Tag Archives: Parks On The Air (POTA)

Field Reports, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

Xiegu X6200: Does version 1.0.1 firmware fix CW keyer timing?

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I’ve had a production unit of the Xiegu X6200 since June of this year and have made several field reports using it for both SSB and CW.

You may have noticed, though, that I haven’t used it much in the field since June.

The reason? I’m primarily a CW operator, and the original firmware had some frustrating CW keyer timing issues.

These keying issues are most noticeable when operating in iambic mode, especially when trying to form letters like C, R, or K by squeezing the paddles. Often, when I try to send a “C,” as in “CQ,” the keyer produces a “B” instead. If you’ve watched any of my previous X6200 videos, you might have seen this happen a few times.

After some time using the radio, I can adapt and reduce the miskeying, but it still happens occasionally. I suspect part of the issue is related to the keyer timing in relation to the transmit/receive switching.

While these keyer issues aren’t severe enough to prevent me from completing an activation, they are certainly annoying.

As I’m reviewing the X6200 (thanks to Radioddity for the extended loan!), I reported the issue to Xiegu back in May and hoped the first firmware update would address it.

The first firmware update, Version 1.0.1, was released in early August. There was an earlier release, but it was retracted due to other issues.

I checked the release notes and didn’t see anything specific about CW keyer timing in the long list of fixes. I had hoped another update would follow soon, but none has been issued yet. Meanwhile, several readers and subscribers have asked me if the keyer issue was resolved.

I decided to update the firmware and take the X6200 out for another field test.

If you follow QRPer.com daily, you may have already seen the spoiler alert: unfortunately, the keyer timing issue was not fixed in this release.

Still, I had a great time squeezing in a quick activation with the X6200, and I thought I’d share the video and a mini field report with you now!

Pisgah National Forest (US-4510)

My wife and I were out while one of our daughters was in Shakespeare rehearsals in Mills River, NC on Friday September 6, 2024. We had a number of errands to run, but my wife kindly worked with me to carve out 30 minutes for a quick activation.

The most convenient POTA location was the Sycamore Flats Picnic Area in Pisgah National Forest.

By mid-afternoon, the park was busy, but most of the picnic areas were open, giving me plenty of options for setting up.

With limited time, I turned on the camera to start my real-time, real-life activation video and got straight to work.

Since the X6200 has a built-in ATU, I decided to use my PackTenna End-Fed Random Wire, as it’s quick to deploy with its 31’ long radiator—any nearby tree would do.

Next, I paired the X6200 with my BaMaKeY TP-III, plugged in the antenna, and found a spot on the band to start operating!

Time to POTA!

Gear

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On The Air

After tuning up on the 20-meter band, I spotted myself and started calling CQ POTA. Fortunately, hunters quickly responded.

In just twelve minutes, I logged thirteen contacts. Thanks to all the hunters!

My activation was brief, and I was so focused on making contacts and packing up that I forgot to take any photos of the radio in action. I’ve included some screen captures from the video instead.

I did manage to take photos of the logs:

QSO Map

Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map:

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.

Note that Patreon supporters can watch and even download this video 100% ad-free through Vimeo on my Patreon page:

Click here to view on YouTube.

CW Keyer Timing

As I discovered during this activation, the CW keyer timing issue has not yet been addressed in the firmware update.

After returning home, I made some notes and reached out to Xiegu to confirm that the CW keyer timing is still on their radar. They assured me that it will be addressed in the next firmware update. I’ll definitely test it and let you know once it’s resolved, so stay tuned!

If you’ve already purchased an X6200, I’d love to hear your thoughts about this all-in-one radio in the comments!

Thank you

Thank you for joining me during this short 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! Have a brilliant weekend!

Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)

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

When three contacts equals a successful activation

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As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! ?

by Vince (VE6LK)

In August and September 2024 I was travelling around Southern Ontario for some family matters and naturally I brought my radio kit with me to squeeze in some radio therapy stops along the way. This is the report of my stop at CA-5367, McQuesten House / Whitehern National Historic Site.

View from the rear of Whitehern showing nearby office tower

This site is located in downtown Hamilton and among the tall building and features a walled rear garden. It is open to all visitors and there is no fee to visit the facility. This two-storey neoclassical house was the home of a prominent family, the McQuestens, and retains many of its original Victorian and Edwardian fittings and furnishings. It is now a museum open to the public.

This activation was strictly by chance and I had less than an hour before I was due to be someplace else. I did not check the solar conditions in advance nor anything about the site. Sometimes just showing up is fun in and of itself, am I right? So I found my way around to the rear garden and found a bench in an out-of-the-way corner and set up for a low impact activation.

I deployed my AX1 on it’s small tripod and placed it on the ground and ran out a 20m counterpoise wire beside the walking path. I set myself and the radio gear on a park bench along the path. It truly felt like a small enclave!

After calling for 10 minutes with zero replies I checked the solar conditions and see that a small flare had just hit. That might explain the soft conditions, and combined with the compromised antenna and its close proximity to me. I moved the antenna away from me as far as the feedline would allow. Only then was I able to log just a few contacts and those were hard-fought. Then I ran out of time.

The author in his temporary enclave
A partial log. Contacts were not obtained by calling out, but by hunting others.

List of gear used for these activations:

Note: All Amazon links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.

Summary

I’ve spoken before about “getting to 10” with a POTA activation. For me, that’s always one of my goals. But it isn’t the only goal. I also enjoy the new scenery, the journey, the research and the challenge. This visit was high on the scenery and the challenge end of the scale for sure.

72 and dit dit,
…Vince

First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website.

Field Reports, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

CFT1 QRP: Labor Day Morning POTA with Vlado at Lake James State Park!

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Labor Day weekend turned out to be full of labor here at QTH K4SWL. My wife and I had numerous projects to tackle, and my daughters had various activities scheduled as well. By Sunday, my wife looked at me and said, “You need a break. Why not spend tomorrow catching up on POTA?”

That was music to my ears.

I messaged my buddy, Vlado, to see if he might be interested in joining me, and he quickly replied, “Of course!”

So on Monday, September 2, 2024, Vlado packed his radio gear in my car, and we discussed where we should go. We had most of the day for radio, but we needed to decide if we’d head north, south, east, or west. In the end, we chose to travel east, as it offered the most options, including one site Vlado had never activated.

We decided to start at Lake James State Park. Since Vlado had only activated Lake James for the first time the previous day at the Paddy’s Creek Access, we opted for the Catawba River Access.

Lake James State Park (US-2739)

It was Labor Day, so we knew Lake James would get busy around lunchtime, which is why we hit it early. I also knew Paddy’s Creek Access would be much busier today because it has the beach, and I remembered how full the parking lot was during my Labor Day activation in 2023!

At 9:00 AM, when Vlado and I arrived at the Catawba River access, we were among the few people there, so we had our pick of spots to set up the POTA station.

For convenience—especially since there had been a deluge of rain the night before—we chose a spot close to the car, where I’ve activated a number of times in the past.

I also took this opportunity to show Vlado how to use an arborist throw line.

While I didn’t record the antenna deployment—frankly, I didn’t think about it at the time—I wish I had. Vlado was a natural!

On his second-ever throw, he snagged the perfect branch to deploy a 40-meter end-fed half-wave antenna.

CFT1 Time!

The CFT1 with Tufteln cover/stand, audio cable and pack with battery.

I knew exactly which radio I wanted to operate during this activation: the CFT1 by Jonathan (KM4CFT).

I had only recently swapped out my Beta unit for a production CFT1. As a thank-you to Beta testers, Jonathan let us keep the units we tested. I worked with Jonathan and Dan to return the Beta unit and compensate them for the difference.

In truth, there were only a few changes, mostly cosmetic, between the Beta and production units. The biggest improvement for me was that the Beta unit lacked a way to adjust the sidetone level independently from the AF gain. The production unit has this feature, which was my primary motivation for upgrading.

In addition, I prefer using radios that match what my readers and subscribers have. When I use a Beta unit, even if the changes are purely cosmetic, it generates more questions.

Interestingly, this wouldn’t be Vlado’s first time using the CFT1. He must have been one of the first people outside the Beta testing team to try it because we used it on Field Day alongside the TR-45L and X6200 (although you won’t see it in my report since it was still somewhat of a secret project at the time).

We paired my MW0SAW 40-meter EFHW and Bamakey TP-III with the CFT1. I also used my Anker Soundcore Mini speaker for audio.

Time to POTA!

Gear:

Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.

On The Air

Beforehand, Vlado and I decided to set up just one station and take turns activating.

Vlado went first! He called CQ POTA, and hunters started replying. Continue reading CFT1 QRP: Labor Day Morning POTA with Vlado at Lake James State Park! →

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

Jeff’s Backcountry POTA Adventure: Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve Activation

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Many thanks to Jeff (VE7EFF) who shares the following guest post:

Off The Beaten Path – Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve, CA-3925

by Jeff (VE7EFF)

This is the 2nd backpacked-in POTA activation outing that my wife and I have done this summer.  I’m the 2nd person to have ever activated the Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve (CA-3925).  Last year was the first time I activated this eco reserve and that was also my first ever backpacked-in POTA activation.

After studying my GPS and Google Maps/Satellite view of the area, my goal this time is to trek about twice as far and twice as high as last year’s outing.  There are no documented trails here.  Access is a mixture of old overgrown and abandoned forestry road (or fire break, not sure which) and some crisscrossing animal game trails.  The actual mileage/Km’s isn’t really that far, but it’s all uphill and a mixture of bushwhacking and scaling slippery grassy slopes.

The reserve borders along the busy highway 97, between the cities of Vernon and Kelowna, BC.  The area overlooks the beautiful Kalamalka Lake, as you will see in some of the photos.  There’s no actual parking lot, just a small gravel pull-over spot just off the highway.  There is no formal pathway into the reserve either, so we had to scale the gated fence to start our journey.

I’m a little bit familiar with the route we took last year, but I heavily rely on my Garmin 66sr GPS and Google Maps/Satellite view on my Pixel phone.

My wife Alexis (VE7LXE), accompanies me on all my POTA outings.  She packs the food and water while I pack the ham gear and other outdoor essentials.  We both carry IC-V80 VHF handhelds for comms in the event we ever get separated.  And of course we always carry bear spray when doing backcountry treks.

We do have some relatively flat areas in sections, but there are also a lot of deadfall trees to either step over, climb over, or go around.

This grassy meadow is where I activated last year.  Actually at the top end of the meadow.  But today’s goal is to find another open grassy meadow higher up the mountain.  Higher usually means better radio propagation, not to mention spectacular views.

Beyond the grassy meadow, we followed some semblance of a trail.  But it wasn’t long before I realized that it wasn’t taking me where I really needed to go. So, according to my GPS and Google Satellite, we needed to head straight up-hill.

This was actually a real slog uphill (especially for us 73 and 72 year olds). 🙂

We decided that we have gone high enough.  Time to off-load our packs. Continue reading Jeff’s Backcountry POTA Adventure: Campbell-Brown Ecological Reserve Activation →

Field Reports, FT8, Guest Posts, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, SSB, Travel

Navigating Quetico: Rod’s POTA Adventure with the (tr)uSDX

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Many thanks to Rod (VA3MZD) for sharing the following guest post:

Operating POTA from the interior of Quetico Provincial Park CA-0359 with a (tr)uSDX

By Rod Murray (VA3MZD)

In a previous guest post here on QRPer I gave a brief history of my introduction to Ham radio and specifically POTA and my experiences activating local parks by bicycle. My initial excitement about POTA was inspired by the YouTube channels of some noteworthy field operators, Tracy VE3TWM, Julian OH8STN, Adam K6ARK, Stuart VE9CF, and Thomas K4SWL of course, just to name a few.

Tracy VE3TWM’s experiences on a canoe trip to Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, a place he and I know well (although we’ve never met) were particularly inspirational. In this video from 2021 Tracey activated Algonquin Provincial Park CA-0138 from a lake that I’d previously paddled to on a canoe trip. I wanted to do that too! But it would take quite a while. Let me tell you.

In 2022, with my regular paddling buddy Tom, we planned to take our wives to one of the premier canoe tripping parks in North America that we’d never visited.  We’ve been paddling together since we were teenagers at an Ontario summer camp and had been taking our partners along on canoe trips for over 30 years.

Quetico Provincial Park in North Western Ontario, Canada, one of the province’s crown jewels, stands as a legendary wilderness area that can only be accessed by canoe or kayak in summer and ski or snowshoe in winter, with one exception. There is one road accessible campground and visitor centre in the park’s northeast corner. The Park, which is over 4700 square kilometres, is also surrounded by thousands more square kilometres of wilderness public land, known in Canada as “Crown land.” Numerous First Nation communities are also adjacent to the Park.

To the south is the equally famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Minnesota, USA. Indeed, one can start a canoe trip in one country and finish in another, or paddle a route along the International Boundary (hence the name!), crossing the border numerous times as you go, with the required documentation of course.

Location of Quetico Park, Ontario,The Boundary Waters, MN, and Algonquin Park, Ontario in North America from ottertooth.com

We had a successful trip to Quetico in 2022 and I vowed to return when the opportunity arose. Meanwhile, I’d since become very active in POTA, and was more determined to complete a POTA activation from a wilderness park while on a canoe trip.

Quetico Park close up map from the Ontario Parks Master Plan

That determination was finally put in motion in early 2024 when another Quetico canoe trip was planned for August. But the challenge would be to put together a radio, an antenna and battery light enough and compact enough to pack in a canoe trip barrel.

Canoe Trip Barrels and Waterproof Eureka Pack ready to go!

Our plan was to enter the Park at one of the north east access points, travel south across immense Pickerel Lake, then paddle and portage our way as far as Fern or Olifaunt Lakes, depending on our progress and the weather, and return via the same route. Or, if we were feeling adventurous, to complete the circle route made possible by the historic Deux Rivière and Pine Portages. See Map below:

Canoe Route across Pickerel Lake into Bud and Fern Lakes with Start, Campsites and Portages marked and possible Circle Route

Either way would require 8 portages totalling more than 7 km. Everything has to be small and light because a portage is a rugged trail between lakes where you must carry everything on your back.

Because my wife and I have four packs in total for a 10 day trip, plus the canoe, each portage must be walked 3 or more times, back and forth, until all the gear is carried over. Incoming History lesson: From my university days as a researcher for the Kanawa Canoe Museum, now the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario, I learned that “portager” is a French verb that translates “to carry” and has its origins with the French Voyageurs who paddled the continent trading furs. Therefore “portage” should always be pronounced in French.

At 67 years young, I now own a Swift Kevlar canoe that weighs under 14 kg, about 30 pounds. The food and equipment barrels are about 20kg each. I wasn’t about to pack or portage much more in the form of radio equipment. It had to be light!

It so happened that a new member of my club, the Elmira Radio Club of Ontario, Hagen VE3QVY, had recently built a (tr)uSDX radio. The radio is a masterpiece of miniature hardware and brilliant software thanks to Manuel DL2MAN and Guido PE1NNZ.

Hagen is an electronics whiz, to say the least, and he knew of my interest in this radio (I was on the original list for the Canada group kit build). He lent me his (tr)uSDX back in April and after making an easy trans-Atlantic QSO with it on 5W, I immediately ordered a Classic band kit. I was already thinking about activating Quetico from the park’s interior when I started my build.

My (tr)uSDX build in progress

Hagen offered considerable help with my (tr)uSDX since the last time I built a kit was in 1970 when I worked on a Heathkit SW receiver I got for Christmas. Hagen installed some improved MOSFETS, precisely rewound all the toroids, tested and improved the radio’s performance and measured all the specifications, to the point where the radio was transmitting a minimum 5W on all bands with very high efficiency. And it only weighed 150 grams, perfect for my needs!

It was time to gather the necessary accessories to complete this rig keeping it lightweight and portable. I added a short length of thin RJ-316 BNC coax to my kit and included the high performance Tim Ortiz N9SAB Nano QRP 20m dipole that I’d been using for POTA with my FT-818. At only 100 grams and a reliable performer, it would fit the bill, but limit my operation to 20m.

I already had a small Bioenno 3Ah battery that could power the radio through more than a few activations, which added another 400 grams. With a few extra accessories and cables and a N6ARA mini paddle, just in case (I’ve never made a CW contact but might try if needed) my lightweight kit was well under 1 kg and complete. The rig and accessories easily fit inside the soft pouch with my fishing reels, so no extra space was required.

I started to think about how I could get spotted while in the wilderness far away from any cell towers. Perhaps, I thought, if I could add a few FT8 contacts while in the Park I could surely make 10 QSOs to confirm an activation without a spot on POTA.app. I solved the spotting quandary for an SSB activation after much deliberation.

I also tested a number of mobile phone apps that run FT8. I tried both iOS and Android apps and settled on FT8CN for Android. After updating the (tr)uSDX firmware to run CAT and audio through a single USB cable to an Android phone, I gathered a few of the USB micro to USB-C cables needed to connect the radio to a phone running the FT8CN App. Eventually, after considerable trial and error, it all worked! To be clear, the FT8CN software has a bit of a learning curve, but that is another story. It works well with some practice.

In early August, the barrels were packed and ready to go. After two full days of driving north and west 1500 km on the Trans-Canada Highway from our QTH in South Western Ontario, we arrived at Quetico Provincial Park. Yes, the province of Ontario is that big!

Map of Ontario showing the 1500 km driving route to Quetico from SW Ontario

We camped overnight at the Park’s Dawson Trail campground and set off on our canoe trip the following morning crossing the expanse of Pickerel Lake in breezy, warm, pleasant summer weather. A few open stretches of the lake required that we paddle behind islands to avoid the bigger waves. But all that would change, dramatically.

Continue reading Navigating Quetico: Rod’s POTA Adventure with the (tr)uSDX →

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

Castles and Trains at Dundurn Castle NHS

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As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!

by Vince (VE6LK)

In August and September 2024 I was travelling around Southern Ontario for some family matters and, naturally, I brought my radio kit with me to squeeze in some radio therapy stops along the way. This is the report of my stop at Dundurn Castle National Historic Site, CA-5360.

Located in the city where I was born, Hamilton, Dundurn Castle has been a landmark since 1834, when the land was sold to Sir Allan MacNab. The castle is located on Burlington Heights, the site of a fortified military encampment established by the British during the War of 1812.

MacNab was a railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas (1854-1856). Today Dundurn Castle tells the story of the family who lived above stairs and the servants who lived and worked below stairs. He was a defining figure in so many ways in the local history, and performed the original survey of home lots and land in the Hamilton area. Indeed, the home I was born in (on MacNab Street no less) was on land once deeded to its owner from MacNab.

And Dundurn Castle has a personal tie in for me as my father, a finishing carpenter, worked tirelessly on it’s restoration in the mid 1960’s leading up to Canada’s Confederation Centennial in 1967. As kids we spent a lot of time on the grounds.

Continue reading Castles and Trains at Dundurn Castle NHS →

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

The POTA Babe Learns Some Lessons

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by Teri (KO4WFP)

After an interesting and successful activation at Fort McAllister, I turned my sights southward and further back in time to Fort Morris Historic Site (US-3717).

source: gastateparks.org

Fort Morris Historic Site contains earthen fortifications that date back to the Revolutionary War. The site is simpler than that of Fort McAllister. Fort Morris was built to protect the town of Sunbury. Sunbury was a thriving, cosmopolitan community on the Medway River. In fact, three signers of the Declaration of Independence came from Sunbury. The river has a naturally deep channel that allowed the town to compete with the city of Savannah for commerce.

Fort Morris was attacked by the British in late 1778 and told to surrender. Colonel John McIntosh told the British, “Come and take it.” The British left but returned later with reinforcements and did take the fort, renaming it Fort George.

The capture of Fort Morris was the beginning of the decline of Sunbury. The British burned the town after its capture. Sunbury lost economic significance, suffered from hurricanes in 1804 and 1824 as well as yellow fever and malaria epidemics, and was abandoned by 1860. There are no remaining ruins of the historic town except for a cemetery in which many of the tombstones were destroyed by the 1870s.

I arrived at Fort Morris early, September 2nd, on an overcast day. The trees next to and over the entrance road formed a welcoming green canopy. I left Daisy at home as I planned to walk through the small museum on site and dogs are not allowed inside. What I didn’t know is that the museum is only open Friday through Sunday.

the entrance road with green canopy
parking lot
the museum

I had the site to myself nearly my entire visit. I walked to the fort first to see if I would be allowed on top of the embankments. Nope! So I walked out of and to the right of the fort along a path that runs around the entire structure. The path is dotted with live oaks whose Spanish moss flitted in the nonstop breeze.

the fort from the parking lot
sweet pea flower on the embankments

These trees were perfect for the Tufteln EFRW I so often use. I wanted to run my antenna northeast which would put it on the path I walked to get to this spot. In short order, the antenna was installed and I added some more flagging tape for visibility.

live oak tree I used – EFRW antenna attaching to Thom Bihn bag on path. you can barely see the flagging tape in the photo

I first thought to set up at the sole picnic table behind the fort. (How convenient for an activation!) But, on second thought, that would put my back to the path and, though I’d have a lovely view of the Medway River, I would not be able to watch for pedestrians who might walk into my antenna. Instead, I set up my Helinox chair on the opposite side of the path. This way I could still view the river but also look up and down the path.

picnic table with a nice view
Helinox chair – note the POTA flag blowing in the steady breeze

The bands were kind to me today. I began with 40 meters and had two callers, both from Georgia, on that band. I moved to 20 meters where the bulk of my QSOs happened – 29 in total! I also logged one QSO on 15 meters and six QSOs on 17 meters, though none of those were DX as I had hoped for.  All in all, I was pleased with this activation.

QSO map for Fort Morris Historic Site 9-3-2024  source: http://tools.adventureradio.de/analyzer/

This activation was also my second using an app on my iPhone for logging – Ham2K PoLo. What I like about Ham2K PoLo is that it is easy to use and the name and location of the op remains on the screen while you are logging the QSO. The app provides a way for me to compare the QTH in the record to the one I copy. It also allows me to thank ops by name at the end of the QSO which I have always liked to do but stopped doing when I used paper unless I could recall the name associated with the callsign.

Ham2K PoLo screenshot

There are a few downsides from my perspective on using the app. First of all, I cannot type the callsign as fast I could write it. But that is because I haven’t become accustomed to using the app yet. Also, if I hear a partial call during a pile-up, I can’t note it unless I write it on a piece of paper.  Lastly, when I hunt other activators, I like to write down their information since the POTA app moves everyone’s information on the screen as it updates spots. To get around this difficulty, I started taking a screenshot of an activator’s information and saved it to my photos so I could enter the information in PoLo at my leisure while I hunted the activator.

An interesting sidenote – After I wrote this article, I put together a video of the activation itself which I usually don’t do. I found two busted call signs which is not typical for me. I think there are four reasons for what happened.

First, I am still becoming accustomed to using the new app and that is a distraction while trying to copy information in the QSO. Second, I relied on the app to confirm the QTH. In both instances where I copied the call sign incorrectly, the incorrect call sign also had the same QTH so it didn’t help me in those situations. Third, I need to brush up on my Instant Character Recognition. Last but not least, instead of confirming the callsign at the end of the QSO, I used the op’s name after “TU” since I had it available from the app. I think thanking someone by name is a nice touch; however, many ops who hunt POTA are probably not conversant with conversational CW and may therefore not recognize their name in CW.

To avoid a repeat of what happened, I’ll make several changes. First, I will return to pencil and paper. Sure, having the data logged in the app saves me time; however, my activations have maybe 40 or so QSOs at the most which doesn’t take much time to enter back home. Second, at the end of my QSOs, I will return to using the callsign behind “TU” and only include the op’s name if I remember it. Third, I need more work with Instant Character Recognition – both working with the Word List Trainer tool but, more importantly, spending more time in on-the-air QSOs, especially those using conversational CW. I’ve had less in the way of code buddy QSOs over the summer due to propagation and busy schedules. That changes this month as I resume regular QSOs with two code buddies – Caryn KD2GUT and Gary K4IIG.

So there you have it – my activation at Fort Morris Historic Site – #39 on the list as I work toward 60 new valid park activations this year. Will I continue my streak of historic properties or return to wildlife management areas next? Stay tuned…

Activation Video

If you are interested, here is the link for the activation video on POTA Babe YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/naqWlAatnIs

Equipment Used

[Note: All Amazon, CW Morse, ABR, Chelegance, eBay, and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support QRPer.com at no cost to you.]

Field Reports, Morse Code, New Products, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

The New Venus SW-6B QRP Transceiver: First POTA Activation and Field Test!

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Yesterday morning, around 12:00, I picked up a DHL parcel containing the Venus SW-6B. I was so eager to test it in the field that I dropped my lunch plans, took the SW-6B home, opened the box, and quickly attached Anderson Powerpole connectors to the supplied power cable.

I didn’t have time to do anything else, not even turning on the radio.

After doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, I realized that if I skipped catching up on my email backlog (sorry!), and instead jumped in the car, I could fit in a one-hour activation on the way to visit my dad in Hickory, NC, that afternoon.

Not wanting to compete for the one picnic table at the South Mountains State Park Clear Creek access (the fastest detour), I decided to head instead to the Lake James State Park Catawba River Access en route. There are plenty of site options at Lake James, and mid-afternoon on a Tuesday, I knew it wouldn’t be crowded.

Lake James State Park (US-2739)

The weather was absolutely beautiful, and I was right: there were very few people at Lake James.

I left the QTH in such a hurry that I didn’t have time to gather all the components for the SW-6B field setup. Instead, I grabbed my SOTA backpack (which should, in theory, have an antenna, cable assembly, throw line/weight, key, and other necessary adapters and accessories).

I found a picnic table with plenty of antenna deployment options (i.e., trees!).

Luck was on my side, too: my first throw of the throw line made a perfect arc into a tree, giving my 40-meter end-fed half-wave an ideal configuration.

While deploying the antenna, a groundskeeper nearby started mowing a patch of grass with possibly the noisiest mower I’ve ever heard. 🙂 It was so loud I actually had to wait for him to move on because I found myself shouting at the camera mic. Ha ha!

As I mention in the video, this is just the kind of QRM you should expect at a good park. The grounds at NC parks are truly outstanding, which takes a lot of work, and I’m very appreciative. It was just a minor inconvenience.

SW-6B Setup

After deploying the antenna, I set up the SW-6B and spent some time in the video (below) explaining the front panel controls.

I noted in the video that I purchased one of the very first production models listed on the Venus website.

There are a few options available: a metal case, a plastic case, and with or without an internal battery pack.

At the time, Dale (BA4TB) only had the metal case version built, so that’s what I ordered, with an internal battery. It’s the priciest option. The total cost, including DHL shipping to the US, was $344.30.

The metal case is very basic. One downside is that it doesn’t have a positive latch—there’s no easy way to secure the lid. For example, if you turn it upside down, it will open. The plastic version has latches—knowing this, I would have much preferred the plastic case.

That said, the metal case has a lot of charm. I plan to secure it with an elastic band or see if I can adapt mine to a plastic case later.

The internal battery didn’t come fully charged, of course, but it showed 11.3V, which is well within the SW-6B’s voltage range. Knowing this would be a short activation, I opted to use the internal battery instead of grabbing my (comically large, compared to the SW-6B) 15Ah battery from the car.

After turning on the radio, I was pleased to find that the internal speaker provided plenty of amplification for field operations.

It was time to get the SW-6B on the air!

Gear:

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On the Air

I started calling CQ POTA on the 20-meter band and quickly discovered that propagation was unstable.

That said, for the first time ever, my first three contacts were all Canadians: VA3NU, VA2CT, and VA2IDX. Nice! Continue reading The New Venus SW-6B QRP Transceiver: First POTA Activation and Field Test! →

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

CW Three Band Activation Among the Giant Timbers

2 Comments

As always there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! ?

by Vince (VE6LK)

In August and September 2024 I was travelling around Southern Ontario for some family matters and naturally I brought my radio kit with me to squeeze in some radio therapy stops along the way. This is the report of my stop at Hamilton Waterworks National Historic Site (CA-5365).

It was a rainy Friday morning as I departed at 0730h to get in some radio therapy before getting to the fishing store and getting some more of the Fishing Butler bungee straps I’d picked up a week prior. And, as it happens, Fishing World in Hamilton was pretty much around the corner from CA-5365. I’d chosen this site as it had never been activated in CW.

The Hamilton Waterworks National Historic Site is “…a gracious complex of mid 19th-century brick industrial buildings…” located in the North-East end of Hamilton near Lake Ontario. It is part of Hamilton’s original water works complex which sprawls along Woodward Avenue.

And it is delightfully radio quiet, however the noise from the local street was the real challenge for me. Next time I’ll use earbuds.

The original wood shed serves as a covered picnic and teaching area for students that visit the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, part of this NHS.

This is one site I drove to without much research and I was prepared with a backup site were I not able to activate it for whatever reason. Thus I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a large covered area with picnic tables and a small grass area outside to stake down my Carbon Fibre mast. Hoisting/throwing the wire turned out to be a challenge given the shape of the giant support timbers (rounded) as the wire would fall into the narrow end of the crevice, so with some creative use of the CF mast, I was able to essentially fish it into place. Later removal was the reverse process for the same reason.

All set up and ready to go with my 20-30-40m EFHW trapped antenna

I checked the solar conditions and it showed low K and moderate A indicies, and then I verified with a spin of the VFO to see what I could hear. I set my power at 5W and began the activation on 20m. Being located in Ontario, I hear a different set of regular callers than I may otherwise when at home in Alberta. Still a fair number of callsigns are immediately recognizable and they put a smile on my face.

I had planned this to be a CW only activation to exercise my brain. I worked my way from 20m to 40m then to 30m. I was surprised with the short distances on 30m working a couple of stations in Ontario that were less than 75 miles away.

After catching 30 in the log my time was up and the rain had started -along with nearby thunder- so I hastily disconnected the coax and took down my antenna and got on with my day.

List of gear used for these activations:

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Summary

It was wonderful to spend time among such elegant buildings that have stood there for 167 years. The park is a peaceful place in an otherwise industrial end of an industrial city and is a delight to visit. I hope to do so again soon.

72 and dit dit,
…Vince

First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website.

Field Reports, Guest Posts, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Videos

Christian takes his new “Red Corners” uSDR+ on a POTA shake-out activation

4 Comments

Many thanks to Christian (IX1CKN) who shares the following field report:

How the Red Corners uSDR+ Performed on Its First Field Test

by Christian (IX1CKN)

24 QSOs in 104 minutes at 5 watts—how would you rate that? The answer isn’t exactly scientific, as it depends on personal opinions, habits, and the unique propagation conditions during the activation. But in my eyes, as the first test of the “Red Corners” (a.k.a. USDR+), it’s definitely a positive result.

I wanted the “first time” with my new QRP radio (which has been catching the attention of more and more operators) to be out in the field, so on Thursday, the 29th August 2024, I headed to the Tsatelet Reserve (IT-0120) to contribute to the Parks on the Air (POTA) program.

I have to admit, I had doubts about reaching the 10 contacts needed for validation. I arrived at the site at 15:16 UTC and set up a 1/4-wave vertical antenna on the ground. I decided not to use an external mic, just the built-in one. The setup was then in “walkie-talkie” mode, fitting in one hand, leaving the other free for logging or filming. Conceptually and practically, it was real freedom.

The first few calls brought in four quick responses, one per minute.

Encouraging start, but then it felt like the band “died.” So, I adjusted, searching for stations that were calling in return. I found several, including Roberto (IG9ITO) from Lampedusa Island —always a pleasure to QSO with him—and I also logged Carmelo (IT9ESF) from Messina.

Between calling and moving around to catch other activators spotted on the cluster (thanks to the dual VFO, although you need to navigate through the menu to switch), I managed to increase the contact count to 24 by the end.

Notably, I logged 9 “park-to-park” QSOs, including the longest distance of the day—1820 km to TA1EYE. That’s a rare feat for a single activation. Some colleagues were operating from 2-fer areas, but I prefer to count unique calls, which is still interesting data.

It’s interesting because it shows that the “Red Corners” has the power to reach operators who, as activators, don’t necessarily have fancy antennas or are dealing with challenging terrain and horizon. It happened 9 times today, so it’s not a coincidence. I’d also like to point out that I didn’t use an external tuner. I noticed that adjusting the vertical whip length allowed for an SWR of 1.2 across the band, which I found acceptable. Plus, it feels like a solid device in hand and looks good sitting on a rock.

What else can I add that the video below doesn’t show? The “Red Corners” uSDR, like the Quansheng UV-K5 (another recent “must-have”), has some objective limitations. I won’t rehash them here—there are plenty of posts covering that. This makes it impossible to consider this Chinese QRP rig as a replacement for our shack radios. However, considering its limitations and focusing on portable use, its value for money becomes a strong point and offers an interesting angle.

The first test went well, but there will be more (I’ll also get the monoband whip, and it will be fun to try pure “walkie-talkie” operations).

73 and thanks, everyone!

Video

Click here to watch on YouTube.