.  I’m the 2nd person to have ever activated the Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve (CA-3925).  Last year was the first time I activated this eco reserve and that was also my first ever backpacked-in POTA activation.

After studying my GPS and Google Maps/Satellite view of the area, my goal this time is to trek about twice as far and twice as high as last year’s outing.  There are no documented trails here.  Access is a mixture of old overgrown and abandoned forestry road (or fire break, not sure which) and some crisscrossing animal game trails.  The actual mileage/Km’s isn’t really that far, but it’s all uphill and a mixture of bushwhacking and scaling slippery grassy slopes.

The reserve borders along the busy highway 97, between the cities of Vernon and Kelowna, BC.  The area overlooks the beautiful Kalamalka Lake, as you will see in some of the photos.  There’s no actual parking lot, just a small gravel pull-over spot just off the highway.  There is no formal pathway into the reserve either, so we had to scale the gated fence to start our journey.

I’m a little bit familiar with the route we took last year, but I heavily rely on my Garmin 66sr GPS and Google Maps/Satellite view on my Pixel phone.

My wife Alexis (VE7LXE), accompanies me on all my POTA outings.  She packs the food and water while I pack the ham gear and other outdoor essentials.  We both carry IC-V80 VHF handhelds for comms in the event we ever get separated.  And of course we always carry bear spray when doing backcountry treks.

We do have some relatively flat areas in sections, but there are also a lot of deadfall trees to either step over, climb over, or go around.

This grassy meadow is where I activated last year.  Actually at the top end of the meadow.  But today’s goal is to find another open grassy meadow higher up the mountain.  Higher usually means better radio propagation, not to mention spectacular views.

Beyond the grassy meadow, we followed some semblance of a trail.  But it wasn’t long before I realized that it wasn’t taking me where I really needed to go. So, according to my GPS and Google Satellite, we needed to head straight up-hill.

This was actually a real slog uphill (especially for us 73 and 72 year olds). 🙂

We decided that we have gone high enough.  Time to off-load our packs. Continue reading Jeff’s Backcountry POTA Adventure: Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve Activation →

How To, Kits, News, Videos

Video: Alan (W2AEW) Builds the CFT1 5-Band CW Field Transceiver

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Our friend Alan (W2AEW) has just posted a video showing the process of building, adjusting, and aligning the CFT1 5-band CW portable transceiver. If you’ve been thinking about building a CFT1 kit, this video will help guide you [update: see note from Alan below]:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thank you for making this tutorial, Alan!

Field Reports, FT8, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, SSB, Travel

Navigating Quetico: Rod’s POTA Adventure with the (tr)uSDX

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Many thanks to Rod (VA3MZD) for sharing the following guest post:

Operating POTA from the interior of Quetico Provincial Park CA-0359 with a (tr)uSDX

By Rod Murray (VA3MZD)

In a previous guest post here on QRPer I gave a brief history of my introduction to Ham radio and specifically POTA and my experiences activating local parks by bicycle. My initial excitement about POTA was inspired by the YouTube channels of some noteworthy field operators, Tracy VE3TWM, Julian OH8STN, Adam K6ARK, Stuart VE9CF, and Thomas K4SWL of course, just to name a few.

Tracy VE3TWM’s experiences on a canoe trip to Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, a place he and I know well (although we’ve never met) were particularly inspirational. In this video from 2021 Tracey activated Algonquin Provincial Park CA-0138 from a lake that I’d previously paddled to on a canoe trip. I wanted to do that too! But it would take quite a while. Let me tell you.

In 2022, with my regular paddling buddy Tom, we planned to take our wives to one of the premier canoe tripping parks in North America that we’d never visited.  We’ve been paddling together since we were teenagers at an Ontario summer camp and had been taking our partners along on canoe trips for over 30 years.

Quetico Provincial Park in North Western Ontario, Canada, one of the province’s crown jewels, stands as a legendary wilderness area that can only be accessed by canoe or kayak in summer and ski or snowshoe in winter, with one exception. There is one road accessible campground and visitor centre in the park’s northeast corner. The Park, which is over 4700 square kilometres, is also surrounded by thousands more square kilometres of wilderness public land, known in Canada as “Crown land.” Numerous First Nation communities are also adjacent to the Park.

To the south is the equally famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota, USA. Indeed, one can start a canoe trip in one country and finish in another, or paddle a route along the International Boundary (hence the name!), crossing the border numerous times as you go, with the required documentation of course.

Location of Quetico Park, Ontario,The Boundary Waters, MN, and Algonquin Park, Ontario in North America from ottertooth.com

We had a successful trip to Quetico in 2022 and I vowed to return when the opportunity arose. Meanwhile, I’d since become very active in POTA, and was more determined to complete a POTA activation from a wilderness park while on a canoe trip.

Quetico Park close up map from the Ontario Parks Master Plan

That determination was finally put in motion in early 2024 when another Quetico canoe trip was planned for August. But the challenge would be to put together a radio, an antenna and battery light enough and compact enough to pack in a canoe trip barrel.

Canoe Trip Barrels and Waterproof Eureka Pack ready to go!

Our plan was to enter the Park at one of the north east access points, travel south across immense Pickerel Lake, then paddle and portage our way as far as Fern or Olifaunt Lakes, depending on our progress and the weather, and return via the same route. Or, if we were feeling adventurous, to complete the circle route made possible by the historic Deux Rivière and Pine Portages. See Map below:

Canoe Route across Pickerel Lake into Bud and Fern Lakes with Start, Campsites and Portages marked and possible Circle Route

Either way would require 8 portages totalling more than 7 km. Everything has to be small and light because a portage is a rugged trail between lakes where you must carry everything on your back.

Because my wife and I have four packs in total for a 10 day trip, plus the canoe, each portage must be walked 3 or more times, back and forth, until all the gear is carried over. Incoming History lesson: From my university days as a researcher for the Kanawa Canoe Museum, now the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario, I learned that “portager” is a French verb that translates “to carry” and has its origins with the French Voyageurs who paddled the continent trading furs. Therefore “portage” should always be pronounced in French.

At 67 years young, I now own a Swift Kevlar canoe that weighs under 14 kg, about 30 pounds. The food and equipment barrels are about 20kg each. I wasn’t about to pack or portage much more in the form of radio equipment. It had to be light!

It so happened that a new member of my club, the Elmira Radio Club of Ontario, Hagen VE3QVY, had recently built a (tr)uSDX radio. The radio is a masterpiece of miniature hardware and brilliant software thanks to Manuel DL2MAN and Guido PE1NNZ.

Hagen is an electronics whiz, to say the least, and he knew of my interest in this radio (I was on the original list for the Canada group kit build). He lent me his (tr)uSDX back in April and after making an easy trans-Atlantic QSO with it on 5W, I immediately ordered a Classic band kit. I was already thinking about activating Quetico from the park’s interior when I started my build.

My (tr)uSDX build in progress

Hagen offered considerable help with my (tr)uSDX since the last time I built a kit was in 1970 when I worked on a Heathkit SW receiver I got for Christmas. Hagen installed some improved MOSFETS, precisely rewound all the toroids, tested and improved the radio’s performance and measured all the specifications, to the point where the radio was transmitting a minimum 5W on all bands with very high efficiency. And it only weighed 150 grams, perfect for my needs!

It was time to gather the necessary accessories to complete this rig keeping it lightweight and portable. I added a short length of thin RJ-316 BNC coax to my kit and included the high performance Tim Ortiz N9SAB Nano QRP 20m dipole that I’d been using for POTA with my FT-818. At only 100 grams and a reliable performer, it would fit the bill, but limit my operation to 20m.

I already had a small Bioenno 3Ah battery that could power the radio through more than a few activations, which added another 400 grams. With a few extra accessories and cables and a N6ARA mini paddle, just in case (I’ve never made a CW contact but might try if needed) my lightweight kit was well under 1 kg and complete. The rig and accessories easily fit inside the soft pouch with my fishing reels, so no extra space was required.

I started to think about how I could get spotted while in the wilderness far away from any cell towers. Perhaps, I thought, if I could add a few FT8 contacts while in the Park I could surely make 10 QSOs to confirm an activation without a spot on POTA.app. I solved the spotting quandary for an SSB activation after much deliberation.

I also tested a number of mobile phone apps that run FT8. I tried both iOS and Android apps and settled on FT8CN for Android. After updating the (tr)uSDX firmware to run CAT and audio through a single USB cable to an Android phone, I gathered a few of the USB micro to USB-C cables needed to connect the radio to a phone running the FT8CN App. Eventually, after considerable trial and error, it all worked! To be clear, the FT8CN software has a bit of a learning curve, but that is another story. It works well with some practice.

In early August, the barrels were packed and ready to go. After two full days of driving north and west 1500 km on the Trans-Canada Highway from our QTH in South Western Ontario, we arrived at Quetico Provincial Park. Yes, the province of Ontario is that big!

Map of Ontario showing the 1500 km driving route to Quetico from SW Ontario

We camped overnight at the Park’s Dawson Trail campground and set off on our canoe trip the following morning crossing the expanse of Pickerel Lake in breezy, warm, pleasant summer weather. A few open stretches of the lake required that we paddle behind islands to avoid the bigger waves. But all that would change, dramatically.

Continue reading Navigating Quetico: Rod’s POTA Adventure with the (tr)uSDX →

Field Reports, Morse Code, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

The New Venus SW-6B QRP Transceiver: First POTA Activation and Field Test!

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Yesterday morning, around 12:00, I picked up a DHL parcel containing the Venus SW-6B. I was so eager to test it in the field that I dropped my lunch plans, took the SW-6B home, opened the box, and quickly attached Anderson Powerpole connectors to the supplied power cable.

I didn’t have time to do anything else, not even turning on the radio.

After doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, I realized that if I skipped catching up on my email backlog (sorry!), and instead jumped in the car, I could fit in a one-hour activation on the way to visit my dad in Hickory, NC, that afternoon.

Not wanting to compete for the one picnic table at the South Mountains State Park Clear Creek access (the fastest detour), I decided to head instead to the Lake James State Park Catawba River Access en route. There are plenty of site options at Lake James, and mid-afternoon on a Tuesday, I knew it wouldn’t be crowded.

Lake James State Park (US-2739)

The weather was absolutely beautiful, and I was right: there were very few people at Lake James.

I left the QTH in such a hurry that I didn’t have time to gather all the components for the SW-6B field setup. Instead, I grabbed my SOTA backpack (which should, in theory, have an antenna, cable assembly, throw line/weight, key, and other necessary adapters and accessories).

I found a picnic table with plenty of antenna deployment options (i.e., trees!).

Luck was on my side, too: my first throw of the throw line made a perfect arc into a tree, giving my 40-meter end-fed half-wave an ideal configuration.

While deploying the antenna, a groundskeeper nearby started mowing a patch of grass with possibly the noisiest mower I’ve ever heard. 🙂 It was so loud I actually had to wait for him to move on because I found myself shouting at the camera mic. Ha ha!

As I mention in the video, this is just the kind of QRM you should expect at a good park. The grounds at NC parks are truly outstanding, which takes a lot of work, and I’m very appreciative. It was just a minor inconvenience.

SW-6B Setup

After deploying the antenna, I set up the SW-6B and spent some time in the video (below) explaining the front panel controls.

I noted in the video that I purchased one of the very first production models listed on the Venus website.

There are a few options available: a metal case, a plastic case, and with or without an internal battery pack.

At the time, Dale (BA4TB) only had the metal case version built, so that’s what I ordered, with an internal battery. It’s the priciest option. The total cost, including DHL shipping to the US, was $344.30.

The metal case is very basic. One downside is that it doesn’t have a positive latch—there’s no easy way to secure the lid. For example, if you turn it upside down, it will open. The plastic version has latches—knowing this, I would have much preferred the plastic case.

That said, the metal case has a lot of charm. I plan to secure it with an elastic band or see if I can adapt mine to a plastic case later.

The internal battery didn’t come fully charged, of course, but it showed 11.3V, which is well within the SW-6B’s voltage range. Knowing this would be a short activation, I opted to use the internal battery instead of grabbing my (comically large, compared to the SW-6B) 15Ah battery from the car.

After turning on the radio, I was pleased to find that the internal speaker provided plenty of amplification for field operations.

It was time to get the SW-6B on 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.

On the Air

I started calling CQ POTA on the 20-meter band and quickly discovered that propagation was unstable.

That said, for the first time ever, my first three contacts were all Canadians: VA3NU, VA2CT, and VA2IDX. Nice! Continue reading The New Venus SW-6B QRP Transceiver: First POTA Activation and Field Test! →

Field Reports, Guest Posts, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

Christian takes his new “Red Corners” uSDR+ on a POTA shake-out activation

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Many thanks to Christian (IX1CKN) who shares the following field report:

How the Red Corners uSDR+ Performed on Its First Field Test

by Christian (IX1CKN)

24 QSOs in 104 minutes at 5 watts—how would you rate that? The answer isn’t exactly scientific, as it depends on personal opinions, habits, and the unique propagation conditions during the activation. But in my eyes, as the first test of the “Red Corners” (a.k.a. USDR+), it’s definitely a positive result.

I wanted the “first time” with my new QRP radio (which has been catching the attention of more and more operators) to be out in the field, so on Thursday, the 29th August 2024, I headed to the Tsatelet Reserve (IT-0120) to contribute to the Parks on the Air (POTA) program.

I have to admit, I had doubts about reaching the 10 contacts needed for validation. I arrived at the site at 15:16 UTC and set up a 1/4-wave vertical antenna on the ground. I decided not to use an external mic, just the built-in one. The setup was then in “walkie-talkie” mode, fitting in one hand, leaving the other free for logging or filming. Conceptually and practically, it was real freedom.

The first few calls brought in four quick responses, one per minute.

Encouraging start, but then it felt like the band “died.” So, I adjusted, searching for stations that were calling in return. I found several, including Roberto (IG9ITO) from Lampedusa Island —always a pleasure to QSO with him—and I also logged Carmelo (IT9ESF) from Messina.

Between calling and moving around to catch other activators spotted on the cluster (thanks to the dual VFO, although you need to navigate through the menu to switch), I managed to increase the contact count to 24 by the end.

Notably, I logged 9 “park-to-park” QSOs, including the longest distance of the day—1820 km to TA1EYE. That’s a rare feat for a single activation. Some colleagues were operating from 2-fer areas, but I prefer to count unique calls, which is still interesting data.

It’s interesting because it shows that the “Red Corners” has the power to reach operators who, as activators, don’t necessarily have fancy antennas or are dealing with challenging terrain and horizon. It happened 9 times today, so it’s not a coincidence. I’d also like to point out that I didn’t use an external tuner. I noticed that adjusting the vertical whip length allowed for an SWR of 1.2 across the band, which I found acceptable. Plus, it feels like a solid device in hand and looks good sitting on a rock.

What else can I add that the video below doesn’t show? The “Red Corners” uSDR, like the Quansheng UV-K5 (another recent “must-have”), has some objective limitations. I won’t rehash them here—there are plenty of posts covering that. This makes it impossible to consider this Chinese QRP rig as a replacement for our shack radios. However, considering its limitations and focusing on portable use, its value for money becomes a strong point and offers an interesting angle.

The first test went well, but there will be more (I’ll also get the monoband whip, and it will be fun to try pure “walkie-talkie” operations).

73 and thanks, everyone!

Video

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Field Reports, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP

Jeff activates two POTA ATNOs in one day trip!

4 Comments

Many thanks to Jeff (VE7EFF) who shares the following guest post:

Hiking and Activating the Backcountry  – Two Activations on one Day Trip

by Jeff (VE7EFF)

Today’s field report, and three more to come, outlines the outdoor hiking/activation adventures of Jeff – VE7EFF and his wife, Alexis – VE7LXE in the backcountry of south-central British Columbia, Canada.

On today’s hiked-in POTA activation, I will be accomplishing three firsts. This is my first backpacked-in activation this summer.  As well, I will be the first person to activate White Lake Grasslands Protected Area, CA-4289, and I will also be the first person to activate Mahoney Lake Ecological Reserve, CA-3766.

Mahoney Lake is essentially located inside the perimeter of White Lake Grasslands and is on-route to my targeted activation area on a small mini-summit, about 45 minutes hike from the trail head.  Once I successfully activate White Lake, we will try to activate Mahoney Lake on our trek back to the car.

The drive here is 1.5 hours south of Kelowna, BC where we live.  It’s also about 15 minutes drive south of Okanagan Falls, BC.  We park just off Green Lake Rd, across the road from the trail head.

This is the trailhead where today’s adventure begins, heading deep into the woods.

Realistically, I could have activated White Lake Grasslands Protected Area just past the fence boundary, right from the start.  But, for me, that just isn’t very exciting or interesting.  As well, being near a valley bottom and surrounded by mountains doesn’t make for the best radio propagation.  My goal is to usually get as much altitude and line of sight to the horizon as practicable.  This way I feel I’m more assured of a successful activation.  At age 73, this isn’t as easy as it was for me and my wife Alexis, 30 years ago.  Back then, I was a regular mountain goat frequently hiking the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada.

Off we go.  A short distance in we stop for a quick photo-op.

The beginning of the trek starts out fairly docile. We hiked on an established trail that passes by Mahoney Lake.  I hope to stop in Mahoney Lake Ecological Reserve on our trek back.  Continuing on, the trail mostly follows the valley bottom and circumvents nearby mountain slopes.

After following the trail for about 30 minutes, I decided it’s time to blaze our own route up a mountain side.  Out here, elevation is the path to POTA heaven. And from what I can see from here, it looks like there may be a plateau, meadow, or mini-summit that I can operate from up there (fingers crossed).

The trek up turns out to be a fair bit of work.  Not only is it steep but is also a scree slope which makes it even more challenging to make our way up.  I don’t think Alexis is too happy with me right about now.

After a short rest, we press on.

`We have made good progress up the mountain side.  Gaining some good elevation.  I can see the horizon which means good low angle propagation.

After another rest stop and knowing that we are nearing the top, Alexis has gained her 2nd wind and is feeling much better about the situation (me too for that matter).

Finally, we have reached a plateau, meadow, or mini-summit (whatever it’s called).  We have arrived (somewhere) !

I’m quite happy with the views and a good propagation path to the SE direction, which is right behind me in this photo.  SE propagation tends to give me my preferred coverage towards the USA southeast coast.

Hiking just a short distance further up, I find my optimal activation spot amongst a few Ponderosa Pine trees.

Oh yes, the lake you see down below is Mahoney Lake Ecological Reserve, which I hope to activate on the trek back, if there is enough time (and if I have the energy left).

As far as the trek to this location is concerned, my Backroads Maps app indicates that we traveled only about 1.2 Km distance in,  with an elevation gain of only 82m (270ft).  Most of that elevation gain was due to the steep scree-laden slope up this mountain side.  Either way, the views are great up here (and hopefully the propagation, too).

My antenna plan is to use the pine tree in the center as my antenna mast center support.  I will be deploying a 20m dipole, so the pine trees to the left and right will support the dipole guy line ends.  Stringing the dipole between these trees should give me my preferred optimal SE propagation that I’m looking for.

Ok, now that I have an antenna deployment plan, it’s time to unload my shack-in-the-pack.

I’ll be using my Elecraft KX2 and running at about 8 Watts into a N9SAB center-fed dipole.  I’ll be keying with the Elecraft KXPD2 paddle.

I’ve used this 20m center-fed dipole many times in the past with good results.  It’s made and sold by N9SAB on eBay [QRPer.com partner link].  I also use his choke balun at the feed point of the dipole. For my transmission line (when backpacked-in activating), I’m using EnviroFlex 316 (blue in color), a high quality RG-316 equivalent purchased through DigiKey.

And of course, I use the Weaver 8 Oz throw bag to get my antenna support line as high as I can into the treetops (I hope).

This is only my 2nd year of POTA activating.  I was partly inspired by watching Thomas’ K4SWL POTA videos.  I picked up some good tips from watching his videos.  Things like using the Weaver Throw Bag and winding the antenna and coax using the figure-eight method.  All good tips, plus many more.

A couple attempts gets the arbor line close to where I need it.  The challenge here is to keep the dipole sections from getting tangled in those lower sprawling Pine tree branches. Continue reading Jeff activates two POTA ATNOs in one day trip! →

News

Xiegu X6200: Quick note about keyer timing

6 Comments

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve received messages and comments from several readers asking about the X6200 and whether I would recommend it.

For those planning to use it in CW mode, I suggest holding off for now.

I discovered early in testing that there is a keyer timing issue, especially when operating in iambic mode and squeezing the key to form letters such as C, R, or K. Frequently, when I attempt to send a C, as in “CQ,” the keyer produces a B instead. If you’ve seen any of my previous X6200 videos, you might have noticed this issue occurring from time to time.

As of the time of this posting, Xiegu has released only one firmware update (v1.0.1), which addressed several issues, but keyer timing was not mentioned in the release notes.

I updated the firmware to the second iteration of v1.0.1 and confirmed that the keyer timing issue remains unresolved.

Many Xiegu transceivers had keyer timing issues when first released, but Xiegu addressed these problems relatively quickly in firmware updates. For some reason, they have not yet resolved this with the X6200.

To be clear, CW operation is still quite feasible, and you might not notice the issue if you’re using a single lever paddle, for example. I tend to use iambic operation, though, so I’ll be pleased when they resolve this issue, which I’m confident they will in due course.

I just wanted to share this update since many of you have been asking.

Cheers,

Thomas (K4SWL)