Tag Archives: Pedestrian Mobile

Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel, Videos

Portable POTA Hunting in Beaufort: A Relaxing Back-Yard Session with the Elecraft KH1

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Wednesday, December 18, 2024, was a full but wonderful day. My wife, daughters, Hazel the dog, and I spent it exploring Beaufort, Morehead City, and Atlantic Beach, North Carolina—coastal towns all within a ten-minute drive of one another.

The KX2 and AX1 earlier that day at Fort Macon State Park.

We started the morning at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. While my wife and one of my daughters enjoyed some shopping later, I managed a quick activation at Fort Macon State Park. (You can read that report and watch the activation video here.)

Afterward, we returned to our Airbnb vacation home around 2:00 p.m. for a late lunch. My daughters, still busy despite the holidays, were working on scholarship essays. With their fall term completed online due to Hurricane Helene’s damage in Asheville, they were determined to tackle deadlines before the new year.

While they worked, I felt the pull of POTA (Parks on the Air). However, I wasn’t in the mood for another car ride—especially not a 25-minute drive to the next site. Instead, I decided on a low-key radio session in the backyard, followed by some quiet time with a Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Before dinner, we planned to stroll through Beaufort’s historic district and waterfront. The constant low fog that day had transformed the scenery into something almost magical—perfect for an evening walk. (I’ve included some photos below for those interested!)

Portable POTA Hunting

Hazel, of course, wanted to participate!

I’d already discovered during the previous day’s hunting session that the Airbnb’s backyard had an impressively low noise floor for an urban area.

I suspect it was because many vacation homes in the neighborhood—including the one next door, which was vacant and on the market—were unoccupied during the off-season. Whatever the reason, it was a pleasant surprise for this QRPer.

KH1 Makes it Easy

My Elecraft KH1 has become my go-to radio for backyard sessions. Not only is it incredibly quick to deploy, but it’s also designed for handheld operation. No need to set up an antenna or find a place to sit—I can simply walk around, optimizing received signal strength and avoiding potential noise sources.

For this session, I grabbed the KH1, its whip antenna, and a 13-foot counterpoise. At the last minute, I also decided to bring my camera to record the experience. Though less action-packed than an activation, I thought it might still be worth sharing.

I kept things simple, using only the KH1’s internal speaker. While it’s not the best performer, I appreciate that Elecraft managed to include it—it’s a feature I wish my vintage KX1 had!

Gear

My full KH1 kit built into a Pelican M40 case.

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

Radio and Antenna System

Camera and Audio Gear

On The Air

All screenshots from my action camera (I forgot to take photos with my iPhone!)

POTA hunting is a completely different experience from activating—and I love it.

As an activator, you’re in the spotlight, managing pileups and logging contacts as fast as possible. As a hunter with a handheld 5-watt radio and a 4-foot whip antenna, the challenge is flipped: you have to make yourself heard amidst louder stations, all with the goal of practicing good operating etiquette. Continue reading Portable POTA Hunting in Beaufort: A Relaxing Back-Yard Session with the Elecraft KH1 →

Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel, Videos

Cape Lookout Activation: A Family Adventure and Saltwater Experiment

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Last Sunday, my family set out on a trip across North Carolina, from the mountains to the coast. Our destination was Beaufort, a charming coastal town I hadn’t visited in 17 years. This quick pre-Christmas getaway was a surprise for my daughters—and for Hazel, our dog, who loves adventure just as much as we do.

Planning for the Trip

Since our Subaru Forester was destroyed during Hurricane Helene, we’ve been relying on our Volvo C40 Recharge. While it’s a fantastic car, its limited cargo space made packing for this trip a challenge. I initially planned to squeeze in luggage, food, and radio gear for the five of us (including Hazel).

However, the logistics got tricky. Everyone packed light, but it would have been a tight fit, especially since we’d need to bring Hazel’s portable (folding) kennel. To complicate things further, we would have to stop for at least one full charge each way during the 13-hour round trip, adding 30–50 minutes to each leg of the journey.

When I learned the level 2 charger near our rental house in Beaufort might be out of service, I decided to rent a minivan instead. Thanks to our insurance provider, AMICA, the process was easy and straightforward. The added space made the trip much more comfortable.

Even with the roomier minivan, I stuck to my original plan for radio gear, bringing only my Elecraft KX2 and KH1, both neatly packed in my EDC backpack.

Arriving in Beaufort

We arrived in Beaufort on Sunday afternoon. Our AirBnB rental was perfectly situated within walking distance of the historic downtown. The home was cozy, and the location couldn’t have been better for exploring the area.

On Monday, we spent the day wandering through Beaufort, soaking in the town’s charm and history. Then, on Tuesday, December 17, we headed to Harker’s Island for a short ferry ride to Cape Lookout National Seashore and its iconic lighthouse.

The Ferry Ride

Spotting Cape Lookout Lighthouse with a low, thin ceiling

Hazel turned out to be a huge fan of ferry rides—she couldn’t get enough of speeding across the water in a small boat (and the attention of the eight others on the boat with us)!

Since it was the off-season, the island was nearly deserted, with maybe a dozen other visitors in total.

The weather was ideal: light winds, and temperatures that made it feel like pure bliss.

A Saltwater Ground-Plane Activation

You might recall from a previous post that I’d been looking forward to trying something new: a POTA activation with my antenna’s counterpoise wire dangling directly in the ocean.

[Many thanks to my daughter Neva (K4TLI) for some of these photos!]

Although I’ve activated several POTA sites near saltwater—Myrtle Beach State Park, Huntington Beach State Park, and Cape Hatteras National Seashore (on the Pamlico Sound and at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse) to name a few—this was my first time actually standing in the water with my counterpoise submerged.

Cape Lookout, with its stunning lighthouse and pristine beaches, provided the perfect setting for this experiment.

The Activation

While my wife, daughters, and Hazel explored the beaches near the lighthouse, I headed to the calm waters of Lookout Bight with my Elecraft KH1. Since we arrived at the island around 10:30 AM and needed to catch the return ferry by 1:30 PM, I limited my activation to under an hour to maximize family time.

Standing at the water’s edge, I let the KH1’s counterpoise wire dangle into the saltwater while operating pedestrian mobile. Did it make a dramatic difference in signal propagation? I can’t say for certain, other than the results were amazing!

Gear

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Radio and Antenna System

Camera and Audio Gear

On The Air

I had scheduled this activation before leaving that morning, assuming I wouldn’t have mobile coverage on the island. Surprisingly, we had excellent signals there.

My plan was straightforward: start on 17 meters, move to 15 meters, and finish on 20 meters. Since I didn’t bring my AXE 40M coil or the longer counterpoise, I planned to skip 30 and 40 meters. With limited time, I doubted I could fit those bands into the activation anyway. Continue reading Cape Lookout Activation: A Family Adventure and Saltwater Experiment →

Antennas, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel

Saltwater Activation: Always Wanted to Try This…

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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!

Field Reports, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Videos

Twofer: Impromptu Trail & Parkway Activation with the Elecraft KH1

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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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Radio Gear

Camera/Audio Gear

On The Air

I hopped on the air and called CQ POTA. Fortunately, the RBN picked me up right away, and since I’d announced the activation just minutes before, I was spotted on POTA.app in no time. Continue reading Twofer: Impromptu Trail & Parkway Activation with the Elecraft KH1 →

News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, QRP

Parking Lot QRP DX: The Magic of the Elecraft KH1

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Here’s what I love about the Elecraft KH1:

  1. It’s always with me, tucked away in my EDC pack.
  2. It’s super quick to deploy.
  3. 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!

Grab And Go, Guest Posts, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, QRP

A QRP Morse Code Exchange with a Monk

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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 and monastery
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.

Garmin Instinct 2 Tactical Watch
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
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.

Beer bottle and glass

Gear used:

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).

Field Reports, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Travel

Elecraft KH1 in Motion: Proper Pedestrian Mobile Activation in an Ohio State Nature Preserve

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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.

Eric suggested that we check out the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, then activate nearby Gross Memorial Woods State Nature Preserve (US-9410). We all agreed that sounded ideal.

In the BX and Commissary Complex on WPAFB

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 →

Field Reports, Morse Code, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, QRP, SOTA, Videos

Handheld SOTA DX and Testing K6ARK’s New KH1 Pressure Paddles!

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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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On The Air

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! →

Field Reports, News, Portable, POTA, QRP, QRP Radios, Travel

John’s KH1 Redeems an Otherwise “Frustrating” Start to a Cross-Country POTA Rove

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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.

72’s, NS6X, John Kitchens

Field Reports, News, Pedestrian Mobile, Portable, POTA, QRP, Travel, Videos

Roadside POTA: Pedestrian Mobile with the Elecraft KH1 at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA

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My family decided to take a short pre-Christmas break on the coast of South Carolina in mid-December.

It had been a hectic month, so we looked at our healthy hotel points balance and decided to burn up a few of those on an impromptu four-night getaway.

We decided to stay at the same Myrtle Beach hotel where I stayed only a couple of months prior to attend a family funeral in Georgetown, SC. You might recall my activations at Lee State Park, Myrtle Beach State Park, and Huntington Beach State Park during that particular trip.

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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On The Air

I started calling CQ POTA on the 20 meter band and it didn’t take long before hunters started calling back. Continue reading Roadside POTA: Pedestrian Mobile with the Elecraft KH1 at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve WMA →