Category Archives: Travel

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 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, Guest Posts, Morse Code, POTA, Travel

Busted Antenna in Jasper Alberta

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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)

Ahhhh, the midwinter get-a-way. Everyone does it a bit differently, but for most of us, when you have only a few days and a couple of nights you don’t venture too far from home. And that’s how I landed in Jasper, Alberta, to stay for a couple of nights and sample the very awesome local restaurants, and of course to do some Parks On The Air.

I was accompanied by my wife and Wrangler, our Shiba Inu, for this trip and thus my activations needed to be family-friendly (ie. short!) and in scenic locations. They had to be parks I’d never done before and, at this time of year, be done from the comfort of my truck. But most importantly they needed to fit in among the restauranting we wanted to do.

The Athabasca Glacier is the most public of all the glaciers in the Columbia Icefield
North of the Columbia Icefield looking south. Columbia Icefields Skywalk is on the left
Looking north from the same spot as the photo immediately above

Travel from home to Jasper is 4.5 hours along the Trans-Canada Highway and then Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, so named due to the large number of glaciers that come within close range of the highway. For the adventurous among you, there are two tours, one takes you onto the glacier via a specially-designed tour bus with 60″ 3PSI tires, and the other is a glass walkway that overlooks the deep valley that is the start of the Athabasca River. My basophobia tells me that walking on glass floors overlooking a really deep canyon is a bad idea, and I’m told that it is spectacular nonetheless.

Jasper was the subject of an insane wildfire last Summer. 40% of the town’s structures and homes were destroyed overnight. This town runs on tourism and we were welcomed with open arms for our mid-week trip. Sadly, everyone has a story of loss in one way or another. I’ve been to Jasper several times before before, but the losses I saw – blocks-wide swaths of homes – caught me off guard emotionally. I took no photos out of respect to those that have lost everything; if you are really curious you can search for them via news sources. The landscape is changed, for now, as you can see through the trees and see the valleys around you due to the denuded or fallen timbers.

On Thursday morning my HamAlert went off as K4SWL was out at Pisgah National Forest, so I jumped into the truck for a quick P2P sortie and drove to the edge of town where electrical noise would be less. Upon my arrival my trusty screwdriver antenna would not move and, with my plan to contact Thomas scuttled, I headed back to the hotel.

Tools laid out and ready to go on the bed in the hotel
A completed field repair

Fortunately I had packed an iFixit brand Pro Tech toolkit with me, and, along with my Leatherman ES4 and Victorinox knife -and a Breathe-Right strip in place of electrical tape- I was able to repair the motor drive wire where a previous repair had vibrated apart over the 15 years I’ve owned the antenna. That successful repair set me up well for my activations for the rest of the day.

And, yes, I did a proper repair along with a bit of preventative maintenance shortly after I returned home.

Yellowhead Pass National Historic Site

Once the repair was complete, I headed out to the Yellowhead Pass National Historic Site about 28km west of Jasper. The site is pretty much a roadside pull-out at the Alberta/British Columbia border and is adorned with historical plaques. Truck traffic was rumbling by not too far away from me so the local QRM proved to be a challenge. This park is a 2fer, and I had planned on turning around and going back to town until I saw a sign just 100 yards ahead advertising Mount Robson Provincial Park – and this is another POTA entity. Beside that sign was one advertising a truck pull-out 250 yards up the road… so a quick plan was hatched to add Mt. Robson to my day’s activities.

I completed both of those activations without too much difficulty on 10, 15 and 20m CW and packed up to head back to town to get a bite of lunch at the De’d Dog Bar and Grill as it had been recommended to us. Suffice it to say that I could not finish the bowl of bison chili and I want to eat again there on a future trip.

Maligne Mountain reflecting off the still water of Maligne Lake

With our bellies full, we headed towards our final stop of the day, the Maligne Lake Chalet and Guest House National Historic Site. It’s a 45km trip through some stunning scenery along the valley floor, and climbs 500m in only the last few kilometres of the road.

For this activation I was on 20m CW and then 20m SSB. The noise floor was zero, save for when I needed to run the engine to stay warm in the -8C weather. My wife took Wrangler out for a walk thus I had time to accrue 30 contacts. But it was late in the day and we couldn’t stay forever as the sun sets fast in the mountains -so it seems anyways- and we headed back to town.

A member of the local welcoming committee greets us on the road at Medicine Lake while some other members are seen grazing on the flats in the distance (at left, centre)
Looking northward beside Medicine Lake. The fire damage is evident on the right-hand side of the valley and is about 10km north of the Jasper townsite.

We were reminded of the power of nature with the burned out forests that suddenly greeted us as we moved closer to town. It also reminds me that wildfires don’t discriminate and sometimes level one area and leave another, immediately adjacent, untouched. As we all do, I hope I never face that adversity.

What I’ve learned along the way

I was reminded of not only the awesome power of nature, but of the need to maintain our equipment. In this climate, a screwdriver antenna should be torn down and inspected at least annually, and I had not done this for a few years. I mean, after all, it has been working so why bother, right? Wrong – like all bits of our kit, maintenance is essential to trouble-free operations when you need it. I’m thankful I had a small toolkit along on this trip or there would have been activations on only 10m – the band the antenna was locked upon pre-repair.

List of gear used for these activations:

73 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.

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

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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, POTA, QRP, Travel

Camping, Contesting, and Coffee: Bob’s 10 Meter QRP Weekend

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Many thanks to Bob (K4RLC) who shares the following guest post:

Contesting – QRP CW and POTA Style – December 2024

by Bob (K4RLC)

In December, I did the ARRL 10 Meter Contest from Jordan Lake State Recreation Area US-3844, near Apex, North Carolina. This contest is not as competitive as some of the classics like the CQ WW CW or ARRL DX CW contests, so it can afford a person with a smaller station and/or less contesting experience a good time. As the contest is held the second week in December, it basically is a daytime-only contest since propagation is virtually nonexistent after dark on 10 Meters.

For this contest weekend, I had multiple competing personal and family activities. I chose Jordan Lake State Recreational Area (US-3844), about 30 miles from our house, so I could return to Raleigh Saturday night, then drive back Sunday.

I took our Winnebago Solis, the smallest Winnebago, as Alanna and I gave up tent camping a few years ago. The Solis is a wonderful camper van on a Dodge ProMaster chassis that sleeps three, has a propane-powered furnace and two-burner stove, and a refrigerator that can be powered either by propane or by the 140 W solar panels on top of the van, loading up two 100 amp-hour AGM batteries. You can boondock for days or enjoy the luxury of “shore power.”

K4RLC EmComm van named Caledonia (after Dad’s 1937 Chevy convertible)

I went out to Jordan Lake late Friday afternoon and set up an inverted V which I hoped would provide a bit of gain. I had big plans for building gain antennas for the contest (such as a Double Half-Square Curtain array or vertical Diamond), but for various reasons, this unfortunately didn’t happen. I also wanted to operate portable just as I do my POTA and SOTA activities and not from the home QTH. The rig was the Elecraft KX2, an outstanding rig that you can pound away on for a contest, just as we do with the Elecraft K3 on Field Day.

It was already dark when the contest started Friday night. While eating the stereotypical solo male dinner of Dinty Moore Beef Stew right out of the cooking pot (Alanna didn’t accompany me for this outing), I heard only two stations—big gun stations in my own county. However, the band came alive after sunrise Saturday, with the Western and Northwestern Europeans booming in. After trying the non-resonant inverted V, it soon became apparent I would need to use my fallback antenna: a 10-foot telescoping whip, no coil, on a tripod, resting on a 3’ x 7’ piece of screen wire from Lowe’s.

Quickly, I was working such diverse stations as Finland, Germany, Scotland, and Croatia. Despite being less intense than some contests, most stations were running between 30 and 34 words a minute. For the DX exchange, after a signal report, they give the serial number of your contact. This required some pretty intense concentration and listening for my old brain, particularly as I operated in the “Unassisted” category. That is, operating without use of a computer or any other spotting and/or decoding devices. Instead, all my decoding occurred strictly between the ears—the original decoder—helped by lots of strong coffee from a Stanley French Press Coffee Maker our daughter Lauren KA4LHC gave me. Logging was with an old legal pad and Bic pen.

Cup of coffee; CW Key; & KX2 – All I Need

I was amazed at how well I did with 5 watts and the KX2. In the early stages of contests, contesters are avid to make as many easy contacts as possible and typically will give up on a harder-to-copy low-power station after one or two tries and move on. On my end, I had to try multiple times for a station to copy my call, which really slowed down my QSO rate. GM5X in Scotland was kind and patient enough to take five tries to get my call and exchange. Enjoying the beautiful park site and making good contacts, the morning quickly morphed into afternoon, at which point the first of my “other obligations” required me to stop and drive back to town.

Alanna and I had been invited to a Christmas party at the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion by outgoing Governor Roy Cooper, a wonderful and kind leader. Alanna is very tolerant of my radio adventures, but she would kill me if I missed this one. Nor would she like it if I showed up unshowered in my radio activation attire. 🙂 Notably, Gov. Cooper is a fan of amateur radio, especially appreciating its vital role in past weather emergencies and particularly recent disaster operations after the tragic results of Hurricane Helene this fall in Western North Carolina.

Alanna K4AAC, Governor Cooper & Bob K4RLC

As access to the park was closed for the night, Alanna and I went back home still enjoying the beauty of the old Victorian governor’s mansion and its five Christmas trees, as well as being treated to North Carolina delicacies such as smoked mountain trout. Continue reading Camping, Contesting, and Coffee: Bob’s 10 Meter QRP Weekend →

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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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 →

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

Cape Lookout Activation: A Family Adventure and Saltwater Experiment

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Last Sunday, my family set out on a trip across North Carolina, from the mountains to the coast. Our destination was Beaufort, a charming coastal town I hadn’t visited in 17 years. This quick pre-Christmas getaway was a surprise for my daughters—and for Hazel, our dog, who loves adventure just as much as we do.

Planning for the Trip

Since our Subaru Forester was destroyed during Hurricane Helene, we’ve been relying on our Volvo C40 Recharge. While it’s a fantastic car, its limited cargo space made packing for this trip a challenge. I initially planned to squeeze in luggage, food, and radio gear for the five of us (including Hazel).

However, the logistics got tricky. Everyone packed light, but it would have been a tight fit, especially since we’d need to bring Hazel’s portable (folding) kennel. To complicate things further, we would have to stop for at least one full charge each way during the 13-hour round trip, adding 30–50 minutes to each leg of the journey.

When I learned the level 2 charger near our rental house in Beaufort might be out of service, I decided to rent a minivan instead. Thanks to our insurance provider, AMICA, the process was easy and straightforward. The added space made the trip much more comfortable.

Even with the roomier minivan, I stuck to my original plan for radio gear, bringing only my Elecraft KX2 and KH1, both neatly packed in my EDC backpack.

Arriving in Beaufort

We arrived in Beaufort on Sunday afternoon. Our AirBnB rental was perfectly situated within walking distance of the historic downtown. The home was cozy, and the location couldn’t have been better for exploring the area.

On Monday, we spent the day wandering through Beaufort, soaking in the town’s charm and history. Then, on Tuesday, December 17, we headed to Harker’s Island for a short ferry ride to Cape Lookout National Seashore and its iconic lighthouse.

The Ferry Ride

Spotting Cape Lookout Lighthouse with a low, thin ceiling

Hazel turned out to be a huge fan of ferry rides—she couldn’t get enough of speeding across the water in a small boat (and the attention of the eight others on the boat with us)!

Since it was the off-season, the island was nearly deserted, with maybe a dozen other visitors in total.

The weather was ideal: light winds, and temperatures that made it feel like pure bliss.

A Saltwater Ground-Plane Activation

You might recall from a previous post that I’d been looking forward to trying something new: a POTA activation with my antenna’s counterpoise wire dangling directly in the ocean.

[Many thanks to my daughter Neva (K4TLI) for some of these photos!]

Although I’ve activated several POTA sites near saltwater—Myrtle Beach State Park, Huntington Beach State Park, and Cape Hatteras National Seashore (on the Pamlico Sound and at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse) to name a few—this was my first time actually standing in the water with my counterpoise submerged.

Cape Lookout, with its stunning lighthouse and pristine beaches, provided the perfect setting for this experiment.

The Activation

While my wife, daughters, and Hazel explored the beaches near the lighthouse, I headed to the calm waters of Lookout Bight with my Elecraft KH1. Since we arrived at the island around 10:30 AM and needed to catch the return ferry by 1:30 PM, I limited my activation to under an hour to maximize family time.

Standing at the water’s edge, I let the KH1’s counterpoise wire dangle into the saltwater while operating pedestrian mobile. Did it make a dramatic difference in signal propagation? I can’t say for certain, other than the results were amazing!

Gear

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Radio and Antenna System

Camera and Audio Gear

On The Air

I had scheduled this activation before leaving that morning, assuming I wouldn’t have mobile coverage on the island. Surprisingly, we had excellent signals there.

My plan was straightforward: start on 17 meters, move to 15 meters, and finish on 20 meters. Since I didn’t bring my AXE 40M coil or the longer counterpoise, I planned to skip 30 and 40 meters. With limited time, I doubted I could fit those bands into the activation anyway. Continue reading Cape Lookout Activation: A Family Adventure and Saltwater Experiment →

Articles, Guest Posts, News, POTA, Travel

Bryce and Joe’s Triple-State POTA Activation

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A Triple-State POTA activation!

by Bryce Bookwalter (KD9YEY) and Joe Ladwig (W9NVY)

It’s finally winter here in Southern Indiana, which, for many, brings a time of cozy indoor activities and quiet radio time in the comfort of a warm shack. For Joe and me, however, this means it’s winter POTA time!

I have always preferred hiking in the winter—there are fewer bugs, less humidity, and typically much better views since the leaves aren’t in the way. It makes sense that my passion for outdoor radio also increases in the colder months. With work and school (Joe is a teacher) slowing down for the year, we decided it would be a good time to fit in another POTA trip.

Over the last two years, we have been checking states off our “activated” list, and lately, we have had to travel farther and farther away to find a state we haven’t activated. Joe had the lofty goal of traveling to the Minnesota (MN), North Dakota (ND), South Dakota (SD) tri-corner and catching Iowa (IA) on the way, but once we looked at the total travel time (27 hours!), we decided there might be other opportunities that are closer and less prone to winter mayhem.

We have set our sights on the corner of Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. One of the perks of being in “the crossroads of America” is that there are many places within a day’s drive. This intersection of three states is no exception. With a mere 6.5-hour drive, we will be able to activate three states in one day. We plan to overnight in Wheeling, WV, and then start our triple-state POTA adventure the next day.

Our first destination is US-0704 Fort Necessity National Battlefield in PA. With 68 activations already on record here, it seems like it will be a great place to activate. I have always enjoyed history, so this site is one that I am particularly excited to see. Activating at National Parks can have its challenges, so we will be sure to plan our equipment accordingly.

Our journey continues into Maryland, where we will try to activate at US-6400 Youghiogheny Wild River State Natural Area. This area is part of the Mississippi watershed that stretches from the western slope of the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Rockies in the west. Based on the topography I see on the map, this spot has the potential for some beautiful views. This site has 46 reported activations, with 45 of them being successful, so we anticipate victory!

Our final state to activate this day will have us traveling back into West Virginia. We will stay another night in Wheeling before heading home the next day, and US-5585 Coopers Rock State Forest is conveniently on the way. Coopers Rock is another site with some amazing topography, at least according to the map, and I am very excited to see it! According to the website, “Coopers Rock State Forest boasts some of the most iconic views in Almost Heaven.” I’ve been to West Virginia several times, and the views never disappoint.

With our destinations selected, the next step is to pick the proper gear. With a trip of this scale, and this far from our ham shacks, it’s important to plan carefully. I always like to have backups when I go to activate, but in this case, I think having a few extra will be a good idea. Since this is a trip for POTA, we really have the entire vehicle to pack gear into, so why not bring all the toys?! Another important consideration is the parks we have chosen. One of them is a historic battlefield and a National Park… I can’t imagine throwing heavy lines into trees and hoisting antennas into the air will be tolerated, so having an antenna system that doesn’t require that will be an important consideration.

With these factors in mind, we have selected the following gear:

Radios

    • Yaesu FT-891 w/ tuner: This workhorse always delivers exceptional performance and I’m not saying anything new to speak of its POTA capabilities. Due to its size (especially with tuner) and weight, this isn’t a first choice for me as a backpacking radio. But with a car to carry it, and not having to carry a full camping loadout along with it, this radio is a go-to for our POTA escapades.
    • Xiegu G90: If you’ve watched any of my YouTube videos you know that this is my typical POTA rig. It relatively lightweight, has an internal tuner, and isn’t a huge battery draw with it’s 20W max output. I typically run it at 10W to give myself the QRP challenge and it consistently performs very well.
    • QRP Labs QMX: This little beauty is my backpacking radio of choice. It is incredibly lightweight and versatile. Currently, as far as I am aware, it still only runs CW and Digital modes. Eventually it will have the capability to run SSB and I am very excited for when that day comes. Until then, I use it for FT8 in the field and it does a great job. I am still learning CW so I haven’t used it to make contacts that way yet, but I will soon!
    • Yaesu FT-60: This is my HT of choice, which I always like to have with me when I travel. Before I leave, I will have the local repeaters programmed into it and it will be fun to try and reach a 2m/70cm contact via simplex while at the parks as well.
    • Yaesu VX-6: This is Joe’s HT of choice and another great radio from Yaesu. With it we can also try and get a 1.25m simplex contact…if band operators are out there.

Antennas

 

    • PackTenna!: The first thing going into my kit is the PackTenna! This antenna has proven itself to be incredibly capable and super easy to use. I have the 40m extension that goes with it as well and between its performance and the weight…it has quickly become my favorite antenna.
    • SOTABeams Bandhopper 3: This antenna is a 20m, 30m, and 40m dipole and works wonderfully, especially when paired with the Tactical Mast from SOTABeams. The only drawback to using this antenna is that to change bands, you must lower the antenna to the ground and connect or disconnect the alligator clips along the wire. Other than that, this antenna does great work.
    • K9EI Antennas: Joe and I both use K9EI antennas and they work great. Not only is K9EI a local in our area but he also makes great products. The 20m EFHW is always in my kit as a reliable backup and has saved my activation on numerous occasions. Joe has a 40mEFHW that is incredibly useful and has a unique design. With its rugged construction and versatility, it is Joe’s antenna of choice for POTA.
    • Wolf River Coil SOTA Special: Yes, yes, yes…another antenna. This vertical antenna has been fun to experiment with. It’s the only vertical I own, or have used for that matter, and it’s done the job each time. I used it for my first ever SOTA, which you can see on my YouTube channel. These types of antennas are great to have along with you when you are unsure of the area you are trying to activate in. If there aren’t trees, or if you aren’t allowed to utilize trees, or put stakes in the ground for guy lines, these verticals are a low-impact solution that will usually get the job done. I picked this one up at Hamvention 2024 and it’s been a great addition to the fleet.

Masts

Masts are a great solution for wires-in-the-air without having lines in trees. I have two masts and will be bringing both.

      • The SOTABeams Tactical 7000H has been a great addition to my kit and has served me well for a couple years now. It is a bit on the heavy side, but it stands tall and strong in many configurations and has accomplished every task I’ve asked of it.
      • The POTA20 is my newest addition which I picked up at the Huntsville Hamfest. This lightweight mast is my backpacking mast of choice. It is super bendy and can have trouble holding up a ton of weight, but it remains incredibly useful and one I carry on all my POTA trips.

Other Gear

Since we have the luxury of a vehicle, and not everything having to go into a backpack, we can bring along all the comfort items.

      • Table
      • Chairs
      • Laptop (though I still like to log with pen and paper)
      • Camera gear (for filming YouTube videos)
      • Bag of connectors, adapters, fuses, wire, alligator clips, tools, etc. (Very Important)

Needless to say, we are both looking forward to this trip very much. The parks mentioned above are the parks we will for sure be going to, but there are also other parks in the area and if time allows, we will try and add more to our list.

You can also see a video of our adventure at @backpackingbooky on YouTube. You can also search for Bryce Bookwalter / KD9YEY on YouTube to find the channel.

Thanks for reading and thank you to Thomas for sharing his platform and I’ll see you down trail!

Antennas, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel

Saltwater Activation: Always Wanted to Try This…

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I finally got to try something I’ve always dreamed of: proper QRP saltwater ground-planing!

This week, we’ve been in Beaufort, North Carolina—a charming coastal town that I can’t recommend enough. As I mentioned in a post last week, I brought along my Elecraft KX2 and KH1 for the trip.

Turns out, Hazel loves riding in speedy boats!

On Tuesday, we hopped on a small boat/ferry to Cape Lookout National Seashore (US-0683). Since it’s off-season, the island was nearly empty—there were maybe a dozen other visitors there. The weather? Absolutely perfect. It felt like pure bliss.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist scheduling a POTA activation. I packed the KH1 in my backpack and set off to explore.

For the activation, I went pedestrian mobile, standing right at the edge of the saltwater at Lookout Bight. Holding the KH1, I let the counterpoise wire dangle directly into the calm Atlantic waters.

Does submerging a counterpoise in saltwater make a dramatic difference in signal propagation? Honestly, I can’t say for sure—but I can confirm this: it works. The experience was incredible, and the activation felt like a huge success.

The view behind me during the activation.

I’ll be posting the activation video in the next few days, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you: has anyone else experimented with putting a counterpoise wire directly into saltwater? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts—please share in the comments!

News, Travel

Similar ETA: Rediscovering Navigation Skills in the Age of GPS

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If you don’t mind, indulge me in something that’s slightly off-topic.

I’ve always loved maps—especially paper maps. Even in an age of GPS and sat nav, I still keep a North Carolina Gazetteer in my car.

I love the detail, the elevation lines, and the fact that a Gazetteer doesn’t need a charge.

So, while this post has little to do with QRP, POTA, or SOTA, it has everything to do with navigation.

The Modern Navigation Revolution

There’s no denying that tools like Google Maps have revolutionized the way we travel. I use Google Maps regularly:

  • For long trips
  • When I’m traveling to a new address or exploring an unfamiliar town
  • When I’m finding local hot spots—like that BBQ joint everyone’s raving about during an overnight stay
  • And, of course, for POTA parks and SOTA trailheads.

But here’s the thing: as a rule, I don’t use GPS for hometown travel. Lately, though, it’s been a necessity. In western North Carolina, the post-Hurricane Helene landscape is filled with washed-out bridges and detours. Traffic jams are frequent. Google Maps’ live traffic updates and re-routing have been lifesavers, so I’ve been using it daily.

The Trade-Off: Are We Losing Navigation Skills?

As amazing as GPS tools are, I can’t help but wonder if they’re eroding our ability to store directions in our heads.

That’s why, as I teach my daughters to drive, I don’t allow them to use GPS around town. They need to learn the roads and build that mental map. Some of their friends (and even a few adults I know) rely so heavily on navigation apps that they can’t find their way across town without them.

(Golly, this is starting to sound like an 80-meter rant, isn’t it? Ha!)

Maybe this is on my mind because we’re on a family trip to the North Carolina coast. Out here, I’ve been deliberately trying to navigate in my head rather than defaulting to Google Maps. There’s no traffic, and we’re on no schedule, so it’s the perfect time to rely on the sat nav between my ears.

I’ve always felt uncomfortable when I don’t “understand” the layout of a place—the proverbial lay of the land. So I enjoy the challenge of piecing it together mentally.

The Genius of “Similar ETA”

That said, there’s one feature I love about navigation tools like Google Maps: Similar ETA.

You know what I mean. You’re driving along, and Google Maps suggests an alternate route, labeled “Similar ETA” or “2-3 Minutes Slower.”

I have a rule: if I’ve never taken that road before, I take it.

It’s brilliant.

I remember once driving back from Philadelphia with my buddy Mark, who was visiting from Australia. We were on a familiar two-lane highway when Google Maps started offering alternate routes, each only adding a few minutes. With Mark’s enthusiastic approval, we took almost every one.

And wow—what a treat! On one route, we passed a convoy of Amish families in horse-drawn carriages. On another, we crossed a beautiful covered bridge. Mark was elated—two quintessential American sights checked off his bucket list.

Even at home, Google Maps’ “Similar ETA” feature has taught me a few surprising shortcuts. I’ve realized that some routes I thought were long detours are, in fact, efficient alternatives when a main road is jammed.

The Takeaway

So what’s the point of all this?

Honestly, it’s just something on my mind this morning, and I thought I’d share it. Maybe there are others out there who, like me, get a little thrill out of exploring “Similar ETA” routes.

I’d also encourage you to turn off GPS navigation when you don’t really need it. Navigation is a skill—one that’s easy to lose if we don’t use it regularly.

Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about understanding the big-picture layout of a place. Paper maps offer that wide-angle view of the world around us, and the mental maps we build reinforce it.

Off to the Ferry…

In an hour or so, we’re heading to a ferry terminal. I’ve already mapped the route in my head. Here’s hoping there’s good signage so I don’t have to cave and use GPS like a big, fat hypocrite!

72,
Thomas (K4SWL)