Category Archives: Videos

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 →

Field Reports, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Videos

Twofer: Impromptu Trail & Parkway Activation with the Elecraft KH1

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As I’ve mentioned countless times, what I love most about the Elecraft KH1 is how it has become my EDC (Everyday Carry) radio. It’s the perfect companion for those impromptu activations I manage to squeeze into my daily routine.

Take Thursday, December 5, 2024, for example.

Around 3:00 PM, fresh from a physical therapy session (working on that shoulder!), I found myself rerouting due to a washed-out bridge on Highway 70—a lingering reminder of Hurricane Helene. The quickest path home took me along a short stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. And, as any POTA enthusiast knows, you must seize the chance for an activation if you’re on the Parkway anyway!

Time was tight—just 25 minutes from start to finish—but that’s all I needed.

2-Fer Time!

I parked at the Folk Art Center, grabbed the KH1 from my EDC bag, and hiked a short stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). This lucky spot scored me and my hunters a 2-fer: US-8313 (MST) and US-3378 (Blue Ridge Parkway).

I had the parking area all to myself.

In addition to the KH1, I actually had my camera with me because I’ve been planning a video to showcase the gear I carry in my EDC backpack. No doubt, when I eventually produce that video, I’ll reference this activation as an example of why it’s so nice to have an Everyday Carry radio.

Gusty Winds

It was a gusty day, and unfortunately, my wireless mics (with wind screens) were still in my full radio bag at home. Without them to combat wind noise, I opted to record the video intro and summary from the relative calm of my car.

I only walked, perhaps, 50 meters down the MST.

For the activation itself, I used audio piped directly from the KH1 into my digital recorder—clean, crisp, and wind-free. The downside? No narration during the activation.

Ironically, setting up the camera took longer than setting up the KH1. The radio was ready in a breezy 15 seconds, while the camera setup stole a couple of precious minutes.

Gear:

My KH1 in the M40 Pelican case with my Tufteln angle adapter on top. This was my entire field radio kit.

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

Radio Gear

Camera/Audio Gear

On The Air

I hopped on the air and called CQ POTA. Fortunately, the RBN picked me up right away, and since I’d announced the activation just minutes before, I was spotted on POTA.app in no time. Continue reading Twofer: Impromptu Trail & Parkway Activation with the Elecraft KH1 →

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

Turning Half a Watt and the Tiny AX1 Antenna into a Proper POTA Adventure!

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On Friday, November 15, 2024, a window of opportunity opened up for me to fit in a POTA activation—and I couldn’t be happier I took it!

Life in Swannanoa is gradually normalizing after Hurricane Helene, but free time remains scarce. I imagine my neighbors would echo this sentiment, especially since so many of our local businesses—lifelines for the community—are gone.

One example: Our post office

Take our local post office, for instance. Severely damaged by flooding, it operated from a temporary mobile unit for about a month.

Our mobile post office. The shipping container next to it held parcels for pickup.

Unfortunately, as cold weather settled in, the mobile post office was shut down, and operations were moved to a facility 40 minutes away—a location entirely out of my regular travel routes.

The staff there have been working tirelessly under challenging conditions, but receiving both mail and parcels has become an unreliable ordeal. Parcels are delayed, letters are misplaced, and some items—like our insurance check and my daughters’ university acceptance letters sent in October—have yet to arrive.

Thankfully, in this digital age, we’ve found workarounds. Most communications can be routed online, and we are now having our parcels sent to my friend Vlado’s QTH for safekeeping. Thank you so much, Vlado!

We’re sorting it all out, but we know that some items will simply be lost in the confusion and shuffle.

An Unexpected Activation Window

On this particular Friday, I planned to pick up two FedEx packages from Vlado after dropping my daughter off at her Shakespeare rehearsal. When I called to confirm the delivery time, Vlado and I discovered that the packages wouldn’t arrive for several more hours.

Suddenly, I found myself with a two-hour window—just enough time for a quick POTA activation!

Pisgah National Forest (US-4510)

The closest POTA site to my daughter’s rehearsal spot was Sycamore Flats in Pisgah National Forest, about a 20-minute drive away. Factoring in setup, teardown, and round trip drive, I’d have roughly an hour for the activation.

Shaking things up

As I drove, I pondered how I could make this activation unique.

I rarely stick to the same setup, preferring to experiment with different radios, antennas, and configurations. This time, though, my SOTA pack and EDC bag contained the same gear I’d used in previous activations: my Elecraft KX2, KH1, an EFHW antenna, and a few other field accessories.

Then I remembered the AX1 in my LowePro Case—it had been a while since I used this compact antenna in the field.

Inspired to make things even more challenging, I decided to attempt the activation with only one watt of power.

That would turn a routine activation into something a wee bit more adventurous.

When I arrived on site, I chose the picnic shelter as my location since it wasn’t occupied and it had some of the only picnic tables still in place after Helene flooding.

Setup was quick, and in no time, I was ready to hit the air!

Gear:

Note: All Amazon and eBay links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.

Radio

Antenna

Pack/Case

Camera/Audio Gear

On The Air

If you watch my activation video (see below), you’ll notice that after tuning up, I remembered to lower my power before calling CQ. (My KX2 always defaults to 5 watts, which is typically my maximum output power.) As I adjusted the power level to one watt, I thought, “Why not lower it a bit more?” Continue reading Turning Half a Watt and the Tiny AX1 Antenna into a Proper POTA Adventure! →

Field Reports, How To, Morse Code, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, SSB, Videos

Xiegu G106: From Unboxing to Your First POTA Activation (Beginner-Friendly Video!)

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Earlier this week, I mentioned that I purchased a Xiegu G106 in September. Its delivery was delayed because I had it shipped to my local post office, which, as you likely know, was flooded during Hurricane Helene.

With all the post-Helene chaos, I haven’t been able to do as much POTA as I’d like, so the G106 sat unopened in its box—until Wednesday, November 20, 2024, when I finally had a chance to take it out for its maiden activation at Lake James State Park (US-2739)!

Why the Xiegu G106?

Last year, Radioddity sent me a G106 on loan, and I wrote an in-depth review after taking it on several activations. That review was lengthy because radios like the G106—designed as price leaders—often have compromises that may not suit everyone. It’s essential to judge such radios based on their goals, not by comparing them to premium models like the Icom IC-705.

For the G106, the question I aimed to answer was: “Does this radio accomplish what it sets out to do?”

I believe its mission is to offer affordable field radio fun—capable of completing park or summit activations without excessive struggle, providing performance commensurate with its price point.

I decided to purchase the G106 because I had returned my loaner unit over a year ago, but questions about it kept coming from readers. Instead of requesting another loaner, I opted to buy one.

To my surprise, the pricing had dropped significantly. Here’s my order confirmation:

Interestingly, as I mentioned earlier this week, Amazon (at time of posting) has a Black Friday deal for the G106 (without accessories) $199 shipped for Prime members [QRPer affiliate link].

I’d have chosen that over the bundle I ordered had it been available at the time.

Unboxing to Activation

It was a rainy day at Lake James.

A common question from readers has been, “Would the Xiegu G106 work as a dedicated field radio for POTA activations?”

Perfect weather to set up in a picnic shelter!

Most of these inquiries came from newcomers to ham radio, so I decided to test the radio in the field by setting it up from scratch—straight out of the box. This included attaching connectors to the power cord, configuring the radio, setting up the antenna, and hopping on the air.

This is a lot of picnic shelter for such a small radio setup!

I started the activation using SSB (voice) and later switched to CW (Morse Code) to give a full “out-of-the-box” experience.

The resulting activation video (below) is lengthy but was incredibly fun to film!

Gear:

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Radio

Antenna & Cable Assembly

Throw Line

Pack

Logging Supplies

Key and Cable

Battery and Power Distribution

Camera/Audio Gear

Misc

On The Air

This activation was nothing short of amazing.

I began in SSB mode, using only the default mic settings. Despite operating at just 5 watts, I logged 21 hunters in 17 minutes—woo-hoo! While most signal reports were low, no one mentioned issues with my audio. I suspect results will improve once I fine-tune the mic gain settings. Continue reading Xiegu G106: From Unboxing to Your First POTA Activation (Beginner-Friendly Video!) →

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

No Table, No Problem: TGIF Activation in Pisgah National Forest!

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On Friday, November 8, 2024, my wife and I ran errands while one of our daughters attended a Shakespeare rehearsal.

Since these rehearsals typically last 2–3 hours, I try to make the most of the time by completing errands and squeezing in a POTA activation when possible.

That day, my wife encouraged me to fit in a quick activation, provided we could also handle a few errands in town.

Fortunately, one of our stops was near the Sycamore Flats picnic area in Pisgah National Forest (K-4510). I’ve been activating this site almost weekly since Hurricane Helene swept through North Carolina, as it has been one of the few accessible parks. (Thankfully, as of today, a few more sites have reopened!)

When we arrived, we saw a large group of volunteers working to clean up the area. They were filling holes in the road and repairing picnic table pads damaged by flooding.

To avoid getting in their way, I set up under the trees by the river, away from the main picnic area where they were working.

Sadly, none of the picnic tables near the river remained—they were likely swept away by the floodwaters. This wasn’t an issue, as my POTA/SOTA pack always has everything I need for a fully self-contained activation.

Two of my favorite field accessories

Two pieces of gear make it incredibly easy for me to activate anywhere: my Helinox Chair Zero and my Tufteln N0RNM Folding Knee Board.

While I’ve activated sitting on logs, large rocks, or the ground, I increasingly appreciate the comfort of a proper chair. The Helinox Chair Zero is a game-changer: lightweight, sturdy, and easy to pack. It’s pricey, but I’ve never regretted the investment.

The Helinox chair is quick to deploy and stable on the ground, unlike the three-legged trail stools I used to carry!
My KX2 on the Tufteln kneeboard earlier this year at Lake James.

The Tufteln kneeboard is another essential. It’s just large enough to hold portable radios (KX1, KX2, KX3, TR-35, TX-500, MTR-3B, QMX, QCX, CFT1, etc.) and my Rite in the Rain notepad. Strapped to my leg, it provides a stable surface for logging and operating.

This is exactly how I set up my station that day at Sycamore Flats.

Next, I deployed my MM0OPX 40 meter end-fed half-wave, connected it to the KX2 (double-checking that the ATU was in bypass mode) and hopped on the air!

Gear:

My entire station is in this Nemo Resolve pack.

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Radio

Antenna & Supports

Cable Assembly

Throw Line and Accessories

Other Field Gear and Accessories

Packs & Cases

Logging Supplies

Camera/Audio Gear

On The Air

As I mention in the activation video (below), setup and pack-up took longer than my actual on-air time. My wife waited in the car, catching up on post-Hurricane Helene financial tasks. Continue reading No Table, No Problem: TGIF Activation in Pisgah National Forest! →

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

Testing my MTR-3B field kit before a weekend of SOTA (spoiler: that never happened)

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Two days before Hurricane Helene impacted western North Carolina (Wednesday, September 25, 2024), I stopped by the Blue Ridge Parkway for a quick POTA activation to thoroughly test my MTR-3B self-contained field kit.

This was crucial, as I had plans to conduct multiple SOTA activations during the 2024 W4 SOTA campout in north Georgia the following week. (Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Helene, I had to cancel those plans.)

The importance of a full field trial

This is something I always emphasize during presentations about SOTA, POTA, or traveling with radio: don’t assume your field kit is complete and fully functional—you must test it to know for sure.

A field test confirms two things:

  1. You have everything you need inside your kit to complete an activation.
  2. Everything in the kit actually works.

When preparing for something like a SOTA weekend or a family vacation, I usually deploy each of my field kits either at home or a local park. I power up the radio and make at least one contact, essentially mimicking a real activation. If everything works, I know the kit is good to go!

This simple process is an incredibly effective way to ensure your gear is ready for action.

Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3788)

That Wednesday, I squeezed in the activation between errands in town. The Folk Art Center near Highway 70 in East Asheville is the perfect spot—it’s a quick and easy detour.

Or at least it was before Helene. Now, with two bridges damaged—especially one major bridge on Highway 70—the two-minute detour to the Folk Art Center has turned into a 15-25 minute round trip, depending on traffic. (You never realize how essential bridges are until they’re gone!)

I parked near the picnic area, grabbed my gear, and headed for my usual picnic table setup spot.

Unfortunately, it was absolutely crawling with ants—likely a result of spilled juice or food. I moved to the other picnic table in the same area.

Testing the MTR-3B Kit in Real-Time

In the video, you’ll see me use every piece of gear in the field kit, except for the “bare bones” arborist throw line and weight. Since I had my other Weaver throw line kit with me, I used it to save time. I’d recently tested and re-packed the throw line in the MTR-3B kit, so I already knew it was in working order.

Setup was quick and easy. Once I connected the antenna and powered up the radio, I used my N6ARA Tiny SWR Meter to confirm I had a good match—since the MTR-3B LCD lacks an SWR meter. Fortunately, I had a perfect impedance match.

Time to play radio!

Gear (MTR-3B Self-Contained Field Kit)

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Radio
Watertight Case
Antenna System
Key
Battery
Logging
Audio
  • Sennheiser earbuds with in-line analog volume control (discontinued 1999 model)
Backpack
Camera and Audio Recording

On The Air

I started calling CQ POTA on 20 meters, and within minutes, the contacts started rolling in. Woo-hoo! Continue reading Testing my MTR-3B field kit before a weekend of SOTA (spoiler: that never happened) →

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

Testing New POTA Gear: High-Band QMX, Explorer Carbon Fiber Mast, Pressure Paddle, and a Packed Nemo Resolve 25L

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Please note that this POTA (Parks On The Air) activation took place on September 19, 2024—eight days before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. This is one of a few field reports and activation videos I’ll be sharing that took place before Helene’s arrival.

As I mentioned in my last field report, I haven’t been back to the Vance State Historic Site since the storm, as it’s been closed. Located in the Reems Creek valley, the site likely experienced extensive flooding. I hope this park can recover and reopen soon.

I hope you enjoy this field report and activation video. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reliving it while preparing this for you.

Thank you!
Thomas (K4SWL)

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, I made time for a POTA activation at the Zebulon Vance Birthplace (US-6856) and brought along a few new items to make it even more interesting.

New Pack

I packed my new gear along with extra equipment to fill out my new Nemo Resolve 25L backpack (check it out in gear links below). I wanted to see how well it could handle a full load and how comfortable it would be to carry.

Turns out, it’s very comfortable, and I could easily fit more in this pack than I’d likely ever need. It’s a keeper.

New QMX

First, I brought along a new QRP Labs QMX transceiver. If you’ve been a long-time reader, you’ll know I’ve had a QMX for about a year and think it’s a brilliant little radio. This one, however, is the “high band” version, meaning it covers 20-10 meters. My other QMX is the “low band” version, covering 80-20 meters.

As soon as the high band QMX was announced by QRP Labs, I grabbed one. I purchased an assembled version, knowing it could be a year (or much longer) before I’d have time to actually build one.

When I received this new QMX—I’m not sure, months ago?—I tucked it away in a drawer while reorganizing my shack, then promptly forgot about it (in my defense, I had a crazy year). I eventually rediscovered it, and here we are!

I’d been looking forward to taking it to the field.

New Carbon Fiber Mast

At Hamvention this year (2024), I ran into my good friend Mike Roberge (KE8PTX). He told me he was super excited about a new product that had been showcased—not a flagship radio or similar, but the Explorer POTA20Carbon Fiber Mast. 

Mike was one of the very few people who actually purchased one at Hamvention to take home. I believe Gigaparts only had two or three on hand—mainly for demo—so everyone else had to place an order and wait 6-8 weeks for the first shipment.

Meanwhile, Mike, being the clever fellow he is, designed a 3D-printed ground spike holder that fits a tent stake. This allows the user to unscrew the base cap of the Explorer mast, insert Mike’s ground spike, and support the mast without needing guy wires, etc.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because Mike made a video about how easy it is to deploy the Explorer mast with his ground spike.

I purchased my Explorer pole via Gigapart’s online store during or right after Hamvention. I didn’t receive my mast until sometime in August. This activation was the first time I tried it out in the field.

I deployed my 20M EFHW (built on a TennTennas transformer) by attaching one end to the tip of the Explorer pole, then sloping it down so the feedpoint was close to the edge of the picnic shelter at Vance.

K3ES’s Grippy Pressure Paddle

Another item I rediscovered in September was a VK3IL pressure paddle my good friend Brian (K3ES) gave me at Four Days in May during Hamvention. His version is a standard VK3IL pressure paddle, but with some padded material under the heat shrink, making it easier for big hands to grip.

Brian’s paddle paired nicely with the QMX!

With everything set up, it was time to hit the air.

Gear:

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Radio

Antenna, Support & Cable Assembly

Packs & Cases

Speakers & Headphones

Logging Supplies

Key and Key Accessories

Battery

Camera/Audio Gear

On The Air

The QMX, of course, performed well during this activation.

I did encounter some difficulties at the beginning when the QMX produced significant audio pops in the CW sidetone audio whenever I keyed the radio. I spent a few minutes troubleshooting and even changed speakers, thinking it might have been an issue with the Soundcore Mini.

It turned out to be related to toggling the AGC function. I eventually managed to resolve the audio pops and used the Soundcore Mini. I’m not sure I could replicate the process exactly, but I got it working. (If you’ve had a similar experience, I’d love your input.)

Otherwise, the activation went very smoothly.

I worked my first ten stations in eight minutes—woot!

Activity slowed down a bit after the first ten, but I still managed to work 17 stations in under half an hour.

Many thanks to everyone who hunted me!

QSO Map

Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map:

Screenshot

Activation Video

Here’s my real-time, real-life video of the entire activation.  As with all of my videos, I don’t edit out any parts of the on-air activation time. In addition, I have monetization turned off on YouTube, although that doesn’t stop them from inserting ads before and after my videos.

Note that Patreon supporters can watch and even download this video 100% ad-free through Vimeo on my Patreon page:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Explorer Carbon Fiber Mast

I love that the Explorer mast fits easily in my Nemo backpack. I see myself using it a lot for SOTA and POTA activations where suspending an antenna in a tree isn’t possible.

It’s super lightweight and compact, and Mike’s ingenious tent stake spike mod makes this mast so easy to deploy.

I also enjoyed using Brian’s pressure paddle during this activation—thank you, OM! It’s comfortable to grip and use.

This high-band QMX will make a brilliant SOTA transceiver. I need to take advantage of these high bands while the ionosphere supports them this solar cycle!

Thank you

Thank you for joining me during this activation!
I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Also, thank you for all of your recent support and kind messages following Hurricane Helene.

Of course, I’d also like to send a special thanks to those of you who have been supporting the site and channel through Patreon, and the Coffee Fund. While not a requirement, as my content will always be free, I really appreciate the support.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me!

Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

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

The POTA Babe Donates Blood at Congaree Bluffs Park

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By Teri KO4WFP

In my last article, I activated Hanging Rock Battleground State Historic Site and then Glenn and I spent the evening at an Airbnb in Camden, South Carolina. Monday, October 14th was the last day of our trip. There was no way this POTA Babe was missing out on an activation on the trip home.

Sunday evening, after the Hanging Rock activation, I searched for a nearby park on the POTA website and settled on Wateree River Heritage Preserve Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (US-10414) as it looked interesting and was on the drive home. However, I didn’t pay attention to the fact a lottery deer hunt would be held on Monday and the park closed to anyone not involved in the hunt. I discovered this fact that morning upon arriving at the site. It was time for a Plan B ASAP.

entrance to Wateree Heritage Preserve WMA

Looking on the POTA website, both Congaree National Park (US-0017) and Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve WMA (US-3916) were nearby. I recall reading that some of the boardwalks/trails in the national park were impacted from Hurricane Helene.  So I opted to visit Congaree Bluffs instead.

Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve is owned by the State of South Carolina. The property was purchased in 2001 with the express purpose of protecting the bluffs and flood plain on the south side of the Congaree River. The high bluffs in this area are not common because central South Carolina is mostly flat. The 201 acres of the park contain significant stands of American beech, oak-hickory, and bottomland hardwood forest. There were also stands of loblolly pines at the time of purchase that management planned to convert to longleaf pine stands over time.

The road into Congaree Bluffs is dirt but appears well maintained. There is a kiosk and signage just as you enter the park.

dirt access road – Turkey Track Lane (what a great name!)

We drove to the parking lot just down the road from the education center. I didn’t have much familiarity with this park since it was a last minute choice. A hasty glance at hiking sites showed the Bluff-River Walk that left from this parking lot down to the Congaree River.  How difficult could that be?

entrance for Bluff-River Walk

Glenn and I walked around the trail gate and began our descent. The first thing we noticed was how many trees were down across the trail as well as vines and other foliage making passage difficult. As we continued our descent, we began to notice the mosquitos. I was wearing long sleeves and pants and had brought bug spray but these mosquitos were not easily deterred. By the time we reached the river, it was obvious we’d be nothing but blood donors there and an activation needed to happen elsewhere.

a tree downed across the trail
on the hike to the river
neat lichens on one of the downed trees
our quick view of the Congaree River

Arriving back at the car, I opted to activate in the parking lot. A stand of pines nearby provided shade (though I augmented that with my Mountain Laurel Designs tarp) and a fairly steady breeze kept the bugs at bay.

a pine stand near the car providing shade
the tarp lazily draped to provide extra shade

As both Glenn and I had CW Innovations classes to coach later that evening, I didn’t have much time for an activation. I opted for the Chelegance MC-750 and, once it was set up, hopped onto 20 meters figuring that band would give me the best chance at a successful activation in a short time-frame. It did! I had 23 QSOs with two park-to-park QSOs in 30 minutes. (Note: One park-to-park didn’t count after the fact as I entered it incorrectly in my log.)

QSO Map for Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve WMA (US-3916) 10-14-2024                               source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

The only fly in the ointment for my time on 20 meters was the QSB and noise which increased later in the activation. Usually I encounter noise on 40 meters, not 20, but the KX2 filters were a huge help in countering that issue. (I love that little rig!) As for the QSB, well, the best counter for that is plenty of time on the air to gain experience in dealing with it.

If you’d like to see footage of the park as well as get Glenn’s and my take as to whether or not we’d return to Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve, check out the video on my Youtube channel.

This activation places me at 44 activations toward my goal of 60 new, valid park activations for 2024. I’m not sure I’ll be able to complete this goal; however, I will see how far I can get. Where will I show up for park #45? Stay tuned…

Equipment Used

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

Uncompromised Performance: Taking my new-to-me Ten-Tec Argonaut VI to the field!

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In late August 2024, I came across what I considered a great deal on a fantastic radio, which I’m excited to share with you in the following field report.

Please note that this POTA (Parks On The Air) activation took place on September 5, 2024 (almost exactly two months ago)—three weeks before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. This is one of a few field reports and activation videos I’ll be sharing that took place before Helene’s arrival.

I haven’t been back to the Vance State Historic Site since the storm, as it’s been closed. Located in the Reems Creek valley, the site likely experienced extensive flooding. I hope this park can recover and reopen soon.

I hope you enjoy this field report and activation video. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reliving it while preparing this for you.

Thank you!
Thomas (K4SWL)

Reunited with the Model 539

In late August, I was browsing the QTH.com classifieds when I spotted a radio I hadn’t seen for sale in some time: the Ten-Tec Argonaut VI QRP transceiver. This radio had been on my mental watchlist for years.

The seller was asking $440, which I considered a great deal for a radio that, to my knowledge, hasn’t been in production since Ten-Tec closed its Sevierville, TN factory in 2016.

This radio and I have some history together. I was one of the original volunteer Beta testers for the Argonaut VI and, in 2012, wrote a full review of the production model.

Ten-Tec offered me a chance to purchase my Beta unit (updated to full production specs) with a modest discount. But at the time, I simply couldn’t afford it; we’d just built our house, and I couldn’t justify the purchase, especially since I’d also reviewed and bought my Elecraft KX3 that same year.

I always planned to get an Argonaut VI eventually—better late than never, right?

As I mention in my activation video, I plan to make a “Getting to Know You” video for the Argonaut VI soon, so I won’t dive deep into why I love this radio here.

The takeaway? I feel the Argonaut VI has some of the best overall receiver performance of any radio I’ve used. It’s quirky and certainly not perfect, but its excellent receiver, filtering, audio, and QSK make it a benchmark QRP transceiver.

Getting Reacquainted

While the Argo VI was en route to my QTH, I wanted to refresh my memory on its operation.

Since it had been twelve years since I last used the Argonaut VI, I had to revisit my own review to remember some of its nuances!

When it arrived, I quickly put it on the air and operated it from my shack until I had a chance to take it to the field on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

Vance Historic Birthplace (US-6856)

As I always do with smaller POTA sites like Vance, I called ahead to make sure the picnic shelter wouldn’t be reserved at my arrival time. The park ranger replied, “It’s all yours, Thomas!”

The weather was nearly perfect that Thursday, with a hint of fall in the air.

En route to the site, I thought about my antenna options. Since the Argo VI doesn’t have a built-in ATU, I opted to use a resonant antenna for simplicity. In the end, I chose my Chelegance MC-750 vertical, which I set up next to the picnic shelter.

The MC-750 is a quarter-wave antenna, so I extended the telescoping whip for a match on the 20-meter band.

I don’t yet have a field kit specifically built around the Argonaut VI, so I simply brought along various accessories in my Husky weathertight storage box.

I set up the radio, tuned to 20 meters, checked my settings, and was ready to take the Argo VI on its first POTA activation!

Gear

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On The Air

I hopped on the air and, within eleven minutes, worked my first ten stations. Continue reading Uncompromised Performance: Taking my new-to-me Ten-Tec Argonaut VI to the field! →

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

My First Post-Helene POTA Activation!

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On Friday, October 24, 2024, I performed my first POTA activation exactly one month (to the day) after Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina.

It felt oh so good!

As many of you know who’ve been following my Post-Helene updates, I simply haven’t had time to do POTA or SOTA activations. And even if I wanted to, most of the POTA sites around me are temporarily closed due to damage from Helene.

Truthfully, I didn’t start my day expecting a POTA activation. I’d planned, if anything, to make a short field radio video somewhere on my property, chase some POTA/SOTA stations, and make any other random contacts.

However, my daughter’s Shakespeare class decided to meet in person, so after dropping her off at 12:30, I had about two hours of free time. Before leaving home, I packed a couple of radio bags just in case I could find a spot for a POTA activation, or at least visit a local park to play radio for a bit.

I realized I was only a 20-minute drive from the Sycamore Flats picnic site in Pisgah National Forest (US-4510), where I’ve activated many times before. This site is in Transylvania County, which wasn’t hit as hard by Helene.

Google Maps showed the site as open, so I decided to drive over. Thankfully, it was correct! When I arrived, the front gate was open and there were a few visitors around.

I could tell the site had some storm damage—some tree limbs down and evidence of flooding from the Davidson River, which wraps around the area. The park service recently upgraded the picnic table pads, but the gravel had washed away, and many tables had either shifted or washed away.

That said, this site fared well compared to parks in Buncombe County. (Chimney Rock State Park is still inaccessible due to major flooding in the town of Chimney Rock.)

I hopped out, grabbed my backpack and TR-45L, and started recording my activation video.

Since no one was using the picnic shelter at the northeast end of the park (and it had no reservation sign), I set up there. I deployed my MM0OPX End-Fed Half-Wave antenna on a nearby tree, connected it to my TR-45L, and was ready to go!

Gear

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On The Air

I hopped on the air and started calling CQ POTA. After the RBN picked me up and the POTA website auto-spotted me, the contacts started rolling in! Continue reading My First Post-Helene POTA Activation! →