You might recall that my friends Eric (WD8RIF), Miles (KD8KNC), Brian (K3ES), Kyle (AA0Z), Charlie (NJ7V), and Joshua (N5FY) all played hooky on the final day of the 2024 Hamvention (Sunday, May 19) and instead activated a couple of POTA sites.
Our next stop was Whitewater Canal State Historic Site in Metamora, Indiana, about an hour’s drive from the first park.
Only four of us continued to the next park; Kyle and Charlie needed to head to the airport, and Joshua needed to start his drive back to Georgia.
Whitewater Canal State Historic Site (US-6977)
I was excited about visiting Whitewater Canal because it would be my first official POTA activation in Indiana.
We arrived around 1:00 PM and opted to grab lunch at a nearby pizzeria before activating.
Around 2:00 PM, we grabbed our gear from the car and walked across the road to the park grounds.
The Whitewater Canal State Historic Site offers a glimpse into the 19th-century canal era.
Built between 1836 and 1847, the Whitewater Canal was a 76-mile waterway that connected the Ohio River to Hagerstown, facilitating the transport of goods and agricultural products.
This engineering feat played a vital role in the economic development of the region, contributing to the growth of towns and industries along its path.
Today, the preserved section of the canal, along with the historic grist mill and other structures, stands as a testament to Indiana’s rich industrial and transportation heritage.
I’ve always been fond of railroads and canals, so this site was brilliant as it featured both running parallel to each other!
Eric, Brian, and I (Miles didn’t activate) were careful to set up within the actual park boundaries.
In this case, it was a little difficult to determine the exact boundaries because the town and park blend together.
I used the Parceled app on my phone to confirm our location.
Eric set up his Elecraft KH1 station at a picnic table under a large tree.
Brian set up his KX2 on a covered bench next to Eric, using his Elecraft AX1 antenna mounted on a clamp secured to the bench.
Brian’s site was super stealthy behind the sign–since he operated with earphones, you couldn’t hear him and barely could see him!
Can you spot K3ES in this photo?
I wanted to put some space between my station and theirs, so I set up under the shade of a tree (it was blazing hot that Sunday) and deployed my Helinox camping chair.
Local ducks enjoying the shade–I picked a different tree.
I then deployed my Chelegance MC-750 vertical for 20-meter operation since Brian and Eric were on other bands.
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, I drove to the Hickory, NC area to visit my father, who had recently been released from the hospital and was starting rehab at a skilled nursing facility. I had a busy afternoon planned back home in the mountains, but I couldn’t resist squeezing in a quick POTA activation!
Many of you know this is a recurring theme for me – it’s rare that I have a lot of time for activations. I’d be doing far fewer if I couldn’t manage 45-60 minute windows to set up, operate, and pack up.
Tuttle Educational State Forest (K-4861)
The facility where my father is staying is only about 20-25 minutes from Tuttle Educational State Forest, so I had to stop by.
It was rainy that Saturday, so I was already thinking about Tuttle’s excellent picnic shelter. I had my Elecraft KX2 and AX1 antenna packed, and while operating under a metal roof with a compromised antenna isn’t ideal, I’ve had surprising success in the past, including one of my first Transatlantic Park-to-Park contacts (click here to read that field report).
I arrived at Tuttle and found that there was no one in the parking lot. Not surprising considering the weather.
I grabbed my gear and headed to the shelter, only to discover that the lights were on and it was reserved from noon to 5:30 PM. Dang!
Even though it was still drizzling, I wasn’t too concerned. Tuttle has plenty of trees, so I figured I could find a spot under a good canopy to protect my gear. I went back to the car for my rain jacket and my new folding foam seat.
A Funny Story…
I had been planning to buy the Nemo Chipper Foam Seat from REI, but a couple of days after adding it to my cart, one arrived in the mail!
It was a gift from Al (N4EII), who mentioned he loves his and uses it for SOTA and POTA because it’s so lightweight and portable. I think it was this very rainy activation that prompted him to send me the Nemo seat!
Thank you, Al, for reading my mind! So very kind of you!
Setting up
I found a picnic table under a heavy canopy and set up my Elecraft KX2 and AX1 antenna–one of my favorite radio/antenna combos.
That said, I was definitely taking a bit of a gamble. Band conditions (a recurring theme here lately) were quite rough and using a compromised antenna would be risky compared with, say, a much higher-gain 40 meter end-fed half-wave. But the AX1 is so quick to deploy, which is key when time is limited.
Gear:
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It being midday, I decided that 20 meters would likely be the best band choice.
I started calling CQ POTA and was a bit surprised that my first contact was Michael (N7CCD) in Washington State.
Michael is in my logs a lot–even though he runs QRP from home most of the time, he has a very effective hex beam that casts a signal into NC with ease. With the bands in such rough shape I didn’t expect to work him that day.
Then again, many of the solar numbers have been healthy, it’s just that the ionosphere has been quite unstable. This usually results in deep QSB (fading) thus contacts may be strong one minute, then completely gone the next. This is how I felt conditions were at Tuttle that day.
I continued logging stations at a very respectable rate. I did note a lot of activity from 5 land (Texas and Mississippi). It’s funny how sometimes a path will open like this. Indeed, Texas has had a most welcome opening into North Carolina a lot lately.
In the end, I worked a total of eleven stations–one more than the required ten for a valid POTA activation.
I did all this in just 16 minutes on air. That’s actually an impressive rate considering propagation was so flaky.
No doubt, I could have worked more stations if I had the time.
QSO Map
Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map (it’s still hard for me to believe this can be accomplished with such a small antenna!):
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.
Rainy weather doesn’t stop me from activating if I have my mind set on it.
That said, when it’s raining, I do seek out parks with shelters. It makes the whole set-up process easier and quicker.
Ideally, you want your antenna out in the open, but I’ve even used quarter wave verticals in shelters without issue (I’m thinking of this Lake Norman activation in particular).
Of course, I also keep a small rainfly in my car for makeshift shelter if needed. With a rainfly, camping chair, and kneeboard, I can activate in the wettest of weather. In fact, a rainfly saved this quick Field Day activation last year.
And of course, when raining, you can always activate from inside your vehicle! That may be the easiest option of all for some of us.
Again, Al, thanks again for the Nemo seat – it’s fantastic!
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.
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.
As I mentioned before, the Patreon platform connected to Vimeo makes it possible for me to share videos that are not only 100% ad-free but also downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account also serves as a third backup for my video files.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me! And today being Memorial Day, my thoughts are with families who’ve lost loved ones in service to their country.
Day 2 of my spring-break Florida POTA trip began well. The night before, I left the rain fly off one corner of the tent, the one out of which I could look when lying on my Thermarest pad listening to the bird song all around us. There must be something about being outside because I had the soundest and most sleep I’d experienced in several weeks.
someone is not ready to get out of bed yetDay 2 of my April Florida trip
We headed to the Nature Coast State Trail first as I was concerned about the temperature due to the sunny forecast. We found the Old Town trailhead, parked, and walked toward the trail’s bridge over the Suwannee River. Not far from the bridge, I spied a bench with an overhang and thought it would make a great QTH.
Old Town trailhead parking areathe trailflowers along the trailpotential QTH
I had left the Chelegance MC-750 in the car as I wished to work with the AX1 today. It wasn’t long before I had it installed on the Joby Gorillapod ready for 40 meters. I turned on the KX2, put on my earbuds, and was greeted by NOISE, S5-S7 noise.
Well, noise happens and I typically find it on 40 meters than any other band when I activate. Undaunted, I tweaked the AX1 and moved to 30 meters. I found less noise (S3-S4) but no one answered my CQ. Now I was getting worried.
I removed the 40 meter coil from the AX1 and tried 20 meters. Now 20 meters didn’t sound that noisy; however, I had no callers. I found the same on 17 meters. What the heck?
And then I noticed the power lines across the road. How they had escaped my notice I have no idea. They weren’t just your typical power lines but also high-voltage power lines. That had to be the source of the noise. I felt like an idiot not even noticing them. The AX1 is a compromised antenna to begin with and, in those conditions, I don’t think it stood a chance. Note: I later learned the band conditions were not great that morning either.
Deflated, I packed everything up and walked a little ways up the trail to the bridge crossing the Suwanne River. After a few moments to enjoy the view, I headed toward my second park – Fanning Springs State Park. It was but a 5 minute drive from the Old Town trailhead. I began looking for somewhere to set up. Good news – not many power lines.
Suwannee River
I found a grassy field/parking area off to the side and set up there. My riding instructor would always say “Set your horse up for success.” Well, this I thought was a more successful situation for the AX1 (at least I hoped it would be). Once the AX1 was installed on top of my car, I got down to business.
AX1 on top of the car on Joby Gorillapod
I didn’t do well on 40 meters (only one caller in Florida) or 30 meters (no response). I removed the 40 meter coil and set up shop on 20 meters. Would anyone hear me today? YES! Over the next 20 minutes, I logged eight contacts including Dan N0ZT who is in my current Comprehensive ICR class for CW Innovations.
At this point, I only had nine total contacts, not enough for a valid activation. Hearing no more responses to my CQ on 20 meters, I headed to 17. After a while, Craig KC3TRT responded to my CQ. Over the next ten minutes, nine ops had a QSO with me including Raffaele IK4IDF in Italy. Whew – a valid activation.
QSO Map for Fanning Springs State ParkQSO Map (USA contacts) for Fanning Springs State ParkThe springs (as close as we could get as dogs are not allowed near them)
By now I was worn out and decided to regroup back at the campsite. I felt kicked in the keister over the failed activation in the morning. There are five trailheads for the Nature Coast State Trail. Maybe I could find a section without power lines (not likely) and maybe the conditions in the late afternoon/early evening would be better.
After an early supper and a few minutes to read, Daisy and I headed back to the trail for another attempt. Yes, there were power lines (but not high voltage ones) near the trailhead I chose in Chiefland. It was peaceful on this section of the trail. We ambled along until I found another bench like I saw that morning.
AX1 with radials
I opted to sit instead in my Helinox chair on the ground with Daisy to my right and the AX1 to my left. There was thick foliage in front of me as well as a park area that I hoped would provide a buffer from any RFI from the businesses on that side of the trail. I took a breath and called QRL. I picked 20 meters thinking that might be my best bet this time of day, around 6 PM.
Guess what? The AX1 delivered!
I had 18 contacts in 30 minutes including a QRP-to-QRP QSO with Karl K5KHK in New York. I also had one park-to-park QSO with David WN1E at US-0897. I practically floated back to the car and then celebrated with a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone from Dairy Queen.
QSO Map for Nature Coast State TrailWay more ice cream than I needed but it was good!
People don’t talk about the emotional component that comes with morse code. My life has been an emotional rollercoaster as of late and that failed activation felt like another punch in the gut.
You know the ops that I see make the most progress, in general and in the class I facilitate with CW Innovations? Those with determination.
They don’t give up but persevere despite their struggles. Life is really tough for me right now but I have to hang in there as I did with this activation. You never know when success or for what you are waiting will be around the corner.
For day 3, I’ll head south toward Cedar Key. What antenna will I choose to use and how will those activations go? Stay tuned…
Equipment Used
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Ocracoke, NC, home to this iconic lighthouse, was our destination for a week of relaxation. Ten days of QRP operation was a happy consequence.
Ten Days of QRP with Compromised Antennas
by Brian (K3ES)
At the end of a hard (or even a not-so-hard) winter, Becky and I really enjoy the opportunity to spend a week at the beach with friends. Even with the cooler and more unpredictable weather late in the off-season, it provides welcome relief from the cold and snow that we often get in northwest Pennsylvania. This year we chose to visit Ocracoke Island, at the southern tip of the North Carolina Outer Banks.
While driving down and back, I fit in Parks on the Air (POTA) activations at parks in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Each of the activated parks was new to me, and so were their states. My time at the beach also included daily POTA hunting. I knew that my radio activity would all be conducted using CW mode, and low power. All of my contacts on this trip were made with 5 watts, except for a brief stint where I increased power to 10 watts to fight band noise during a longer QSO with my code buddy. What I did not expect was that all of my contacts would be made using antenna configurations that were less efficient than normal.
At each of the activated parks, I paired my Elecraft KX2 with a brand new Elecraft AX1 vertical antenna. While it proved very effective at making contacts, the 4 ft high AX1 vertical definitely compromises gain to achieve its tiny form factor for HF operations. Once we moved into our rented house on the island, we knew that storms were expected. In fact, gale warnings were issued for our area twice during our week-long stay. Besides cutting off ferry service to the island, I feared that high winds would bring down any antenna mast that I might try to use. So, I deployed my shortest wire antenna in a low configuration that I hoped would resist the wind, yet still enable some contacts. I certainly did not expect it to perform like it had many times before when deployed in vertical or inverted V configurations, but proof would be in the contacts. I will avoid suspense by saying that this installation was unaffected by the high winds that were predicted and received.
Gear
[Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]
US M7 Army Light Weight Service Mask pouch: WWII vintage, canvas construction
Monocacy National Battlefield – US-0705
Monocacy National Battlefield, US-0705, is located near the junction of Interstates 70 and 270 at Frederick, MD.
Our trip south took us close enough for a visit to our 3-year old grandson and his parents. Truth be told, any distance would have been close enough, so even though greater-Baltimore is slightly off the direct path, that was the destination for our first day of driving. On the way to Baltimore, we also passed within a couple of miles of the Monocacy National Battlefield, near Frederick, MD. So, we spent a couple of hours exploring interpretive displays at the Visitor Center, and of course, activating the park.
As a Civil War history buff, I knew of the Battle of Monocacy, but little about its details. Briefly, in July of 1864 a small Union force faced off against a much larger Confederate Army led by Lieutenant General Jubal Early. The Confederates were moving against Washington, DC in an attempt to take the pressure off of the defenders around the Confederate capital of Richmond, VA. While the battle was a tactical defeat for the Union, it proved to be a strategic victory, because it delayed the Confederate advance for two crucial days. In that time Washington’s defenses were strongly reinforced, so the Confederate Army withdrew back into the Shenandoah Valley without accomplishing its mission. More on that later.
A picnic table near a wood line outside the visitor center made a perfect, unobtrusive location to activate US-0705.
For the activation, I set up my station at a picnic table. A table top tripod supported the AX1 antenna, with a short piece of RG316 coaxial cable connecting it to the KX2. I operated CW mode with 5 watts of power, and completed the activation with 11 contacts in less than 15 minutes.
The entire station, including table-top AX1, took up less than half of a picnic table.Logging contacts…Cannons overlooking the battlefield…Map of contacts from US-0705. Home QTH for one station is located at the south pole!
Operating from Ocracoke Island, NC
A week at Ocracoke…
We arrived on Ocracoke on the last ferry run to the island before a Gale Warning shut down service for two days. We counted ourselves fortunate to be on the island, but gale force winds complicated deployment of antennas. Except, that is, for the AX1. Continue reading K3ES Travels: Ten Days of QRP with Compromised Antennas→
(Note: I cut my Florida POTA trip short as I needed to take care of some personal business. I apologize for the change of plans and the inability to communicate that to y’all. I appreciate everyone’s support of the trip and the QSOs of those who hunted me. Articles will be forthcoming for those activations in the near future.)
Those of you who have followed my journey on QRPer know that I wrote an article about my kit for the trip I took last summer to Nova Scotia. Since then, what ham radio equipment I take with me has changed, partially because I am not flying to a different country far from home and partially because of my experiences with what I generally do and don’t need. I thought I’d share what my kit currently looks like for the spring-break Florida trip.
Here is a photo of what ham radio-related gear I am taking on my Florida POTA trip. We’ll first look at what I have in each section of the Elecraft bag I take with me and then a few items that do not fit in this bag but are still along for the ride.
When I purchased my KX2, I also purchased the Elecraft bag. Though the bag is bulky in its profile, it was a worthy purchase due to the amount of stuff it can store in one place in a well-organized manner.
The bag has three compartments.
In the first compartment is my main man, Craig, my KX2. He is the rig I use for all my QRP adventures out and about. I do have a protective cover I purchased for him but haven’t installed yet. I have a fear of messing with electronics and, though installing the shield isn’t rocket science, the project seems overwhelming enough that I haven’t tackled it yet.
Also in this first compartment are my throw bag containing an arbor line and throw weight, some S-carabiners, my homemade radials for the AX1, the tripod mount for the AX1, and a pencil and earbuds. I find I copy CW much better when I have a headset of some sort.
In this compartment, I used to have a back-up key. However, in its place is a new single-lever paddle from CW Morse [QRPer affiliate link]. I am using this key because it is wired to be a cootie or a paddle via an internal switch. I discovered my KX2 doesn’t balk at using this key like a cootie unlike when I use the CW Morse SP4. I desire to use QRP for more than POTA, specifically for SKCC and calling CQ for ragchews. SKCC requires a mechanical key and, as the cootie is my favorite key, this new key should fill the needI discovered the last time I visited Skidaway Island.
In the second compartment, I have the AX1 and the Tufteln EFRW antenna. Those of you who have read my articles know I generally deploy the Tufteln EFRW antenna. On this April Florida trip, I plan to use the AX1 and the Chelegance MC-750 more often in preparation for my summer POTA trip. I anticipate I’ll be limited by terrain and park rules from deploying an antenna in a tree so more experience with verticals will be helpful.
In the third and final compartment are some odds and ends: neon pink flagging tape, an allen wrench for adjusting my CW morse keys, some twine, a short length of wire with an alligator clip on the end, two shock bungee cords, the cord for my CW Morse single-lever key, and a splitter for the headphone jack. I’ve used all these items (except the cord for the new key) at one time or another so I don’t want to leave the house without them.
Here are items I am also taking that don’t fit in the Elecraft bag.
The Tufteln kneeboard, POTA flag, and a notebook. I really like using pencil and paper for my POTA logs. I hold my key in the left hand and send with the right. For some reason, juggling that with paper is more manageable to me than logging in my phone or a laptop. The one thing I miss out on by doing that, though, is not knowing people’s names except those I’ve encountered many times. (And even then I forget names in the busyness of an activation so if I do, please forgive me.) I like to thank people by name at the end of the QSO rather than just their call sign if I know their name. I learned to do this in SKCC exchanges and I think it is a respectful and genteel practice. The one advantage I see to using a logging program is that I could do that with every QSO.
In a Tom Bihn bag, I have my RG-316 coax in three lengths (10’, 20’, and 50’), a short bungee cord, a stereo connector, and a newer version of the SP4 (aka The Minion).
Also coming along for the ride is the Chelegance MC-750. [QRPer affiliate link]
The last pieces of equipment I am bringing are for the first park I will visit – Lafayette Wildlife Management Area. In areas that allow hunting, Daisy and I wear blaze orange, even in the off season. Though as hams we try to be law abiding, we need to remember there are others out there who are not. When it comes to areas in which hunting is allowed, it is wise to wear blaze orange year-round because hunting violations due happen.
There you have it – the POTA Babe’s current QRP kit. I have one last question to address in this series – how I plan my trips. To find out, stay tuned…
Sunday, March 10th, my son had another Dungeons & Dragons session. I figured why not play QRP radio again on the north end of Skidaway Island at the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography. The weather appeared more conducive for radio than my previous visit. My friend Glenn W4YES accompanied me.
Skidaway Island’s Location in Savannah, GA area from Google MapsUGA Institute of Oceanography at north end of island as per Google Maps
I chose as my location the bluff behind the aquarium which contains picnic tables and looks out over the intracoastal waterway. There was a stiff breeze but what a pretty place to play radio!
My QTH on the bluff
The Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) was holding the Weekend Sprintathon (WES), a monthly event for members. As I mentioned in my previous Skidaway article, SKCC is an organization with 28,000 plus members that use mechanical keys (straight, cootie, and bug) for their QSOs. Participating in their sprints is a simple way (like POTA) for new ops to gain experience and build confidence.
I figured I’d accomplish several things at once today: get more QRP experience with something other than POTA, garner a few more QSOs on my march toward Senator for SKCC, and use the AX1.
In researching my upcoming summer POTA trip, I read a post by Bob Condor (K4RLC) on the W4SOTA groups.io about modifications to the AX1. I plan to attempt my first SOTA activations during the trip and want light, nimble antenna options.
Admittedly, the AX1 and I haven’t been on the best terms. Bob modified his by adding three 14’ radials instead of the counterpoises with which the antenna comes. He used this configuration during a trip to Greece and had good results. I figured, why not give it a try? It was easy to make the radials with a lug connector on each end to add them to the AX1 mount on my Joby Gorillapod (the only tripod I currently have).
While Glenn took a leisurely walk on the nature trail at the bluff, I began on 20 meters.
I engaged the ATU which dropped the SWR from 2.2 down to 1. There were a lot of stations on 20 meters but I finally found a place to settle. After 8 minutes calling CQ, Randy K8ZAA answered me and gave me a 579 in MI, a good signal report for the AX1.
Given the paucity of stations answering my CQ, I decided to move to 17 meters but realized the WARC bands are not allowed in the SKCC WES so I opted for 15 meters instead. After a few minutes calling CQ, Bob AF5Z answered me. He gave me a 449 in Texas.
It became quiet again after that QSO so I jumped to 40 meters, had no callers, and moved back to 20 meters. After 10 minutes calling CQ, Jerry WA4JK answered me and gave me a 559 in Alabama. By this point, the wind had increased and Glenn and I had enough of being buffeted by what felt like gale-force winds. However, I still had an hour and a half before my son’s Dungeons & Dragons session ended so this POTA Babe wasn’t ready to call it quits. Continue reading The POTA Babe and AX1 Make Up→
On Tuesday, February 13, 2024, one of my daughters had a dress rehearsal for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The venue where the cast meets is a good 45 minutes from my QTH, and if I didn’t have POTA fever, I’d have to find something to do to burn four hours of time.
Since I do have POTA fever, I see these windows of waiting around as an opportunity!
An opportunity to spread the POTA fever, even.
On that particular Tuesday night, my dear friend Vlado (N3CZ) didn’t have any plans, so I invited him to join me on a short, late-shift activation. The idea was that he’d perform an activation, then we’d go grab dinner at a restaurant in Mills River.
Pisgah National Forest (K-4510) and Game Land (K-6937)
Quick note about park numbers: As of the time of publishing this article, we’re still using the “K” prefix for US parks. Tomorrow (March 20, 2024), all US park prefixes will change to “US.” Pisgah National Forest, for example, will be US-4510 starting tomorrow. Today, it’s still (barely!) K-4510, so that’s what we’ll use.
We drove to the Sycamore Flats Picnic Area where I performed a number of late-shift activations in February. What I love about the site is that it’s rarely busy (especially at dusk and into the evening), there are numerous spots to set up, and it’s pretty convenient to the Shakespeare venue.
Tufteln AX1 Antenna Stand
I’d mentioned to Vlado in advance that I was going to test “a new antenna support system.” I think he might have assumed I was packing a large tripod with a 1/4 vertical or something similar, so it was fun to pull out the AX1 and Tufteln AX1 Antenna Stand!
Vlado, like me, loves compact radio gear, and I knew he’d never used the Elecraft AX1 before, so I was looking forward to showing him just how capable of an antenna it is for POTA, even on 40 meters.
That day, it had been pretty gusty, and in the evening hours, while a little calmer, it was still a tad windy. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to pair the AX1 with Joshua’s AX1 stand because it’s much more stable than the AX1 bipod in windy conditions.
Source: Tufteln.com
The stand consists of two parts: a base and an antenna sleeve. The sleeve screws into the base, and the AX1 simply slides into the sleeve. The height is perfect for the KX2’s BNC (indeed, it works with a number of radios). The stand will also accommodate the AXE 40M coil.
Source: Tufteln.com
When attached to the KX2, it makes for a very stable base. You can even use it as a stand-alone antenna support for the AX1.
Joshua has had this stand in his Tufteln product line for over a year, but I don’t think I’ve actually used it during an activation that I’ve also filmed.
New Mics!
Speaking of filming, this activation with Vlado gave me an opportunity to test my new DJI wireless mics. The system comes with two mics so both Vlado and I used them.
I filmed the activation, but in truth, was doing this more or less to test the mic audio. I believe I mentioned early on that this video might not ever be published.
In the end, I decided to publish it–the audio was quite good, and the wireless mics cut down on the wind noise dramatically.
Gear:
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My goal was to get Vlado on the air and give him a taste of POTA using the AX1 and 40M coil. I hadn’t planned to activate–since we were grabbing dinner afterward–but I did end up activating after the UTC day changed.
Without realizing it, I actually put a lot of pressure on Vlado.
He started his activation at 18:42 local (23:42 UTC). That meant, in order to log a valid POTA activation on February 13, he needed to log at least ten contacts in 18 minutes (using the AX1!).
Keep in mind that Vlado is a contester and DXer (also, very much a QRPer!). He’s used to operating CW at insane speeds when needed. In fact, he’s always one of the top people (if not the top) in the CW speed test at the W4DXCC contesting and DX conference.
I suggested he operate around 20 words per minute.
He started calling CQ POTA, and the first few contacts came in pretty slowly. I was getting nervous that I might have unintentionally made Vlado’s first POTA activation one that wouldn’t be valid.
Then the pace started picking up. (Whew!)
He ended up logging a total of 10 contacts in 12 minutes! Woo hoo!
Here’s his QSO Map, showing what the AX1 pushing 5 watts for twelve minutes can do:
Next, we decided that I would, indeed, perform a quick activation.
I spotted myself on the POTA site and started to call CQ, then it hit me: it was 23:58 UTC. If I worked one contact in that two minutes, it would be considered an activation on February 13 of only one contact.
Instead, we waited for a little over a minute for the UTC day to change!
I ended up working a total of 24 contacts in 21 minutes. Woo hoo!
Here’s my QSO Map:
And here are our logs:
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.
Since this quick little activation, he’s been out there hitting POTA sites regularly.
He hasn’t seen the doctor yet, but I’m positive he caught POTA fever. It’s incredibly contagious.
Also, the Tufteln AX1 stand worked perfectly in the wind. I’m going to keep this tucked away in my pack alongside my second AX1 to pair with a wide variety of radios.
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!
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.
As I mentioned before, the Patreon platform connected to Vimeo makes it possible for me to share videos that are not only 100% ad-free but also downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account also serves as a third backup for my video files.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
Last month, I received a comment and question from Gordon (KO4AYC) here on QRPer.com:
“I am curious if anyone has used the AX1 with the AXE1 40 meter extender and tuned this antenna for 40 meters using the Emtech ZM-2 tuner?”
For the life of me, I couldn’t remember if I’d tried this combo before.
The ZM-2 ATU is a simple manual antenna tuner that you can purchase either as a fun-to-build kit or fully assembled and tested.
I’ve owned my ZM-2 for many years, and I believe every QRP field operator should have one. They do a brilliant job of matching random wire antennas and taking your resonant antenna to a non-resonant band. Being a manual ATU, they require no power source. If you’d like to read a quick tutorial on tuning the ZM-2, read this previous post.
I figured the easiest way to answer Gordon’s question was to give it a go!
The AX1 does require a counterpoise, so before hitting the field, I did check to make sure there was continuity between the shield of the ZM-2’s BNC connector and the black binding post when the ZM-2 was switched to “GND” for coax antennas. Fortunately, there was! I loved this idea because it meant that no matter the radio, I knew I’d have an easy connection to ground for the AX1 counterpoise.
Blue Ridge Parkway (K-3378)
On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, I grabbed the ZM-2, AX1, and AXE 40M coil (since Gordon specifically asked about 40M) along with my Yaesu FT-818ND. It was time to see just how effectively the ZM-2 might match the AX1.
I store my AX1 in this Maxpedition pouch (see link in gear section below).
Upon arrival, I began setting up the station.
Even though it was approaching 2:00 PM locally, I wanted to see if the ZM-2 would match the AX1 (with AXE coil) on 40 meters first. I didn’t expect a lot of activity on that band so early in the afternoon, but I figured I could hopefully work a couple of stations.
I attached the AX1 directly to the ZM-2 antenna port and deployed the whip and 40M counterpoise.
It was a bit gusty, and I quickly realized that the AX1 might topple over in the wind. To secure the antenna, I used the handle of my GR1 backpack. It was a semi-effective arrangement (actually, the handle sort of pulled the antenna toward the pack, which wasn’t ideal either–I eventually removed it).
In calm conditions, I wouldn’t worry about the antenna toppling over; the ZM-2 provides enough of a base that it’s stable. In the wind, though, you’ll definitely need to secure the ZM-2/AX1 combo to keep it from being blown over.
My plan was to start on 40 meters, then also hit 30, 20, and 17 meters. This would give me an opportunity to see if the ZM-2 could match the AX1 on multiple bands.
Side note: I can’t remember if I mentioned this in a previous field report, but one sad bit of news for me is that there’s a new source of QRM at the Folk Art Center. It’s likely coming from the VA medical complex next door, but it raised the noise floor to at least S5 on most bands. This will make it more difficult for me to work weak signals from this particular POTA site.
Then again? My buddy Alan (W2AEW) recently pointed out to me that compromised antennas like the AX1 don’t feel the effects of local QRM as a higher-gain antenna would. I’d been thinking the same thing.
Gear:
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I hopped on the air and started calling CQ POTA on the 40-meter band. I worked one station quickly (thanks, W5GDW) and then silence. I didn’t expect 40 meters to be active this time of day, but I didn’t think it would be completely dead either.
I checked the POTA spots page and discovered that the connection to the Reverse Beacon Network was down. Even though I scheduled the activation, the system hadn’t spotted me.
Once spotted, I worked three more stations in quick succession.
Many thanks to by Mark (W2ITG) who shares the following field report:
Elecraft KX3/AX1 Field Report
by Mark (W2ITG)
I’m an avid POTA activator and wanted to try an experiment to see if I could complete an activation using just the Elecraft KX3 & AX1 on 40 & 20m SSB. I’ve seen others do it on CW but not on SSB. My CW learning is not going well by the way.
This was at K-1635 Washington Rock State Park 02-07-2024, with a beautiful view of the NYC skyline approximately 20 miles away.
My 1st attempt was a failure because I ran into SWR issues on 20m when I picked up the microphone & RF was getting into the audio as well. This was with the antenna mounted directly on the side of the radio using a 90 degree elbow connector, the AX1B bipod & an elevated radial connected to one of the case screws of the radio, unfortunately it didn’t work.
It’s a good thing I had brought along my Tuftln EFHW and telescopic carbon fiber fishing pole as well because it saved the day which allowed me to complete the activation. When activating make sure to have a backup plan, so far I have no incomplete activations.
Fast forward to 02-27-2024 I’m making another attempt but using a clamp mount, clamped on to the side of the picnic table, 25’ of ABR Industries RG-316 with built in CMC choke, the Elecraft AXT1 tripod adapter, and an elevated counterpoise.
I was much more successful, but barely. I did get my 10 contacts, 7 on 40m and 3 on 20m. This really took me by surprise as the AX1 is more of a compromise on 40 than it is on 20m.
Radio set up at a different picnic table.This clamp mount was taken from one of my BuddiStick setups.Notice the electric fence post in the background to elevate the counterpoise.The QSO map, it took me an hour and a half to get these 10 contacts.
Using the AX1 was quite the challenge to say the least. It does prove that even with a very limited antenna you can make contacts. My guess as to why it didn’t work as well on 20m, is poor band conditions. Living in the very populated northeast is what I believe allowed me to make more contacts on 40m.
Would I recommend buying this antenna? Most definitely, just as long as you know what it’s limitations are. I will try another attempt, but by trying 2 elevated counterpoise wires instead of 1. This antenna can use all the help it can get.
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, I managed my first POTA activation in weeks.
As I mentioned here on QRPer, January was a crazy month. Not only did I lack the time to activate parks, but I also wasn’t in the right frame of mind to make activation videos.
However, on February 1, things were looking up, and a nice little POTA activation was just what the doctor ordered!
I grabbed my KX2/AX1 pack as I headed out the door.
On the way into Asheville, I stopped by the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway (K-3378)–my go-to site for convenient activations. I had a one-hour window of time to fit in an activation.
BRP & MST Two-Fer
You might recall that in my last field report (from January 5, 2024), Hazel and I hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (K-8313) and found a trailside spot that was also within the Blue Ridge Parkway (K-3378) property boundary. The activation counted as a two-fer!
You don’t have to hike the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST), however, in order to activate it and the parkway at the same time.
In the activation video, below, I show where one of the picnic tables at the Folk Art Center is close enough to where the MST passes that it counts. Makes for an easy drive-up, two-fer activation.
New Tufteln Cover!
A few weeks ago, my friend Joshua (N5FY) sent me a new protective cover for my Elecraft KX2. He’s now made these covers a part of his product line at Tufteln.com.
Like my Tufteln KX1 cover, the KX2 cover locks onto the front of the radio with rare earth magnets. It only requires that you replace the stock screws around the KX2 display with the ones Joshua provides. His replacement screws have a slightly higher profile, which allows the cover to attach magnetically.
What I love about Joshua’s covers is that they do a brilliant job of protecting all of the controls of the KX2 without taking up as much space as, say, the stock clear cover that came with my side panels.
Also, it fits the KX2 perfectly whether you have side panels or not!
Setting up
Of course, the glory of the KX2/AX1 combo is that it takes almost no time to set up in the field.
Within a minute or two, my gear was deployed, and I was on the air seeking a clear frequency.
I opted to use my Begali Traveler (over my KXPD2) key since it was also packed in my GoRuck GR1.
Gear:
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I was excited about visiting Whitewater Canal because it would be my first official POTA activation in Indiana.
We arrived around 1:00 PM and opted to grab lunch at a nearby pizzeria before activating.
Around 2:00 PM, we grabbed our gear from the car and walked across the road to the park grounds.
The Whitewater Canal State Historic Site offers a glimpse into the 19th-century canal era.
Built between 1836 and 1847, the Whitewater Canal was a 76-mile waterway that connected the Ohio River to Hagerstown, facilitating the transport of goods and agricultural products.
This engineering feat played a vital role in the economic development of the region, contributing to the growth of towns and industries along its path.
I’ve always been fond of railroads and canals, so this site was brilliant as it featured both running parallel to each other!
Eric, Brian, and I (Miles didn’t activate) were careful to set up within the actual park boundaries.
In this case, it was a little difficult to determine the exact boundaries because the town and park blend together.
Eric set up his Elecraft KH1 station at a picnic table under a large tree.
Brian’s site was super stealthy behind the sign–since he operated with earphones, you couldn’t hear him and barely could see him!
