Tag Archives: Brian (K3ES)

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

K3ES: Activating Allegheny National Forest with Friends

July 11, 2023 Thomas Witherspoon 4 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:

Green trees and blue sky in Allegheny National Forest, K-0619, makes a perfect backdrop for a POTA activation.

Activating Allegheny National Forest with Friends

by Brian (K3ES)

An Opportunity

I will confess. It has been a couple of weeks since I activated a park. With some much needed days of rain, and an otherwise busy schedule, things have conspired against me. So, when a bright, sunny day, without other pressing commitments came along, I jumped at the opportunity!

Mid-afternoon on Wednesday, July 5 was my time to head to the woods for a few hours. I decided to stay close to home to minimize travel time. In fact, a 10 minute walk up the road from my house gets me to a small piece of K-0619, Allegheny National Forest. I took my lightest kit, added a camping chair and water bottle as creature comforts, and slung it all over my shoulder for the trip to a favorite operating location.

Once there, I got out my throw line to get the antenna set up, but things did not quite work as planned. My toss sailed high, really high. So high, in fact, that the line was not long enough for the weight to return to the ground without taking the small storage bag for my arborist kit up in the air. Hmm… I tried some different fixes, including tying additional cordage to the storage bag and letting it rise into the air while the weight descended. Not sufficient.

Finally, I untied the tail end of the throw line from the storage bag (it normally stays tied, just in case the throw finds a branch that is a little high…), and let the weight drop. Then I had to coil the line up again for another throw. Fortunately, my second toss found a workable branch, and I got my antenna in the air. For this activation, I used a Packtenna 9:1 with a 71 ft radiating wire set up as an inverted V. Next, it was time to get my station set up, prepare my log, and start operating.

My operating station at K-0619, a clipboard with KX2, log book, pencil, and VK2IL pressure paddles balance on my knee.

Activation

The solar forecast predicted best propagation on higher bands, so I decided to start my 5 watt CW activation on 15m. After 10 minutes of calling CQ POTA, with neither a response, nor an RBN spot, I moved to 17m. Once again, nothing, so I moved to 30m, where the RBN picked up my call, but it still took more than 20 minutes to log 2 contacts.

When activating on Wednesday afternoons, I try to stay away from the 20 and 40m bands, because CW frequencies fill up quickly when the CWT sprint starts at 1900z, but with just over 20 minutes until before the CWT started, I decided to see if I could pick up enough contacts on 40m to validate the activation. The 40m band has always been good to me. Even with the solar forecast predicting disaster, it still proved to be productive. I had 12 additional contacts in the log by 1859z, giving me more than enough to validate the activation.

A bit of the view from my shack. Area deer came from my left and from behind. They did not hesitate to share their displeasure about finding me there.

While logging those contacts on 40m, which kept me focused and busy, I became the subject of some animated discussion among the local residents. I did not have time to do more than listen and glance, but I heard numerous snorts, and saw a few white tails raised in alarm. Several of the local deer were not pleased that I was intruding in their domain. Even so, I had a bit more time available, and decided to press on. Continue reading K3ES: Activating Allegheny National Forest with Friends →

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

Brian’s Reflections on Activating a Not-so-New Park

April 9, 2023 Thomas Witherspoon 2 Comments

Many thanks to Brain (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:

The Visitor Center at Kinzua Bridge State Park (K-1366) is well worth a visit. It provides an excellent overview of the history, use, and collapse of the railroad bridge that gave the park its name, and it provides an excellent view of the pedestrian skyway built on the portion of the bridge that remained standing after the tornado that caused the collapse.

Reflections on Activating a Not-so-New Park

by Brian (K3ES)

Monday, April 3 was one of those beautiful, warmish (60ºF or 16ºC) sunny days in northwest Pennsylvania that remind us that spring is really here. Only a week earlier, we had an unexpected snow fall that covered the ground (and it will likely not be our last snow of the season). So my wife, her father, and the dogs all looked forward to getting out of the house to enjoy the weather. We packed for a picnic, and drove through bright sunshine to Kinzua Bridge State Park.

After a picnic lunch, and while Becky and her dad explored the visitor center and walked the dogs, I set up for a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation of K-1366. This would be my first activation of the park, but not my first visit. I have been there several times before, including an excursion trip behind a steam engine that took me across the railroad bridge over Kinzua Creek and back.

A view from the visitor center of the pedestrian skyway. It was constructed on the structure that remained after the bridge was struck by a tornado in 2003, causing its partial collapse.

An Historic Park

Kinzua Bridge State Park has an interesting history. The railroad bridge that gives the park its name was originally built of wrought iron in 1882. At the time it was built, the 301 ft (92m) high and 2052 ft (625m) long railroad bridge was the highest in the world. It was rebuilt in place in 1900, replacing iron with steel, to strengthen it for the heavier trains that needed to cross. The bridge remained in commercial service until 1952, and was later sold to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a State Park. The bridge continued to support excursion trains and pedestrian traffic until 2002, but was struck by a tornado in 2003, causing its partial collapse. Today, the remaining part of the bridge has been rebuilt as a pedestrian skyway, complete with a glass floor at its end to look down at the valley far below.

The visitor center provides an excellent multimedia overview of the economics, technology, and history of the structure. It is well worth a visit. Similarly, the skyway gives a spectacular view of the structure, the collapsed towers, and the surrounding Pennsylvania forest. The park has picnic facilities and hiking trails, and a trailhead for the rail trail that has repurposed the old railroad right-of-way.

This is a view of the picnic pavilion from my operating position. The picnic area also has a number of other open picnic tables and a playground area for the younger crowd.

The Setup for Activation

I stopped into the visitor center to let the staff know of my intention to activate. I found them to be friendly and accommodating, which always makes activating a pleasure. I do my best to be a good ambassador for amateur radio and the POTA program.

For activating, I set up at a remote picnic table. Three tosses got the throw line over a good branch to support my Tufteln 9:1 random wire antenna. A 15 ft RG-316 cable connected the antenna to my Elecraft KX2. Completing the station were a 3 Ah LiFePO4 battery, a set of generic earbuds, and VK3IL pressure paddles. I used a clipboard to keep my notepad from blowing around in the breeze, while I logged with a mechanical pencil.

The picnic table operating station used to activate K-1366. Included are the KX2, VK3IL pressure paddles, clipboard and log.

The Activation

As I finished getting the station ready to go, it occurred to me that I had a frequency-agile-antenna and rig, a bit more than an hour to operate, and no other operators in the area. So, I took the opportunity to try for contacts on as many bands as possible, inching my way toward the POTA N1CC Activator award for making contacts on 10 bands from 10 parks. The park has good cell coverage, so I was able to use my phone to spot myself. After that, I mostly left things to the Reverse Beacon Network and the POTA spotting gateway, but I was able to use the phone to confirm that my changes in frequency were picked up.

In 70 minutes of CW operation at 5 watts, I made total of 26 contacts, including at least one contact each on the 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 30, and 40m bands. An apology to the hunters may be in order, because I was harder-than-usual to contact. After making a contact on each band, I would QSY to the next at the first significant lull in the action. I look forward to another trip back to K-1366 to try for contacts on the 3 additional bands needed to complete its activation toward my N1CC.

As you might guess, by using multiple bands, the contacts came from both far and near: as far as Spain to the east and Oregon to the west, and as near as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. Middling distances were also well represented in the log.

It was a good day in the park, and here is the contact map from a 7-band activation of K-1366.

Equipment

Note: Amazon links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com.

Elecraft KX2 with internal antenna tuner
Bioenno 3 Ah LiFePO4 battery
Tufteln 9:1 unun random wire antenna with 35 ft radiator and 17 ft counterpoise
VK3IL-design homebrew pressure paddles
Generic earbuds
Homebrew 7 x 10 inch (18 x 25 cm) clipboard (size reduced to fit my pack)
Rite in the Rain No. 946 notepad
Pentel Twist-Erase mechanical pencil in 0.9mm (for my heavy hand)
15 ft RG-316 feedline (BNC male to BNC male)
Arborist kit with 2mm Marlow Excel line and Petzel 9 oz (250g) throw bag.

Conclusion

This outing made for a fun and productive afternoon that was all the more enjoyable for sharing it with my family.

It also made for a great opportunity to shake off the winter blahs, and it held the promise of beautiful spring and summer days for more park activations.

Best 73 de Brian – K3ES

Here is a bonus picture of another semi-famous bridge in northwestern Pennsylvania (it actually has its own Facebook page). This is Nebraska Bridge, which provides a convenient shortcut across Tionesta Creek. We knew we would have to take the long way around, but stopped for a look anyway. Unfortunately the bridge floods several times a year (sometimes becoming completely submerged), because it is located in the upstream end of the reservoir behind the Army Corps of Engineers’ Tionesta Creek Dam. We had over an inch of rain last week, so the bridge is partially under water. On the brighter side, 100 miles downstream, the City of Pittsburgh did not flood.

Antennas, Articles, Guest Posts, How To, News, Portable, POTA, QRP

In Pursuit of the Top Band: Brian describes how he built and tested a field-portable 160 meter EFRW antenna

February 12, 2023 Thomas Witherspoon 24 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:

The VK160 Antenna packed on its Winder/Feedpoint for storage, transport, and deployment.

Building and Testing the VK160 Antenna

by Brian (K3ES)

The ability to set and achieve long- and short-term goals keeps me interested and active in the Parks on the Air (POTA) program. Often these goals are associated with POTA awards. Currently, I am working slowly to complete the activator version of the James F. LaPorta N1CC award, which requires an activator to make QSOs on 10 amateur bands from 10 different parks. With my operating style, I have found it achievable to make QSOs on the 9 available HF bands (80m, 60m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m), and this has become easier with the rising solar cycle. I have completed QSOs on non-HF bands using 2m and 70cm simplex. The other options to pick up 10th band QSOs include the 6m band and the 160m band.

I have found it difficult to make unscheduled POTA contacts on 2m and 70cm, and scheduled contacts can be difficult to arrange in parks that are remote from population centers. I have built a 6m antenna, but contacts are seasonal (and for me very elusive). So I started looking for a way to add 160m capability to my portable station. Ultimately that resulted in homebrewing a new antenna that I now call the VK160, and here is its story.

Objective

I needed a field-deployable 160m antenna. My operating style requires that the antenna system be both light and compact. QRP power levels are sufficient for my purposes. I am very comfortable deploying wire antennas in the Pennsylvania woods, and QRP wire antennas can be both light and compact. I have found that end-fed antennas are simpler to deploy in the field, because they can be configured as an inverted V or as a sloper, using only one point of support.

An end-fed half wave (EFHW) antenna would be naturally resonant, but would need to be over 250 ft (76m) long. A wire antenna of that length would be challenging to deploy, even in more open areas. So, I decided to pursue a 9:1 unun-based end-fed “random wire” (EFRW) antenna. In fact, I have two commercial EFRW antennas available, but have never been successful in tuning them for 160m using the ZM-2 tuner in my field kit. So, I concluded (probably incorrectly, but more on that later) that I needed to build a 9:1 random wire antenna with a longer radiating element than the 71 ft wire built into my largest existing EFRW. I also wanted to build this antenna myself, using available components, so that it would be both inexpensive and customized to my needs.

I broke the task into four parts:

First, I needed to build a 9:1 unun suitable for use at QRP power levels. The 9:1 unun is an autotransformer that reduces antenna feedpoint impedance by a factor of 9, hopefully a level that a wide-range tuner can match to the 50 ohm transceiver impedance.

Second, I had to design and build mechanical elements of the antenna system, incorporating the electrical components needed for the feedpoint.

Third, I needed to select a suitable non-resonant wire length for the radiator.

Finally, I needed to deploy and test the finished antenna on the air. If successful, testing would culminate in completing an on-air QSO with the antenna being driven at 5 watts or less.

Building the 9:1 Unun

While I have built successful 49:1 ununs as the basis for EFHW antennas, I had no experience building 9:1 ununs. Accordingly, I started with the ARRL Antenna Book, then a web search. VK6YSF’s excellent web page provided very detailed instructions for 9:1 unun construction. His 9:1 Unun design was based on a FT140-43 toroid wrapped with heavy gauge magnet wire, with design power rating around 100 watts. My application was focused on 10 watts maximum, and I wanted a lighter-weight solution to the unun design.

Looking at the components I had available, I found FT50-43 toroids and 24 AWG magnet wire in my inventory. I had used those during construction of successful 49:1 EFHW antennas. The VK6YSF design, built with the smaller toroids and lighter magnet wire, seemed to be a good (and cheap) starting point.

The “50” portion of the FT50-43 toroid designation specifies its 0.50 inch (1.27 cm) outside diameter. The “43” portion designates nickel/zinc composition that is suitable for high frequency inductive applications.

The next problem that presented itself was a problem with translating the winding technique to smaller wire and a smaller toroid. Put simply, my fingers do not have the dexterity to wrap three parallel 24 AWG wires around a ½ inch OD toroid without getting them crossed, twisted, or worse. So, why not twist the three conductors from the start, and wrap the toroid with “trifilar” windings? It would be simple enough to identify the mating wire ends after wrapping, just with a set of continuity tests. That would facilitate proper connection of the wires to yield the final auto-transformer configuration.

FT50-43 toroid with three-10 inch (25.4 cm) segments of 24 AWG enameled magnet wire staged for construction of the 9:1 unun.

I posed the “trifilar” winding question to my friends over on the QRPer.net discussion board. Nobody identified a significant flaw with the proposed method, but neither did anyone have experience that would assure success. So, I decided to use the “trifilar” winding technique to construct my 9:1 unun, with the full recognition that its success would be uncertain, and only proven by testing the finished product. Continue reading In Pursuit of the Top Band: Brian describes how he built and tested a field-portable 160 meter EFRW antenna →

Antennas, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA

Brian puts a new antenna to the test during Winter Field Day!

February 7, 2023 Thomas Witherspoon 10 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:

A shelter for Winter Field Day operations in a field

Field Report: Winter Field Day with a New Antenna

Winter Field Day (WFD) 2022 found me operating indoors, despite my best intentions to get out in the field. I was recovering from a bad cold, and did not want to risk having complications arise from sitting out in the cold and damp. So for WFD 2023, outdoor time with my radio was a must. I wanted to operate a 1-Oscar station, and to do that I had to set up more than 500 feet from my home QTH. So a site next to the pond in our back field, about 800 feet from the house, became my WFD shack.

I started planning and collecting kit for the operation in mid-January, with the long term forecast hinting at near-freezing temperatures with the potential for rain or snow. Let me introduce you to my WFD station.

Shelter

A shelter was needed to keep out rain and snow, and to provide a barrier against the winds whipping across the adjacent field. A few poles lashed together, and steadied by stakes, provided the frame to support the shelter. With a poly tarp secured to this frame, the resulting a-frame shelter, while not completely enclosed, did provide effective weather protection for both operator and equipment. There was about 3 inches of snow on the ground when I set up the shelter, and I was able to pile some of it along the bottom edge of the tarp to keep the wind from getting under it.

Antenna

I know that when setting up a station, the antenna is not generally the first thought, but I had recently finished building a homebrew 9:1 random wire antenna with a 144 ft radiating wire, and I wanted to test it out. There are better ways to put a new antenna on the air, but the opportunity was a good one. Besides, I had backup antennas that could be quickly substituted if the need arose. In the event, things worked well, and the antenna proved agile and capable on all activated bands. I particularly wanted to see if it would tune on the 160m band. More on that later.

The 9:1 unun is mounted near the BNC connector, and is electrically connected to a one miniature banana jack for the radiator and another for the counterpoise. The unun and wiring are covered with hot melt glue to provide mechanical integrity and protection from the weather.

Radio

The goal of trying the antenna on 160m left me with only one choice for a radio. I would use the Lab599 TX-500 Discovery, because it is the only transceiver among my field rigs that is capable of operating on the 160m band. Since a tuner is required, I paired it with an LDG Z-11Pro II, a wide-range autotuner. I also included a Monitor Sensors Power and SWR Meter in the feed line to help assure that I was legitimately running less than 5 watts to qualify for the QRP power multiplier. Continue reading Brian puts a new antenna to the test during Winter Field Day! →

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

Guest Post: Recipe for a Failed Activation in Allegheny National Forest?

December 31, 2022 Thomas Witherspoon 13 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following field report:

Recipe for a Failed Activation at K-0619?

by Brian (K3ES)

A couple of days before Christmas, high winds came, temperatures dropped, and 3 inches of snow made a real nuisance of itself by blowing around and re-covering anything that was swept or shoveled. With daily high temperatures below zero (Fahrenheit) and wind gusts over 40 miles per hour, the weather just didn’t make for much fun outdoors. In fact, we hunkered down and didn’t get beyond the end of the driveway for four days. So when the winds calmed and temperatures rose, I really needed to get out of the house for a bit. What better way than to walk up the road and activate K-0619? Even with temperatures in the low 20s, I should be able to finish a quick activation. And so it was planned…

Of course just before walking out the door, it is always prudent to check on band conditions…

What did the sun just do to me, and how will I ever make 10 contacts on 5 watts before my fingers freeze???

Alright, I really need my outdoor time. Even if it means that I fail to activate the park this time, I’m going for it!!!

I walked down the driveway…

…up the road…

Fortunately the hike is less than ½ mile…

… and into the woods.

Snowy, peaceful, and lots of trees to support my antenna.

After getting to my spot, I set up my chair, laid out a trash bag to keep radio gear out of the snow, threw a line over a tree branch (it took two tries), and rigged the antenna. Continue reading Guest Post: Recipe for a Failed Activation in Allegheny National Forest? →

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Guest Field Report: K3FAZ, K3STL, and K3ES POTA in the Cold with a Bonus Gear Report

November 27, 2022 Thomas Witherspoon 7 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following field report:

K3FAZ, K3STL, and K3ES POTA in the Cold with a Bonus Gear Report

K3STL and K3ES at the entrance to K-0621.

by Brian (K3ES)

K3ES Perspective

Saturday November 19 dawned clear and cold in northwest Pennsylvania, but the truth is that I was up well before dawn. The third Saturday of each month, I try to make the 2 hour drive south to help with Skyview Radio Society’s monthly Volunteer Examiner (VE) testing session for new or upgrading licensees. Clear skies (which matched the forecast) meant that road conditions would not be a problem. So, shortly after 5 am I pointed the truck south.

One of the creature comforts I appreciate about our VE session is meeting for breakfast before the test. It was obvious on arrival at the restaurant that the VEs would greatly outnumber the test candidates, but many hands make light work. Coffee and an omelet definitely helped fuel the effort. Since the test sessions normally last less than 2 hours (and that held true this time), three of us VEs had made plans for post-test session POTA.

Before launching into the field report, let me acknowledge that K3STL’s photography was instrumental in providing a report with visual appeal. Personally, I almost always forget to take the pictures.

POTA Plan

John “Tall Guy” K3STL, Steve K3FAZ, and Brian K3ES in the parking lot at K-0621.

The plan for the day was to attempt activation of two POTA sites, Beechwood Farms State Conservation Area (K-0620) in suburban Pittsburgh, and Todd Sanctuary State Conservation Area (K-0621) about 20 miles further to the northeast. John “Tall Guy” – K3STL and Brian – K3ES would do a short activation of K-0620, then meet Steve – K3FAZ at K-0621 for the rest of the afternoon.

Knowing it would be a cold day for mid-November (temperatures peaked for the day just barely above freezing), each of us made plans to adjust for operating from our vehicles. That meant that we would be doing parking lot activations at both locations. While we each normally activate with slightly different operating styles that are suited to outdoor POTA operations, some tweaks made it possible to have wind and weather protection for this outing. In hindsight, it was a perfect choice.

Operating Methods

K3FAZ operated his treasured Kenwood TS-50 using SSB mode with an EFHW antenna in a tree. Rather than setting up with a table and chair, Steve configured his station to fit in the front seat of his SUV. Continue reading Guest Field Report: K3FAZ, K3STL, and K3ES POTA in the Cold with a Bonus Gear Report →

Articles, Field Reports, Guest Posts, Morse Code, News, POTA, QRP

Brian’s Kilo at Cook Forest State Park is tied to family, memories, and his CW journey

September 13, 2022 Thomas Witherspoon 13 Comments

Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following field report:

Field Report: Reflections on a Kilo at Cook Forest State Park

by Brian (K3ES)

Contemplating my favorite antenna tower during the Kilo activation.

Cook Forest State Park in northwest Pennsylvania has always been a special place for me. It abounds in trees (including some of the last virgin timber around), wildlife (deer, turkeys, song birds, squirrels, and the occasional bear), and also includes the scenic Clarion River. When I found out about Parks on the Air (POTA) after getting licensed in 2020, I knew that I had to put POTA entity K-1345 on the air.

Our family cabin; which has been central to all of the phases of my life – including milestones, joys, sorrows, and unadulterated wonder – is located on a plot of land bordered on two sides by the park. It just seemed natural and right for me to do my first-ever POTA activation under an ancient hemlock tree just a few steps over the line from the back corner of our property. That mostly-SSB activation happened in May 2021 with my TX-500 pushing 10 watts into a homebrew dipole suspended from a dead branch up 30 ft in the hemlock.

An early activation of K-1345 from beneath the ancient Eastern Hemlock Tree

Last weekend, I reached a meaningful personal goal by completing my 1000th activator contact from K-1345. After the first activation I never again operated mostly-SSB, and I never increased radiated power. Nearly all of my contacts since have used CW, and many were completed at 5 watts. The added challenge of QRP CW undoubtedly made the Kilo more difficult, but it was also much more fulfilling. It has taken me 28 successful activations, a lot of work to improve my CW skills, and a lot of patient support from the hunters who have shared this journey with me.

My activations at K-1345 tell the story of my journey as a CW operator. I took my first steps on that journey in late 2020, months before I had a portable radio or a plan for my first activation. I started with an Android app, V-Band, and listening to CW exchanges on webSDR. Eventually that progressed to CW Academy basic, intermediate, and advanced classes. The classes really upped my CW game, but what helped even more was using CW on the air. I finally got my HF station on the air in March 2021 and started hunting parks, SSB at first, then increasingly CW. During my first mostly-SSB activation I did manage to hunt down three park-to-park contacts using CW. I started my second activation by calling CQ using CW, and I have not looked back. Wow, those hunters were patient during that first first CW activation! My skills have improved greatly since then, but I’m still not where I want to be. The next goal for me is to gain confidence and proficiency in less-structured QSOs.

I want to thank Thomas – K4SWL, whose real time, real life activation videos challenged, motivated, and inspired me to learn and use CW. I greatly appreciate the work of the CW Academy advisors who guided me through some of the hard work needed for improvement. I also need to thank the hundreds of hunters who have patiently endured my developing CW skill set. Finally, my hat is off for the dedicated POTA volunteers, who continue to improve and expand this amazing activity to the benefit of radio amateurs around the world.

Completing the Kilo activation would have taken me longer if it were not for the tremendous encouragement provided by my gracious, intelligent, and beautiful XYL. As I was contemplating indoor chores on a Friday morning, she pointed out the opportunity to go out and activate during the best weather of the weekend, and save the chores for a rainy day. Who am I to argue with such impeccable logic? Off to the woods we went!!!

I made a point of using the TX-500 with the homebrew dipole suspended in that ancient hemlock tree to complete the Kilo activation, going back toward the starting point, as it were. Of course I did finish with CW mode and 5 watts to commemorate my personal growth during the journey, too. I was set up to go by mid-afternoon. Needing 57 contacts to complete the Kilo, I decided to get some contacts on 20m, then move to 40m a bit later.

After calling CQ for almost half an hour to get two contacts, I decided to move to 40m a bit sooner than planned…

With the antenna lowered, I am reconnecting the links for 40m.

40m was hot! I completed the eight additional contacts needed for a successful activation in less than 15 minutes. By the 2 hour mark, I had racked up a total of 69 contacts and finished the Kilo.

As a final note, I picked up 55 more contacts on Saturday, bringing my total CW mode contacts over 1000. The rain started early Sunday morning, and I got my indoor chores finished after all.

Gear for the Final Activation: