I finally got to try something I’ve always dreamed of: proper QRP saltwater ground-planing!
This week, we’ve been in Beaufort, North Carolina—a charming coastal town that I can’t recommend enough. As I mentioned in a post last week, I brought along my Elecraft KX2 and KH1 for the trip.
Turns out, Hazel loves riding in speedy boats!
On Tuesday, we hopped on a small boat/ferry to Cape Lookout National Seashore (US-0683). Since it’s off-season, the island was nearly empty—there were maybe a dozen other visitors there. The weather? Absolutely perfect. It felt like pure bliss.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist scheduling a POTA activation. I packed the KH1 in my backpack and set off to explore.
For the activation, I went pedestrian mobile, standing right at the edge of the saltwater at Lookout Bight. Holding the KH1, I let the counterpoise wire dangle directly into the calm Atlantic waters.
Does submerging a counterpoise in saltwater make a dramatic difference in signal propagation? Honestly, I can’t say for sure—but I can confirm this: it works. The experience was incredible, and the activation felt like a huge success.
The view behind me during the activation.
I’ll be posting the activation video in the next few days, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you: has anyone else experimented with putting a counterpoise wire directly into saltwater? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts—please share in the comments!
As I’ve mentioned countless times, what I love most about the Elecraft KH1 is how it has become my EDC (Everyday Carry) radio. It’s the perfect companion for those impromptu activations I manage to squeeze into my daily routine.
Take Thursday, December 5, 2024, for example.
Around 3:00 PM, fresh from a physical therapy session (working on that shoulder!), I found myself rerouting due to a washed-out bridge on Highway 70—a lingering reminder of Hurricane Helene. The quickest path home took me along a short stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. And, as any POTA enthusiast knows, you must seize the chance for an activation if you’re on the Parkway anyway!
Time was tight—just 25 minutes from start to finish—but that’s all I needed.
2-Fer Time!
I parked at the Folk Art Center, grabbed the KH1 from my EDC bag, and hiked a short stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). This lucky spot scored me and my hunters a 2-fer: US-8313 (MST) and US-3378 (Blue Ridge Parkway).
I had the parking area all to myself.
In addition to the KH1, I actually had my camera with me because I’ve been planning a video to showcase the gear I carry in my EDC backpack. No doubt, when I eventually produce that video, I’ll reference this activation as an example of why it’s so nice to have an Everyday Carry radio.
Gusty Winds
It was a gusty day, and unfortunately, my wireless mics (with wind screens) were still in my full radio bag at home. Without them to combat wind noise, I opted to record the video intro and summary from the relative calm of my car.
I only walked, perhaps, 50 meters down the MST.
For the activation itself, I used audio piped directly from the KH1 into my digital recorder—clean, crisp, and wind-free. The downside? No narration during the activation.
Ironically, setting up the camera took longer than setting up the KH1. The radio was ready in a breezy 15 seconds, while the camera setup stole a couple of precious minutes.
Gear:
My KH1 in the M40 Pelican case with my Tufteln angle adapter on top. This was my entire field radio kit.
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It lets me hop on the air–anytime, anywhere–and work my friends when they’re activating a park or summit.
Yesterday afternoon, I activated Lake James State Park (US-2739) for about an hour. The pileups were deep, and I was so focused on working stations that I missed a text from my buddy Vince (VE6LK), who was activating a park in Alberta, Canada.
By the time I saw Vince’s message after packing up and turning off my camera, it was too late for a P2P contact—he’d already packed up as well. However, he mentioned that he planned to hit another park and promised to let me know when he arrived.
True to his word, Vince pinged me while I was checking out at a Lowe’s hardware store in Marion, North Carolina. He had reached Castle Wildland Provincial Park (CA-2972) at Butcher Lake, roughly 1,900 miles (3,058 km) away.
My KH1 in it’s Tufteln-modified Pelican Micro M40 case.
I quickly hopped in my car, drove to the middle of the parking lot to escape RFI, and deployed the KH1 in about 30 seconds.
Vince’s signal was about a 529, and I was surprised when he answered my call. He later mentioned it was one of those near-ESP-level contacts!
We completed the QSO, and I did a little happy dance in the parking lot. I absolutely love how accessible and capable the KH1 is.
Here’s what Vince’s view looked like:
And here’s mine:
Let’s just say Vince’s view was orders of magnitude more bucolic!
72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
Spoiler alert: Vince plans to post a full field report from his three-park rove yesterday. He worked some amazing DX, and conditions were clearly fantastic! I’m really looking forward to reading it! Stay tuned!
How I worked the #19 most wanted CW DXCC as a pedestrian mobile station
by Leo (DL2COM)
A couple of months ago, I started using the app HamAlert to keep track of interesting DXpeditions and rare call signs just to check if I would be able to copy their signal on my home-made WebSDR at a location outside of the city. This helped me a great deal in understanding propagation and pile-up dynamics as I began to develop a strong interest for expedition-like operating from exotic regions.
Mount Athos (2027m abt. 6650 feet high) and one of the monasteries (courtesy of Dave Proffer, CC-BY 2.0)
One of the stations I had tracked for a while is Monk Iakovos Kutlumusian SV2RSG/A – the only licensed operator in Mount Athos which is currently #19 most wanted CW DXCC according to Clublog. Mount Athos is an autonomous orthodox monk republic under Greek sovereignty and located on a peninsula in the North-East of Greece (locator KN20CG). More info on Mount Athos can be found here (Wikipedia) and a trailer for an upcoming documentary here (Youtube).
Koutloumousiou Holy Monastery (courtesy of Στάθης Κουτσιαύτης , CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia commons)
The priorities of the community in Mount Athos understandably lie on their theological work. So I think it is a big commitment that Monk Iakovos (QTH: Koutloumousiou Monastery one of 20 monasteries in Mount Athos) is able to make some contacts in his free time outside his monastic duties as he writes on his QRZ page.
Very experienced DXers from Berlin once told me how they worked Mount Athos many moons ago on 80m in the middle of the night only by chance and that it is almost impossible to log this super rare DXCC.
Impossible? Hold my beer.
I had noticed that during May and June 2024 Monk Iakovos was on the air more frequently but each time only working 4-5 stations in a couple of minutes before disappearing again for days. The only two consistencies I found was that he was active on 20m CW and most of the time during local evening hours.
Whoops there he is again – Hamalert notification on the Garmin Instinct 2 watch
I took the photo above a couple of days before to inform a friend that SV2RSG/A was active again (btw the HamAlert notification feature on my watch comes in very handy).
Then on Sunday, June 16th 2024, I was sitting on the couch reading when my watch vibrated and showed his call sign again on RBN at about 20:56 UTC (22:56 local time, 23:56 DX time).
I was in absolutely no position to make a QSO as I live in a very urban neighborhood in central Berlin City and I cannot have antennas at my QTH. Also the location brings along a high degree of man-made QRM and all the tall townhouses act as blockers for any kind of RF. Far from ideal for HF operation which is the reason 100% of me operating is portable or from the car.
In addition, we had just returned from a weekend trip to the countryside and I was enjoying the fact that our kids were sound asleep. So I only took out my phone and checked if I could hear this station again online.
To my surprise, this time it wasn’t the immediate and very intense “red ocean” simplex pile-up that I had witnessed multiple times during the weeks before. Maybe it was due to the fact that a big DX contest was coming to an end or most tired OPs were just off the air already on a late Sunday evening. Who knows? Or maybe it was just plain luck…..
Should I? Or should I not? I knew that I needed to be outside if I wanted to have the slightest chance to work this station. There is also a tiny park about 200 meters from our house which would improve my situation a little due to better “sky access” and takeoff angels towards Greece. But I thought by the time I could be set up the pile-up would already be too big for my QRP signal or the station would already be gone as it was the case each time before.
Still I ran over to our utility room, ripped open my backpack and got the KX-2 pouch out. I took the transceiver, slapped the AX-1 whip on, grabbed a key and dumped the counterpoise wire in my pocket.
Don’t let the shoe situation mess up your TTQ stats (time-to-QRV)
Have you ever wanted to take out the trash and then ran into a “shoe situation” at the front door with your hands full?
With my wife’s sneakers slipped half on I staggered out on the street all while trying to secure the end of the counterpoise to one of the bottom screws on the KX-2’s case and nearly falling down the stairs. Time-to-QRV (TTQ is that an official metric? if not it should be imho) maybe 80-100 seconds….no kidding.
Outside I dialed in 14.004 and immediately heard SV2RSG/A still calling CQ at a relaxed pace and then working a station. The signal in my “street canyon” was weak but a 100% copy.
Elecraft KX-2 and AX-1 whip antenna got me on the air in no time (I need to set the internal clock again)
I quickly send my call sign only to get a “QRZ?” back. OMG did he really just hear my signal? Apparently my field strength was too weak on his end because he started calling CQ again.
So I sprinted towards the park (dragging along the counterpoise behind me) and I noticed that his signal was coming on stronger and stronger. After about 100 meters I stopped and again called “DL2COM”. This time I heard “DL2?” but then a very loud OP blasting his signal right on top of me.
I repeated my call another two times and couldn’t believe my ears when SV2RSG/A came back with my true full call and a 599 report. With shaking hands I somehow managed to reply R 599 TU and then we exchanged 73s. I simply couldn’t believe what had just happened.
When I walked back to the front door one of my neighbors was standing there looking somewhat irritated. He paused his phone call for a second and asked “ARE WE SAFE?”.
“Oh yes! For now, very safe!” I told him that I had just communicated with a monk in Greece in morse code (“you know the stuff they used on ships back in the day”) and that this story probably needed more context over a beer.
I then noticed that I had pulled the counterpoise wire through a pile of dog droppings with everything happening so quickly. Of course I did! How can this not happen on the streets of Berlin. A sacrifice I was happy to make for this very special contact and btw cleaned easily in under 2 minutes.
Thanks to QSL manager SV1GRM I did not have to wait long for this card
How did this work? Being on the air so quickly and the fact that 20m was on fire that night certainly helped. But then again is it also the idea to just dare and get out there operating. If you don’t cast a line there won’t be any fish…right?
You never know which exciting DX station might be just around the corner during a special band opening.
While Greece isn’t particularly hard to reach from Germany it was more the overall circumstances (very rare, short and erratic operating times of this station, usage of callsign by pirates, urban QTH, compromised antenna, simplex pile-up with QRP signal) that made this contact highly unlikely but as I now know also totally possible. Blessings to Mt. Athos and their ongoing work for the DX-community! I am very grateful that I got the chance to log them.
– vy 73 de Leo DL2COM
p.s. as of the day of publishing this article, Monk Iakovos has not been active since I worked him on June 16th (according to RBN).
I arrived back at the QTH late yesterday afternoon after an amazing week of travels.
I’ve got (no kidding) more than 100 emails in the inbox that require attention, so if you’ve written to me recently, my apologies in advance for the late reply. I’m spending the next few days catching up with my family.
I did, however, want to take a moment and share a short field report from a pretty extraordinary activation (for me) that took place on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Hamvention Decompression Day
I learned a few years ago that I need a full day post-Hamvention to wind down and relax before starting my travels back home. Fortunately, my FDIM/Hamvention travel companions Eric (WD8RIF) and Miles (KD8KNC) feel the same way. Nearly a decade ago, we started adding a Monday on to our travels.
Typically, we spend most of Monday at the USAF Museum in Dayton – it’s a brilliant, relaxing way to chill out.
This year, however, we decided to shake things up since I’d just spent a full day at the USAF museum in April with my family during our 2024 Total Solar Eclipse trip.
We packed up and left the hotel around 9:00 AM, then made our way to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Miles and Eric wanted to pop by the Commissary, BX, and Clothing Sales to pick up a few items (I purchased two more Rite in the Rain notepads, too!).
Armstrong museum entrance
We then drove one hour north to the Armstrong museum where we enjoyed nearly two hours browsing all of the displays and reading about the amazing life and adventures of Neil Armstrong – the first person to set foot on the moon.
After leaving the museum, we popped by a local deli and ate lunch – we were served possibly the largest portions of food I think I’ve ever seen. I could only eat half of my pork sandwich! (Al Woody’s Diner, in case you’re interested.)
Gross Memorial Woods State Nature Preserve (US-9410)
Gross Memorial Woods SNP was a short 15 minute drive from Wapakoneta.
We arrived on-site to find a small gravel parking area and a large, older-growth wooded area.
This is a nature preserve, so there was no shortage of “do nots” on the welcome sign.
The preserve consists of a 0.6 mile loop boardwalk trail with two or so wooden benches. There are no tables and you’re not supposed to step foot off of the trail.
Eric and I, of course, opted for low-impact radio gear.
Eric set up his KX2 field kit and used a small telescoping fiberglass pole to suspend his random wire antenna.
I’d initially planned to use my KX2 and a wire antenna, but I didn’t want to put a wire in a tree and I had no separate pole to suspend my antenna like Eric did.
Instead, I thought this might be a wonderful opportunity to test something new: pedestrian mobile with my Elecraft KH1 as I walked the loop trail.
Four Miles of Radio Goodness
Keep in mind that, while I got a fair amount of walking in during Hamvention, I’d also spent most of the day in the car on Sunday as we activated parks in Ohio and Indiana, so I was eager to stretch my legs.
I, once again, used my Tufteln angle adapter on the KH1 (you can see it as the red adapter on the antenna port in the photos). This adapter makes the operating angle a little more pleasant while pedestrian mobile.
Photo of the Tufteln angle adapter from the previous day’s activation.
The 13’ counterpoise wire simply trailed behind me as I walked. Being a boardwalk, it did have a tendency to very slightly pull the end of the counterpoise wire when it would slip between boards. Hypothetically, the wire could slip between boards and get pinched, but that never really happened. Since the end of the counterpoise was bare wire though, there was nothing to easily catch in the boards.
I’ve been thinking about building in a fail-safe mini banana plug connection/link near the top of my counterpoise that would simply pull away from the radio if the counterpoise were to ever grab something (or I trip on it). Since I hadn’t made this mod yet, I wrapped the counterpoise twice around a finger on my left hand as I held the radio. This provided a bit of strain relief. Again, there was never a problem with the counterpoise grabbing, but I wasn’t going to take my chances!
Also, I should note that I wouldn’t attempt operating the KH1 while, say, hiking up a summit trail. While that sounds like fun, I’m quite prone to trip on rocks and roots which is why I use two hiking poles.
I would limit my activations-in-motion to roads and paths that are smooth and have no exposed tree roots or steep inclines/declines.
The path at Gross Memorial was smooth and had no trip hazards (trust me, I would have found them!).
I prefer my new Zebra pencil!
As a gift, my wife purchased a Zebra Mini Mechanical Pencil [affiliate link]which is identical to the Zebra Space Pen supplied in the KH1 Edgewood Package (you can see it between my fingers in the image above).
This was the second activation where I used the pencil and I must say that I, personally, prefer it to the pen. The reason why is I find that the pencil requires a little less pressure to write which is perfect for pedestrian mobile logging on the KH1 logging tray.
If you have a KH1 Edgewood Package, I’d recommend giving the Zebra pencil a try: it’s affordable at roughly $6.50 US and a nice option for the KH1.
**Horrible Band Conditions**
Propagation? Yeah, it was in the dumps. Conditions were very unstable and the numbers were not in favor of an easy activation.
Eric and I knew this activation would take some time.
Part of me felt like using the KH1 and its 4’ whip would be fairly futile, but I started out of the gate with a little promise.
As I turned on the KH1 and searched for a free spot on 20 meters, I happened upon Eric (VA2IDX) activating Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park (CA-0508) near Montréal. It only took one or two calls to work him. We were both pretty weak, but I was so pleased to start out this pedestrian mobile activation with a P2P from across our northern border. Continue reading Elecraft KH1 in Motion: Proper Pedestrian Mobile Activation in an Ohio State Nature Preserve→
On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, I woke up with SOTA (Summits on the Air) on my mind.
That morning, I plotted to activate a local drive-up summit I’ve basically ignored the past few years.
Peach Knob (W4C/CM-097) is one of the most popular summits in the Asheville area no doubt because it’s so accessible. That said, it’s also a cell phone and water tank site with limited parking. When I first drove up a few years ago, there was a crew working and I would have only been in the way had I opted to activate. Also, to truly be within the activation zone on Peach Knob, there’s really only one small portion of the site where you can set up. Most of the summit is on private land.
I do SOTA primarily for the hikes. I’m not aggressively chasing activation points (ahem…obviously!) so I tend to ignore drive-up sites that are cramped and a bit awkward. Someday, I’m sure I’ll eventually hit Peach Knob just to do it, but that Tuesday? Yeah, I quickly decided I wanted a hike too.
I had a window of about three hours to fit in a SOTA activation. For POTA (Parks on the Air), that’s a generous number–I could easily hit three POTA sites in that amount of time, but SOTA takes more time. Typically there’s a longer drive to a trailhead, then a round-trip hike to figure into the planning as well. I immediately thought of one summit that would fit the bill.
Bearwallow Mountain (W4C/CM-068)
Bearwallow isn’t a long drive from downtown Asheville–maybe 20-25 minutes one-way. The hike to the summit is also fairly short and most enjoyable. The activation zone is the opposite of Peach Knob; it’s massive!
I arrived at the trailhead around 12:30 local and found that there were very few people parked there–-after all, it was a random Tuesday mid-day!
I’d packed my Elecraft KH1 field kit with the intention of doing a fully pedestrian mobile activation. I also had another goal: to test a prototype KH1 pressure paddle Adam (K6ARK) sent me to thoroughly test. I felt there was no better way than to SOTA with it!
Funny, but when operating pedestrian mobile with the KH1, you need so little extra kit. In fact, I could just grab my Pelican M40 case containing the full kit and be ready to go. But I always carry a first aid kit, headlamp, water, and other emergency supplies even if the hike is short and easy. Even if I have no need of those supplies on a short hike, someone else may. Twice, I’ve given other hikers first aid supplies from my pack.
Also, since I planned to film this activation, I needed to carry my camera, mics, and a tripod. I chose one of my favorite day packs: The GoRuck GR1!
My activation video, below, includes a bit of the hike and the contents of my backpack as I set up the KH1.
Gear:
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I decided to start this activation on the highest band the KH1 can serve up: 15 meters. After a delayed start (due to phone calls), I began calling CQ SOTA and the contacts started rolling in. It was funny–my first two contacts mirrored a previous Bearwallow activation: Christian (F4WBN) and Michael (N7CCD) in the same order! Within three minutes, I’d logged the four contacts necessary to validate the activation. Continue reading Handheld SOTA DX and Testing K6ARK’s New KH1 Pressure Paddles!→
Many thanks to John (NS6X) who shares the following field report:
Frustrating rove from California QTH to OzarkCon in Branson, MO.
by John (NS6X)
I had great plans for a radio-centric, POTA activation road trip from my home in Camarillo, CA (outside Los Angeles) to my first visit to OzarkCon in Branson, MO. The Four State QRP Club hosts the two-day conference. I recently became a kitter (I put together one of the kits) for the club, assembling the parts and shipping the Cricket20 (see kits a 4SQRP.com).
I had the parks planned out along I-40 where I would stop, overnight stops for my little trailer, and my traveling companion Sachiko (Agnes), my Tortie cat.
Long story, but my wife of 48 years died three years ago from ovarian cancer, so I now enjoy traveling alone. I am calling my trip story, “Traveling with Agnes,” a shout out to John Steinbeck and Traveling With Charley. I seldom plan ahead, so to have night stops, parks planned, and such was something for me.
I packed my Elecraft KX2, KH1, FT-891, Penntek TR-35L, and my 22-year-old KX1. I have multiple Bioenno batteries for power, that I packed in an official QRPer.com/HRWB bag and placed next to the door.
I should have stepped out of the door and put it in my truck or trailer, as I left the batteries at home. I did have a Bioenno solar “generator”, but it doesn’t have power pole output connectors, and I haven’t made power pole-adapted cables for it. And of course, I left my power pole crimpers and connectors at home, too. I didn’t discover this until I stopped at my first POTA park, the US-1058, Homolovi Ruins State Park in Arizona, just outside of Winslow.
My KX2 had a partially charged battery, so after futzing about with the power sources, I set up my KX2 and AX1 antenna. I was able to make 7 QSOs in a little less than an hour, even after spotting myself, but did not have the time to stay longer to complete the activation. My campsite was at a KOA in Albuquerque; it was raining/snowing/hailing, and my next stop at the Petrified Forest was out, too. I was discouraged, so packed up and took off.
I had watched Thomas’, K4SWL’s videos and read about the KH1 being used as a radio for an activation, but after my limited number of contacts in Arizona, I wasn’t too positive about it. However, coming from a suburban lot in a housing tract, the lack of QRN/M noise in the Arizona desert was amazing. I didn’t think that I had turned on the radio, seriously.
So, driving through New Mexico, and part of Texas, into Oklahoma for the evening, stopping at a Harvest Host location for the night, I decided I would listen to the bands, using the KH1. I heard a few signals. My stop was only a few miles from the Washita County Wildlife Management Area, US-8661, so I decided to take the KH1 and mosey over to the POTA site.
I told myself why not, spotted myself on 20 meters at 14.058.2, called CQ and was I surprised. LOUD signals came back. Many stations were calling me. I completed my activation with 12 QSOs in 16 minutes, using the KH1, putting out 4.6 watts. The SWR was about 1.1:1. I was impressed with the stations from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina that called me. Did I say they were LOUD? And no noise.
I just finished the activation – forgot to take photos. I was a photojournalism major (although my career was as a firefighter and paramedic). How could I keep forgetting to take photos?
My takeaway and lesson learned was to pack ahead of time, with a checklist (I am never that organized), and that the KH1 is a real radio, able to do things like be used for a POTA activation.
It didn’t hurt that I had a zero noise level, and that there were QRO stations calling me, as well as the spotting system that makes POTA and other similar activities workable, and fun.
After becoming first licensed in 1966 at 11 years old, I am once again excited about ham radio. The social aspect of ham radio is a real positive. The fun of POTA and SOTA is invigorating my radio life. I am back contesting, and putting up a better antenna at my house: the CC&Rs are no longer valid as they haven’t been enforced for more than 35 years, no HOA, and the city issued a permit to me.
I will be back at another Oklahoma park in the morning. I am writing this in the early evening after getting back to my trailer. My KH1 battery is charged, ready to go, if anyone else is ready at 8 AM.
Off to Joplin, MO tomorrow, then Branson, MO for the conference on Thursday, beginning Friday morning. The conference is over Sunday. I did make a reservation for Sunday night in Branson to hang over and watch the eclipse as the sun passes over Branson on Monday.
In truth, we’re not big fans of Myrtle Beach—we prefer more secluded, less commercial spots along the coastal Carolinas. In the summer, Myrtle Beach is jam-packed with visitors—the traffic is a little insane—but in the winter, Myrtle Beach is relatively quiet. Getting around is a breeze, and accommodation is easy to find.
This trip was all about family time, so I didn’t pre-plan a single activation, and I didn’t pack several radios. In fact, the only radio I brought was my Elecraft KH1, which lives in my everyday carry backpack.
The KH1 is a constant companion these days. It was really fun to take it on one of the balconies of our room and hunt parks and summits. Despite a little QRM, I was able to make a number of contacts just using the KH1 whip and dangling the counterpoise.
I remember working my friend Alan (W2AEW) while he was activating a park in New Jersey. I sent him the photo above. What fun!
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve Wildlife Management Area (K-3903)
On Wednesday, December 20, 2023, we decided to spend part of the morning and afternoon in Conway, South Carolina, which is about a 30-minute drive from Myrtle Beach.
My wife asked, “Surely, there’s a park you can activate along the way?” (She and my daughters fully support my POTA addiction.)
After a quick glance at the POTA Map, I determined that indeed there was!
Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA was essentially on the way to Conway, and I could tell based on a quick Google Map search that one of the access points (a huge gravel parking lot) was conveniently located next to the highway. Score!
I grabbed my backpack and camera (of course I brought along the camera just in case!). We drove 25 minutes to the access point which was easy to find.
As luck would have it, as I parked, I noticed that a motor grader was resurfacing part of the parking lot and the main WMA access road. This wouldn’t affect my activation, of course, but it was incredibly loud—especially the constant back-up alert.
So that my KH1 audio would be audible over the grader noise and the highway noise, I connected it to my Zoom H1N recorder.
Setup was quick despite setting up the audio feed and arranging the camera position under the shade the open hatch of my Subaru provided.
Gear
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So far, my favorite thing about the Elecraft KH1 is this: it’s a constant radio companion.
Since 2020, I’ve always had a small field radio kit in my vehicle.
My Venus SW-3B kit, which is packed in a headrest pouch, is one example.
When I’m traveling, or just find an opening in the day, I can deploy that field kit and do a little POTA or even SOTA. I know I have a full field radio kit ready to go.
As many of you know, I do a lot of traveling back forth from my QTH to my hometown each week to do caregiving for my mom and dad. Most of the POTA sites I activate are along that corridor between Asheville and Hickory, North Carolina. Having a radio kit in the car at all times makes impromptu activations effortless.
Until the KH1, though, I never had a field radio kit that could so easily live in the backpack/shoulder bag I carry with me everywhere…my EDC bag.
EDC (Everyday Carry)
Linus understands.
Since 2000 or so–back in the days when I was living and traveling extensively in Europe–my EDC bag (sometimes a laptop bag, messenger bag, or backpack) has become a bit like a safety blanket.
I feel lost and unprepared without it.
When I have my EDC bag, I know I have my basics and essentials for working on the road, taking care of small repairs, administering first aid, and even coping with unexpected overnight trips. My EDC bag has the basics for taking care of all of these things and more.
And now, my EDC bag has a tiny QRP field radio kit.
Healing waves…
I’ve been staying with my parents a lot lately–most of the week–doing caregiving for my sweet mother.
This week in particular, I’ve been grabbing my KH1 and using it for a little backyard “radio therapy.”
You see, there has been no time in the schedule this past week for even short POTA activation forays, as much as I’d love that (more on this below).
Instead, I’ve been catching quick radio sessions in my parents’ back yard.
If I worked you this past week, this was my station:
On Sunday afternoon, January 7, 2024, I grabbed my KH1 from the backpack and took it on two short POTA hunting sessions.
In both cases, I walked to the very back of my parents’ yard to distance myself from most of the QRM that surrounds their house.
During the late afternoon session, I decided to grab my camera and make a video.
Video
Here’s a real-time, real-life (short) video of my late afternoon POTA hunting session. As with all of my videos, I haven’t edited this one. In addition, I have monetization turned off on YouTube, although that doesn’t stop them from inserting ads before and after my videos.
We admitted my mother into Hospice care on Monday (the day after I made the video above) and we don’t expect her to be with us much longer.
Because of Hospice, she is at peace, pain-free, and surrounded by her family. Mom made it clear to all of us that she is ready for the next adventure.
All of my energy is going into being present with her, my wife and daughters, my father, and my sister during this time.
Our community here on QRPer.com has lined up some amazing field reports and articles that will allow me to take a break from writing and, frankly, give me something to read and enjoy as well.
Thank you all for your support and kindness during this time.
Thursday, November 9, 2023 was a typical “dad taxi” day for me.
By the time I got around to doing a POTA activation that afternoon (which was always on the docket) it was within 30 minutes of when I needed to pick up my daughters.
Fortunately, the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center was en route to town.
I had planned that day to pair up my Elecraft KH1 with a random wire antenna, but looking at the time, I realized that was being a little ambitious–the few minutes to deploy and pack up the antenna would cut into the activation.
Instead (since I had just received my KH1 logging tray/cover) I decided to put it to the test with a real pedestrian mobile activation using the KH1, its whip antenna, the logging sheets I printed/cut, and the teeny space pen included with the logging tray. In theory, this all looked doable, but in practice I didn’t know if I would actually be able to log on a tray attached to the side of my radio!
I had planned to use my Zoom H1n recorder for the KH1 audio since I would be making an activation video (see below), but frankly, I simply didn’t have time to set it up. I had to make do with the KH1 wee speaker.
Speaking of the speaker…
After playing with the speaker for a few weeks now, I’ve found that it sounds much better when I run the KH1 with a wide CW filter.
I’d always assumed being a low-fidelity 1″ speaker that narrow audio would be best, but I was wrong about that. In the field, I tinker with the filter and attenuation settings for the best audio balance.
Still, it’s not perfect (the speaker is really a “bonus” feature) but it’s much improved over my initial POTA activation.
Of course, I would have been using earphones had I not been recording the activation on camera. Via earphones, the KH1 audio is excellent!
Gear:
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Naturally, I couldn’t resist scheduling a POTA activation. I packed the KH1 in my backpack and set off to explore.
For the activation, I went pedestrian mobile, standing right at the edge of the saltwater at Lookout Bight. Holding the KH1, I let the counterpoise wire dangle directly into the calm Atlantic waters.
Does submerging a counterpoise in saltwater make a dramatic difference in signal propagation? Honestly, I can’t say for sure—but I can confirm this: it works. The experience was incredible, and the activation felt like a huge success.
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