Many thanks to David (K2WNW) and Pete Polanyk, who share this brilliant documentary from the BBC World Service:
The Documentary Podcast
At the world Morse Code championships in Tunisia, competitors must battle to be the fastest and most accurate at sending and receiving Morse code.
by Brian (K3ES)
As I prepared my radio gear to do Parks on the Air (POTA) activations across the states of the American West (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road), I knew that I would need to operate in a wide variety of different park environments. This need was primarily connected with differences in topography, vegetation, population, and regulatory environments.
A selection of wire antennas, a throw line kit, and some collapsible mast options would serve many of my needs well. However, I also expected that our travel schedule might require me to activate quickly or unobtrusively, from less-optimal locations. Since I do not have an HF rig or antenna system installed in my truck, any vehicle-based operations would need to use equipment from my portable POTA kit.
For these occasions, I intended to use either a wire antenna supported by a telescoping mast attached to back of the truck, or my diminutive Elecraft AX1 base-loaded vertical antenna system. During the trip, I found that I could use the AX1 to complete rapid, and extremely stealthy, activations.
I had ordered the AX1 antenna system from Elecraft early in 2024, and took delivery in March. I used it in a variety of configurations, gaining experience and confidence in its ability to make contacts (K3ES Travels: Ten Days of QRP with Compromised Antennas).
In early May, I also ordered an AM1-2 clamp-on antenna mount from ProAudio Engineering, and it had proved its versatility in deploying the AX1. All of this equipment and more found its way into a Maxpedition Fatty pouch, to become part of the stealth antenna kit packed for our trip across the country.
Badlands National Park (US-0005) was one of the most spectacular parks that we visited on our cross-country adventure. I plan a future report with full coverage of the park and the activation, but the conditions in the park led me to make my first attempt at a truck-based activation. Shade was almost non-existent, the sky was cloudless, the air temperature was over 90°F, and the ground was too hot for POTA Dog Molly’s paws.
We pulled into a parking space at a roadside overlook, so that Becky could take some pictures, and I decided to try for a quick activation from the truck. After I set out a bowl of water in the back of the truck for Molly to drink, I pulled out my radio gear, and looked over my antenna options. I could have put up a mast and used a wire antenna, but I did not want to block access for other visitors, so my thoughts turned to the AX1 system.
The small size of the parking lot made it important to keep my operating footprint within the confines of my own parking space, both to avoid inconveniencing others, and to minimize the risk of damage to my antenna components. I decided to try attaching the AM1-2 clamp to the cylindrical base of my 2m/70cm mobile antenna, which is mounted on the front fender of the truck. The AM1-2 clamped on securely, and provided firm support for the the AX1 coil and whip. I also attached a counterpoise wire to the ground screw of the AM1-2, then tossed the wire under the truck to keep it on the ground, hidden, and out of the way.
That left two questions: could I get the antenna to tune, and would it radiate well enough to get contacts? I connected my feedline to the AX1, ran it in through the open driver’s window to the KX2, and quickly got answers to both questions: yes and yes. Continue reading K3ES: Stealth Activating with the AX1 Antenna System
Yesterday morning, I replied to a message from a reader planning to obtain a vanity callsign. He asked, “Which [suffix] letters would make an easy callsign to send [in CW] and copy in your experience?”
This is a great question. I do have a few suggestions.
I suggest avoiding ending your callsign with a “K.”
I speak from experience.
I was not an avid CW operator when I upgraded to General over two decades ago. I was auto-assigned the following callsign by the FCC: KF4TZK
It was a mouthful in SSB, especially when articulated phonetically: Kilo Foxtrot 4 Tango Zulu Kilo.
When I started operating in CW, I realized how confusing it can be to have the letter “K” at the end of one’s call. If your sending isn’t near perfect—or even when it is—people will assume the “K” is simply “OK, back to you,” and they copy “KF4TZ.”
I got tired of correcting my call by sending back “KF4TZK K” to let them know the K was part of my suffix.
If your call ends with a K, there’s no reason to change your callsign unless you also find it gives you trouble. If you have a ‘2 x 1 call (a callsign with two letters, a number, and a letter) ending in K, it’s not a problem.
I would also suggest not combining too many letters similar in dit patterns, like “HSI” or “HSH.” Strings of dits can be complex for some to copy.
When I decided to apply for a vanity call and ditch KF4TZK, I consulted my dear friend and wise Elmer/mentor, Mike (K8RAT).
He said:
Write down all available callsign options you’re considering, then practice sending them. You’ll know which one “feels” right.
He was spot on: K4SWL felt right, and since SWL (shortwave radio listening) is what started my radio journey, it was a no-brainer.
If you feel comfortable sending a callsign—if the rhythm and cadence feel right to you—then it’ll likely be easy to copy on the other end.
Remember, this is a fun and creative process. Enjoy the journey of deciding on a new callsign!
In the end, very few “bad” calls are out there. It’s incredibly rare that I copy a call and think, “Wow—that’s a stinker!”
Even if your call sounds a bit awkward in CW—many do—rest assured, others won’t have difficulty copying you if your sending—your pace and spacing—is accurate.
Do you have any suggestions? Feel free to comment.
Interested in applying for a US vanity call? Check out this article from the ARRL.
Fall weather has finally returned to Savannah, Georgia so it is time to get out for more Parks on the Air. Monday, November 18, I headed to a park I had yet to activate – the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (US-0522).
This park and I have history together prior to my involvement in ham radio. In my 20’s, I volunteered for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and spent time at this refuge in various capacities. I was also employed by a gentleman who owned Fife Plantation, property adjoining this refuge. I was his “eyes and ears” at meetings held to discuss deepening the Savannah harbor and study/assess the environmental impacts of that effort. Those meetings taught me much about the refuge and its relationship with industry across the Savannah River. To return to this park as a ham added yet another chapter for the refuge and me.
As much of the refuge is wetland accessible only by boat, the easiest way to experience this park is to drive the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, accessible from SC Highway 170. This drive is a loop through the southern impoundments that are managed for resident as well as migratory bird populations.
After you turn onto the wildlife drive, there is an information kiosk to the left with maps and an informative display regarding the history of the site.
The land on which the refuge sits was originally occupied by the Yamacraw Indians. Later it was used for rice cultivation, being built and maintained by enslaved African Americans as well as immigrant Irish laborers. The rice culture in the area collapsed after the end of slavery and increasing competition. The 2,352 acre refuge was established by President Calvin Coolidge in 1927. Today, the land is managed to provide habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife and is the largest federally protected tract of land on the Georgia coast.
This particular morning, the air was crisp (in the lower 50’s) and I had the park (for the time-being) to myself. As I prefer to use a wire antenna and had brought with me the Tufteln EFRW, I needed to find a tree in which to install that antenna. As you can see from the photos, there are not many trees to be found here. However, dotting the wildlife drive are what are known as oak hammocks.
Oak hammocks are little islands of high ground amongst the wetlands and they are populated by hardwoods such as oaks. There are quite a few along the western section of the wildlife drive. I decided to use the first sizable one I encountered. Utilizing this as my QTH allowed me to park and set up well off the drive. At most parks I visit for POTA, I rarely see anyone. That is not the case here since the park is located not far from downtown Savannah, a popular tourist destination, and it is easily accessible by car.
Even though my Marlow arbor line typically doesn’t hang up in trees, I think oak trees present lots of opportunity for that to happen with their myriad twisty twigs and Spanish moss so I prefer to avoid them. But, if I want to put a wire up in this park, oak trees are about my only option. The particular tree I considered would allow me to run my antenna northwest and away from the drive. That location would also provide shade from the sun through most of the morning.
Once my antenna was installed and I was comfortably settled, I got down to business – the reason I was here: an activation!
Forty meters was not an option due to RFI. That was not surprising given the industry across the river and the presence of monitoring equipment, etc. in the refuge. So I began with 30 meters. Not long after I called CQ, Sean N3RTW answered and the fun began! Continue reading The POTA Babe Reconnects With Her Past
by Brian (K3ES)
During our road trip across the country and back (Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road), Becky and I planned our route to enable me to complete at least one Parks on the Air (POTA) activation in each state across the American west. One of the first parks that I activated on the trip was Pikes Peak State Park (US-2311) in Iowa.
You heard that right, Iowa.
This was one of my favorite activations during our time on the road. I had an amazing view of the Mississippi River Valley while I was operating, and since this park was less than an hour from our final destination for the day, I had enough time to work plenty of contacts.
When we arrived in the park, I took Molly the POTA Dog for a walk around the park. She is always excited about a walk (particularly after riding in the truck for several hours), and it gave me the opportunity to scout the park for a good location to set up my station for the activation. The park is located on a bluff, hundreds of feet above the river, with walking paths and overlook platforms offering great viewpoints.
A number of park visitors were enjoying the overlook platforms and the pathways, and I prefer to keep my station out of the way, so I settled on using a path-side stone bench for my activation. The bench was located under some trees that provided both shade and support for my antenna, a perfect location.
When we returned to the parking area, Becky took Molly, and set out on a hike to nearby Bridal Veil Falls. I picked up my radio pack, and returned to the bench. I tossed my throw line over a tree branch, and hoisted the Tufteln End-fed Random Wire (EFRW) antenna into a vertical configuration. Laying out the 17 ft counterpoise wire along the ground, and attaching a 15 ft RG316 feedline completed the antenna deployment.
I placed my KX2 next to me on the bench, connected the feedline, power cable, earbuds, and VK3IL pressure paddles. I opened my log book, secured it to a clipboard balanced on my knee, and was ready to get on the air.
As always for new-to-me parks, I scheduled my activation in advance on POTA.app while I had a reliable internet connection. That way, I was good to go, even if cellular service was unavailable at the activation site. Since I operate in CW mode, I just had to find an open frequency and begin calling CQ.
The Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) picked me up, generated an automatic POTA spot, and calls began coming in. In truth, even when I have data service available in a park, I seldom do more than monitor continued automatic spots. The RBN even updates my spot when I change frequency or band. The RBN spotting function works spectacularly well for a CW operator, even at QRP power levels.
I stayed on the air until after Becky and Molly returned from their walk. In about 40 minutes on the air, I logged 27 CW contacts on the 20m and 30m bands. The pace was steady, and I was able to work my way through all of the callers. I am grateful to each of the hunters who tracked down my QRP signal, and stuck with me to complete a contact.
During our 6-week excursion, solar conditions were stable, and propagation was great. The Tufteln EFRW antenna was quick to deploy, quick to pack, and performed impressively when paired with the KX2’s excellent internal tuner.
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If you are ever find yourself in northeastern Iowa, I definitely recommend taking the time to see Pikes Peak State Park. Activate this park, if you can. The views are amazing. If you can bring binoculars, or a long lens for your camera, so much the better. We could see a large number of birds standing along sand bars in the river, but could only guess at the species.
Becky enjoyed the walk to Bridal Veil Falls. It involved moderate elevation changes along the trail. She was disappointed with the Falls themselves, because water flow was minimal after a dry period in early autumn. The Falls should be much more impressive in the spring.
Best 73 de Brian – K3ES, XYL Becky, and POTA Dog Molly
On Friday, November 8, 2024, my wife and I ran errands while one of our daughters attended a Shakespeare rehearsal.
Since these rehearsals typically last 2–3 hours, I try to make the most of the time by completing errands and squeezing in a POTA activation when possible.
That day, my wife encouraged me to fit in a quick activation, provided we could also handle a few errands in town.
Fortunately, one of our stops was near the Sycamore Flats picnic area in Pisgah National Forest (K-4510). I’ve been activating this site almost weekly since Hurricane Helene swept through North Carolina, as it has been one of the few accessible parks. (Thankfully, as of today, a few more sites have reopened!)
When we arrived, we saw a large group of volunteers working to clean up the area. They were filling holes in the road and repairing picnic table pads damaged by flooding.
To avoid getting in their way, I set up under the trees by the river, away from the main picnic area where they were working.
Sadly, none of the picnic tables near the river remained—they were likely swept away by the floodwaters. This wasn’t an issue, as my POTA/SOTA pack always has everything I need for a fully self-contained activation.
Two pieces of gear make it incredibly easy for me to activate anywhere: my Helinox Chair Zero and my Tufteln N0RNM Folding Knee Board.
While I’ve activated sitting on logs, large rocks, or the ground, I increasingly appreciate the comfort of a proper chair. The Helinox Chair Zero is a game-changer: lightweight, sturdy, and easy to pack. It’s pricey, but I’ve never regretted the investment.
The Tufteln kneeboard is another essential. It’s just large enough to hold portable radios (KX1, KX2, KX3, TR-35, TX-500, MTR-3B, QMX, QCX, CFT1, etc.) and my Rite in the Rain notepad. Strapped to my leg, it provides a stable surface for logging and operating.
This is exactly how I set up my station that day at Sycamore Flats.
Next, I deployed my MM0OPX 40 meter end-fed half-wave, connected it to the KX2 (double-checking that the ATU was in bypass mode) and hopped on the air!
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As I mention in the activation video (below), setup and pack-up took longer than my actual on-air time. My wife waited in the car, catching up on post-Hurricane Helene financial tasks. Continue reading No Table, No Problem: TGIF Activation in Pisgah National Forest!
Two days before Hurricane Helene impacted western North Carolina (Wednesday, September 25, 2024), I stopped by the Blue Ridge Parkway for a quick POTA activation to thoroughly test my MTR-3B self-contained field kit.
This was crucial, as I had plans to conduct multiple SOTA activations during the 2024 W4 SOTA campout in north Georgia the following week. (Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Helene, I had to cancel those plans.)
This is something I always emphasize during presentations about SOTA, POTA, or traveling with radio: don’t assume your field kit is complete and fully functional—you must test it to know for sure.
A field test confirms two things:
When preparing for something like a SOTA weekend or a family vacation, I usually deploy each of my field kits either at home or a local park. I power up the radio and make at least one contact, essentially mimicking a real activation. If everything works, I know the kit is good to go!
This simple process is an incredibly effective way to ensure your gear is ready for action.
Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3788)
That Wednesday, I squeezed in the activation between errands in town. The Folk Art Center near Highway 70 in East Asheville is the perfect spot—it’s a quick and easy detour.
Or at least it was before Helene. Now, with two bridges damaged—especially one major bridge on Highway 70—the two-minute detour to the Folk Art Center has turned into a 15-25 minute round trip, depending on traffic. (You never realize how essential bridges are until they’re gone!)
I parked near the picnic area, grabbed my gear, and headed for my usual picnic table setup spot.
Unfortunately, it was absolutely crawling with ants—likely a result of spilled juice or food. I moved to the other picnic table in the same area.
In the video, you’ll see me use every piece of gear in the field kit, except for the “bare bones” arborist throw line and weight. Since I had my other Weaver throw line kit with me, I used it to save time. I’d recently tested and re-packed the throw line in the MTR-3B kit, so I already knew it was in working order.
Setup was quick and easy. Once I connected the antenna and powered up the radio, I used my N6ARA Tiny SWR Meter to confirm I had a good match—since the MTR-3B LCD lacks an SWR meter. Fortunately, I had a perfect impedance match.
Time to play radio!
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I started calling CQ POTA on 20 meters, and within minutes, the contacts started rolling in. Woo-hoo! Continue reading Testing my MTR-3B field kit before a weekend of SOTA (spoiler: that never happened)
As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!
Dear readers, admittedly the title is clickbait, but I assure you that there is truth behind it. As you already know, I occasionally travel for work and lately I’ve been working inside a correctional institution for my primary employer.
And, as you’ve seen before, while traveling usually I make a detour to go activate a site in the area or along the route, and to get a break from the drive. Usually that detour is only 10 or 20 kilometres. I enjoy the driving and the travel, and I’m always on the hunt for parks I’ve not yet activated and especially the elusive ATNO -All Time New One- or phrased another way, not yet activated at all or with one of the common modes of Phone, Digital or CW.
For this series of trips over the month of November, they were the first real road trips with my new-to-me 2023 F-150 PowerBoost hybrid. In the month leading up to this trip I was a busy beaver getting the radios installed in the truck to help pass the many hours on the road. Frankly I was excited to set up a new mobile installation and correct some major shortcomings with my last; experience is an excellent teacher if you are willing to listen. The video link below summarizes my mobile installation and is complete with chapters so you can jump to the section that interests you the most.
With all of that background and with an unseasonably warm November, I wanted to visit Waterton Lakes National Park which hosts several POTA entities, namely First Oil Well in Canada NHS CA-4776, Prince of Wales Hotel NHS CA-6101, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park CA-3157, and all of those (and many others) are encompassed within the Waterton Biosphere Reserve CA-0109.
Waterton-Glacier is a Unesco World Heritage site and the second such I’d visit in this series of road trips. On a prior week I twice activated Head Smashed-in Buffalo Jump CA-6093.
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park encompasses both the Waterton National Park in Alberta, Canada and Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. It’s the first international designation of a park anywhere, ever. You’ve seen me write about Glacier National Park here on QRPer last year, and now I’d get a chance to complete that entity activating within the Canadian side. Needless to say I was pretty excited about the detour and hopeful that weather would be on my side for some spectacular photos.
Continue reading Vince gets out of jail long enough to do a handful of activations
By Teri KO4WFP
In my last article, I activated Hanging Rock Battleground State Historic Site and then Glenn and I spent the evening at an Airbnb in Camden, South Carolina. Monday, October 14th was the last day of our trip. There was no way this POTA Babe was missing out on an activation on the trip home.
Sunday evening, after the Hanging Rock activation, I searched for a nearby park on the POTA website and settled on Wateree River Heritage Preserve Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (US-10414) as it looked interesting and was on the drive home. However, I didn’t pay attention to the fact a lottery deer hunt would be held on Monday and the park closed to anyone not involved in the hunt. I discovered this fact that morning upon arriving at the site. It was time for a Plan B ASAP.
Looking on the POTA website, both Congaree National Park (US-0017) and Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve WMA (US-3916) were nearby. I recall reading that some of the boardwalks/trails in the national park were impacted from Hurricane Helene. So I opted to visit Congaree Bluffs instead.
Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve is owned by the State of South Carolina. The property was purchased in 2001 with the express purpose of protecting the bluffs and flood plain on the south side of the Congaree River. The high bluffs in this area are not common because central South Carolina is mostly flat. The 201 acres of the park contain significant stands of American beech, oak-hickory, and bottomland hardwood forest. There were also stands of loblolly pines at the time of purchase that management planned to convert to longleaf pine stands over time.
The road into Congaree Bluffs is dirt but appears well maintained. There is a kiosk and signage just as you enter the park.
We drove to the parking lot just down the road from the education center. I didn’t have much familiarity with this park since it was a last minute choice. A hasty glance at hiking sites showed the Bluff-River Walk that left from this parking lot down to the Congaree River. How difficult could that be?
Glenn and I walked around the trail gate and began our descent. The first thing we noticed was how many trees were down across the trail as well as vines and other foliage making passage difficult. As we continued our descent, we began to notice the mosquitos. I was wearing long sleeves and pants and had brought bug spray but these mosquitos were not easily deterred. By the time we reached the river, it was obvious we’d be nothing but blood donors there and an activation needed to happen elsewhere.
Arriving back at the car, I opted to activate in the parking lot. A stand of pines nearby provided shade (though I augmented that with my Mountain Laurel Designs tarp) and a fairly steady breeze kept the bugs at bay.
As both Glenn and I had CW Innovations classes to coach later that evening, I didn’t have much time for an activation. I opted for the Chelegance MC-750 and, once it was set up, hopped onto 20 meters figuring that band would give me the best chance at a successful activation in a short time-frame. It did! I had 23 QSOs with two park-to-park QSOs in 30 minutes. (Note: One park-to-park didn’t count after the fact as I entered it incorrectly in my log.)
The only fly in the ointment for my time on 20 meters was the QSB and noise which increased later in the activation. Usually I encounter noise on 40 meters, not 20, but the KX2 filters were a huge help in countering that issue. (I love that little rig!) As for the QSB, well, the best counter for that is plenty of time on the air to gain experience in dealing with it.
If you’d like to see footage of the park as well as get Glenn’s and my take as to whether or not we’d return to Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve, check out the video on my Youtube channel.
This activation places me at 44 activations toward my goal of 60 new, valid park activations for 2024. I’m not sure I’ll be able to complete this goal; however, I will see how far I can get. Where will I show up for park #45? Stay tuned…
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In my last article, I activated Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina at the Buck Mountain Fire Tower. After that activation, Glenn W4YES and I drove to Charlotte to visit college friends – Jennifer and Mike. So far, the day had been wonderful. However, it was far from over.
Our final night of our getaway trip would be spent at an Airbnb in Camden, South Carolina. I chose to activate Hanging Rock Battleground State Historical Park (US-10470), several miles south of Heath Springs, South Carolina. The park is remote and not well marked. All there was to signify its existance from the road we traveled was space large enough to accommodate two cars and a row of pilings. On one of the pilings was a white sign and, behind it, what looked like a trail.
The park has historical signifance. An outpost was established at Hanging Rock by the British in the 1700s because of its strategic location on the road from Camden to Charlotte. According to the American Battlefield Trust, a three-hour battle was fought on August 6, 1780 on the site as a “part of a Patriot drive to reclaim the southern colonies after the siege of Charleston, South Carolina”. Fifty-three Americans and two hundred British soldiers lost their lives in this encounter.
Nothing about the site today brings to mind a battle. It is a short hike into the property before one finds giant boulders, some of which appear to be hanging (hence the name, right?).
We hiked a little further into this property which looked like a little slice of North Carolina in South Carolina. Spots of pincushion moss dotted the ground and leaves crunched under our feet. Sunlight filtered through the foliage. A small creek ran and burbled below the giant boulders above not far from a monument marking the battle.
We decided to set up atop the highest and largest of the boulders. On its top, the tree canopy parted, giving my antenna just what it needed. I figured the Chelegance MC-750 would work best here and, given I had a tripod to mount it, it would work fine despite a rocky base.
It was still early enough that 20 meters was an option so I secured 14.048. It wasn’t long after I spotted myself that calls began arriving. Over the next 30 minutes, the calls were steady – 24 to be exact. At 6:00 PM, I called QRT because we had yet to check into our Airbnb and needed to be out of the park by dark.
I was especially pleased to have one DX at this activation – Ignacio EA2BD. (Thank you, Ignacio!) I rarely get DX as I don’t chase it. This exchange was a nice surprise.
Tomorrow, Monday, October 14, it was time to head home back to Savannah, Georgia. However, this POTA Babe was not finished! Of course, I would find a park to activate on the drive home. Which park would I choose and would it be successful? Stay tuned…
If you’d like to see the park up close and personal as well as watch Glenn “interview” me afterwards, check out the video on my YouTube channel:
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