Category Archives: Portable

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

The Road Beckons the POTA Babe

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By Teri KO4WFP

After six months devoid of POTA/camping trips, it was time for Daisy and I to hit the road, this time returning to southwest Georgia. There are parks on that side of the state I want to activate but the travel time necessitates a longer stay. My son has two weeks off from school during winter break, plenty of time for such a trip.

After looking at the state parks with campgrounds on that side of Georgia, I settled on Kolomoki Mounds State Park partially because of how the campground looked online but also due to the availability of parks to activate nearby. The POTA map showed six parks to the north, four to the east, and five to the south, all within an hour-and-a-half drive, plenty of parks from which to choose.

my POTA opportunities as printed from the POTA site

Wednesday, January 1st, I loaded up the car and Daisy and I began our journey through rural Georgia to our first park – Elmodel Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

I absolutely love driving through rural Georgia! The roads wind me through little towns with imposing courthouses and kitschy businesses, past water towers and pecan orchards slumbering until spring. While the view may not offer the stunning vistas associated with national parks or glistening metropolitan skylines, it has its own magic, one in which I delight. My car was purring along the road and so was I.

Wilcox County Courthouse
a bronze bison statue in southwest Georgia
fields plowed for planting
pecan orchards

After nearly four hours in the car, we reached Elmodel WMA (US-3748). The park is in the middle of nowhere (as many WMAs are) but the sign and information kiosk are easily spotted from the road. Rather than set up in that open area, I opted to drive a little way into the park as I often like to do.

kiosk by road
a spot a little way into the WMA but not blocking the road

As I had yet to set up our campsite for the night and sunset was only three hours away, there was not time to dally. I opted for the Chelengance MC-750. I figured I’d stick to 20 meters so there’d be no having to fiddle with the vertical for changing bands.

setup
Daisy snoozing

There is almost always something unexpected during an activation. Today both of my paddles gave me difficulty. The VK3IL-design paddle would not work correctly. When plugged in, it made non-stop dahs. As a backup, I brought the mini palm paddle that was given to me. This paddle, too, acted up when the dit paddle would randomly stop working. (I think the connector on the back of the key is the problem.) ARGH! But that paddle worked 98% of the time and would have to do.

(On a side note – now that I have invested in a wonderful bug – the Frattini Magnetic Evolution bug – and cootie – the W1SFR Titan – it is time to get a good quality portable paddle. As of the writing of this article, I’ve ordered a BamaTech III paddle and await its arrival near the end of January.)

BamaTech Key on order

It was not long after spotting myself (Yay! There was cell service at this WMA!) that John AC9OT answered my CQ.

Operating QRP, I expect my signal reports to hover between 579 and 559. However, today’s reports were not great – 539, 449, 339. Maybe the ionosphere was still unsettled after the prior day’s CME. Unsettled or not, I managed to garner eleven contacts including one from Tim K5OHY, a member of my current Comprehensive ICR course that I am coaching for CW Innovations with Brian K3ES. (Thanks Tim!)

QSO Map for Elmodel WMA Jan. 1, 2025

After 11 contacts, I called QRT, packed up my equipment, and headed for Kolomoki Mounds State Park. My campsite was better than what I expected – lakeside with the sun setting behind the trees. I ate a simple supper and marveled at how blessed I am to have these experiences.

our site – what is not to love about that view?!
cut veggies, hummus, and black tea for supper
Daisy staying warm in the chilly evening air

As I snuggled into my sleeping bag in the frigid evening air, where would I head tomorrow? North? South? Or East? Stay tuned…

Equipment Used

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

Chilly Morning, Hot Pileups: Testing the New MTR-3B “Currahee”

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In late December, I received a much-anticipated package from LnR Precision: my new MTR-3B V4 “Currahee.”

Life has been hectic, so I didn’t get the opportunity to take it to the field until Thursday, January 9, 2025, when I carved out some time in my schedule.

It was a chilly morning, with temperatures hovering around 20°F (-7°C). Still, I wanted the full field portable experience with the new Currahee, so I bundled up in my winter gear and headed out.

Pisgah National Forest

Rather than doing another activation on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I checked the Pisgah National Forest website and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Lake Powhatan recreational area was open.

When I arrived, the park employee at the entrance gate informed me that I was the only guest that morning. And what a morning it was! Despite the cold, the clear skies and full sunshine made it a glorious day.

The best part? No competition for picnic tables! Woo hoo! (We must embrace the positives, right?)

Quick field kit

About 10 minutes before leaving the house, I hastily put together a quick field kit for the Currahee in my Pelican Micro M50 waterproof case.

This was a trial run to see how I might organize a fully self-contained kit for the Currahee, similar to what I’ve done for my other MTR-3B radios. While I didn’t have time to finalize all the kit components, I wanted to gauge the space available and determine what antenna, throw line, and other accessories would fit best.

Tufteln Cover

Joshua (N5FY), a good friend, sent me a package over the holidays containing some of his latest Tufteln protective radio covers. To clarify, these were gifts; I didn’t pay for them. Among the covers was a brand-new design specifically for the Currahee.

Like all of his covers (you’ve probably seen the ones I use for my KX2, KX1, CFT1, QMX, and others), this one fits brilliantly. In fact, it might be my favorite! The Currahee cover provides a durable, low-profile solution that complements the radio perfectly. Makes it a very durable little package.

Break-In Activation

In the near future, I plan to create a more in-depth video about the Currahee, but my goal for this outing was to get it on the air and give it a solid break-in.

Although the Currahee features built-in capacitive touch paddles, they require contact with bare skin. I wasn’t keen on exposing my fingers to the cold, so I opted to use my trusty TP-III paddles instead. By the end of the activation, my fingers were still getting sluggish, but I managed to log plenty of QSOs.

For audio, I paired the Currahee with my Anker Soundcore Mini speaker and connected it to a 40-meter End-Fed Half-Wave antenna. This antenna is an ideal match for the Currahee since all three of its bands—40, 20, and 15 meters—are resonant. Kudos to LnR and Steve for these excellent band choices!

For power, I used my 9V Bioenno battery. While the Currahee can handle over 13VDC (making it compatible with a “12V” LiFePO4 battery), I prefer running my Mountain Toppers with 9V, which yields about three watts of output power.

Gear:

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Radio

Key and Accessories

Antenna, Throw Line, and Cable Assembly

Battery

Case and Pack

Logging

Camera, Mics, Speaker, Gloves and Other Accessories

On The Air

I started the activation on 20 meters, which turned out to be a fantastic choice. Continue reading Chilly Morning, Hot Pileups: Testing the New MTR-3B “Currahee” →

News, Portable, POTA, PSK, QRP, Videos

Portable POTA Hunting on a Winter’s Day and Native PSK31 on the Elecraft KX2

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This year, we’ve experienced some cold weather and snow at our mountain home—conditions that always seem to arrive on weekends. While we haven’t had any significant snowfall, the 2–4-inch dustings we’ve received have been enough to coat our steep and winding mountain road. Since our road is still undergoing repairs from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, there are no guardrails, making it feel a bit sketchy to navigate.

Our family’s approach has been simple: we hunker down and avoid heading into town. Honestly, it’s a great excuse to stay cozy at home.

A Near Miss

On Friday, January 10, 2025, I planned to set aside part of the day for a POTA outing but decided against heading down the mountain. Turns out, that was a wise decision. Unbeknownst to me, a contractor working on a neighbor’s house lost control of his one-ton truck on our slick road. The truck veered off into the creek and narrowly avoided plunging all the way in. While it’s hard to tell from the photo, his truck was precariously balanced on the road’s edge, with the rear passenger tire dangling a good two feet off the ground.

The mishap blocked our road for two full days, as no tow truck could make it up the mountain to retrieve the vehicle.

A Hunting We Will Go!

Undeterred by the weather, I was still determined to squeeze in some POTA time—but in relative comfort. So, I decided to do a little portable POTA hunting from one of our porches.

Since Hurricane Helene took down all of my antennas, I’ve kept a line in a tree near the house for quick antenna deployment. When I want to hop on the air, I simply attach a wire antenna for the bands I plan to use.

That Friday, I deployed my PackTenna 20-meter End-Fed Half-Wave. My goal was to work as many POTA activators as possible, especially since those operating north of me were likely facing some serious winter conditions.

Thanks to my KX2’s ATU, I knew I could find matches on 40, 30, 17, and 12 meters if the resonant bands (20, 15, and 10 meters) were quiet. I decided to capture this hunting session on video, so I turned on the camera and got to work!

Gear:

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Radio

Antenna & Cable Assembly

Case

Logging

Camera/Audio Gear

Portable POTA Hunting

I started scanning for POTA stations within my propagation footprint. Unfortunately, there weren’t many activators on the air. Much of the country was enduring an arctic blast, so I suspect the cold and snow kept many operators indoors. Continue reading Portable POTA Hunting on a Winter’s Day and Native PSK31 on the Elecraft KX2 →

Antenna Tuners, Antennas, News, Portable

A Subtle Shift in My Field Gear: Rethinking the external ATU

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This past week, I’ve been revisiting my shack, paring down, and reorganizing. By that, I mean separating the wheat from the chaff and reevaluating my grab-and-go radios and accessories.

Before Hurricane Helene (a moment in time I seem to use to benchmark events now), I picked up a few IKEA shelf organizers and was quite pleased with how neatly they displayed my gear. Over time, though, the shelves became a bit cluttered, so it was time to give them some care and attention.

While sorting through gear, I stumbled upon a small ditty bag holding my trusty portable ATU: the Elecraft T1.

I held it in my hand and tried to recall the last time I’d actually used it in the field. Maybe during this activation in July 2023? If I’ve used it since then, I can’t remember when.

A Shift in How I Pack

That moment made me realize I’d gradually changed how I pack for field outings without even noticing.

My brand new Icom IC-705 paired with the T1 during an October 2020 POTA activation.

In my early days of POTA—2019 and 2020—I relied heavily on the Elecraft T1 and antenna tuners in general. I loved the flexibility they provided when paired with a random wire antenna.

Even now, I often carry an ATU as a form of first aid for antenna malfunctions. While rare, these issues do happen. In the past five years, an ATU has saved me twice—once with a broken Trail-Friendly EFT antenna and once with a Tactical Delta Loop mishap.

For mission-critical activations, such as remote or rare POTA sites, or during multi-week family road trips, I always pack an ATU. It’s a safety net.

Lessons Learned Over Time

With countless activations under my belt, I’ve learned a few things about myself and my gear:

1. Better Antenna Deployment

I’ve become more skilled at setting up antennas. I now avoid snag-prone trees and branches and have additional supports when nature doesn’t cooperate.

2. Easier Activations Thanks to More Hunters

The POTA hunter community has grown exponentially since the early days. Back then, frequency agility was critical because working the same hunter across multiple bands was sometimes the only way to log ten contacts. It wasn’t unusual for hunters and activators to coordinate activation times and frequencies in advance to increase the chances of logging each other. Continue reading A Subtle Shift in My Field Gear: Rethinking the external ATU →

Field Radio Kits, Field Reports, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, SOTA, Travel

Snow, Sand, and Solar Storms: Tim’s New Year’s Eve Radio Adventure

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New Year’s Eve Sand Dune SOTA & POTA

by Tim (W8TMI)

My wife and I head to Northern Michigan over the New Year’s holiday almost every year. It’s a nice way to wrap up the year and the busy holiday season. Most of our friends and family obligations are met, and we can spend time unwinding and exploring the wonderful things that Michigan has to offer.

This year was no exception. We found a nice place to stay in Frankfort, Michigan. Several breweries, eateries, coffee houses, hiking trails, miles of shoreline, and a local bookstore made this an ideal location for a few days with nothing pressing to accomplish.

Being a ham, I always take a peek around to see what POTA and SOTA entities may be nearby wherever we end up staying. I was in luck, there was a SOTA within a POTA just north of where we were staying. Along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (US-0767) is Empire Bluffs sand dunes (W8M/LP-019). This was too much to resist.

Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore

As the plans firmed up around our timeline and bookings, my mind began to imagine the activation. I am well versed in POTA activations and have many tricks to overcome beaches, snow, lack of picnic tables, lack of trees, and many other things that can come my way. My mind began to question if I had the right gear to make this happen and I began to plan for a setup that could be deployed and operated in harsh conditions with little assistance from the environment around me.

I have learned from my previous experiences on the sand dunes of the Great Lakes that  conditions can be challenging. I knew I would more than likely face snow on the ground, new snow in the air, wind, cold temps, sand, narrow dune peaks, local vegetation, and the challenge to hike all of my gear to the spot. Now it was time to take what I had and turn it into the SOTA/POTA setup that could get the job done.

The antenna would be the GabilGRA-7350  [QRPer.com affiliate link] with three 13’ radials deployed out as far as I could get them. Gabil recommends setting the antenna to the general resonance area marked on the coil and using a wide range tuner to finish the job. I have found this to be true, especially analyzing the antenna on the soil in my backyard where I can get a 1:1 SWR match versus the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan.

Gabil GRA-7350, spare whip, and three 13′ counterpoises attached via 2mm banana plugs

I chose the CFT1 as my radio. It covers the bands that I would more than likely operate and with the Tufteln face cover it weighs around 8 oz.

20 meters being the primary band because with the wind and cold, I knew speed would be paramount. For the tuner and battery, I chose the mAT-10 ATU and the Talentcell 3000 mA Li-Ion [QRPer.com affiliate link]. Finally, the N0SA M7 iambic paddle.

CFT1, mAT-10 tuner, Talentcell battery, N0SA M7, Rite in the Rain book and pencil

To bring this kit together in a way that I could operate standing up, I needed some kind of bag or pouch to wear that would allow access to the tune button on the tuner, the volume and VFO on the radio, ability to log, and key without having to hold on to the paddle. As a fly fisherman I thought about a sling pack or a chest pack, but neither would work with any of my backpacks I planned to haul the antenna.

My friend Erik (WS3D) recommended a waist pack. At first glance I wasn’t sure this could meet my needs. Off to the local shopping center I went to see if I could find some options that could accommodate my SOTA kit. After going into five different stores that had some forms of waist packs, my local athletics sporting goods store had one that I thought might work with some minor modifications.

It was small, which meant it could easily fit into the backpack I planned to use. Once I got home, I was able to stuff each component into one of the several pockets provided on the pack. The question remained: how do I key without holding the paddle?

Following the tip provided by N0SA who designed and made the M7, Velcro attached to the bottom of the key would allow adhesion to the pack. I was able to purchase some of the “loop” material from JoAnn and got to work with my sewing machine. A small 2”x3” portion on the right side of the pack would allow for right hand keying while I kept the logger in my left hand. Keeping my right hand free to operate the message functions, volume, and VFO of the radio if needed.

Outdoor Gear fanny pack with sewn on hook and loop patch

I had a kit and a plan, now to get to it. Continue reading Snow, Sand, and Solar Storms: Tim’s New Year’s Eve Radio Adventure →

Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, Videos

Some Much-Needed Radio Therapy with the Elecraft KX1

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Last week, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, I finally broke a three-week no-POTA activation streak with a short trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center.

Catching Up on POTA

Over the holidays, I’ve been doing plenty of POTA hunting from the QTH (you’ll see some reports and videos surface over time), but I hadn’t ventured out to a park for an activation. The holiday season kept me busy with family visits, birthdays, and home projects—most of which are ongoing, thanks to Hurricane Helene. Despite all of that, I found a lot of joy in portable POTA hunting from home.

Still, activating is in my blood. So when I found an opening on Tuesday, I seized the opportunity!

Back to the Folk Art Center

Now that the bridge on Highway 70 has been repaired, the Folk Art Center is once again my go-to spot for quick POTA activations. What was a frustrating 15–20-minute detour is now a simple two-minute hop—an improvement I deeply appreciate.

I pulled into the Folk Art Center parking lot around 1:00 PM. Unsurprisingly, the lot was empty—it was a brisk 28°F (-2°C), hardly picnic weather. Then again, POTA always warms me up!

Audrey

For this activation, I brought along my trusty Elecraft KX1 (affectionately named Audrey) and paired her with my Tufteln 9:1 End-Fed Random-Wire antenna.

It had been a while since Audrey had been out in the field, and I was excited to put her back on the air.

Frankly, post-hurricane projects have disrupted my POTA activation routine, and I’ve missed all outings like these.

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 and Speaker

Antenna and Cable Assembly

Key and Accessories

Logging

Battery

Pack and Case

Camera, Mics, and Misc.

On The Air

With the TalentCell battery providing over 12 volts, I was pushing about 4 watts of output power from the KX1. Continue reading Some Much-Needed Radio Therapy with the Elecraft KX1 →

Field Radio Kits, News, Portable, QRP, QRP Radios, SOTA

Field Radio Kit Gallery: Pedro’s (tr)uSDX Field Kit

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Many thanks to Pedro (PP2PB), who shares the following article about his portable field radio kit, which will be featured on our Field Kit Gallery page.

Pedro’s (tr)uSDX Compact and Affordable Field Kit

by Pedro (PP2PB)

Here’s my new kit.

This kit weighs just under 1,2kg and has phone and CW operations in mind. I might add some cables for digital modes, but I haven’t tested this rig with digital modes, just yet.

The (tr)uSDX was bought assembled with the LO bands RF board, and I assembled the HI RF board myself. I got Adam’s alternative case printed out for easy band switching and did a minor mod to the RF boards soldering a Zener diode reverse polarized as a high SWR protection.

I also added a USB port to the battery pack because the (tr)uSDX can operate with around 0,5W directly from USB and that’s a great way to test for SWR and fine tune the antenna without stressing the finals.

The manual antenna coupler is also my creation and even though it doesn’t appear on the exploded view it does fit in there no problem (it was added after I took the pictures).

Gear List:

72 DE PP2PB

Guest Posts, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Reviews

Living the QRP Life: Glen’s Thoughts on Eight Months with the Elecraft KH1

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Many thanks to Glen (KC8LA) who shares the following guest post:

New QRPer and Eight Months with the Elecraft KH1

by Glen (KC8LA)

Let me introduce myself—I’m Glen, KC8LA. I’ve been a ham for 30 years, but I only started hunting POTA activators in mid-to-late 2023. Before long, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to activate parks myself?”

Of course, YouTube was the place to learn how to get started. I saw that I’d need a portable radio (like the FT-891), a tuner, a power source, a multiband antenna, and a way to hoist it into a tree. Whew! It all sounded like a lot of lugging gear for just a couple of hours of radio fun. Was it worth it? Back to YouTube I went, searching for an easier way.

Over the years, I’d never thought much about QRP. Then, I stumbled across videos of Thomas, K4SWL, beta-testing a new self-contained Elecraft radio: the KH1. I watched every KH1 video I could find—so many that I joked Thomas became my “best friend” through the screen.

“This is it,” I thought. “I’ll get the KH1!” But when I checked the price, I had to pause and think. After a couple of weeks, I finally decided to order it on November 22, 2023, figuring it would arrive in early December, just in time to prepare for my first activation in January.

Nope. The wait time was three months, pushing the delivery date to February. I could wait, though! In the meantime, I set up my FT-891 in the Jeep using alligator clips to the battery, hamsticks, and a laptop table between the seats for my key and notepad. It worked, but I was just sitting in the Jeep. Come on, KH1!

Due to parts delays, the wait stretched to five months. While I waited, I practiced activating parks with the FT-891 and figured out the basics to be ready for the KH1’s arrival.

Finally, on April 18, 2024, the KH1 arrived. I was sitting on the porch when the mail carrier handed me the box. I opened it right then and there, assembled it, and made my first contact on 20 meters. My hands tremble a bit, so it was challenging, but I did it. Over time, I practiced and now comfortably run 18–20 WPM.

My first activation with the KH1 was on April 26, but it didn’t go as planned—only four contacts. Undeterred, I tried again the following weekend. Eight contacts. Still not a success. Thomas made it look so easy in his videos!

I began researching what I was doing wrong. I learned that a 5-watt activation takes longer than one at 100 watts (obvious in hindsight). Time of day, solar conditions, and operating on QRP-friendly frequencies all make a big difference. Once I adjusted my approach, my third activation was a success, and they’ve been going well ever since.

In the meantime, Hamvention rolled around, and since I live nearby, I put activations on hold. At Hamvention, I made a beeline to Wayne from Elecraft, shook his hand, and thanked him for dreaming up the KH1. We swapped some war stories—I even shared how I’d worked 3G0YA split on 15 meters from a park!

Anytime, Anywhere Radio Is So Much Fun!

Fall at Kiser Lake State Park (US-1966)

Since the KH1 arrived, I’ve completed 70 activations across 23 parks in three states, including seven parks in Utah over five days (a story for another time). Of those, 60 were with the KH1, with only four failures—two due to learning the radio and two from running out of time. I’ve logged around 1,000 activation contacts with the KH1 so far.

The KH1 goes everywhere with me, and I use it 95% of the time in its portable, self-contained configuration. Occasionally, I deploy my homemade “chalk line” EFHW antenna, which consists of 33 feet of 2mm throw line and 41 feet of 26-gauge wire. It’s compact, tunes well, and clips nicely to the KH1’s ES-20 case.

Pool mobile at Grand Lake Saint Marys State Park (US-1953)

I’ve done activations at a variety of locations: tire shops, birthday parties, weddings, bike paths, and even my living room chair. The KH1 makes HF portable operation so easy that I’m contemplating buying a second one as a backup.

Picnic table my home park, Sycamore State Park (US-1995)

The built-in key has been a mixed bag—I’m already on my second one, and I’ve had to use my backup key a few times. But the radio’s battery life has been excellent, easily lasting four two-hour activations before needing a charge. The tuner works flawlessly, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the built-in speaker performs in quiet environments.

Exploring the Outdoors

Davey Woods State Nature Preserve (US-9403)

What I love most about the KH1 is how it’s transformed my radio journey. It’s encouraged me to get outdoors, discover new places, and revisit sites I haven’t seen in decades. My home park, US-1995 Sycamore State Park, is just 20 minutes away, and I’ve activated it 27 times, logging 594 contacts toward my Kilo award.

Reading a field report on QRPer.com, I saw that Thomas had activated US-9410 while walking a 0.6-mile boardwalk with the KH1. That park is only an hour away, so I thought, “If he can do it, so can I!” And I did. It’s a cute little wooded park, perfect for a portable activation.

I’m still working, so I need to plan activations carefully for parks that are more than an hour away. But with the KH1, I’m always ready for an adventure.

Final Thoughts

North Country Trail National Scenic Trail (US-4239)

I would have never believed that a tiny radio with a 45-inch antenna could reliably make HF contacts, but the KH1 amazes me every time I pull it out. It’s my radio of choice for almost all CW contacts now—I’ve probably made fewer than 20 CW contacts on my FT DX10 and FT-891 since getting the KH1!

Yes, there are plenty of other portable radios out there, but for me, the KH1’s convenience, low “lug factor,” and quick setup time are unbeatable. I can be on the air in under a minute.

If you’re on the fence about trying QRP or the KH1, I say go for it. It’s a radio that has truly enhanced my life, and I can’t imagine my portable adventures without it.

Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel, Videos

Portable POTA Hunting in Beaufort: A Relaxing Back-Yard Session with the Elecraft KH1

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Wednesday, December 18, 2024, was a full but wonderful day. My wife, daughters, Hazel the dog, and I spent it exploring Beaufort, Morehead City, and Atlantic Beach, North Carolina—coastal towns all within a ten-minute drive of one another.

The KX2 and AX1 earlier that day at Fort Macon State Park.

We started the morning at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. While my wife and one of my daughters enjoyed some shopping later, I managed a quick activation at Fort Macon State Park. (You can read that report and watch the activation video here.)

Afterward, we returned to our Airbnb vacation home around 2:00 p.m. for a late lunch. My daughters, still busy despite the holidays, were working on scholarship essays. With their fall term completed online due to Hurricane Helene’s damage in Asheville, they were determined to tackle deadlines before the new year.

While they worked, I felt the pull of POTA (Parks on the Air). However, I wasn’t in the mood for another car ride—especially not a 25-minute drive to the next site. Instead, I decided on a low-key radio session in the backyard, followed by some quiet time with a Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Before dinner, we planned to stroll through Beaufort’s historic district and waterfront. The constant low fog that day had transformed the scenery into something almost magical—perfect for an evening walk. (I’ve included some photos below for those interested!)

Portable POTA Hunting

Hazel, of course, wanted to participate!

I’d already discovered during the previous day’s hunting session that the Airbnb’s backyard had an impressively low noise floor for an urban area.

I suspect it was because many vacation homes in the neighborhood—including the one next door, which was vacant and on the market—were unoccupied during the off-season. Whatever the reason, it was a pleasant surprise for this QRPer.

KH1 Makes it Easy

My Elecraft KH1 has become my go-to radio for backyard sessions. Not only is it incredibly quick to deploy, but it’s also designed for handheld operation. No need to set up an antenna or find a place to sit—I can simply walk around, optimizing received signal strength and avoiding potential noise sources.

For this session, I grabbed the KH1, its whip antenna, and a 13-foot counterpoise. At the last minute, I also decided to bring my camera to record the experience. Though less action-packed than an activation, I thought it might still be worth sharing.

I kept things simple, using only the KH1’s internal speaker. While it’s not the best performer, I appreciate that Elecraft managed to include it—it’s a feature I wish my vintage KX1 had!

Gear

My full KH1 kit built into a Pelican M40 case.

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Radio and Antenna System

Camera and Audio Gear

On The Air

All screenshots from my action camera (I forgot to take photos with my iPhone!)

POTA hunting is a completely different experience from activating—and I love it.

As an activator, you’re in the spotlight, managing pileups and logging contacts as fast as possible. As a hunter with a handheld 5-watt radio and a 4-foot whip antenna, the challenge is flipped: you have to make yourself heard amidst louder stations, all with the goal of practicing good operating etiquette. Continue reading Portable POTA Hunting in Beaufort: A Relaxing Back-Yard Session with the Elecraft KH1 →

Field Reports, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel, Videos

Coastal QRP: Chasing High-Bands with the Elecraft KX2 and AX1 at Fort Macon State Park

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Two weeks ago, my family and I enjoyed a short vacation in lovely Beaufort, NC.

Although POTA wasn’t the focus of this trip—family time was—I managed to squeeze in two wonderful portable activations.

The first was a pedestrian mobile activation on Cape Lookout National Seashore. It was simply magical. I’ve always wanted to try a pedestrian mobile activation with my antenna counterpoise dangling in saltwater, so this was a first for me.

The second activation took place the following day, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

A Flexible Plan

That morning, I had an activation site in mind but didn’t want to set anything in stone. I wanted my wife and daughters to enjoy their day doing whatever they wanted.

My Trakke EDC backpack containing no less than two full field kits!

Of course, as we walked out the door, I brought along my EDC backpack, which contained my Elecraft KH1 and KX2 compact field kits—just in case!

The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Our first stop was the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. While we’ve visited the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher numerous times, this was our first trip to Pine Knoll Shores, and we were glad we went!

One of the aquarium staff, along with three divers, gave a presentation about sharks at their massive salt water tank.

The aquarium was beautiful, with an impressive amount of diversity.

Best of all, since it was off-season, we practically had the place to ourselves, save for one school group.

We even spotted this cute little owl.

Interestingly, the aquarium is located within a POTA site: Theodore Roosevelt State Conservation Area (US-3868). The conservation area can be accessed via a footpath that winds through the surrounding woodlands and marshes.

While I briefly considered activating there, I knew we only had time for one activation that day, and I had another site in mind!

Fort Macon State Park (US-2730)

We devised a plan: I dropped off my wife and one of my daughters at a large thrift store (my wife loves thrift shopping), while my other daughter, Neva, Hazel (our dog), and I drove eight minutes to the first Fort Macon State Park beach access point.

Fort Macon State Park is a real gem on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. It’s got a little bit of everything—stunning beaches, a historic Civil War-era fort, and plenty of spots to enjoy the outdoors. The beaches are perfect for strolling, hunting for seashells, or just soaking in the ocean views, while the fort itself is packed with history and interesting exhibits. It’s also a great spot for birdwatching or fishing if that’s your thing.

I had scouted out the beach access parking lot earlier and discovered a picnic shelter that provided a much-needed wind break for the blustery day.

The goal? To be gone no longer than one hour. Factoring in the 16-18 minutes of driving (round trip), that left me about 40 minutes to deploy my station, complete the activation, pack up, and return.

Time challenge

Every time I devise a plan to complete an activation within a set amount of time, I get a bit of a thrill. It reminds me of Darren McGavin’s character, the father in A Christmas Story. When the car’s tire blows out, he doesn’t see it as an inconvenience; he sees it as a challenge and times himself replacing the tire.

Like “The Old Man” Parker, I get a kick out of timing myself during activations. I can almost hear Jean Shepherd narrating my efforts!

KX2 + AX1 to the Rescue

Since I used the KH1 the previous day at Cape Lookout, I decided to deploy my Elecraft KX2 at Fort Macon.

Again, I’d already scouted the picnic shelter during a brief visit our first evening in Beaufort. It was in a fenced area surrounded by protected dunes, with no natural antenna supports like trees or brush. Since I had packed light with just my EDC backpack, I didn’t have my carbon fiber mast or a self-supporting vertical like my MC-750.

In the past, I’ve been known to simply hang a random wire antenna over the roof trusses of a picnic shelter, and it has worked quite well in a pinch. While this was certainly an option, I also knew from experience that threading the antenna through the trusses can be a bit finicky and time-consuming.

There was no need to fiddle with a wire antenna when I had my uber-portable Elecraft AX1 antenna in the KX2 field kit case.

Setting up the KX2 and AX1 takes two minutes at a casual pace. If I’m in a hurry, I can get them paired and ready to operate in under a minute. With the gear ready, it was time to see if propagation would cooperate!

Gear

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Radio

Antenna

Pack/Case

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On The Air

Funny enough, as I started my activation, Neva took Hazel for a walk on the beach. However, Hazel had other plans—she put on her brakes and refused to venture far. She insisted on staying with me at the shelter, so Neva tied her leash nearby and went off on her own gusty beach walk. Continue reading Coastal QRP: Chasing High-Bands with the Elecraft KX2 and AX1 at Fort Macon State Park →