On Friday, November 8, 2024, my wife and I ran errands while one of our daughters attended a Shakespeare rehearsal.
Since these rehearsals typically last 2–3 hours, I try to make the most of the time by completing errands and squeezing in a POTA activation when possible.
That day, my wife encouraged me to fit in a quick activation, provided we could also handle a few errands in town.
Fortunately, one of our stops was near the Sycamore Flats picnic area in Pisgah National Forest (K-4510). I’ve been activating this site almost weekly since Hurricane Helene swept through North Carolina, as it has been one of the few accessible parks. (Thankfully, as of today, a few more sites have reopened!)
When we arrived, we saw a large group of volunteers working to clean up the area. They were filling holes in the road and repairing picnic table pads damaged by flooding.
To avoid getting in their way, I set up under the trees by the river, away from the main picnic area where they were working.
Sadly, none of the picnic tables near the river remained—they were likely swept away by the floodwaters. This wasn’t an issue, as my POTA/SOTA pack always has everything I need for a fully self-contained activation.
While I’ve activated sitting on logs, large rocks, or the ground, I increasingly appreciate the comfort of a proper chair. The Helinox Chair Zero is a game-changer: lightweight, sturdy, and easy to pack. It’s pricey, but I’ve never regretted the investment.
The Helinox chair is quick to deploy and stable on the ground, unlike the three-legged trail stools I used to carry!My KX2 on the Tufteln kneeboard earlier this year at Lake James.
The Tufteln kneeboard is another essential. It’s just large enough to hold portable radios (KX1, KX2, KX3, TR-35, TX-500, MTR-3B, QMX, QCX, CFT1, etc.) and my Rite in the Rain notepad. Strapped to my leg, it provides a stable surface for logging and operating.
This is exactly how I set up my station that day at Sycamore Flats.
Next, I deployed my MM0OPX 40 meter end-fed half-wave, connected it to the KX2 (double-checking that the ATU was in bypass mode) and hopped on the air!
Gear:
My entire station is in this Nemo Resolve pack.
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Many thanks to Todd (W2TEF) and Becky for sharing the following guest post:
POTA on Ellis Island
by Todd Foster (W2TEF)
All the Parks
Originally licensed in the late 1990s, I re-tested and got my ticket again at the end of 2023. In 2024, I discovered POTA, inspired by QRPer and elmered by Tom N2XTO and John K2ZA. Suddenly, this fall, I found myself close, tantalizingly close, to working all the POTA parks in New Jersey in 2024. Just ten parks away!
But there was a barrier standing between me and Worked-All-Entities glory. It’s called Ellis Island.
Ellis Island National Historic Site (US-8061)
US-8061 Ellis Island is in New Jersey. According to the POTA site, it has only been activated six times and only once with CW. Dave, K2DPH activated it last year with 94(!) CW QSO’s. He was also the first-ever activator. I looked him up on QRZ to ask his advice. Dave wrote back with warm encouragement. He told of using a bench as the apex of his end-fed-half-wave antenna. A compromise but adequate.
Ellis Island is, well, an island. Though there is a causeway, the public can only access it via ferry. The same ferry goes to both islands (Ellis and the Statue of Liberty). To board the ferry, one has to pass through security. They compare it to airport security. They have rules.
I read the rules carefully. My experience of TSA and similar security is that it can be fairly arbitrary. People are doing their jobs and can get in big trouble for not following all the protocols. Sometimes, the protocols seem odd or don’t make sense to me. That does not relieve the officers of their job of following them. But it does mean that a lot can change depending on an officer’s mood or first impression. While explaining Ham Radio is fun with a curious bystander, it can be less so for an official who is going to be reluctant to let go of anything they don’t fully understand. Considering the reasons why they have been asked to do their job, I am thankful for their diligence!
What are the rules for Ellis Island? No tools, no weapons. No problem, the multi-tool and the lighter stay behind. No amplified sound, including radios. Hmmm…. I’ll leave my amplified speaker at home and bring earbuds for the radio. I’m bringing a radio, but not a boom-box kind of radio. It has no speaker at all. No rope or climbing tools are allowed, nor any kind of wire [that might be used to hang a sign or poster]. Yikes! I don’t mind ditching the arborist line: I had figured on not using trees anyhow. But no wire? Does 30’ of thin poly-stealth count? Again, I do not want to break the rules. I do not advocate breaking the rules. The question is: how does one interpret the rules? Who interprets the rules? The security officers interpret the rules. They are the gatekeepers who will decide if and with what equipment I can activate Ellis Island.
The Plan
It seemed important to go to Ellis Island when it wasn’t the tourist season when I wouldn’t be getting in the way of the crowds. I worked a long week last week: no day off. I decided to take a compensatory day off on Tuesday, 12 November.
The weather forecast was for blustery winds and 52 degrees – but sunny. Hopefully, it would be the low season (no Christmas crowds) and unpleasant enough to suppress the crowds even more. My generous spouse, Becky, was game for the hunt. So we laid our plans. I scheduled an activation on the POTA site with a big, wide time window. I didn’t know if I’d have cell service or not.
I cleaned out my POTA bag almost entirely. No spares, no extras, only the bare essentials. One is none, but two is too many. My QRP-Labs QMX looks like an old Walkman, especially with earbuds wrapped around it. I have a battery, the same size and color as the radio. Besides these, I bring a power cable (6”), antenna cable (16”), and EFHW on a DG1JAN Xota winder. I bring a log book with my FCC license taped in the front. The empty bag has plenty of room left to pack my lunch!
The full POTA kit.What’s in that bag?
My aim was not to sneak in contraband. I have no desire to bring prohibited items anywhere. But when someone’s supervisor is looking down their shoulder, I want to present as little cause for concern as possible. My goal is to not have to have the conversation. I left everything packed lightly so that it would show up clearly in the X-ray. I removed the X-ray-resistant bag (originally for film, now used for radio cables). I want everything in security to show up clearly and create no cause for questions.
Also, I remembered a lightweight, collapsing camera tripod I bought for a telescope once. I take an antenna analyzer and my EFHW into the yard to see what will happen. With the antenna draped over the tripod but otherwise on the ground, SWR is very high. But if I attach the far end of the antenna to my POTA bag (about 4” off the ground) and the other end to my operating clipboard (at whatever height I’m using it) and pull just tight enough to keep it all off the ground, the SWR falls to a very reasonable 1.5 to 1.7. This I can work with.
The Day
Tuesday’s weather turned out as promised. Traffic was a little heavy from South Jersey up I-295 and then the NJ Turnpike. But we made it to Liberty Park (NJ) around 9.30 am. We spent $50 for two ferry tickets, which we were inclined not to use if the security line turned us back. (Becky had researched what it would take to drive around to Battery Park and try again to enter from the New York side.) We took some photos of the New York skyline and proceeded to the mostly empty security building. One has to walk a long way to navigate Liberty Park: I am sure that helps space out the crowds in the summertime.
9.30 am: Liberty Park
In security, there was no line due to the light crowds. We scanned our tickets and were ushered up to the X-ray machine. Keys, phones, watches, and belts all go in the bins. Bags go in the bins. Coats and jackets go in the bins. Hats, sweaters, and shoes stay on.
Then, before I knew it, we were through! My anxiety about the security checkpoint evaporated – almost. We weren’t out yet.
We were putting back on belts and jackets and pocketing keys when a parks policeman walked over and started fingering the POTA badge on my re-purposed camera case. Right there beside my callsign badge. He looked at me and said, “Parks?” I gave a brief description of Parks on the Air. He told me about working at an airfield (that became a park?) where amateurs would sometimes come to operate. It was a pleasant exchange, and he thanked me for stopping to chat.
Outside, I was elated: this was going to happen! We got in line for the ferry. Behind a couple speaking a language, I didn’t know. Who were themselves behind another family speaking another language I didn’t know. I looked at Becky: this is one of the reasons I so love New York. Languages, cultures, people. This is where I meet the wider world.
10 am: On our way to Ellis Island!
Ellis Island National Historic Site
On Ellis Island, tourists are restricted to the visitor center and the grounds around it. Part of those grounds were fenced off for construction. All the rest of the island is inaccessible (except for parts you can see by purchasing the “Hard Hat Tour”). Becky and I looked for a quiet place to set up. I thought about Dave on the benches. I found numerous trees with temptingly low branches. We thought hard about setting up at a mass of empty picnic tables. There was no one out there at all. It was cold and windy. And who would come out to eat at those tables on a blustery day like that? Continue reading POTA on Ellis Island: Planning, plotting, and activating!→
Veterans Day Thoughts: Activating from the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
Veterans Day 2024 dawned gray and overcast in northwest Pennsylvania, so I decided to spend some time working on the next field report from our 6-week trip through the states of the American West. It occurred to me that spending some of my holiday to report on a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation of the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (US-0850) might be particularly appropriate.
Writing about an historic site that commemorates deactivated infrastructure from an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) installation evokes a whole range of emotions. It is right that the prospect of nuclear annihilation should do so. But there is another viewpoint that is arguably more important.
For decades, unsung American warriors crewed these facilities to deter war based on the prospect of swift and certain retaliation. No matter the horror of the thought of thermonuclear war, their commitment and competence played a vital role in keeping the decades long Cold War cold.
The Visitor Center at Minuteman Missile National Historic Site has a friendly, dedicated staff. Artifacts and interpretive information at the Visitor Center are helpful in understanding the mission, systems, and personnel associated with the history of the site.The Peacekeeper armored response vehicle was operated by the USAF Security Police, who protected missile silos and launch control facilities while they were operational.The sites preserved by the Minuteman Missile NHS belong to D Flight of the 66th Strategic Missile Squadron, and the 44th Strategic Missile Wing. The best testimony to the success of their mission was the complete deactivation of the 44th Strategic Missile Wing’s 150 Minuteman II missiles under the terms of the START treaty.The Delta-09 site is located a few miles west of the Visitor Center along Interstate 90. Delta-09 preserves one of the missile silos that housed the Minuteman II strategic ICBM force.I had the chance to speak with the docent at the Delta-09 site. He was a veteran of the USAF Security Police, and he patrolled these facilities while they were operating. In this view, we are standing next to the missile silo. The blast door is partially pulled back from the silo, and the opening is covered by an enclosure that was built to protect the open silo from the weather. The enclosure was not a feature of the silo during its operational career, but the open blast door and windows in the enclosure permit visitors to look inside the silo.
The Site
Minuteman Missile NHS incorporates three distinct sites located along a 15 mile stretch of Interstate 90 in South Dakota. There is a Visitor Center, with artifacts and interpretive information to help visitors understand the significance of the weapons, the personnel, and the mission.
The Delta-01 site contains a preserved Launch Control Facility. Entry to Delta-01 is limited to ranger-led tours, and unfortunately for us, these tours were booked well beyond our planned stay in the area. Make your plans early!
The Delta-09 site contains a deactivated Minuteman II Missile Silo. It is available for self-led tours, but we really enjoyed speaking with the docent who was present during our visit. He had been a member of the security team when the complex was active. Delta-09 was typically unmanned, except for maintenance, but our docent had once sheltered there, as a tornado ripped through the area. The storm destroyed his patrol vehicle!
You can peer into the silo to see an inactive Minuteman II missile through the partially open blast door.
Looking through the enclosure windows, it is possible to see an inert missile housed within the 80 ft deep, reinforced concrete silo.Here I am setting up my end-fed random wire (EFRW) antenna. I am securing the telescopic fishing pole to the back of the truck, and it supports the antenna wire in an inverted V configuration.Molly supervised my successful operation from the truck at US-0850. To keep her cool, I rigged a jacket to block the sun from shining directly through her window. In this picture, I am holding the body of my VK3IL pressure paddle in my left hand, and keying with my right hand, all while keeping my pencil ready to log the exchange.
The Activation
We stopped at the site Visitor Center as we drove down Interstate 90, and arrived mid-afternoon. We knew that the Delta-09 site would be closing soon, but we were planning to be in the area for a couple of days. So, I checked with the friendly folks in the visitor center to be sure that my amateur radio operation would not create a problem (it was welcomed). Then, as Becky toured the Visitor Center, I deployed my Tufteln 35 foot EFRW antenna behind the truck in the parking lot. A 21 foot collapsible fishing pole connected to the bumper made this simple. Then, Molly and I sat in the truck and made 23 QRP CW contacts in 40 minutes.
This map shows the locations of my 23 contacts from Minuteman Missile NHS. All but one were completed on the 20m band, and the final contact came on 15m.
Gear
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Braided nylon cord to secure the fishing pole and the antenna
I try to make contact with the staff at smaller sites where I plan to activate. The staff at Minuteman Missile NHS was very accommodating, and welcomed the activation. A call ahead may get you advice on the best locations for your station, and if you call early enough, you should be able to reserve a space for the Delta-01 tour.
Final Thoughts
I was very pleased with this activation. The sun behaved itself well during the entirety of our trip, so propagation was good, and contacts came quickly. The site does a great job of interpreting this important, if emotionally fraught, aspect of our military history. If you plan a trip through the area, I encourage you to visit. If we pass this way again, we will certainly make advanced reservations to visit the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility.
A hope that I think we all cherish. To the veterans who have kept our country safe: Thank You.
Two days before Hurricane Helene impacted western North Carolina (Wednesday, September 25, 2024), I stopped by the Blue Ridge Parkway for a quick POTA activation to thoroughly test my MTR-3B self-contained field kit.
This was crucial, as I had plans to conduct multiple SOTA activations during the 2024 W4 SOTA campout in north Georgia the following week. (Unfortunately, due to Hurricane Helene, I had to cancel those plans.)
The importance of a full field trial
This is something I always emphasize during presentations about SOTA, POTA, or traveling with radio: don’t assume your field kit is complete and fully functional—you must test it to know for sure.
A field test confirms two things:
You have everything you need inside your kit to complete an activation.
Everything in the kit actually works.
When preparing for something like a SOTA weekend or a family vacation, I usually deploy each of my field kits either at home or a local park. I power up the radio and make at least one contact, essentially mimicking a real activation. If everything works, I know the kit is good to go!
This simple process is an incredibly effective way to ensure your gear is ready for action.
Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3788)
That Wednesday, I squeezed in the activation between errands in town. The Folk Art Center near Highway 70 in East Asheville is the perfect spot—it’s a quick and easy detour.
Or at least it was before Helene. Now, with two bridges damaged—especially one major bridge on Highway 70—the two-minute detour to the Folk Art Center has turned into a 15-25 minute round trip, depending on traffic. (You never realize how essential bridges are until they’re gone!)
I parked near the picnic area, grabbed my gear, and headed for my usual picnic table setup spot.
Unfortunately, it was absolutely crawling with ants—likely a result of spilled juice or food. I moved to the other picnic table in the same area.
Testing the MTR-3B Kit in Real-Time
In the video, you’ll see me use every piece of gear in the field kit, except for the “bare bones” arborist throw line and weight. Since I had my other Weaver throw line kit with me, I used it to save time. I’d recently tested and re-packed the throw line in the MTR-3B kit, so I already knew it was in working order.
Setup was quick and easy. Once I connected the antenna and powered up the radio, I used my N6ARA Tiny SWR Meter to confirm I had a good match—since the MTR-3B LCD lacks an SWR meter. Fortunately, I had a perfect impedance match.
Time to play radio!
Gear (MTR-3B Self-Contained Field Kit)
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Many thanks to Brian (K3ES) who shares the following guest post:
This map provides an overview of our cross-country road trip. We traveled zig-zag paths from our home in Tionesta, PA to my parents’ home in Martinez, CA, and back again.
Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road
by Brian (K3ES)
This article gives an overview of a driving trip across the United States and back that included activation of Parks on the Air (POTA) entities in 21 states along the way. We left our home in northwest Pennsylvania on September 18, 2024, and returned on Halloween. During our time away, we spent about 3 weeks driving and 3 weeks visiting with my parents at their home near San Francisco, CA. With such an epic scope, I plan to write several articles about various POTA activations completed during our trip. In fact, I completed one article early, and it has already been published on QRPer.com: K3ES’ Unplanned activation of Yellowstone National Park. This report provides the background and a broad overview of our trip.
The Players
My mom and dad have made the Bay Area of California their home for 40 years. They left Pennsylvania on their own great adventure in the mid-1980s, while I was attending graduate school in Pittsburgh. Dad accepted a transfer, so they packed up the house, committed their belongings to a moving company, and drove their car across the country in 4-1/2 days to meet the movers. I was able to go along on that driving trip (I returned to Pittsburgh by airline), but I have always wanted to do it again, spending a bit more time to see the sights.
My dad is a hero to me. I have never been able to match his work ethic or his ability to plan and execute projects. From home repairs to electronics projects, Dad was always working on something, and generally had several projects going at once. His workshop was well equipped, and he spent a lot of time there. Now, approaching his 90th birthday, Dad has been slowing down. He is no longer able to make use of the shop, but he remembers how important it has been to him. So, we planned this trip to help Mom clean out the shop, and to let Dad see his trustworthy tools moving to a new home where they can be used and appreciated.
Having retired in 2021, my calendar is more open than it was during 31 years of employment. I am grateful for this. My wife, Becky, and I were able to arrange other commitments to give ourselves time for an adventure. So the two of us packed the back seat of my 2015 Toyota Tundra pickup truck for six weeks of travel, being careful to leave seat space for POTA dog Molly. We kept the truck bed empty, so that space would be available to bring home tools and shop supplies from California. This would be our opportunity to travel across the American west. Forty years after my original cross-country driving trip, I would finally get to stop and see sights along the way.
Once we arrived at my parents’ home in California’s Bay Area, Molly had free run of their fenced yard. This squirrel was Molly’s nemesis for the duration. It spent hours across the fence eating fruit in the neighbor’s pomegranate tree. Many chases ensued, none successful.
The Plan
In another article published on QRPer.com earlier this year: K3ES Travels: Ten Days of QRP with Compromised Antennas, I explained Becky’s great idea: that I should activate all 50 of our United States. At that point, I had activated parks in only 6 states. By the time we left on this trip, my total had inched up to 11 activated states. So our goal would be to activate as many of the western states as possible. Ohio, Indiana, Washington, Oregon, and California were already in the done column, courtesy of some previous travel, but that left a lot of territory to cover.
Since we were leaving in September, we were confident that the weather would be favorable for driving across the northern tier states. Leaving California to return home in late October, we knew that snow was possible in the mountain passes, so we planned to take a more southerly route. What remained was to adjust the route to cover all of the states along or near our intended travel path. In total, including a side-trip to activate a new California park during the Autumn Support Your Parks event, we traveled 7300 miles: 3800 miles traveling westward, 200 miles for the California side-trip, and 3300 miles traveling eastward on the return home.
When we left our driveway, we had the broad outline of the route. We also had an idea of some of the parks that I might activate on the trip. We did not have a detailed itinerary. In fact, though we knew the basic route, and we had reserved rooms for only the first two nights. I encouraged Becky to leave things a bit open-ended, despite her penchant for careful planning. This was kind of important, because I would be doing all the driving. Don’t get me wrong. Becky is an excellent driver, it is just that she is intimidated by my truck. We needed its cargo capacity, but I became the sole driver. So we needed to have the flexibility to stop sooner, or press on longer, depending on my ability to continue driving safely.
After stopping for the night, we usually set our travel goals for the next day or two. If we were tired, we would cut the next day’s travel shorter. If not, we might decide to go further. We also settled on the parks we would visit during the next day’s travels. Even then, we allowed ourselves to make changes if an opportunity presented itself, and more than once, it did.
Keeping our travel plans a bit loose worked really well for us, particularly after we discovered that almost all hotels welcomed Molly as a guest (for a nominal pet fee, of course). We had expected more difficulty, and were very pleasantly surprised that nearly every hotel along the way was “pet friendly”. The additional freedom let us alter our plans at times, like adding Yellowstone National Park to the travel route, when we had originally expected to miss it.
On our return trip, we realized that stopping for a park activation worked really well as a break during long days of driving. We could stretch, eat lunch, take Molly for a walk, and CW would help me to clear my head before the remainder of the day’s drive. In fact, we scheduled additional activations in IL, IN, and OH for just that reason, even though I had previously activated parks in those states.
On our final travel day, we stopped at Lake Norman State Park in Ohio. Bands were great, and I took time to complete 30 contacts. The greatest difficulty was ambient noise from the wind blowing across the lake. This flag tells the tale…
The Parks
In the end, I completed 34 activations of 32 distinct POTA entities during the trip. I activated in 18 new states during our travels, and finished with 29 of 50 states activated. When I completed my activation of Mesa Verde National Park, I was within the activation zone of the Park Point SOTA summit (W0C/SJ-019), yielding a simultaneous SOTA/POTA activation. The following Table lists the activations completed during our trip. Before leaving, I had already activated OH, IN, and CA, so they do not count among the 18 new states.
A bench at Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa provided an awesome view of the Mississippi River valley while I was making contacts for the activation.Molly kept watch while I activated Washoe Lake State Park in Nevada.At Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico, I could look over the ruins of the large adobe hospital building while I was operating. Fort Union guarded the Santa Fe Trail (now a National Historic Trail and a POTA entity). I was able to make this a 2-fer activation.
Table: Parks Activated During the Trip
Date
State
Park ID
Park Name
QSOs
09/19/24
IL
US-4099
Moraine View SP
12
09/19/24
IA
US-2311
Pikes Peak SP
27
09/20/24
WI
US-1471
Perrot SP
11
09/20/24
MN
US-2466
Afton SP
14
09/23/24
ND
US-5748
Fort Abercrombie SHS
27
09/23/24
ND
US-4239
North Country Trail NST (2-fer with US-5748)
27
09/24/24
SD
US-0850
Minuteman Missile NHS
23
09/25/24
SD
US-0005
Badlands NP
11
09/25/24
SD
US-7487
Buffalo Gap NGL
34
09/26/24
SD
US-0786
Mount Rushmore NM
11
09/26/24
SD
US-4524
Black Hills NF
22
09/27/24
SD
US-0786
Mount Rushmore NM
49
09/27/24
NE
US-7478
Oglala NGL
18
09/27/24
WY
US-0920
Devils Tower NM
15
09/28/24
MT
US-4502
Custer Gallatin NF
16
09/29/24
WY
US-0070
Yellowstone NP
11
09/29/24
ID
US-4475
Caribou Targhee NF
13
09/30/24
UT
US-3075
Great Salt Lake SP
11
10/01/24
NV
US-2640
Washoe Lake SP
12
10/19/24
CA
US-0651
Point Reyes NS
11
10/24/24
AZ
US-0030
Grand Canyon NP
33
10/25/24
AZ
US-0057
Petrified Forest NP
18
10/26/24
CO
US-0051
Mesa Verde NP
23
10/26/24
CO
W0C/SJ-019
Park Point SOTA Summit (joint with US-0051)
23
10/27/24
NM
US-0933
Fort Union NM
17
10/27/24
NM
US-4579
Santa Fe Trail NHT (2-fer with US-0933)
17
10/27/24
OK
US-7481
Rita Blanca NGL
14
10/28/24
KS
US-9191
Pawnee Rock SHS
19
10/28/24
KS
US-4579
Santa Fe Trail NHT (2-fer with US-9191)
19
10/29/24
MO
US-3345
Confederate Memorial SHS
14
10/29/24
MO
US-3356
Mark Twain Birthplace SHS
14
10/30/24
IL
US-4097
Kickapoo SRA
17
10/30/24
IN
US-10247
Lawrence Creek SNR
23
10/30/24
IN
US-2256
Fort Harrison SP (2-fer with US-10247)
23
10/31/24
OH
US-3515
Lake Milton SP
30
Shading denotes my first activation in the indicated state.
My first activation of the trip was at Moraine View State Recreation Area in Illinois.
Activation Experience
One of the amazing things about our beautiful country is that each state has a seemingly different character than all of the others. While there can be similarity, topography, geography, climate, and vegetation combine to make something unique. From a POTA activator’s perspective, this uniqueness means that you must be ready to deploy antennas using a variety of different techniques. Living in Pennsylvania (Penn’s Woods) means that I am able to find a tree at almost any location where I choose to activate. This is definitely not the case in many other states. Continue reading Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road→
Please note that this POTA (Parks On The Air) activation took place on September 19, 2024—eight days before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. This is one of a few field reports and activation videos I’ll be sharing that took place before Helene’s arrival.
As I mentioned in my last field report, I haven’t been back to the Vance State Historic Site since the storm, as it’s been closed. Located in the Reems Creek valley, the site likely experienced extensive flooding. I hope this park can recover and reopen soon.
I hope you enjoy this field report and activation video. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reliving it while preparing this for you.
Thank you! Thomas (K4SWL)
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, I made time for a POTA activation at the Zebulon Vance Birthplace (US-6856) and brought along a few new items to make it even more interesting.
New Pack
I packed my new gear along with extra equipment to fill out my new Nemo Resolve 25L backpack (check it out in gear links below). I wanted to see how well it could handle a full load and how comfortable it would be to carry.
Turns out, it’s very comfortable, and I could easily fit more in this pack than I’d likely ever need. It’s a keeper.
New QMX
First, I brought along a new QRP Labs QMX transceiver. If you’ve been a long-time reader, you’ll know I’ve had a QMX for about a year and think it’s a brilliant little radio. This one, however, is the “high band” version, meaning it covers 20-10 meters. My other QMX is the “low band” version, covering 80-20 meters.
As soon as the high band QMX was announced by QRP Labs, I grabbed one. I purchased an assembled version, knowing it could be a year (or much longer) before I’d have time to actually build one.
When I received this new QMX—I’m not sure, months ago?—I tucked it away in a drawer while reorganizing my shack, then promptly forgot about it (in my defense, I had a crazy year). I eventually rediscovered it, and here we are!
I’d been looking forward to taking it to the field.
New Carbon Fiber Mast
At Hamvention this year (2024), I ran into my good friend Mike Roberge (KE8PTX). He told me he was super excited about a new product that had been showcased—not a flagship radio or similar, but the Explorer POTA20Carbon Fiber Mast.
Mike was one of the very few people who actually purchased one at Hamvention to take home. I believe Gigaparts only had two or three on hand—mainly for demo—so everyone else had to place an order and wait 6-8 weeks for the first shipment.
Meanwhile, Mike, being the clever fellow he is, designed a 3D-printed ground spike holder that fits a tent stake. This allows the user to unscrew the base cap of the Explorer mast, insert Mike’s ground spike, and support the mast without needing guy wires, etc.
I purchased my Explorer pole via Gigapart’s online store during or right after Hamvention. I didn’t receive my mast until sometime in August. This activation was the first time I tried it out in the field.
I deployed my 20M EFHW (built on a TennTennas transformer) by attaching one end to the tip of the Explorer pole, then sloping it down so the feedpoint was close to the edge of the picnic shelter at Vance.
K3ES’s Grippy Pressure Paddle
Another item I rediscovered in September was a VK3IL pressure paddle my good friend Brian (K3ES) gave me at Four Days in May during Hamvention. His version is a standard VK3IL pressure paddle, but with some padded material under the heat shrink, making it easier for big hands to grip.
Brian’s paddle paired nicely with the QMX!
With everything set up, it was time to hit the air.
Gear:
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The QMX, of course, performed well during this activation.
I did encounter some difficulties at the beginning when the QMX produced significant audio pops in the CW sidetone audio whenever I keyed the radio. I spent a few minutes troubleshooting and even changed speakers, thinking it might have been an issue with the Soundcore Mini.
It turned out to be related to toggling the AGC function. I eventually managed to resolve the audio pops and used the Soundcore Mini. I’m not sure I could replicate the process exactly, but I got it working. (If you’ve had a similar experience, I’d love your input.)
Otherwise, the activation went very smoothly.
I worked my first ten stations in eight minutes—woot!
Activity slowed down a bit after the first ten, but I still managed to work 17 stations in under half an hour.
Many thanks to everyone who hunted me!
QSO Map
Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map:
Screenshot
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.
I love that the Explorer mast fits easily in my Nemo backpack. I see myself using it a lot for SOTA and POTA activations where suspending an antenna in a tree isn’t possible.
It’s super lightweight and compact, and Mike’s ingenious tent stake spike mod makes this mast so easy to deploy.
I also enjoyed using Brian’s pressure paddle during this activation—thank you, OM! It’s comfortable to grip and use.
This high-band QMX will make a brilliant SOTA transceiver. I need to take advantage of these high bands while the ionosphere supports them this solar cycle!
Thank you
Thank you for joining me during this activation!
I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating them!
Also, thank you for all of your recent support and kind messages following Hurricane Helene.
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.
In my last article, I activated Hanging Rock Battleground State Historic Site and then Glenn and I spent the evening at an Airbnb in Camden, South Carolina. Monday, October 14th was the last day of our trip. There was no way this POTA Babe was missing out on an activation on the trip home.
Sunday evening, after the Hanging Rock activation, I searched for a nearby park on the POTA website and settled on Wateree River Heritage Preserve Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (US-10414) as it looked interesting and was on the drive home. However, I didn’t pay attention to the fact a lottery deer hunt would be held on Monday and the park closed to anyone not involved in the hunt. I discovered this fact that morning upon arriving at the site. It was time for a Plan B ASAP.
entrance to Wateree Heritage Preserve WMA
Looking on the POTA website, both Congaree National Park (US-0017) and Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve WMA (US-3916) were nearby. I recall reading that some of the boardwalks/trails in the national park were impacted from Hurricane Helene. So I opted to visit Congaree Bluffs instead.
Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve is owned by the State of South Carolina. The property was purchased in 2001 with the express purpose of protecting the bluffs and flood plain on the south side of the Congaree River. The high bluffs in this area are not common because central South Carolina is mostly flat. The 201 acres of the park contain significant stands of American beech, oak-hickory, and bottomland hardwood forest. There were also stands of loblolly pines at the time of purchase that management planned to convert to longleaf pine stands over time.
The road into Congaree Bluffs is dirt but appears well maintained. There is a kiosk and signage just as you enter the park.
dirt access road – Turkey Track Lane (what a great name!)
We drove to the parking lot just down the road from the education center. I didn’t have much familiarity with this park since it was a last minute choice. A hasty glance at hiking sites showed the Bluff-River Walk that left from this parking lot down to the Congaree River. How difficult could that be?
entrance for Bluff-River Walk
Glenn and I walked around the trail gate and began our descent. The first thing we noticed was how many trees were down across the trail as well as vines and other foliage making passage difficult. As we continued our descent, we began to notice the mosquitos. I was wearing long sleeves and pants and had brought bug spray but these mosquitos were not easily deterred. By the time we reached the river, it was obvious we’d be nothing but blood donors there and an activation needed to happen elsewhere.
a tree downed across the trailon the hike to the riverneat lichens on one of the downed treesour quick view of the Congaree River
Arriving back at the car, I opted to activate in the parking lot. A stand of pines nearby provided shade (though I augmented that with my Mountain Laurel Designs tarp) and a fairly steady breeze kept the bugs at bay.
a pine stand near the car providing shadethe tarp lazily draped to provide extra shade
As both Glenn and I had CW Innovations classes to coach later that evening, I didn’t have much time for an activation. I opted for the Chelegance MC-750 and, once it was set up, hopped onto 20 meters figuring that band would give me the best chance at a successful activation in a short time-frame. It did! I had 23 QSOs with two park-to-park QSOs in 30 minutes. (Note: One park-to-park didn’t count after the fact as I entered it incorrectly in my log.)
The only fly in the ointment for my time on 20 meters was the QSB and noise which increased later in the activation. Usually I encounter noise on 40 meters, not 20, but the KX2 filters were a huge help in countering that issue. (I love that little rig!) As for the QSB, well, the best counter for that is plenty of time on the air to gain experience in dealing with it.
If you’d like to see footage of the park as well as get Glenn’s and my take as to whether or not we’d return to Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve, check out the video on my Youtube channel.
This activation places me at 44 activations toward my goal of 60 new, valid park activations for 2024. I’m not sure I’ll be able to complete this goal; however, I will see how far I can get. Where will I show up for park #45? Stay tuned…
Equipment Used
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Many thanks to Dave (K1SWL) who shares the following field report:
A Bare-bones POTA Outing
by Dave Benson (K1SWL)
It started with a one-of-a-kind homebrew project and mushroomed from there. I was returning to my roots with a Direct-conversion rig and it hooked me in our recent ARRL Field Day event in June.
It acquitted itself well on 40M with a total of 81 contacts.
I’ve been enjoying operating various flavors of this design since then, and the bulk of it on 20M. It finally occurred to me to take this project to the Field. An impromptu POTA outing was born.
Dodge Brook State Forest (US-4897), is 25 minutes from here and features a clearing about 250 feet across surrounded by tall pines. This ‘log yard’ was the collection point for logged timber some time ago.
I was able to select an operating location with an open shot to the Southwest from here in New Hampshire.
A homebrew pneumatic launcher put a support line up at 60 feet. [My throwing arm is only a fond memory at this point.] The antenna followed- a PAR End-fed Half-wave. The top wound up at the 45 foot level- limited by my coax length. The antenna was set up as a sloper favoring the Eastern US.
The choice of the operating position itself was more difficult. A fine early Autumn day meant 80F and cloudless weather. Do-able, but toasty after a while.
I had a table and chair in the truck, but they’re a bit unwieldy. A peek into the tree line yielded another possibility: rocks. We have an abundance of those here in New England- souvenirs of recent glaciation. I’ve also bushwhacked to SOTA locations in the past, and sometimes a downed log serves as an operating position. I’m not proud.
I set the station up on a computer mouse pad to protect it and away I went- about a half-hour behind schedule. I knocked off the requisite 10 contacts on 20M in 13 minutes.
I had about 30 minutes available and finished the POTA session with 20 contacts.
This corresponded with the start of the Wednesday CW Ops Sprint activity and its high-speed cacophony. Five more quick contacts there and I needed to break down the setup and head for home. I was happy- something of a milestone!
The closeup shows the rig- it runs a generous 5 watts, and the 40M version is pictured. This was shot in overcast daylight to avoid shadows. This is board-only at present.
George-N2APB- is currently designing a companion enclosure for it. It’ll appear imminently on his website:
Many thanks to Micah (N4MJL) who shares the following guest post:
Elecraft KH1 Anytime and Anywhere Adventures
by Micah (N4MJL)
Anywhere and anytime—that’s how I like to describe my Elecraft KH1. This radio goes everywhere I go. As an airline pilot, I bounce from coast to coast and everywhere in between almost daily. Since I’m constantly on the move, my radio gear has to be small and compact.
I’m a third-generation ham radio CW operator. Anyone who’s heard me on the air knows I’m still quite new to CW. I only started running CW activations with POTA/SOTA in the spring of 2024. Here’s the gear that’s been working well for me, along with a few photos from the locations I’ve had the pleasure of activating.
I’ve found that the Pelican M50 micro case is the perfect “shack in a box” for my KH1. This setup goes everywhere with me. Here’s what fits perfectly in the M50:
Packtenna 9:1 random wire
20 ft BNC coax
Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds
SP4 paddles from CW Morse
KH1 (fully loaded with internal battery and tuner)
30 ft throw line
Write-in-the-Rain notebook
High Visibility Orange Cap-O-Matic Fisher Space Pen (with lanyard)
Desiccant silica gel pack
In pedestrian mobile configuration, the KH1 is a solid system. I’ve done several activations this way. That said, after 45 minutes of holding the KH1 in this setup, I’m ready to wrap up! Having a portable shack that lets me deploy a random wire that tunes 40-15m and a more ergonomically designed key drastically improves my capabilities.
In many urban environments where I activate POTA, pedestrian mobile is essential. Unfortunately, the security in urban parks can be unpredictable, and the KH1 allows me to operate on the go and quickly move if needed.
Some of you may be wondering what I did to the inside of my M50 case. Well, in my defense, it’s my wife’s fault. She left me unsupervised with a glue gun and a bit of alcohol. When my KH1 arrived this spring, solar conditions were poor, so I had a few days to think and decided to turn the case into a makeshift Faraday box. I used Polyken aluminum tape, cardboard, and a glue gun to line it. Now, I know what you’re thinking: there’s no electrical bonding between the lid and lower box due to the rubber seal, so will this really work as a Faraday cage? Maybe, maybe not—but it sure looks cool! What do you think?
In addition to the M50 case, I carry a support pouch (Magpul DAKA, size small). This heavy-duty, water-resistant pouch contains:
31 ft counterpoise wire
AXE1 40m antenna extender
Bioenno battery 12V 3Ah (backup battery—“1 is none, and 2 is 1” if you know, you know!)
KH1 power cable
KH1 right-angle antenna mount
These items aren’t essential but are nice to have for longer activations.
When I’m done flying and ready to play radio, I pack all this gear into my Flash 22 day pack. This compact, minimalist pack takes up almost no room in my flight bag and even has a built-in whistle on the chest strap, which is perfect for California!
When conditions allow, I enjoy using the full five watts of power. My go-to antenna is the SOTAbeams Band Hopper III, which is a versatile half-wave linked dipole:
Rated 125 watts
Center-fed with 33 ft RG174 coax
Guying system included
Resonant on 20m, 30m, and 40m (no tuner needed, though the KH1 tuner will also tune up 17m and 15m)
Built-in balun
Weighs only 14 oz
The wire/guying winders are excellent, and I’ve used this system in all kinds of environments, from sandy beaches to mountain tops above the treeline. I replaced the aluminum tent pegs with plastic ones to keep TSA happier.
The SOTAbeams Tactical Mini Mast fits diagonally in my 22″ roller board. I wrap heavy rubber-coated wire around it to secure it to posts or shrubs when needed.
Along with this radio gear, I also manage to pack a change of clothes—usually enough for a five-day trip. I typically fly three trips a month, each lasting four to five days. My roller board carries me and my radio gear from plane to plane all week long.
On a short backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail (June 3, 2024), I activated SOTA summit W4V/BR-007 Three Ridges and the Three Ridges Wilderness area (POTA US-9959). The mountain in the distance is The Priest (W4V/BR-002), which I activated earlier this year with my LNR Precision MTR4B.
The summit of Three Ridges is a densely wooded area, so I stopped below the summit to enjoy the view, grab a quick snack, and play some radio. I snagged two POTA-only QSOs with W8WZ in Louisiana and KU8T in Indiana using the KH1’s whip antenna. Once I reached the summit, I used the Packtenna 9:1 random wire for my activation. Continue reading Flying High and Keying Low: A Pilot’s QRP Adventures Across the USA→
In late August 2024, I came across what I considered a great deal on a fantastic radio, which I’m excited to share with you in the following field report.
Please note that this POTA (Parks On The Air) activation took place on September 5, 2024 (almost exactly two months ago)—three weeks before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. This is one of a few field reports and activation videos I’ll be sharing that took place before Helene’s arrival.
I haven’t been back to the Vance State Historic Site since the storm, as it’s been closed. Located in the Reems Creek valley, the site likely experienced extensive flooding. I hope this park can recover and reopen soon.
I hope you enjoy this field report and activation video. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reliving it while preparing this for you.
Thank you! Thomas (K4SWL)
Reunited with the Model 539
In late August, I was browsing the QTH.com classifieds when I spotted a radio I hadn’t seen for sale in some time: the Ten-Tec Argonaut VI QRP transceiver. This radio had been on my mental watchlist for years.
The seller was asking $440, which I considered a great deal for a radio that, to my knowledge, hasn’t been in production since Ten-Tec closed its Sevierville, TN factory in 2016.
This radio and I have some history together. I was one of the original volunteer Beta testers for the Argonaut VI and, in 2012, wrote a full review of the production model.
Ten-Tec offered me a chance to purchase my Beta unit (updated to full production specs) with a modest discount. But at the time, I simply couldn’t afford it; we’d just built our house, and I couldn’t justify the purchase, especially since I’d also reviewed and bought my Elecraft KX3 that same year.
I always planned to get an Argonaut VI eventually—better late than never, right?
As I mention in my activation video, I plan to make a “Getting to Know You” video for the Argonaut VI soon, so I won’t dive deep into why I love this radio here.
The takeaway? I feel the Argonaut VI has some of the best overall receiver performance of any radio I’ve used. It’s quirky and certainly not perfect, but its excellent receiver, filtering, audio, and QSK make it a benchmark QRP transceiver.
Getting Reacquainted
While the Argo VI was en route to my QTH, I wanted to refresh my memory on its operation.
Since it had been twelve years since I last used the Argonaut VI, I had to revisit my own review to remember some of its nuances!
When it arrived, I quickly put it on the air and operated it from my shack until I had a chance to take it to the field on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Vance Historic Birthplace (US-6856)
As I always do with smaller POTA sites like Vance, I called ahead to make sure the picnic shelter wouldn’t be reserved at my arrival time. The park ranger replied, “It’s all yours, Thomas!”
The weather was nearly perfect that Thursday, with a hint of fall in the air.
En route to the site, I thought about my antenna options. Since the Argo VI doesn’t have a built-in ATU, I opted to use a resonant antenna for simplicity. In the end, I chose my Chelegance MC-750 vertical, which I set up next to the picnic shelter.
The MC-750 is a quarter-wave antenna, so I extended the telescoping whip for a match on the 20-meter band.
I don’t yet have a field kit specifically built around the Argonaut VI, so I simply brought along various accessories in my Husky weathertight storage box.
I set up the radio, tuned to 20 meters, checked my settings, and was ready to take the Argo VI on its first POTA activation!
Gear
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When we arrived, we saw a large group of volunteers working to clean up the area. They were filling holes in the road and repairing picnic table pads damaged by flooding.
To avoid getting in their way, I set up under the trees by the river, away from the main picnic area where they were working.
Next, I deployed my MM0OPX 40 meter end-fed half-wave, connected it to the KX2 (double-checking that the ATU was in bypass mode) and hopped on the air!
As I mention in the activation video (below), setup and pack-up took longer than my actual on-air time. My wife waited in the car, catching up on post-Hurricane Helene financial tasks. Continue reading No Table, No Problem: TGIF Activation in Pisgah National Forest! 
