Unexpected Family Reunions on the Road

by Brian (K3ES)I don’t know how others feel, but one of the things that really appeals to me about the Parks on the Air (POTA) program is the sense of community that it encourages among participating amateur radio operators. This is as true no matter how we participate. I have operators that I consider friends, even though I have never personally met them, because I have hunted them across so many of their activations. I have other operator friends who are familiar because they have hunted me across so many of my activations. Best of all, I have operator friends who I have also had the chance to meet in the field.

During my cross-country road trip (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road) I got to meet three kindred spirits through eyeball QSOs, because we crossed paths in parks along the way. In this article, I want to share the story of three unexpected meetings on the road.

Activating Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site

Wow, 2-fer! We came to the Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site, US-5748, to activate a park in North Dakota. When we arrived, we found this sign, and I instantly recognized the North Country Trail medallion at the top, because it passes near my home in Pennsylvania. The North Country Trail National Scenic Trail, US-4239, crosses through Fort Abercrombie SHS, allowing simultaneous activation of both entities.

I will confess that the goal to activate all of the states along our route sometimes meant that we would take an intentional zig in our travels to stop at a park in a “nearby“ state for a quick activation before zagging back to our primary route. Our visit to Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site (US-5748) in North Dakota resulted from just such a zig. After spending a nice couple of days visiting with my niece and her husband at their new home in Apple Valley, MN (just south of Minneapolis), we planned our next travel day to make a mid-day stop at Fort Abercrombie (along the MN-ND border, just south of Fargo), before turning south to spend the night in Sioux Falls, SD.

We knew the park buildings at Fort Abercrombie would be closed, because of the season, and were not surprised to find only one other vehicle in parking area. With that said, two surprises did catch our attention. First, a familiar sign shared billing with the State Historic Site, the medallion for the North Country Trail (US-4239), which I have activated multiple times in Pennsylvania. That presented an interesting opportunity for a 2-fer activation. Second, looking across at the other vehicle, I quickly saw antennas and radio equipment!

When we arrived at Fort Abercrombie SHS, Todd – NO0X was operating FT8 from the station in the back of his SUV. His vertical antenna is just off-screen to the right.

This late in the season, the visitor center at Fort Abercrombie was only open by appointment. We had not made prior arrangements.

I walked over to the gentleman sitting next to the open lift-gate of his SUV, and asked the universal radio amateur question: “How are the bands today?” Introductions quickly ensued. Todd – NO0X wondered if I were one of the frequent activators at the site, which was definitely not the case. He was ranked third for number of activations at the site, and was looking to improve his tally. He was running an FT8 activation that day using a vertical antenna, but he is also a CW operator. I got a quick tour of his station. Then we talked about the route of the North Country Trail through the site, and it turned out the trail ran within 100 ft of the site’s picnic pavilion.

A bit of the history of Fort Abercrombie…

Here I am operating from Fort Abercrombie using my KX2 connected to a Tufteln EFRW antenna hanging outside the pavilion behind me. I was running CW mode at 5 watts.

So, I moved over to the pavilion to set up my Elecraft KX2, with a Tufteln EFRW antenna supported in a nearby tree, but not before inviting Todd to stop over to see my station.

On the air, I worked 26 contacts in just under an hour to complete the 2-fer activation of US-5748 and US-4239. When he stopped over, Todd brought along his favorite straight key for field use. Being a paddle guy, I did not try it out, but I certainly appreciated its small size and efficient design.

Todd – NO0X stopped to visit my station. It is always great to share experiences and equipment with other POTA activators.

The QSO Map shows 26 contacts from US-5748 and US-4239. Most contacts were made on the 20m band, with two on 30m, and one each on 17m and 15m.

Having completed our activations, we packed our gear and parted company. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet a local activator, who knew the park, and had a distinctly different method of operation from my own. One of the best things about POTA activation is that there are almost as many different operating styles as there are activators, and not one of them is wrong!

Walking Around Devils Tower National Monument

With the iconic rock in the background, the sign might not be necessary, but there it is…

Unlike Fort Abercrombie, Devils Tower National Monument was the centerpiece of our day’s travels. We sought out that spectacular landmark for my first activation in Wyoming. Even so, our time at Devils Tower was limited, because we did not plan to spend the night nearby. Continue reading POTA Brings Us Together: Eyeball QSOs and POTA Adventures on the Road →