There were some noises in the campground that woke me up during the night (probably other campers scaring off raccoons), but aside from that, I slept peacefully in my rooftop tent.
As I lay there Saturday morning, I couldn’t decide whether to make breakfast and hit the air for an early morning POTA activation, or to take a nice hike before everyone else in the campground woke up.
I chose the latter option!
At 7:00 AM, I headed to the nearby trailhead for the Lake Shore trail. It was a very pleasant and quiet hike—roughly 5 miles in total.
Afterwards, I made some blueberry oatmeal and a cup of French-pressed coffee. It really hit the spot!
Next, I grabbed my Elecraft K2 and connected it to the MM0OPX 40M EFHW that I had set up the previous evening.
I realized it had been a while since I’d taken the K2 out into the field, which was why I packed it for this trip. I use the K2 quite often in the shack, but it needed some outdoor time. All radios (and their operators!) need outdoor therapy!
New Tufteln TP-III Protective Cover
My friend Joshua (N5FY) at Tufteln sent me this protective cover, at no cost to me, for the BamaKey TP-III. Joshua has almost become a specialist in making bespoke protective covers for radios and accessories.
This cover is great. You insert four rare earth magnets (included) into four holes in the bottom of the cover. These work with the rare earth magnets on the TP-III to mag-lock the cover in place.
If you buy one of these for your TP-III, I would advice that you check the polarity of the magnets on the TP-III before inserting the magnets in the cover’s holes. I didn’t do this and found that I’d aligned a couple of the magnets in opposition, thus they repelled the magnets in the case. I had to dig the magnets out and reverse them–not a complicated procedure, but one I could have avoided had I simply thought about this in advance!
Anyway, I do like this cover! Thanks, Joshua!
Gear
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As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!
by Vince (VE6LK)
In August and September 2024, I was travelling around Southern Ontario for some family matters and naturally I brought my radio kit with me to squeeze in some radio therapy stops along the way. This is the report of my stop at Canal Park Conservation Area CA-5567 in Dundas.
The chimney from the former greenhouse remains standing today
Canal Park is located at a former greenhouse site that is growing back to a natural state, and is long the bank of the former Desjardins Canal that was built in the early 1800s.
The story of the Desjardins Canal
Many of the timbers that were needed for the canal can still be seen standing today despite being immersed in water for nearly 200 years.
The canal’s historic timbers as seen inside the park
It is a popular spot for birdwatching; some of the visitors told me that they routinely see Herons gracing the area. It is also only a few minutes from downtown Dundas and nearby McMaster University. I arrived at 1700h local time and so I had about 3 hours of sunlight to work with which would be plenty of time for a chat and activation.
The site has a large deck and pergola overlooking the canal along with a few park benches, so I got to work setting up my 20-30-40m trapped EFHW that I built a few months ago. It’s short at only 35′, small and works very well. Look on Alan W2AEW’s YouTube channel for build videos.
I used the toroid on the end of my RG-174 feedline as a crude throwing weight and chucked it up and over the steel structure and it dangled down low enough to grab it. I then attached it to my Spark Plug Gear transformer and antenna and used the feedline to raise it back in place. Yes, I leave the wire winder in place for convenience.
Feedpoint of antenna about 15′ above the ground
At the far end, I set up my Goture CF mast and ground stake. The antenna landed up being about 15′ in the air. I wasn’t expecting stellar performance on 20m with it but was hopeful. I was very wrong to think that, with the first station I heard from Macedonia.
CF mast staked into the ground for end support
But not only was I here to POTA, I was here to meet, in person, Wayde Nie VA3NCA/AD2GX. He and I have been delivering remote examinations on the Ham Radio Crash Course team for some time now. Our paths have crossed many times in the virtual world, and finally now would cross in the real world. Needless to say I was looking quite forward to this activation and the location and beauty in this small park were only part of the whole story.
VE6LK and VA3NCA enjoying some late-day sun and QRP SSB
After Wayde showed me his wonderful portable kit, and with mine already deployed, we got to work at 10W on SSB. It wasn’t a fast and furious pace but it was steady enough as a 2 operator activation that we were kept busy. The real surprise were the stations that called us back from Spain!
10W on SSB carries pretty far some days. One contact to Spain was 5W CW.
I rounded off the activation with a quick CW contact to Spain. Wayde is early in his CW journey and would depart for home to his LICW class later that evening but followed the contact along pretty well!
List of gear used for these activations:
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I grew up in Hamilton and Dundas was one of my favourite place to visit. I did this activation in early September on a wonderful late summer day and the evening was warm and calm. While I live in Western Canada where there isn’t much in the way of humidity, I found the weather to be quite pleasant (until the mosquitoes dropped by) and the company was excellent too!
72 and dit dit,
…Vince
First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website.
As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!
by Vince (VE6LK)
In August and September 2024 I was travelling around Southern Ontario for some family matters and naturally I brought my radio kit with me to squeeze in some radio therapy stops along the way. This is the report of my stop at the Battle of Lundy’s Lane National Historic Site CA-6216.
As like many sites around the Niagara Peninsula, it is rich in history from the war of 1812 between Canada and the United States of America. It would therefore be only fitting that I would meet up with my friend Mike Kennerknecht N2MAK for a joint activation. The plans were made, and at the last minute he surprised me with a request.. but I’ll tell you about it later on.
This site is at the top of a hill in Niagara Falls along Lundy’s Lane, one of the main roads in the city. It’s easy to see why it was strategically important for both sides to capture the hill, and indeed both sides claimed success in the battle depending on where you read up about it.
The words on this monument summarize the relationship between our two countries perfectly.
It was great to meet Mike in person as we’d only worked together virtually on teleconferencing platforms. The park was about halfway between us, not counting the stops he’d make at the border each way. It was 5 years since he’d last been in Canada and he was excited for the Duty Free stop he’d make on the way home. And he travels prepared for sites and brought along a couple of chairs and a small side table for our use, which beats a park bench any day of the week.
I was able to get my Goture carbon fibre mast up with my 20-30-40m trapped EFHW (see links below) just before he arrived along with my KX3,. He deployed his Gigaparts POTA Explorer 20 CF mast with a 20m EFHW to his IC-705; later he switched to 17m.
We both started off on SSB with me on 40m. Despite the very close proximity of our antennas, interference between us was very minimal.
Goture (left) and POTA Explorer 20 on the right. A similar amount of flex is seen despite the big differences in their construction.
At around 1100h local time we began calling at 10W on SSB. Mike was able to get to his 10 fairly easily but on 40m I was limited by the NVIS configuration with my average height at 3m for the 40m band, so once he was done on 20m, he switched to 17m and I moved to 20 to complete my activation.
And then he said the words that were magic to my ears: “Let’s do CW”. To be fair he gave me some heads-up that he wanted to do this when he asked if I had 2 CW keys with me. And he wanted his first CW contact to be made in Canada. Thus with a bit of pre-planning, and a pair of dummy loads, we set out to make the contact, Park-to-Park no less.
What I hadn’t realized is that he had never done CW before today, but with bravado and a Quirky QRP Reference Mat at his disposal, we got into it. I explained what each side of the paddle key does (dit vs. dah), however we both didn’t know how to adjust the speed on his IC-705 from it’s default of, I think, 15WPM. No matter, after a few minutes of rehearsing his callsign along with a handwritten chart I’d built him, he was ready.
With our respective radios in close physical proximity, signals were quite strong. I showed him the typical exchange for a POTA and then it was showtime. We did the exchange, and for good measure we did it on the 6m band. That CW contact was the first one done at the park as well.
Mike’s the tall guy on the left
We retired to a well-deserved lunch and went about our respective ways after the required team photo and a bear hug. I’m so delighted I got to connect with him on this trip, and especially for a cross-border activation.
Mike’s Video
List of gear used for these activations:
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This was the first activation with my new Bass Pro Shops Extreme tackle bag and I am very impressed. It is the correct size for me and everything works as it should. As a matter of fact, It inspired me to create a new channel on the Ham Radio Workbench’s Discord called #bag-talk if only to prove that bags need not be expensive in order to be functional.
72 and dit dit,
…Vince
First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website.
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.
source: freeworldmaps.net
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.
foggy conditions
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.
looking to the left on the dirt road in the parklooking to the right on the dirt road in the park – note the opening in the canopy
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.)
the radials extending across field vegetationthe vertical taking advantage of open canopy
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.
our setup on the dirt road
the sun is well behind the trees shading us
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. Continue reading The POTA Babe Gets Skunked→
I have been working CW a bit in my upstairs QRP station. Last night, 40 meters was alive. Lots of POTA and general QSOs and a few SKCC. I used my new straight key. I thought you’d enjoy a critique.
I used the new key for two SKCC QSOs and three POTA hunter contacts. Here it is between my mini straight key and mini Iambic. Those are small keys, as the ruler shows;
It absolutely works, and I suspect by the way it is designed and manufactured, it will work well beyond my years. It would be excellent for travel as there is little you could do to damage it or throw it out of adjustment, short of using it to play catch.
It does not provide you with any sort of positive CLICK feedback when keying. A vintage Kent Morse Op like myself finds this a negative when keying. I like that positive click (or TAP if you prefer that description) on contact while using a straight key. This key is more of a touch-key because of the design.
If you look at the “Spring”, it’s a manufactured pseudo torsion disc spring that functions both as a spring and a stanchion for the key knob. It’s made to be both supportive and slightly flexible.
There is not enough flexibility in that spring nor space between contacts to give you enough smooth travel to get a positive click. You can get a click if you back the bottom contact screw all the way out, but it’s minimal and you have to hit the key harder than normal to get that minimal click. The spring is strong by design. This key is designed to give you more of a “Touch-Contact” that you hear via sidetone rather than feel via tactile feedback.
Some ops said that you best leave it at the factory setting, but I played with the contact set-screw in the bottom and I think I adjusted it a bit better for my fist. It comes factory adjusted with a very light touch, almost feathery. I now have it on a medium-to-light touch. There is just no “Click” or “Tap”.
Is it the best key (as one op stated in the reviews) I ever used? No.
Is it a cool and unique key that works well? Yes, as long as you don’t expect that mechanical click-on-contact that I like in a straight key for “Pounding Brass”.
There will be no brass pounding with this particular key. But I’m glad I added it to my collection. The fit, finish and manufacture is very well done, IMO. Especially for the price. And it’s unique. I may add it to my POTA kit instead of any other straight key.
In early August, my family and I had occasion to take a road trip totaling nearly 2800 miles (4500 km) across six different U.S. states.
The title of this posting might lead you to think that this trip was dedicated to doing Parks On The Air activations, but that was not the case. Instead, we were in the process of delivering a kid to their next adventure in higher education.
Since I have already gone into some detail of these POTA activations on my blog at w6csn.blog, this post will be just a summary of the amateur radio aspects of the trip, plus some of the pictures taken along the way.
Spring water flows from a cave in Logan Canyon.
There was limited space in the tightly packed car and some tough decisions had to be made about what radio equipment to bring. I settled on the Elecraft KH1, the most compact HF CW station you can carry. I also brought the Yaesu FT-818 and microphone. The all-band, all-mode capability of the ‘818 gives me some peace of mind when traveling through dark territory. Of course, I also carried a Garmin InReach on my radio bag.
All activations combined on a single map, with apologies to my Alaskan friends..
Operating Notes
The first POTA activation happened at Bud Phelps WMA in the Cache Valley near Logan, Utah. Surrounded by farm fields and livestock, the FT-818 and MFJ-1979 telescoping whip brought in 10 QSOs for a complete activation.
The FT-818 is truly a “field” radio.
Later the same day we detoured up into Idaho to bag Pioneer Historic National Scenic Byway. With an afternoon temperature of 95°F, I was happy that the KH1 and Gabil GRA-7350T antenna got the job done in short order.
Remembering the victims of the massacre.
On the way over the mountains from Utah to Wyoming we stopped briefly to stretch our legs at the Bear Lake Overlook. I thought this would be a perfect place to whip out the KH1 with built-in whip and see if I could make a contact or two as a hunter. Alas, the bands were truly “dead” and I could not hear any signals, let alone make contact in the short time spent at this rest area.
No QSOs but the KH1 is looking great at Bear Lake Overlook.
Several days later, we dodged thunderstorms to sneak in an activation at Colorado’s Lory State Park. Again, the KH1 and 7350T paired up for a quick 12 QSOs before threatening weather called an end to the operation.
Mountain thunderstorms kept us on our toes.
Now on the return leg of our journey, we stopped in Laramie, Wyoming for fuel, some snacks, and to activate Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. This time the 7350T antenna perched atop the Gabil GRA-GNT Tiny Tripod with ground spike, a compromise for sure, but it works well enough for POTA.
Territorial prison restored and welcoming guests.
Back in Utah, a POTA of opportunity presented itself with a brief visit to Great Salt Lake State Park. With no place to setup a more extensive antenna system, I deployed the Tufteln right-angle adapter to use the KH1 on a picnic table with the 4 foot whip. This setup certainly attracts some curious looks from passersby.
The red Tufteln adapter is certainly eye catching.
Later, at home, I realized that when we had stopped to marvel at the Bonneville Salt Flats that there was a “2-fer” right under my nose. The salt flats themselves are private property, but the adjacent rest area counts for the California National Historic Trail and the Pony Express National Historic Trail.
The Bonneville Salt Flats are a must see.
The final POTA activation of trip came at Rye Patch State Recreation Area, about a half hour west of Winnemucca, Nevada on Interstate 80. Here it was time to use the FT-818 once again to try to get the activation done in the morning before the desert heat really got cooking. After an hour on the air, 10 QSOs were in the log and we were once again on the road for our final day of driving on this tour of The West.
The high desert is uniquely beautiful.
Equipment Used
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Many thank to Bob (K4RLC) who shares the following guest post:
Marconi Revived – Activating the Marconi sites in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
by Bob K4RLC VE1/K4RLC
Alanna K4AAC and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was a bucket list trip. One goal was to visit and activate the two Marconi sites in Glace Bay. Then, we would drive the Cabot Trail around the Island, hiking and activating various provincial parks and lighthouses. Cape Breton Island is incredibly beautiful, with mountains coming right to the sea. The seafood is great (freshly caught lobster) and the people are relaxed and friendly.
The Marconi National Historic Site at Table Head Glace Bay is on the site of Marconi’s transmitting station from 1902 where the first successful trans Atlantic contact was made with the Poldhu Cornwall England station. Now, there is a small, but very Informative Parks Canada Museum, which also happens to have an active amateur radio station on site. I had arranged by e-mail with members of the local Sydney (NS) Amateur Radio Society to meet the control operators there.
Marconi National Historic Site (Parks Canada) with Beam and Dipole visible & Alanna VE1/K4AAC
The station is only open two months of the year–July & August–and the control Ops are there only for a short time each day. We met Jim and Michael VE1CYO, a former CW operator in the British Royal Navy. Not only did Mike know the history of the Marconi site, he was very gracious in letting me operate the station. They have a Kenwood TS-590, a Mosley 3 element beam, as well as a 40 through 10 dipole.
Mike VE1CYO (right) Control Op for station; Bob VE1/K4RLC leftAlanna K4AAC (right) & Bob K4RLC at operating position for VE1VAS
It was one of those days with very bad solar conditions. Mike was doubtful I would make any contacts. However, I had pre spotted on the POTA site, as the station is also a POTA site: CA-4842. The Kenwood and beam worked well on 20 meters CW.
The first contact was Gary, AE4GS, a friend in Tennessee. Then, Rich N4EX back in Raleigh. As Mike did not know, I explained to him about the POTA system, and how there were many hams who would want to work the Marconi station VE1VAS, named after the commercial Marconi call sign of VAS (standing for “Voice of the Atlantic Seaboard”).
After working all the stations we could hear, and talking with Mike about his Royal Navy history, he left for the afternoon. As my KX2 was in the shop, Rhett KB4HG had graciously lent me his for our trip. I went out to the original Marconi antenna field by the ocean and set up the KX2.
It was a lovely afternoon, clear skies, nice breeze and being on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Conditions were not great for QRP, but there were several families visiting with young children who were very curious about ham radio, Morse code, and Marconi. Alanna and I were happy to talk with the families and children. After showing the KX2 to a very inquisitive 6 year old boy from Montreal, he told his Mom: “ I want one!”
Operating the KX2 with MP1& Whiterook Key in the original antenna field in Glace Bay1902 Photo of antenna field
After driving the island via the Cabot Trail loop for several days, we spent the last morning at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, also a POTA site (Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site). Bell was an incredible inventor, not just of the telephone, but of scientific and medical experiments. He developed a device to send voice over a beam of light. And he predicted cell phones!
For the last afternoon, we returned to Glace Bay and wanted to find the old Marconi House. We followed Mike’s directions to a place appropriately called Marconi Tower Road.
And a gravel driveway where several power lines made an abrupt turn up a long driveway.
This was indeed the original Marconi House from 1905, which is also a Canadian National Historic Site but is privately owned. A old sign that said “Guard dog – Do Not Enter” was still there and we had been told the current owner did not like visitors.
But it also was a POTA site (CA-5830) that had NEVER been activated. So, I was standing at the end of the driveway with the Elecraft KH1 when a car came down from the house. I was very apprehensive. But when it stopped, the driver rolled down the window, looked at me curiously and said “hello”.
I said “hello” back and explained that I was a ham radio operator and hoped he didn’t mind if I stood on his driveway and operated. He smiled and said he could tell I was a ham. Then he said he had to run an errand but he would be back in 5 minutes and I could follow him back to the house!
This was Barry, grandson of Russell who bought the house from Marconi in 1946. This turned into a wonderful visit with Barry. He initially took us on the outside of the house but said we couldn’t come in. We said that was fine.
K4AAC & K4RLC in front yard of Marconi House with KH1
Then he took us for a long hike back in the woods to the original Marconi transmitter building. Unfortunately, it had been mostly consumed in a terrible fire, so hot that all the insulators, ceramics and transformers had burst. Barry was extremely helpful, digging through the rubble to find original insulator pieces for me.
Barry & Bob at VAS Transmitter siteBarry dug thru debris to find meters & insulators
Barry and I hit it off really well. As we walked back to the house, he invited us inside. Alanna stayed in the kitchen and talked with his very nice wife, Brenda, a First grade school teacher. Barry took me down in the basement and showed me Marconi’s workshop.
There were a lot of old Volt & Amp meters from the early 1900’s. Barry had dug through the debris of the VAS Transmitter station fire to find me old insulators, shattered by the fire. In the basement, he went to a dark section in the back, under the stairs and found a unbroken ceramic insulator that he gave to me! We went in the various rooms where Marconi had stayed. It was a dream come true.
Insulators from Marconi Transmitting station VAS
I only made a few CW contacts with the handheld KH1 in the front yard, as Barry and I spent a few hours talking about Marconi and Barry’s family, including his grandparents, who were buried in the back, near one of the massive antenna mounts.
Just wonder what Marconi would have thought about the KH1 with a 4 foot whip antenna, given that he had four 200 foot antenna towers with an Inverted pyramid configuration of wires, 2200 feet in diameter, spread across 80 acres of land. Wow! I wished that antenna was there to load up with the KH1.
I was running about 3 watts on 20 CW while Marconi’s station had coal-fired boilers driving steam engines pushing generators in series producing 15,000 volts that powered the Spark transmitters on 8000 Meters. There were train tracks into the station to deliver the coal to this station at Marconi Towers. It maintained in service until 1945 giving long range communications to ships in the North Atlantic and marine weather information using the call sign VAS.
Model of 1902 Antenna field at Glace Bay in Marconi NHS at Glace Bay
It was a bucket list dream come true. I felt honored to both meet Mike, the former Royal Navy CW Op, and Barry and his family who graciously let Alanna and me come into their private house (and hear their teenage daughter Vivian play the classical piano in one of Marconi’s former sitting rooms). I hope the photos do justice.
73 de K4RLC Bob & VE1/K4RLC
Thanks to Mike VE1CYO for many of the details on VAS;
Black & White photos courtesy of the Cape Breton Wireless Heritage Society www.cbwireless.ednet.ns.ca/cbwirelessp3.html for photos of the original Glace Bay sites and detailed information about the Marconi sites in Nova Scotia
Equipment List
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Daisy and I awoke the morning of Thursday, July 18, ready to attempt our third SOTA activation of this trip. Today we’d head to Mount Jefferson State Natural Area (US-3846), a short drive from New River State Park. Along the drive, I spied quite a few farms for Christmas trees.
Mount Jefferson (W4C/EM-021) is 4,665 feet in elevation , rises more than 1,600 feet above the valley floor, and was a place for escaped slaves to hide. The mountain is a heath bald featuring dense evergreen shrubs on it which is different from the grassy balds also found in the Appalachian mountains. (Black Balsam Knob I visited earlier in the trip is an example of a grassy bald.)
A road winds up to a parking lot close to the summit. When I arrived on this overcast day, there was only one other vehicle parked. I grabbed my SOTA pack, outfitted Daisy with her harness and leash, and we were ready for the task ahead of us.
The hike up to the summit is an easy one. The trail begins at the parking lot and is easy to identify. To make sure there was no repeat performance of not being sure where the summit is located, I snapped a pic of a posted park map.
Start of the trail
Along the hike, we encountered the weather station near the summit and neat lichens.
The weather stationNeat lichens
It wasn’t long before we arrived at the summit. I could see the weather station back along the ridge as well as the town in the valley below. I had checked the weather forecast before I left our campsite earlier that morning and it looked promising.
The trail at the summitTa-da – Mount Jefferson summit
At the summit is a section of rock with a flatish spot in the middle, almost as if it is beckoning one to get comfortable. We settled ourselves on that flatish spot and I began pulling my equipment out of the pack. I opted for the AX1 again as it served me well at the previous two SOTA activations and there wasn’t much room up here.
I love this photo!
I quickly discovered there was no cell service. I’d have to make do, possibly setting up near another POTA station and hoping the RBN would spot me or someone would come across me. I began on 40 meters but after spending 10 minutes on that band, moved to 20 meters. James WA1EDN found me and I asked him to “PSE SPOT ME”. It worked and in the next 15 minutes, I worked five stations and then…
It started raining! (Noooooo!) I had noticed fog-like clouds moving in; however, I have seen this kind of weather before while on the Blue Ridge Parkway and those clouds don’t always bring rain. I naively believed the weather forecast and didn’t pay them much attention. Until it started raining.
Clouds moving in
I hurriedly covered my KX2 and key, put on my raincoat, and threw what I could into my pack including my notepad. Thankfully, I take with me a Rite in the Rain notebook and pen as a backup. Neither had ever been used. I refused to give up so easily and began calling CQ POTA again. I worked another station – John N7JTT in Washington state – and then…
My wet pack
My key started going bonkers on me! I didn’t think about it but the key is electronic and not mechanical. I can recall only two times I’ve activated in the rain. Both were during my trip to Nova Scotia and both times I activated INSIDE the car. So I and my equipment (except the antenna) were protected from the rain. Electronic keys and rain do NOT mix as I now discovered. I thought I had protected it from the rain but obviously not.
Well, I could deal with that! I always take a small backup key with me which I now pulled out and began to use. However, that key, too, is electrical and crapped out on me in no time. Now I had no choice but to call QRT. Oh, the depth of despair at having to do that when I was so close to a valid activation!
Daisy snoozing in the rain
I consoled myself that at least I got my third SOTA activation and, other than the keys crapping out on me, this activation had been a lot of fun. Also, the AX1 had proven itself a rockstar with two QSOs to the West Coast – John N7JTT in California and WB6POT in Washington state! Way to go AX1!
We dragged our soggy bodies down the mountain to the parking lot where I looked at the keys one more time to see if they would work for me. Nope. Honestly, I felt very, VERY stupid at not thinking about those keys being electrical. I never considered they wouldn’t work in the rain. Sigh. This was another learning opportunity and, when I got back home, I’d make sure to have a mechanical key in my arsenal as a SECOND backup. You know what the SEALs say: two is one and one is none. At this point, I had none!
I had planned on heading back to Georgia tomorrow. But with no working keys, there could be no more activations. (I don’t carry a mic with me as I am a CW-only op these days.) There was no point in staying that extra day.
I headed back to New River State Park, packed everything up, and drove the seven hours back to Savannah, Georgia. Though the keys might have dried out and worked the next day, we had already been through two nights of thunderstorms and much more promised to roll through the area. Enough was enough.
All in all, I considered the trip a success. I finally tackled SOTA and ended up with three valid activations. I added six valid POTA activations to my goal of 60 new-to-me parks for 2024. I survived five days of camping alone with Daisy 500 miles from home. Yes, I made mistakes along the way; however, I viewed those a learning opportunities, mistakes I’d not be likely to make again.
For those of you who followed these articles and hunted me during the trip, thank you for sharing this journey with me. This POTA Babe learned a lot and had a lot of fun along the way, despite the setbacks. I am already plotting a SOTA trip for spring or summer 2025 and, most certainly, a summer 2025 return to the North Carolina mountains. But well before that, I have 23 more parks to activate for my 2024 POTA activation goal. Where will I show up next? Stay tuned…
Equipment Used
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I woke on day four (Wednesday, July 17) of my North Carolina camping and POTA trip, determined for it to be a better day. The three unsuccessful activations were actually a good thing. It put me on notice that I had fallen into my past habit of scheduling to the max. Sometimes I become so focused on whatever I am pursuing that I forget to enjoy the ride getting there. So today would be a day of leisure with some POTA sprinkled in.
I spent the morning drying items wet from the previous night’s rain. It turns out the tent waterproofing was just so-so and that smarted. However, it reminded me of an acronym from Dr. Maika Steinborn – FAIL which stands for First Attempt In Learning. There is a learning curve with any new endeavor and waterproofing a tent is no exception. The rainfly and underside of the tent needed more of the exterior waterproofing spray. That is a project for when I return home.
Drying out
The camping spot across from me was unoccupied. The parking spaces for it were bathed in sunshine so I took advantage of that sunshine to dry items before packing them up as we had reservations at a new park.
Meanwhile, I endeavored to get the activation for Lake James State Park that the rain prevented last night. To make matters simple, I used the Chelegance MC-750. It was a snap to set up and, while Daisy snoozed under my seat, I set up on 40 meters. The band gave me four contacts in ten minutes. It was a challenge hearing them at times because a park employee was mowing in nearby areas.
Chelegance MC-750 set up on tent padDaisy snoozingMy setup at Lake James campsite
I moved to 20 meters and added three more contacts including a park-to-park with Randy N5ILQ at US-11768 in Oklahoma. I’d been on 20 meters for nearly 20 minutes with only three contacts and figured I’d give 40 another try. Switching to 40 meters, that band gave me three more contacts. Getting antsy, I hopped back to 20 meters. Contacts with Tim VA3UZ, Dave N1CGP, and Brian K3ES gave me the breathing room I needed for a valid activation.
QSO Map for Lake James State Park 7-17-2024 source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/
Daisy and I packed up and headed out. The road along Lake James was one fun ride, like an old-time rollercoaster with banked turns and zigzags back and forth. I’ve about decided I need to visit North Carolina once a year just to drive the roads!
Cool bridge inside Lake James State ParkBeach area down by the lake
We drove through Morganton, Lenoir, and then to Blowing Rock, a swanky looking community. We rejoined the Blue Ridge Parkway for a bit before heading north on 221 toward New River State Park. We were in the upper left corner of the state at this point, 357 miles from home.
A funny sign I spied on the driveVista at Grandview Overlook on the Blue Ridge ParkwayCommon milkweedMore Queen Anne’s Lace
So far, I’m impressed with the state parks at which I’ve stayed in North Carolina. Lake James offered spacious, well-equipped campsites and one of the nicest bathhouses I’ve seen in a state park. At New River State Park, though, I would live in the lap of luxury as I’d have an electrical hook-up at my site! (To recharge my Jackery Power Station so far, I plugged it into my car while driving.) You appreciate the things we often take for granted in society when you go without them for several days.
source: GIS Geography
Our campsiteCampsite visitor – We saw bunnies at Davidson River Campground also.
After setting up camp and a brief rain shower, I decided to activate New River State Park (US-2748) and, again, use the Chelegance MC-750. Contacts came in spurts. I began with 20 meters and made contact with two stations before moving to 40 meters. Forty meters did not disappoint. Over the course of 25 minutes, I made contact with nine stations including Jeff VE3JZT at park CA-5594 in Ontario province. I had a valid activation by this point with 11 contacts. However, I had the hunger for more QSOs and switched back to 20 meters. That proved to be a good move as I worked four more stations including Scott NB0W in Nebraska before calling QRT.
QSO Map for New River State Park 7-17-2024 source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/
At this point in the trip, I reflected on the past four days. I had six valid POTA activations and two SOTA activations. Daisy and I had survived camping by ourselves a long way from home negotiating the challenges that arise from this kind of trip. I had a blast driving the roads in my Crosstrek Kai through bucolic countryside and grand vistas. But truth be told, I missed my partner Glenn and was a little homesick. I decided I would end my trip two days early on Friday instead of Sunday. That still gave me two days for another SOTA attempt and two more parks. The fun wasn’t over yet! What summit would I attempt to activate tomorrow? Stay tuned…
Equipment Used
[Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]
On Sunday July 28 I needed some shortwave therapy. I headed west from Longview Alberta to find a location on Highway 541 where I could have the perfect convergence of having cell service and be within a POTA entity and near to the mountains. This would allow me to receive any updates about a family member (none happened) while getting a break from home and to play radio.
Along the drive I took time to listen to the IARU beacons and was pleased to hear bits of VK and ZL on 15m so I was hopeful that my plan for two QRP activations -one CW and one SSB- would be successful.
I would discover just how difficult it was at the second activation … but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Activation One: Sentinel PRA
After some driving around and testing cell service at a few roadside points, I landed up at the Sentinel Provincial Recreation Area which is just inside the boundary of Kananaskis Country. This would offer me the luxuries of a bench or table along with a stunning view. While it’s not a unique entity itself in the POTA system, it is part of the larger CA-6112 that is K-Country.
Sentinel PRA is at the confluence of the Highwood River and Cataract Creek and is, like many in this area, an equestrian-focused facility. Unlike many, it’s mixed-use so day-users like me are also welcome here. Upon my arrival I was fortunate to see a few equestrian users heading out of the backcountry. What was unusual to this city-raised kid was the covered wagon a small team was pulling. Perhaps the team was training for a future cattle drive?
I set up my cameras and my radio gear and got to work at a park bench overlooking the river. I released a video of the river suitable for background white noise and to practise your Zen and/or Yoga.
I secured my carbon-fibre mast to the bench, used a small weight to hold down the 17′ counterpoise, and deployed the 41′ main segment out to a 10′ fishing pole lashed to a sign nearby. I used my carrying totes (sometimes used for groceries) as a makeshift desk. It all worked out well enough. I began my CW activation at 5 watts.
Thirteen contacts and about 20 minutes later at 1930UTC, I called it a wrap and packed everything down to head to my next site. I wouldn’t say that conditions were stunningly good or anything, and some were downright hard to copy while others were incredibly loud. Given what I heard of the IARU Beacons on 20, 17 and 15m I wasn’t too surprised. I would later on learn that meant some solar action had happened as you’ll see in this chart.
Activation Two: Bar-U Ranch NHS
About an hour’s drive from my last stop and just south of Longview is the Bar-U Ranch National Historic Site (CA-4774). It’s a working ranch and it takes you back to the late 1800s once you set foot beyond the gate. As I’m fairly certain the Ranch would take a dim view to radio technology beyond the gate, I operated in the visitor parking lot. Once again, I set up my cameras and gear and got to work. Continue reading A tale of two back to back activations→
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At 7:00 AM, I headed to the nearby trailhead for the Lake Shore trail. It was a very pleasant and quiet hike—roughly 5 miles in total.
Next, I grabbed my Elecraft K2 and connected it to the MM0OPX 40M EFHW that I had set up the previous evening.
My friend Joshua (N5FY) at Tufteln sent me this protective cover, at no cost to me, for the BamaKey TP-III. Joshua has almost become a specialist in making bespoke protective covers for radios and accessories.
If you buy one of these for your TP-III, I would advice that you check the polarity of the magnets on the TP-III before inserting the magnets in the cover’s holes. I didn’t do this and found that I’d aligned a couple of the magnets in opposition, thus they repelled the magnets in the case. I had to dig the magnets out and reverse them–not a complicated procedure, but one I could have avoided had I simply thought about this in advance!
Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.
I hopped on the air and started calling CQ POTA on the 40-meter band. I figured that at this time of morning, 40 meters should be in decent shape.
