Tag Archives: Elecraft KX2

News

The POTA Babe Goes to the Dogs

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by Teri KO4WFP

As much as I enjoy the pursuit of my 2024 goal of 60 new parks, this Wednesday, August 21, I suspended my pursuit of that goal and headed to George L. Smith State Park, a park I activated last fall.  Why? I did so in support of K2D and International Dog Day. (See the QRZ page here: https://www.qrz.com/db/K2D)

International Dog Day is observed annually on August 26th. The goal is to raise awareness of the world’s abused, abandoned, homeless, and shelter dogs. Hans YL3JD in Latvia operated the past several years with a special event in honor of the day. This year, for the first time, Hans is joined by stations in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. The US team is organized by Caryn KD2GUT under the call K2D.

There are eight operators here in the US that will be on the air from Wednesday, August 21 through Monday, August 26. Three of us will do at least one of our shifts from a POTA site. I chose George L. Smith State Park (US-2179) as my site for two reasons. First, for this activation I need good cell service for spotting on the POTA website but also DXSummit. I recall this state park having good cell service during my previous visit. Second, I’ve been hankering for a return to this park given how scenic it is. K2D is a great excuse to return.

Source: gastateparks.org

Daisy (of course she has to come along for K2D!) and I arrived early, around 9 AM. We had the park to ourselves. The temperature actually felt cool, probably due to the presence of the lake and a stiff breeze blowing off of it.

the lake with cypress and tupelo trees

Last time I visited here, I operated from a hill next to the park office. However, I recall a fair amount of noise on 40 meters at that location. I had another QTH in mind.

former QTH

When you enter the park, to the right is the old grist mill through which one may walk. On the other side is a trail. It was along that trail I intended to set up.

Source: gastateparks.org

I parked at the park office, grabbed my gear, and walked to the old mill house. We continued out to the trail on the other side. I found a spot just past some hanging foliage which I thought would prevent anyone from walking into me. (It turns out we didn’t see a single person walking though we did see several kayakers on the lake.) There was a tall wall of foliage behind me which should shield Daisy and I from the summer sun during the entire activation.

overhanging foliage

Given I would operate as a special station, I wanted my trusty Tufteln EFRW. I found a branch high in the canopy and aimed. It took me several throws but I finally snagged a branch close by. I didn’t want to block the trail and needed a branch high enough for a steep angle in my antenna.

QTH at new spot
EFRW with flagging tape
view to the left of my spot
view to the right of my spot

Around 1400 UTC, I began calling CQ K2D or CQ POTA ES K2D. I opted for 20 meters given I’d likely reach a wider range of hams. The bands today did not disappoint (as you’ll see on my QSO map below) for the two hours I operated. I did try 40 meters near the end of the activation but had no callers for the 15 minutes I tried. Finally around noon, I called QRT.

QSO Map for K2D/George L. Smith State Park   source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/
my view during the activation – ain’t it nice?!

I was thrilled to find at noon that Daisy and I still sat in shade. This is a big deal in Georgia in August! In fact, we felt a breeze off the lake the entire activation. Can you say “ahhh”? So next time I visit this park, I’ll set up in this spot.

Daisy supervising
innovative way to display my POTA flag

I appreciate everyone who hunted me today.

I hope QRPer readers will consider supporting K2D over the next five days. As this is the first year of the event here in the US, there is not a schedule for when the eight of us are on the air. We will be on when we can for both CW and SSB, though since most of us are CW ops, I suspect you will mostly find us operating that mode. We will stick close to the frequencies of 7.045, 14.050, 21.030, and 28.050 as printed in QST magazine. However, check for us on DXHeat and DXSummit in case we need to move due to inference.

I’ve posted a short video to YouTube about the activation if you are interested:

Next week, I’ll resume my 60 new-to-me POTA activations for 2024 quest. Where will I show up and will I succeed in bagging park #38? Stay tuned…

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

The POTA Babe Gets Wet – Day 5

9 Comments

by Teri (KO4WFP)

Daisy and I awoke the morning of Thursday, July 18, ready to attempt our third SOTA activation of this trip. Today we’d head to Mount Jefferson State Natural Area (US-3846), a short drive from New River State Park. Along the drive, I spied quite a few farms for Christmas trees.

Mount Jefferson (W4C/EM-021) is 4,665 feet in elevation , rises more than 1,600 feet above the valley floor, and was a place for escaped slaves to hide. The mountain is a heath bald featuring dense evergreen shrubs on it which is different from the grassy balds also found in the Appalachian mountains. (Black Balsam Knob I visited earlier in the trip is an example of a grassy bald.)

A road winds up to a parking lot close to the summit. When I arrived on this overcast day, there was only one other vehicle parked. I grabbed my SOTA pack, outfitted Daisy with her harness and leash, and we were ready for the task ahead of us.

The hike up to the summit is an easy one. The trail begins at the parking lot and is easy to identify. To make sure there was no repeat performance of not being sure where the summit is located, I snapped a pic of a posted park map.

Start of the trail

Along the hike, we encountered the weather station near the summit and neat lichens.

The weather station
Neat lichens

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the summit. I could see the weather station back along the ridge as well as the town in the valley below. I had checked the weather forecast before I left our campsite earlier that morning and it looked promising.

The trail at the summit
Ta-da – Mount Jefferson summit

At the summit is a section of rock with a flatish spot in the middle, almost as if it is beckoning one to get comfortable. We settled ourselves on that flatish spot and I began pulling my equipment out of the pack. I opted for the AX1 again as it served me well at the previous two SOTA activations and there wasn’t much room up here.

I love this photo!

I quickly discovered there was no cell service. I’d have to make do, possibly setting up near another POTA station and hoping the RBN would spot me or someone would come across me. I began on 40 meters but after spending 10 minutes on that band, moved to 20 meters. James WA1EDN found me and I asked him to “PSE SPOT ME”. It worked and in the next 15 minutes, I worked  five stations and then…

It started raining! (Noooooo!) I had noticed fog-like clouds moving in; however, I have seen this kind of weather before while on the Blue Ridge Parkway and those clouds don’t always bring rain. I naively believed the weather forecast and didn’t pay them much attention. Until it started raining.

Clouds moving in

I hurriedly covered my KX2 and key, put on my raincoat, and threw what I could into my pack including my notepad. Thankfully, I take with me a Rite in the Rain notebook and pen as a backup. Neither had ever been used. I refused to give up so easily and began calling CQ POTA again. I worked another station – John N7JTT in Washington state – and then…

My wet pack

My key started going bonkers on me! I didn’t think about it but the key is electronic and not mechanical. I can recall only two times I’ve activated in the rain. Both were during my trip to Nova Scotia and both times I activated INSIDE the car. So I and my equipment (except the antenna) were protected from the rain. Electronic keys and rain do NOT mix as I now discovered. I thought I had protected it from the rain but obviously not.

Well, I could deal with that! I always take a small backup key with me which I now pulled out and began to use. However, that key, too, is electrical and crapped out on me in no time. Now I had no choice but to call QRT. Oh, the depth of despair at having to do that when I was so close to a valid activation!

Daisy snoozing in the rain

I consoled myself that at least I got my third SOTA activation and, other than the keys crapping out on me, this activation had been a lot of fun. Also, the AX1 had proven itself a rockstar with two QSOs to the West Coast – John N7JTT in California and WB6POT in Washington state! Way to go AX1!

We dragged our soggy bodies down the mountain to the parking lot where I looked at the keys one more time to see if they would work for me. Nope. Honestly, I felt very, VERY stupid at not thinking about those keys being electrical. I never considered they wouldn’t work in the rain. Sigh. This was another learning opportunity and, when I got back home, I’d make sure to have a mechanical key in my arsenal as a SECOND backup. You know what the SEALs say: two is one and one is none. At this point, I had none!

I had planned on heading back to Georgia tomorrow. But with no working keys, there could be no more activations. (I don’t carry a mic with me as I am a CW-only op these days.) There was no point in staying that extra day.

I headed back to New River State Park, packed everything up, and drove the seven hours back to Savannah, Georgia. Though the keys might have dried out and worked the next day, we had already been through two nights of thunderstorms and much more promised to roll through the area. Enough was enough.

All in all, I considered the trip a success. I finally tackled SOTA and ended up with three valid activations. I added six valid POTA activations to my goal of 60 new-to-me parks for 2024. I survived five days of camping alone with Daisy 500 miles from home. Yes, I made mistakes along the way; however, I viewed those a learning opportunities, mistakes I’d not be likely to make again.

For those of you who followed these articles and hunted me during the trip, thank you for sharing this journey with me. This POTA Babe learned a lot and had a lot of fun along the way, despite the setbacks. I am already plotting a SOTA trip for spring or summer 2025 and, most certainly, a summer 2025 return to the North Carolina mountains. But well before that, I have 23 more parks to activate for my 2024 POTA activation goal. Where will I show up next? Stay tuned…

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

Things Pick Back Up for the POTA Babe – Day 4

3 Comments

by Teri (KO4WFP)

I woke on day four (Wednesday, July 17) of my North Carolina camping and POTA trip, determined for it to be a better day. The three unsuccessful activations were actually a good thing. It put me on notice that I had fallen into my past habit of scheduling to the max. Sometimes I become so focused on whatever I am pursuing that I forget to enjoy the ride getting there. So today would be a day of leisure with some POTA sprinkled in.

I spent the morning drying items wet from the previous night’s rain. It turns out the tent waterproofing was just so-so and that smarted. However, it reminded me of an acronym from Dr. Maika Steinborn – FAIL which stands for First Attempt In Learning. There is a learning curve with any new endeavor and waterproofing a tent is no exception. The rainfly and underside of the tent needed more of the exterior waterproofing spray. That is a project for when I return home.

Drying out

The camping spot across from me was unoccupied. The parking spaces for it were bathed in sunshine so I took advantage of that sunshine to dry items before packing them up as we had reservations at a new park.

Meanwhile, I endeavored to get the activation for Lake James State Park that the rain prevented last night. To make matters simple, I used the Chelegance MC-750. It was a snap to set up and, while Daisy snoozed under my seat, I set up on 40 meters. The band gave me four contacts in ten minutes. It was a challenge hearing them at times because a park employee was mowing in nearby areas.

Chelegance MC-750 set up on tent pad
Daisy snoozing
My setup at Lake James campsite

I moved to 20 meters and added three more contacts including a park-to-park with Randy N5ILQ at US-11768 in Oklahoma. I’d been on 20 meters for nearly 20 minutes with only three contacts and figured I’d give 40 another try.  Switching to 40 meters, that band gave me three more contacts. Getting antsy, I hopped back to 20 meters. Contacts with Tim VA3UZ, Dave N1CGP, and Brian K3ES gave me the breathing room I needed for a valid activation.

QSO Map for Lake James State Park 7-17-2024 source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

Daisy and I packed up and headed out. The road along Lake James was one fun ride, like an old-time rollercoaster with banked turns and zigzags back and forth. I’ve about decided I need to visit North Carolina once a year just to drive the roads!

Cool bridge inside Lake James State Park
Beach area down by the lake

We drove through Morganton, Lenoir, and then to Blowing Rock, a swanky looking community. We rejoined the Blue Ridge Parkway for a bit before heading north on 221 toward New River State Park. We were in the upper left corner of the state at this point, 357 miles from home.

A funny sign I spied on the drive
Vista at Grandview Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Common milkweed
More Queen Anne’s Lace

So far, I’m impressed with the state parks at which I’ve stayed in North Carolina. Lake James offered spacious, well-equipped campsites and one of the nicest bathhouses I’ve seen in a state park. At New River State Park, though, I would live in the lap of luxury as I’d have an electrical hook-up at my site! (To recharge my Jackery Power Station so far, I plugged it into my car while driving.) You appreciate the things we often take for granted in society when you go without them for several days.

source: GIS Geography

Our campsite
Campsite visitor – We saw bunnies at Davidson River Campground also.

After setting up camp and a brief rain shower, I decided to activate New River State Park (US-2748) and, again, use the Chelegance MC-750. Contacts came in spurts. I began with 20 meters and made contact with two stations before moving to 40 meters. Forty meters did not disappoint. Over the course of 25 minutes, I made contact with nine stations including Jeff VE3JZT at park CA-5594 in Ontario province. I had a valid activation by this point with 11 contacts. However, I had the hunger for more QSOs and switched back to 20 meters. That proved to be a good move as I worked four more stations including Scott NB0W in Nebraska before calling QRT.

QSO Map for New River State Park 7-17-2024 source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

At this point in the trip, I reflected on the past four days. I had six valid POTA activations and two SOTA activations. Daisy and I had survived camping by ourselves a long way from home negotiating the challenges that arise from this kind of trip. I had a blast driving the roads in my Crosstrek Kai through bucolic countryside and grand vistas. But truth be told, I missed my partner Glenn and was a little homesick. I decided I would end my trip two days early on Friday instead of Sunday. That still gave me two days for another SOTA attempt and two more parks. The fun wasn’t over yet! What summit would I attempt to activate tomorrow? Stay tuned…

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

The POTA Babe Strikes Out – Day 3

9 Comments

by Teri (KO4WFP)

As my friend Jon KC1FUU says “Some days are diamonds, some are stone.” The third day (Tuesday, July 16) of my North Carolina trip definitely fell into the “stone” category.

The day began nice enough with a slow but steady pace. As our next overnight stay was at Lake James State Park, it was time to break camp and set out northward for Linville Gorge Wilderness Area (US-10262). According to the US Forest Service website, “the gorge is formed by the Jonas Ridge on the east and Linville Mountain on the west and is bisected by the Linville River which drops 2,000 feet into the valleys below.” The gorge is also known as the “Grand Canyon of Eastern USA”.

source: GIS Geography

When you activate parks out of the state and with which you are unfamiliar, you never know what the actual conditions will be until you arrive. In case we didn’t want to hike into the gorge, I figured there would a parking lot at which we could set up as is typical of many parks. However, that is NOT the case here. The roads that run along the gorge are also not in the park boundary. All the trails to hike are rated difficult except for one which doesn’t go into the gorge.

After the previous day, I was loathe to do any major hiking, especially for Daisy. The weather didn’t help either as it was sunny and warm.

There was one hike – Spencer Ridge Trail – whose description said there was a moderate section. Plan B was to ride to the other side of the gorge and hike enough to be in the park boundary and try an activation on Spencer Ridge Trail.

Spencer Trail circled in black on Linville Gorge map

Have you ever ridden any forest service roads? Whew! They are a rough bunch of characters. This one – Table Rock Road – was no different. Roads like this is why I drive my Crosstrek Kai, as he is made for these kinds of adventures.

This photo doesn’t begin to convey the bumpy condition of this road!
A huge rock along the forest service road

We parked in the lot for Spencer Ridge Trail, geared up, and began the hike. A little ways down the trail, we stopped and I set up for an activation. There was no way to put up an antenna in the trees as this was a  narrow trail and likely there would be hikers coming along at some point. I opted for the AX1 and hopped onto 20 meters. After 10 minutes of calling CQ with no answers, I thought about moving to 40 meters. However, there was no room for that long of a counterpoise and, by this time, I was ready to admit “uncle” to the gorge. Sometimes, as another acquaintance says, “the juice ain’t worth the squeeze,” and it wasn’t by this point.

The trail
My view – looking straight into the foliage with the trail behind me

We rehydrated, loaded ourselves back into the car for the bumpy, crazy service road ride, and went on our way to the next activation – Table Rock Fish Hatchery (US-8012).

The hatchery, built in 1946, has 17 ponds as well as a flowing water flume for holding trout. Its water supply is nearby Irish Creek. It is the only coolwater hatchery in the state due to its location which  raises fingerling smallmouth bass, walleye, and muskallunge as well as channel catfish.

Maybe I should have taken the rain I encountered as an omen this activation was not to be. It poured on the drive to the hatchery and for about 15 minutes at the site. There was blue sky in the distance and the clouds seemed to be clearing when all of sudden, the sun was out! However, with the sun came intense humidity, almost south-Georgia level humidity.

I set up in a picnic area outside the hatchery gates but still on hatchery property. I found a spot I could park Kai under branches for shade. As there were dogs loose on the property and the ground was soggy, I left Daisy in the car with the windows down and the Koonie fan on high to keep her cool.

Picnic area
Kai in the shade
Daisy keeping cool in the car

Due to the rain, there was no lack of wildlife. As I set up, I disturbed a bunch of tiny (and I mean tiny) frogs. During the activation, I kept an eye on the ground while calling CQ over and over and spied a little beetle crawling nearby.

One of the frogs I inadvertantly disturbed

I deployed the EFRW antenna and hopped on the air. I’m not sure if it was the location or bad propagation or both but I had only one nibble. (Thank you Tim VA3UZ for that single contact!) I tried 20 meters for two periods as well as five minutes each on 40 and 30 meters. It was hot and humid. While setting up, the feed-end of my EFRW had dropped out of my pocket unbeknownst to me and I tore my hair out for over 20 minutes trying to locate it. Between the weather, the frustration from temporarily losing the antenna feed-end, and the lack of contacts, I had had enough and called QRT.

Throwing the arbor line to snag my branch
The creek at the hatchery
My QTH

We drove onto Lake James State Park to set up camp for the night. What a pretty and open landscape this park has. I booked a spot in the Paddy campground, spot #1 right near the bathhouse. Given the rainy weather we encountered, this proved to be a good spot.

Lake James campsite

I planned for an evening activation at Lake James; however, the weather had a different idea. It rained several times over the course of the evening. So, the POTA Babe struck out – zero successful activations of the three parks planned for the day.

Yes, it was a stone kind of day. The good thing about stone days is they don’t stick around. At some point, the diamond days show up again. Was day four of my North Carolina  trip a diamond day? Stay tuned…

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

Field Report: POTA Energy Boost at Tuttle Educational State Forest

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Somedays, I just need a little POTA and radio-active therapy to energize the day. And this was one of those days.

On Thursday, July 18, 2024, I woke up still feeling quite tired because I had been out the entire day before helping my sister with a move–my wife and I didn’t get back home until midnight.

I was exhausted!

That Thursday, though, I still needed to hit the road again fairly early to help my sister with her home closing and then bring my dad home (finally) from the skilled nursing facility where he’d spent the previous 2.5 months!

It was a big day, and I was feeling pretty low on the energy reserves even after the morning coffee. We’ve all been there, right?

I didn’t think I would have time to fit in a POTA activation, but my father’s nursing facility contacted me and asked if I could pick him up after lunch instead of before. All of a sudden, I had a two-hour chunk of time, so, of course, I was going to get radio-active!

Fortunately, I had my GoRuck GR1 in the car, after my trip to the NC coast, packed with the KX2 and a few antenna options!

Looking at the time, I knew Tuttle Educational State Forest would be my best bet for a quick activation. Accounting for travel time and lunch, I would have about a one-hour window to operate.

Tuttle Educational State Forest (US-4861)

I arrived at Tuttle and wasn’t surprised to find the place nearly empty. Tuttle caters to school groups, and since schools were still in summer break, I didn’t expect to see any school buses or large groups.

My plan was to attempt this activation using the AX1 antenna–just to keep things simple.

I chose a picnic table in the shade and set up my gear in short order!

Gear

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On The Air

I hopped on the air hoping that propagation wouldn’t be too rough, but turns out, it was not in the greatest of shape. Anyone active in POTA lately knows this struggle! Continue reading Field Report: POTA Energy Boost at Tuttle Educational State Forest →

News

The POTA Babe Becomes a SOTA Babe – Part 2

6 Comments

by Teri (KO4WFP)

Monday, July 15, after my “botched” SOTA activation of Black Balsam, the POTA Babe headed to Richland Balsam. Richland Balsam proved to be a nice hike and activation. The mountain is further up the parkway and the highest point on it. You access the trail to the summit via an overlook just southeast of the mountain.

Trailhead for Richland Balsam

When I researched what summits to choose, one nice feature about this one is a bench at its top. Yes, the park service provides you a seat for your activation! Given the gain in elevation to reach that bench, you are grateful for it by the time you reach the summit!

Foliage encroaching on the trail to Richland Summit
Yes, more ferns!!

By this point in the day, the sun had burned off the clouds and both Daisy and I appreciate sitting beneath the tree canopy shaded from the heat. While I set up my KX2 and AX1 (it has performed well enough at Black Balsam Knob, I figured it would do well here, too.), Daisy sprawled out on the forest floor at my feet.

View from the bench

I was a little nervous at going through all this effort with an ongoing solar flare. However, you never know what the bands are going to give unless you try.

QTH (bench) provided by park service

As per Gary’s recommendation in the last article, I began with 40 meters and, in addition to working Gary, worked three other ops in short order. After ten minutes with no further callers, I moved to 20 meters. I still needed six more QSOs for a valid POTA activation at this site. They gradually trickled in over the course of an hour and a half. I had internet access at this location, too, and was able to hunt Douglas AA0AW at US-11150 in Minnesota. At this point I called QRT and reflected on the day.

QSO Map for Richland Balsam/Blue Ridge Pkwy/Nantahala National Forest source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

The thought of not having a valid SOTA activation in the morning REALLY bothered me. It was fairly late in the day now. Would there be time to go back (yes, go back) and make a second attempt? By now those lovely cloudy skies were long gone so our second hike would be a much warmer one. If you haven’t already figured out by now, POTA Babes are tenacious and don’t give up easily. Besides, I felt the need to redeem myself.

We arrived back at the Black Balsam Knob parking area with plenty of parking now. In fact, there were only a handful of cars left. As we walked toward the trailhead, a pair of men were leaving the trail for their car. I asked them how far of a hike it is to Black Balsam Knob to which they responded about 30 minutes. Well, it was about 30 minutes I hiked that morning. Hmmm.

A gorgeous and sunnier view than previously that morning

When we reached the same area I had that morning, I asked two different parties where the Black Balsam Knob summit was. They both responded right where I was standing! (It had taken a little over 30 minutes, partially to give Daisy a rest due to the temperature.) But where was the plaque? One gentleman confirmed there was indeed a plaque at this site and yes, this was the summit.

The plaque I missed earlier

Well, how do you like that?! I DID have a valid SOTA activation here after all. Whew! What a relief (though I could have done without that hike a second time). I figured since we were already up here, why not try to finish the POTA activation now?

First things first, though, was to find Daisy some shade and the only way to do that was to set up the new Mountain Laurel Designs tarp I purchased for the trip. I couldn’t get the height I saw Patrick WW4D have on his tarp but it was a start. I gave Daisy the shade and sat in front of it shielding my KX2 from the sun.

First time using the Mountain Laurel Designs tarp
A simple setup

I went back to 20 meters and thanks to three hunters – Keith K7MOA, Gerald N5KT, and Ken K5ENS – I had my valid POTA activation! Woo-hoo! What a day!

At this point, I heard thunder and saw lightning from a raincloud I’d been watching. It was time to get the you-know-what out of Dodge! I hurriedly threw everything into my pack and Daisy and I huffed it down the summit.

Approaching storm

As I reflected on how the day played out, I was pleased with what I accomplished.

A successful SOTA activation is a big deal to me, to a great extent because I’ve had no one to Elmer me. There are those who’ve answered my questions and there are Youtube videos that were helpful. But the endeavor still seemed overwhelming at times, especially since I often set the bar high for myself. There are still additional skills I need for further pursuit of SOTA, especially if hiking to a summit that isn’t as easy to find as the two today were. But today was a good start. For those of you considering your first SOTA activation, if I can do it, so can you! So do your research, gather your skills, and get out there.

A happy POTA Babe and her POTA pup

The track record for the trip is going well – four POTA and two SOTA activations and it is only day two! Will I keep up the pace and where will I head next? Stay tuned…

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Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Portable, QRP, SOTA, Travel

The POTA Babe Becomes a SOTA Babe – Part 1

3 Comments

by Teri (KO4WFP)

Monday, July 15, the second day of my North Carolina camping trip for POTA and SOTA, started chilly with overcast skies. Today I would attempt my first SOTA activations. I chose two easy summits – Black Balsam Knob and Richland  Balsam.

map source: blueridgepark.org
map source: bluedridgeparkway.org

Daisy and I headed out after a simple breakfast up US Highway 276 through the Pisgah National Forest toward the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the route, we encountered Looking Glass waterfall. The last time I visited this waterfall, it was packed with spectators. Today, I shared it with only one other person. It was a nice way to begin what turned out to be a very long day (spoiler alert).

Looking Glass Waterfall

If you haven’t driven the Blue Ridge Parkway, put it on your bucket list! I’ve been on the parkway more times than I can remember. I relish driving it. Surprisingly, I encountered very little traffic this day so I could move at my own pace along the banked turns and stunning vistas.

The parking area for Black Balsam was already full when I arrived; however, several other cars were making use of the side of the road and I pulled in behind a couple who were suiting up for their hike. It turns out the husband of the couple had a father who was a ham and learned CW during World War II. It is a small world indeed.

Lots of cars already at parking area.

The hike to Black Balsam Knob  is not one I’d consider easy, especially scrambling over the rocky surfaces. Before the trip, I was concerned as to how Daisy would handle hiking given she’s done nothing like this before. It became obvious why she is a POTA pup – the terrain didn’t bother her in the least!

Part of the trail to Black Balsam summit

On the hike up, we saw Carolina lilies growing wild along the trail. There were also bees everywhere, especially in some yellow wildflowers I could not identify.

Carolina Lilly
Yellow flowers in which the bees were active

I was grateful the skies were overcast and the temps on the cooler side (upper 60s). There was a light breeze when we arrived at what I thought was the summit and the tall grasses stirred in it. You could see for miles! The hike was worth the view.

Overcast skies from the top of Black Balsam

I originally thought I would use my EFRW mounted on a fishing pole for my SOTA activations. However, cleaning, stripping, and re-waterproofing the tent/rainfly took so much time, I didn’t follow through with a solution to support it on a summit with no woody vegetation. I opted to use the AX1 instead with the configuration Thomas has had the most success – mounted to the side of the KX2. I also took with me the counterpoises (20 and 40 meters) that came with the antenna.

Once on the air, I called CQ SOTA to make sure I worked those ops first given they are fewer in number than POTA hunters. Since the activation would count for both SOTA (Black Balsam Knob W4C/CM-003) and POTA (Pisgah National Forest US-4510), I gave my location (NC) for all exchanges. (I think SOTA just requires an RST.) I worked seven stations in ten minutes, a good rate.

Operating

I moved down one Hertz as I began faintly hearing someone else on the frequency. (Yes, I cleared it first; however, given I was operating QRP, fighting for the frequency was probably a losing battle.) It was at this point I began calling CQ POTA and the callers dried up. I did have cell service here and worked one park-to-park with Kenneth NS1C at US-11632 in Massachusetts. I continued to call CQ both on 20 and 17 meters with no luck. I didn’t opt to try 40 meters as I figured it wouldn’t be any better.

QSO map for Black Balsam Knob/Pisgah Nat’l Forest source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

About the time I had packed up my gear, Gary W5GDW contacted me asking about 40 meters. I was loathe to pull my equipment back out. He also advised me there was a solar flare. (Maybe that was why I suddenly didn’t hear anyone.)

At this point, I had a valid SOTA activation but not for POTA. I figured the campground at which I was staying – Davidson River Campground – is in Pisgah National Forest so I could finish my activation at my campsite later in the afternoon.

As I headed down the mountain, I began questioning whether I had actually reached the summit. Something didn’t feel right. I checked the map at the trailhead and noticed Black Balsam Knob has a plaque honoring Art Loeb and I didn’t recall seeing any such thing. Uh oh. Maybe I hadn’t had my first SOTA activation. My heart sank.

Map at trailhead for Black Balsam Knob

First of all, it was demoralizing I had botched my very first SOTA. Second, how humiliating because of how public it would be. Honesty is one of my values and I’d have to admit the mistake. I almost scrapped the remainder of the day I was so bummed. However, I didn’t drive all the way to North Carolina to scrap activations so onward I went to the next one – Richland Balsam – which would give me a SOTA activation and two POTA parks. Did I redeem myself? Stay tuned…

Equipment Used

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

The POTA Babe Goes North – Day 1

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by Teri (KO4WFP)

Sunday, July 14 finally arrived, a day for which I prepared the past five weeks. It was time for Daisy and the POTA Babe to head to North Carolina for a week of POTA, SOTA, and camping. The drive was straight-forward and easy – Interstate 95 to Interstate 26.

About four hours after leaving Savannah, we arrived at my first POTA location: the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site (US-0804) in Flat Rock, NC.

map source: GIS Geography

I LOVE visiting North Carolina. Nearly everywhere you look in the countryside you see green, green, GREEN. There are ferns (one of my favorite plants) in the understory. There are wildflowers in the fields I don’t see back home. There is a certain earthy smell when one walks trails. And the roads! Don’t get me started on how much fun I have driving the winding mountain roads with their banked curves! (Can you tell I love visiting North Carolina?)

Ferns in the woods of the Carl Sandburg site

Back to the story at hand, the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site is 264 acres and contains the home of Carl Sandburg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and poet. He and his family moved to the site in 1945. It suited his need for seclusion and his wife’s needs for raising her prize-winning goats. In fact, the park service actually maintains roughly fifteen goats in a historic herd on site today.

Property map with my notes

The Sandburg home sits atop a hill and one gets glimpses of the house as you walk along the lengthy driveway winding up the hill toward it. The drive is shaded and benches dot the pathway beckoning one to sit and enjoy the quiet. I longingly looked at them as an activation site but the intermittent presence of pedestrians nixed that idea.

Daisy is ready to go!
The trail around the lake was necessary as a pedestrian bridge was under construction
View of the house from the driveway looking up the hill
Path along the driveway

Both Daisy and I were surprised by the heat of the day. The temperature was 91 degrees! Thankfully, outside the house I spied some trees with shade beneath them. Their orientation would allow me to run my antenna toward the northwest and their shade was a welcome respite from the heat.

The Sandburg home
Our QTH in the shade

Given I saw no restrictions on antennas in the trees when reading the rules of using the property, I promptly set about getting the EFRW up. Trust this hobby to keep you humble, though. On my last activation at Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area, it took just one perfect throw to snag the branch I wanted. Today, it took four! Some days you have it and others you don’t.

Creatively displaying the POTA flag!

The activation proceeded slowly, I think mostly due to the inconsistent band conditions. It took an hour to log twelve stations. There were several stations I heard but they were too faint or they disappeared on me. Continue reading The POTA Babe Goes North – Day 1 →

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

Beautiful POTA activation at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson and Afternoon in Southport!

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On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, my wife and I were in the middle of a week-long stay in Wilmington, North Carolina, while our daughters attended residential programs at NCSU and UNCW.

That particular day, we couldn’t decide what to do because the weather was fickle! Temperatures and humidity were high, fueling a constant string of isolated thunderstorms rolling over Wilmington and the Cape Fear River area. Every hour or so, a new storm would roll past.

Heather suggested I fit in a POTA activation, and, of course, I loved the idea. I just didn’t want to play radio anywhere near thunderstorms.

We decided to drive south to one of my favorite coastal towns in North Carolina: Southport. Based on the weather radar, it looked like we could drive to Southport on the west side of the river, then return via the Fort Fisher Ferry on the east side, potentially avoiding most of the isolated thunderstorms moving north along the coast.

After stopping in Leland for supplies, we made our way to Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson State Historic Site, directly across the Cape Fear River from where I’d activated the previous day at Carolina Beach State Park (US-2722).

En route, we drove into a thundershower with rain so intense that most cars on the road turned on their hazard lights and slowed to a crawl. Visibility was nil.

Fortunately, the heaviest rain only lasted 10 or so minutes, and by the time we were two minutes from the park entrance, it had slowed to a drizzle. As we parked at the visitor’s center, it had all but cleared up.

Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson State Historic Site (US-6834)

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site is unique in that it offers a blend of colonial and Civil War history along the beautiful Cape Fear River.

Founded in 1726, Brunswick quickly grew into a bustling port town known for exporting naval stores. However, the town was burned by British troops in 1776 and never rebuilt, leaving behind ruins for visitors to explore today.

During the Civil War, Confederate forces constructed Fort Anderson atop the remnants of Brunswick. The fort’s earthen walls and impressive gun emplacements now stand as a reminder of the region’s strategic importance during this turbulent period.

Visitors can explore the colonial foundations and Civil War earthworks, while enjoying the river waterfront.

There’s also a visitor’s center with exhibits detailing the area’s rich history.

I was pleased to spot a picnic area on the opposite side of the parking lot from the visitors’ center. This would allow me to set up close enough to the car that if another storm approached, I could pack up quickly.

First, I introduced myself to the staff and asked for permission to activate. I was confident they would grant it, as this site had been activated 39 times already (mine would be the 40th).

The two park rangers inside were incredibly kind and accommodating. My wife and I ended up speaking with them about history for nearly 30 minutes. I also gave them more insight into the POTA program and asked if activators were following their rules. Fortunately, they gave a very positive report. NC State Historic Sites protect both the archaeology of the site and the natural resources, so I always ask for permission to activate because some sites have restrictions about putting lines in trees or stakes/spikes in the ground. Fortunately, this was not an issue at the picnic area.

Setting up

Since weather was iffy and since Heather and I wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon in nearby Southport, I decided to pair my Elecraft KX2 with my AX1 antenna.

This also gave me a chance to try out a new 3D-printed bipod that my friend Mike (KE8PTX) sent me.

This Bipod consists of a 3D-printed clip and knob designed by Adam (K6ARK) and two legs designed by Mike.

I was really amazed at 1.) how easy it was to attach the clip to the antenna’s BNC base and 2.) how incredibly stable this Bipod felt even compared with the OEM bipod.

Thank you, Mike (and Adam)!

With the radio set up, I was ready to activate!

Gear

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On The Air

I assumed 20 meters would be the best place to start and, frankly, I hoped it would be productive enough to cap off my activation in short order so that my wife and I could continue our travels.

Unfortunately, propagation was not compliant. Continue reading Beautiful POTA activation at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson and Afternoon in Southport! →

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Carolina Beach State Park: A QRP Oasis Amidst the Summer Heat and Activities

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Tuesday, July 9, 2024, was a very radio-active day!

I was in Wilmington, North Carolina, and that morning, I had the privilege of activating the Battleship North Carolina from inside the battleship. Click here to read the field report and watch the video.

In short? It was amazing and certainly a fabulous way to start the day.

We were in Wilmington because one of my daughters was attending a week-long program at NC State University, and the other was attending a similar program at UNC Wilmington.

That Tuesday afternoon, after dropping my daughter off on the campus of UNC Wilmington, my wife suggested we hit Carolina Beach State Park for a POTA activation. It didn’t take me a microsecond to agree to that plan!

Carolina Beach State Park (US-2722)

Carolina Beach State Park, located just south of Wilmington, is a unique spot full of natural wonders. The park covers over 760 acres of Pleasure Island, with diverse habitats ranging from the impressive 50-foot Sugarloaf Dune (which used to be used as a navigational aid) to the fascinating limesink ponds, each with its own special plant community.

The park is also home to the Venus flytrap, a rare carnivorous plant found only in a small part of the Carolinas. You can explore the park’s trails, winding through maritime forests and maybe even catching a glimpse of these fascinating plants in action. The park also has a marina for easy access to the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway, making it a great spot for boating and fishing.

We arrived at the park a little before 4:00 PM local time. Had it not been so hot and humid, we would have hit one of the park’s trails before finding a spot to do POTA, but the weather being what it was, both of us were happy to spend time in the shade.

We pulled into the main picnic area and quickly found a spot to set up. As I pulled out my radio and camera gear, my wife, Heather, pulled out her travel watercolor kit, all packed in a Tom Bihn HLT1 (we’re a pack geek family!).

When Heather joins me on POTA activations, she almost always sets up somewhere and paints while I activate. I love the fact that we both enjoy the experience in different ways.

In fact, my buddy Steve (KC5F), who is also an avid POTA activator, performs almost all of his activations with his wife, who also paints while he activates. He told me that she likes a good couple of hours of painting, so he typically racks up a lot of contacts in that amount of time.

Setting Up

The first thing I did was set up my Thermacell mosquito repeller–it needs a few minutes to do its thing and clear out the mozzies. The model I carry, the “backpacker,” fits a standard backpacking stove canister. I’ve recommended this one to many other POTA ops who operate in areas with mosquitoes–so far, it’s never let me down!

Also, I want to send a big shout-out to Alanna (K4AAC) and Bob (K4RLC) for making this activation even more civilized.

After watching an activation earlier this year at Tuttle Educational State Forest, where I placed my KX2 and logbook on a wet and dirty picnic table–covered in pollen and other tree bits–Alanna ordered a blue Gingham picnic tablecloth and whisk and had it sent to me.

I’ve had this tablecloth packed in the go-box I keep in the Subaru, and this activation was the perfect time to put it to use because the table I chose needed cleaning!

Thanks, Bob and Alanna!

Next, I deployed my PackTenna 9:1 End-Fed Random Wire antenna and paired it with my Elecraft KX2.

New paddle mount!

I did (finally) get to try out a new piece of kit in the field: a newly-designed paddle mount from Steve (KB3SII) at QRPworks.

Steve handed this prototype mount to me at Hamvention this year. It’s an updated design of one we tested last year.

You basically attach the mount to the front of the KX2 (or KX3) and place a paddle like the Bamakey TP-III that has strong rare earth magnets. The paddle locks onto the metal pad and makes for a rock-solid, ergonomic keying experience.

Steve also sent me two short 3.5mm angled cords to connect the key to the radio, but I forgot to pack them for the trip. My standard paddle cable worked fine, although I had to angle the TP-III slightly.

Note that Steve plans to have these paddle mounts in production and available on the QRPworks website in the coming weeks. When they’re available, I’ll post a direct link.

With the KX2 set up and ready to go, it was time to hit the air!

Gear

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On The Air

I started calling CQ POTA on 17M and discovered that it was a fairly quiet band. Nonetheless, I worked two stations in about six minutes. Secretly, I was hoping there might be a 17M path into Europe, but then again, it was a bit late in the day for that (and it seemed 17M wasn’t terribly energized). Continue reading Carolina Beach State Park: A QRP Oasis Amidst the Summer Heat and Activities →