I feel incredibly fortunate to live in an area where a POTA park—the Blue Ridge Parkway—quite literally runs through town. As convenient as that is, I’ve still struggled to squeeze in activations over the past few months. We’ve had so much going on that even impromptu POTA time has felt out of reach.
Fortunately, I have a secret weapon for making the most of even the shortest activation window:
The KH1!
Left: My accessories pouch with contains a throw line, antenna adaptors, audio recorder, cables, spare key, and extras. Right: My Elecraft KH1 in a Pelican M40 case.
My Elecraft KH1 goes with me everywhere—it’s my proper EDC radio. And on Thursday, April 3, 2025, it came in very handy.
I dropped my daughter off at a physical therapist’s office, which just so happened to be right next to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Instead of waiting in the office for 45 minutes trying to catch up on email, I opted for some POTA radio therapy instead!
I left the parking lot and drove to a nearby gravel pull-off along the Parkway—just about four minutes from the PT office.
I hadn’t originally intended to film an activation, but I happened to have my camera, digital audio recorder, and a new magnetic clip-on camera mount with me.
I purchased this mount specifically to record pedestrian mobile activations. The first time I tried it, the results weren’t great: I mounted it at chest level, but my arms dominated the screen, making it tough to see both the radio and the logbook.
That Thursday, though, I had everything I needed—and I figured it was worth another try, this time clipping the camera mount higher and on my right shoulder.
With the clock ticking, I deployed the KH1 and hit the air!
Gear
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Please note: I hesitated to bring up this topic because of the inherent political weight it carries here in the United States (and this really only applies to those of us in the U.S.). So please—no political comments. Our moderators will remove them.
That said, I feel it’s important to share this, especially for anyone attending Hamvention 2025 or planning a radio or gear purchase in the near future.
Many of you know I have a number of contacts in the amateur radio world, including manufacturers and retailers. While I won’t share names or specific companies, I can tell you there are two common concerns among all of them right now: tariffs and uncertainty.
As of this posting, most amateur radio goods imported into the U.S. from China and Japan are subject to tariffs. These tariffs can increase the price of an item by 24% or more—in some cases, more than doubling the cost, depending on the item and country of origin. One manufacturer mentioned to me, “What impacts us most as hams is stuff [components and final products] generally comes from Japan 24% or China 145%.”
Even U.S.-based manufacturers are feeling the impact. Many rely on components from China simply because there’s no equivalent supply chain available in the States. Another manufacturer told me he recently paid $1,800 for components and was then charged a $2,700 tariff on top of that. When profit margins are already thin, those added costs inevitably get passed on to the customer.
Retailers are seeing this too. Unless something changes, certain products may not be imported at all because tariffs make them unaffordable. According to two different sources in the world of amateur radio retail, this could even affect the availability of the new FTX-1 in the U.S. It’s already a premium-priced radio—would customers be willing to pay 24%+ more than MSRP? Retailers are betting not.
The Uncertainty Factor
Some manufacturers tried to plan ahead by stockpiling components before tariffs took effect. Others are using options like bonded warehouses to hold inventory in hopes that tariffs will be rolled back soon. But many smaller, mom-and-pop manufacturers don’t have the capacity or resources to do this, so they’re forced to deal with tariffs in real time.
The Takeaway
If you’re based in the U.S. and considering a large purchase like a new radio, now might be the time. Tariffs do not affect inventory that’s already Stateside. So if you’re shopping Hamvention next week and buying direct from a vendor and walking away with the product in-hand, you’re likely getting a better deal than you would a few weeks or months down the road if tariffs persist.
Of course, this could all change overnight if tariffs are lifted or reduced—it may become a non-issue. But as things stand today, we’re on the cusp of seeing the real impact of tariffs on amateur radio gear here in the US. Once existing inventory is depleted, expect increased costs to be passed on to the consumer.
Please remember: I consider QRPer a safe haven from political discussions. There are much better places online to explore and debate the politics of this issue—QRPer simply isn’t one of them. Our community has always been welcoming, civil, and focused on what we love: field radio. Thank you in advance for helping keep it that way!
In case you haven’t seen previous Field Reports in this series, let me set the stage. In September and October of 2024, my wife, Becky, and I set out with our dog, Molly, for a great cross-country driving adventure.
We left from our home in northwest Pennsylvania on September 18, driving west to spend some time with my parents at their home in California’s Bay Area. We returned home on October 31, after driving through most of the states of the American West. One of the goals for this trip was to activate Parks on the Air (POTA) entities in as many new states as possible along the way (it turns out that with good planning and good weather, it is possible to activate a LOT of states). An overview of our trip can be found in the following Field Report (linked) on QRPer.com: Six Weeks and 7300 Miles: Activating on the Road.
On the westward leg of our trip, we zipped through Ohio and Indiana in a single marathon day of driving, without stopping to activate a park. There was no intent to diminish these fine states of our union, but I had previously activated parks there.
On the return leg of the trip, our priorities and our perspectives had changed a bit, so we made up for our previous inattention by activating new parks in both states on the way home. The change in priority came with the realization that we had succeeded in activating every state that I had planned to complete. I have now activated every lower 48 state west of the Mississippi River, save Arkansas and Louisiana (we intentionally left them for a future trip through the southern states). The change in perspective came from the realization that activating a park made for a nice break during a day of driving.
We planned for a modest 3-1/2 hour drive on our final day of the trip, so that we could arrive home before dark.
We spent the night near Mansfield, OH, and took our time getting breakfast and checking out in the morning. We had also looked over our maps and found an Ohio park to activate during the drive: Lake Milton State Park, US-3515.
Lake Milton State Park
Seen from the park, this bridge carries Interstate 76 across Lake Milton
As I-76 runs east-to-west across northern Ohio, it crosses over the middle of Lake Milton. For radio amateurs familiar with other attractions along the I-76 corridor, Lake Milton is about 20 miles east of the DX Engineering store.
Lake Milton State Park incorporates the lake itself, as well as selected land around the lake-shore. We decided to head for one of the park’s picnic areas, located on the eastern shore of the lake near the I-76 bridge. We found a parking lot, a large grassy area running down to the lake, picnic shelters, and comfort facilities. As Becky took Molly for a walk around the grounds, I set up to operate from a table in a picnic shelter.
A view of the picnic area beside Lake Milton shows me activating from the shelter at left. I threw a line over a branch on the tree to the right, and used it to hold my antenna as a sloper.The gull in this picture was riding the wind, but going nowhere fast.Standing straight out from its flagpole, this flag spoke eloquently of the wind.
It was a nice afternoon at the park. The weather was warm and sunny, but a stiff breeze was blowing across the lake. An American flag stood straight out from flagpole, and soaring gulls hung near-motionless in the sky. Both provided evidence of the wind’s power. The warmth of the day and the winds cooling effect were in perfect balance to produce a comfortable environment for activating, even though the breeze provided a bit of audio spectrum QRN.
The Activation
Caught from behind, while focused on incoming code…
I tossed a throw-line over a branch on one of the large trees near the shelter, and quickly hoisted up my Tufteln 35 ft end-fed random wire (EFRW) antenna. With the antenna set up, I connected the rest of the station. Moments later, my log was ready, and I was on the air.
I was able to spend an hour on the air, and with the EFRW and the KX2’s amazing internal tuner, I was able to rapidly transition between HF bands. Operating CW mode at 5 watts, I was successful in making contacts on the 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, and 10m Amateur bands. In total, I logged 30 contacts, including 3 DX stations from Europe, a thoroughly satisfying activation experience.
This map shows the contacts made from Lake Milton. It was gratifying to get some DX during the last activation of our trip.
Gear
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Becky takes amazing pictures. Here, another view of Lake Milton.
Packing up the station went quickly, and we were back in the truck and ready for the final leg of our trip. In about 2 hours of driving, we were pulling into our own driveway for the first time in a month and a half. It is difficult to fully describe the feeling. It was really nice to be back home. The prospects of sleeping in my own bed and relaxing in my own chair were really welcome.
But, at the same time, this adventure was over, and we would soon be back to our old routines. After 6 weeks together, Becky, Molly and I would again be headed in the different directions occasioned by our day-to-day activities. So, there was gladness of a return to the familiar, combined with the bittersweet feeling of the end of our travel adventure.
As I think about our trip from the distance of almost 6 months, and a long, cold winter, I realize that I am ready to start thinking seriously about our next driving (and radio) adventure!
Home. After 6 weeks and 7300 miles, it was nice to get back…
My wife and I visit Japan every year for 3 to 4 months, usually in the spring. This year, we arrived in early March, and the weather was a bit cold. However, recently, we’ve seen the temperature turn quite warm and mild, with the cherry blossoms just beginning to bloom! It’s a perfect day to play radio!
Since we live in Takamatsu on Shikoku Island, we have easy access to Ritsurin Park (JP-2051).
Wednesday, March 26, was a perfect day for my wife to stroll through the park while I played radio.
Here is the gazebo where I set up shop.
The History of Ritsurin Garden
It is believed that Ritsurin Garden was originally created in the late 16th century, from a garden belonging to the Sato Clan located in the southwest corner of the present garden.
What is now the Nanko Pond was created around 1625, when Takatoshi Ikoma ruled the Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa).
In 1642, Yorishige Matsudaira began ruling the Takamatsu Domain and inherited the garden. He and the successive generations of his family kept developing the garden over the years, and the 60 scenic spots were named when the domain’s fifth lord, Yoritaka Matsudaira, was in power in 1745. Continue reading Cherry Blossoms, History, and POTA in Ritsurin Garden→
If you’ve been a QRPer.com reader or subscriber to my YouTube channel for long, you’ll know I’m quite the fan of super-compact, low-profile antennas like the Elecraft AX1 and AX2.
Although AX antennas are certainly a compromise in terms of performance, I find them surprisingly effective for on-the-air programs like SOTA, POTA, and WWFF. While they’re not high-gain, they’re also far from the “dummy load” some make them out to be. In fact, the best DX I’ve ever worked in the field was with my Elecraft AX2 and just 5 watts of power—check out the field report.
It covers 30 through 10 meters and uses a 4-position band selector plug, which I personally find more rugged than the AX1’s band switch. Like its siblings, the AX3 is designed to pair with an ATU, but unlike the AX1/AX2, it doesn’t need to physically mount to the transceiver—so it’s compatible with virtually any rig and tuner combo. The AX3 also supports up to 30 watts.
Despite the added versatility, the AX3 still packs incredibly small: the whip, base, and tripod legs collapse to just 6 inches, yet the whip extends to 45 inches in the field. The side-mounted BNC connector avoids awkward cable bends or adapters.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m in the testing group for the Elecraft KH1 and, as such, I was aware the new AX3 was on the horizon, but I had not yet tested it in the field until I ordered one and it was delivered on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
From Unboxing to Activation
Since Hurricane Helene wiped out our local post office, my buddy Vlado (N3CZ) has kindly allowed me to have parcels delivered to his house. When he told me that “a small box” had arrived from Elecraft, I knew exactly what it was.
I had an errand in town that afternoon, so I swung by Vlado’s, picked up the package, and then stopped at the Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Art Center to perform the AX3’s debut activation.
Of course, I packed my Elecraft KX2, thinking it would only be right to pair the AX3 with an Elecraft radio for its first outing!
In my activation video (below), you’ll see that assembling the AX3 was incredibly simple right out of the box. I ordered the full AX3 package, which includes the antenna, mini banana plug, counterpoise wire, tripod legs, BNC-to-BNC cable assembly, and a small nylon storage bag.
I attached the tripod legs, screwed on the whip antenna, clipped the counterpoise to the ground lug, and connected the BNC cable. In less than a minute, the antenna was fully deployed and ready to go!
Gear
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My new Elecraft AX3 antenna arrived in the mail. The weather when it arrived was 73° F and sunny with a slight breeze. Space weather was calm. It seemed like the perfect recipe for a POTA expedition to the unofficial antenna testing range at Silver Sands State Park (US-1716) here in Connecticut on the Northern shoreline of Long Island Sound to try out the AX3. Given that this antenna is specifically designed to be light and portable, I chose my Elecraft KX2 to pair it with, which is also light and portable.
Conrad, N2YCH testing the new Elecraft AX3 at Silver Sands State Park, Connecticut
The AX3 operates on six bands. Out of the box, it can do 30,20,17,15,12 and 10 meters. With the optional AXE1 adapter, you can add 40 meters as well. Elecraft says an ATU is required, which I have built into my KX2. I tested using FT8 on 30/20/17 & 15 meters, the four positions labeled on the front “jumper block.” Using FT8, I was able to use the PSKreporter.info website to get a sense of where my signals were being received. This antenna is capable of handling 30 watts, which is amazing for its size. I ran 10 watts from the KX2.
Unlike the AX1, which needs something to hold it in place such as a tripod or the optional bipod, the AX3 comes with three legs to turn the base into a tripod.
AX3 integrated Tripod
At the park, I tried using the legs which lasted all of 30 seconds before the Long Island Sound breeze blew it right over on its side. Anticipating that it might be too breezy down at the shoreline, I brought a slightly heavier tripod along. The good news is that the bottom of the antenna is tapped with a ¼-20 hole to connect to any standard camera tripod. The heavier tripod did the trick.
Elecraft KX2 with new AX3 antenna
I used a three foot piece of coax as recommended and I had no problem with RFI into the radio or the computer. The KX2 was able to tune to 1.0:1 SWR on all bands except for 17 meters, which was right around 2.0:1. I should note that I had the 13’ counterpoise laying on the ground for this test.
KX2 1.0:1 SWR on 20 meters
I began on 20 meters and in 20 minutes, I had the 10 QSO’s needed to activate the park.
Map showing spots on 20 meters.
Next I QSY’d up to 17 meters.
PSKreporter.info spots on 17 meters
Here, I had plenty of spots, yet I struggled to get two in the log before I gave up and QSY’d to 15 meters. Changing frequency is as simple as pulling the jumper block out and moving the arrow to the correct frequency.
Jumper Block used to change bands
Thankfully, 15 was open and my first QSO was with a station in Ukraine and my second was in California.
QSO Map – Dark Blue are 20 meter contacts, Light Blue are 15 meters and Purple are 17 metersCompleting a QSO with the Ukraine on 15 meters
I made contacts on 20, 17 and 15 meters. Could I manage something on 30? I tried but to no avail. I was spotted by stations on PSKreporter, but after calling for some time, I figured that midday in Connecticut was just not the best time for that band. Before I packed up for the day, I went back to 17 meters which was definitely better than earlier and I logged three more for a total of five on the band.
PSKReporter spots on 15 meters using the AX3 antenna
I took the opportunity to go back to Silver Sands a few days later to try the antenna on 12 and 10 meters, which I did not do on the first trip out. I also wanted to see how elevating the counterpoise might affect the performance. It was downright windy, so I brought along a camera tripod this time to provide more stability. Obviously, the extra weight carrying a full size tripod wouldn’t be ideal for a SOTA activation, but for my test, I brought it along.
AX3 on camera tripod
The high band propagation was miserable when I went out, I was wondering if I’d be able to make any contacts at all. I was pleased to see that elevating the counterpoise allowed 17 meters to easily match to the antenna with a 1.0:1 SWR. I then tried 15, 12 and 10 meters which also tuned right up and I made contacts on all bands. 10 and 12 meters were open to my south. I made QSO’s with Belize, Mexico, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
QSO Map Day 2 – Purple is 17m, Light Blue is 15m, Pink is 12m and Yellow is 10m (click image to enlarge)AX3 on camera tripod with elevated counterpoise
The AX3 did not disappoint.
Making QSO’s from California to the Ukraine and down into South America while sitting at a picnic table in a park in Connecticut with just 10 watts using such a small antenna is simply amazing to me. I like the AX1, which I used primarily on 20 meters. Having the multi-band flexibility of the AX3 is very nice, especially now that the upper bands are active, and it provides more flexibility for operating portable and being able to change bands on the spot to adapt to the ever changing band conditions.
On the activator side of things, Parks On The Air is often a solitary pursuit for me. I typically squeeze in activations as my schedule allows—usually at random times during the day in parks that happen to be along my daily route.
But every once in a while, the stars align and I get the chance to activate with a friend. When that happens, it only amplifies the radio fun. Saturday, March 22, 2025, was one of those special days. My dear friend—and frequent field report contributor—Brian (K3ES), along with his amazing wife and photographer, Becky, stopped by Asheville en route to the Outer Banks.
I was so happy everything came together and we were able to meet up for a short, relaxed, and thoroughly enjoyable activation.
Two-Fer Time!
When out-of-state activators come through the area, I always try to offer them the option of a two-fer—activating two parks at once—to maximize their POTA opportunities. I’m not sure Brian had strong feelings about this either way, but it was simply too easy to pair the Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378) with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (US-8313). Since we were meeting at the Folk Art Center, all it took was picking the right picnic table near the MST.
In my rush to leave the QTH that morning, I realized halfway down the driveway that I’d forgotten to pack my antenna. I could’ve turned around, but I knew Brian would have a few antenna options stowed in his field kit—and of course, he did!
He chose to deploy a homebrew end-fed random wire with a 29.5’ radiator and 17’ counterpoise. We paired it with my Elecraft K1 transceiver–a radio I knew Brian had never operated.
The only drawback of this particular picnic table is its proximity to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. When deploying a wire antenna, you have to be careful not to obstruct the path for hikers. We positioned the wire in a near-vertical configuration above the table and kept the throw line tucked away on the opposite side from the trail.
We were also quite conspicuous—another reason I usually avoid this picnic table when activating solo. On a busy day, it’s not unusual to have a dozen people stop by to ask what you’re up to. It’s a great outreach opportunity, but a string of interruptions can make it difficult to complete exchanges—especially while sending CW. Sadly, my internal CPU isn’t optimized for multitasking!
Right to Left: Brian (K3ES) and Thomas (K4SWL)
But when there are two of you taking turns at the key, it works beautifully—one person can handle the questions while the other shows just how cool Morse code still is in the 21st century.
It was a fairly quiet day at the Folk Art Center, but one curious family did stop by to chat with us during Brian’s turn at the key—and I really enjoyed the interaction.
Gear
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Radio
Elecraft K1 (four band version with optional ATU and internal AA battery pack)
Glenn W4YES and I headed to Camden, SC the first week of April for some much needed rest and relaxation. Usually when I travel, I schedule a POTA activation or two. However, this trip I decided to try something new – getting on the air QRP at our Airbnb.
Camden is the oldest inland community in South Carolina. According to the town’s website, the earliest permanent settlers arrived in 1750. They experienced a crushing defeat during the Revolutionary War when the Patriots were defeated in the Battle of Camden. After the Civil War, the town “evolved into a tourist mecca for Northeners and Midwesterners seeking a warmer winter climate.” Those tourists brought money and an equine culture developed around racing and polo.
Our first day in Camden, we visited the Revolutionary War Museum. Though small in size, the museum’s exhibits are of excellent quality. They do a great job explaining who lived in the area, the quandary they faced as to whether to be a Loyalist or Patriot (it wasn’t as easy a choice as it might appear), and battles fought there.
Our second day, we explored the National Steeplechase Museum. This museum explores the history of steeplechasing and the personalities involved – owners, trainers, jockeys as well as those who care for the horses. The museum pays homage to Marion duPont Scott who developed the Springdale Race Course where the museum is located. This race course hosts two prominent annual competitions – the Carolina Cup and the Colonial Cup.
National Steeplechase Museum
an old scale used to weigh jockeystrophy room
We also spent some time driving through and walking in the historic neighborhoods of the city. The weather was gorgeous! Everywhere we looked, there were flowers – azaleas, wisteria, viburnum, and dogwoods (including the pink variety we do not see in Savannah).
a dogwood in full splendorazaleas at the corner of a homeviburnumpink dogwood
After exploring the area, it was time to explore the airwaves QRP at our Airbnb. To do this, I brought Craig, my KX2, and a home-brew linked dipole antenna. This is an antenna I built three years ago, when I first got into ham radio. At that time, I had no home station but wanted to get on the air portable for POTA. Despite knowing almost nothing about antennas, I built a usable dipole that became my main POTA antenna for quite a while.
the homebrew linked dipole (photo from GA State Parks on the Air event)
Why did I bring this antenna to Camden? I have the opportunity this month to try the CFT1, a QRP transceiver, by Jonathan KM4CFT. Because the rig does not have an internal antenna tuner, I am reacquainting myself with the subject of resonance and why it matters in antennas.
I set up a home-brew linked dipole Wednesday evening under some trees in a space between the Airbnb and a small lake on the property. The antenna was roughly 20 feet in the air.
the lake from the Airbnb2nd location for antenna by lake
My RigExpert Stick analyzer gave me 2.1 at 7.040 –
Thinking I could do better, I moved the antenna (a real pain to do with a dipole) to a different tree with a limb 30 feet high. (Frankly, Glenn and I were amazed I could snag that limb.) This setup generated better a SWR reading – 1.61 at 7.040 MHz.
Now the true test – how well would I be heard?
the bench at which I operated Wednesday eveningRBN picking me up Wednesday evening
CW nets are a great place to get on-the-air experience with morse code. It was my code buddy Caryn KD2GUT who first introduced me to the OMIK net. I found those who participate in this CW net to be welcoming and accepting of CW operators of all levels of proficiency. Over the past several years, the ops in this net have watched my skills grow and become friends.
Dennis NT4U and Steve W0SJS split net control station (NCS) duties. This evening, it was Dennis’ turn as NCS. As he is located in northern Georgia, I figured he would hear my QRP signal. He did and checked me into the net with a RST of 589. The icing on the cake was that I heard a station he was unable to hear – Charles AI4OT in Virginia – due to the S9 noise at Dennis’ location this evening. I notified Dennis of Charles’ check in so he was added to the check-in list for that evening. Way to go homebrew linked dipole and Craig!
The next day, Glenn did some exploring and found a better location on the property – a hill behind the Airbnb and some sheds. Several large oaks in this relatively open area offered prime limbs to snag with an arbor line. I installed the antenna on a limb roughly 25 feet up in the air.
open area at back of Airbnb propertylooking up into canopy at limb I used Thursday evening
Before attempting to check into another net, I spotted myself on QSO Finder, a new website and spotting tool by Mike N4FFF and Becky N4BKY of Ham Radio Duo. I had three exchanges, one each with Joel KE8WIC, Tom NG4S, and James KJ3D.
Spotting myself on CW QSO Finder
On Thursday evenings I check into the Sideswiper Net, a wonderful group of guys who meet on 40 or 30 meters (depending on propagation). Most of those who check in use a sideswiper (also known as a cootie) key but, like the OMIK CW net, they are welcoming of anyone who wants to participate no matter the level of proficiency or key. I’ve asked lots of questions of the members and appreciate their patience schooling me about CW nets.
The NCS this evening was Darrell AA7FV who is located in Arizona. The noise on 40 meters was rough but Darrel did copy me with a RST of 349. Two other stations – Bill WA4FAT in Alabama and Steve W1SFR – also copied me at 559 on this band.
When the net moved to 30 meters, my signal was worse. However, I expected that, as by this time it was dark and I didn’t want to mess with lowering the antenna to disconnect the link between the 40 and 30 meter wires. Darrel in Arizona could barely hear me (he gave me a RST of 129) but Bill could still copy me and acted as relay between our signals. I was thrilled that I had now checked into both nets QRP this week!
the RBN picked me up again
Even better, after the Sideswiper net, my code buddy Caryn KD2GUT and I were able to have our weekly code buddy QSO. We managed a 20 minute QSO on 40 meters before being swallowed up by noise and QRN on her end. Caryn is located on Long Island, NY. The previous night in the OMIK net, my signal was a 229 at her QTH. But tonight, we were both 599 and rocking it on the airwaves.
operating in the dark
During the Sideswiper net and my code buddy QSO, I sat head copying in the dark under the moon and thought, “It doesn’t get any better than this, right?”
Before we left the Airbnb Friday morning, Glenn spied several pitchforks sitting by the sheds. We picked one up and decided to have some fun, with our version of the famous piece “American Gothic” by Grant Wood. I had a difficult time keeping a straight face (watch the video linked down below) but eventually we got the shot.
“American Gothic” by Grant Wood source: Wikipediaus goofing off creating a version of the piece before checking out
QRP has its limits; however, I was sufficiently impressed by my experience on this trip that I will travel with a rig from now on. I’d like a better antenna and have ordered an EFHW as that is probably my best bet for a resonant antenna. This hobby NEVER becomes boring because there is always something to learn.
I look forward to trying the CFT1 and my new EFHW antenna when it arrives. How will that turn out? Stay tuned…
Equipment Used
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In the chaos of the past two months, I managed to post a few field reports out of chronological order. I’m probably the only one who notices—these aren’t sequential stories, after all—but since I was there for each activation, it feels odd when the timeline’s off.
Case in point: you might recall this recent post where I shared how I finally landed an Elecraft K1 field-portable transceiver. I’d been hunting for a K1 for years, so I was thrilled when this one popped up locally in North Carolina.
Last month, I published this field report where I paired the K1 with my AX1 antenna for a low-profile (but high-performance) activation in Pisgah National Forest.
But here’s the thing: that was actually my second activation with the venerable K1. The first one? It took place along the Blue Ridge Parkway on February 24, 2025.
Taking the K1 to the Field!
It’s always exciting to take a new radio to the field—especially one I’d been chasing for so long. I purchased the K1 back in August of last year. As soon as it arrived, I tested it and realized it was in serious need of alignment.
I brought it over to my friend Vlado (N3CZ), hoping to use his signal generator to sort it out. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time that day, so I left the rig at his QTH. Then Hurricane Helene hit, and… well, suddenly it was 2025.
We finally got around to the alignment in February. As soon as it was dialed in, I hit the field.
Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378)
I made my way to a familiar spot along the Blue Ridge Parkway—the Folk Art Center—and set up the K1.
Mine is a four-bander (40, 30, 20, and 15 meters) with both the optional internal ATU and AA battery pack. To give the internal tuner a little workout, I paired it with my trusty Tufteln 9:1 End-Fed Random Wire antenna.
Once deployed, I hit the ATU button, and the K1 quickly found a solid 1:1 match. With logs at the ready, it was time to hit the airwaves!
Gear
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Radio
Elecraft K1 (four band version with optional ATU and internal AA battery pack)
I tried using an Alpha Antenna 100w 10-40m mag-loop antenna for a POTA activation. I operated on FT8 so I could monitor where my signal was being received by using the PSKreporter.info real-time signal reports from stations that spotted my transmission. I really didn’t know what to expect or how a loop antenna would perform in the park compared to a vertical or wire antenna. Did it work? You bet. Would I recommend it? I’ll share my observations and results below and let you know at the end.
I bought this antenna used on QRZ.com’s swapmeet. It was clear to me upon receiving it that the prior owner had taken very good care of the antenna. I set it up on my patio for a quick test before heading to a park.
Mag Loop Test from the N2YCH QTH
It sets up quickly. The tuning is a little challenging to learn at first but there’s no doubt when you get it right, since the received signal is easy to peak once you find resonance. The tuning knob has three turns from 40m up to 10m. Moving it slowly from the bottom of the HF band up to the top, you’ll find the sweet spot and you can peak the received signal on your radio’s S-meter. I checked it with my RigExpert antenna analyzer and as you’d expect, the bandwidth was very narrow, but it was resonant and the SWR was 1.4:1.
The Alpha mag loop can do 100 watts SSB but only 5 watts on digital modes. I fired up my KX3, set it for 5 watts and called CQ. I made three quick contacts and was satisfied that the antenna was working. I checked the spots on pskreporter,info and found it interesting to see a narrow band of stations from Minnesota and Wisconsin down to Florida spotting me.
Pskreporter.info map of spots from Mag Loop
On to the park: Indian Well, US-1684 in Shelton, Connecticut
Knowing that the antenna was working, I brought it out to one of my favorite places to activate, Indian Well State Park (US-1684). Again, set up was fast and I was able to tune up on 20 meters pretty easily.
Alpha Magnetic Loop Antenna at Indian Well State Park in Connecticut
The antenna was receiving the FT8 signals at S-9 with the KX3’s pre-amp off and you can see below that I was decoding nearly 50 stations per FT8 cycle. If you look closely at the JTAlert screenshot below, you can see I was receiving stations from all over the US as well as Canada, South America and Europe. There’s no doubt the mag-loop can hear very well.
Forty-seven stations are being received and decoded. POTA stations in the bottom right pane
I called CQ and had a few responses right away. However, I was finding it challenging to get stations to reply. It took almost an hour for me to get my 10 contacts to activate the park, which is unusual. I should mention that the space weather was acceptable, sitting just below Kp3, so that wasn’t the reason.
Once again, I checked Pskreporter.info. Interestingly, it had the same pattern of spots that I saw when testing the antenna at home, a band from Minnesota to Georgia. Of the first 10 contacts I made, four were in North Carolina, two in Florida and the rest were coming from within that narrow band who could hear me.
Spots from US-1684 using the Mag Loop
I understand that a mag loop is directional, so I tried moving it 90 degrees to see if it made a difference. Not really. The spot map looked the same after the change in direction. I was able to receive a few more EU stations after I moved it. I did have to re-tune the antenna after I turned it, the SWR had gone through the roof.
For comparison, after struggling to make contacts on the loop, I decided to set up my “go-to” antenna of a 17’ telescoping whip on a 10’ mast with a counterpoise.
Buddipole with 17’ telescoping whip and elevated counterpoise
I unplugged the mag loop and plugged in the vertical using the same transceiver set at 5 watts. Take a look at the stations who could spot me on PSKreporter now…
PSKReporter Spots with vertical antenna on 20m QRP
Clearly, that same 5 watts from the KX3 had better coverage on the vertical than using the mag loop.
Here’s a screenshot of WSJT-X on the vertical (click image to enlarge):
WSJT-X and JTAlert reception using 17’ vertical with counterpoise
Once I switched to the vertical, I knocked out 10 more contacts in just 20 minutes.
So, after all that, what do I think?
The Mag Loop sets up quickly, uses very little space and finding resonance isn’t difficult to do. It receives very well, of course this is one of the true advantages of mag loops, is their inherent ability to receive well in noisy environments.
As an antenna to use for transmission? Well, I think this is where the challenge lies, for me anyway. It was certainly hearing stations way down in the noise from far away. However, as you can see by my real-time reception reports, it did not give me the wide transmission coverage that I’m used to with the vertical. Maybe this would be different on SSB with 100 watts, but it’s a difficult to measure SSB reception like you can with digital.
Can you activate a park with it? Yes, indeed. Would it be my first choice for POTA? Probably not. If you were using this on SSB, the antenna itself (not the radio) would need to be re-tuned for every frequency change (if you were hunting), which is not convenient. If you are the activator, then you could tune up for the frequency you selected and it would be good to go.
My next test with this antenna is to try tuning it to a WSPR frequency and comparing spots it receives to my other antennas. I suspect this it where it will shine.
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If you’ve done any POTA or SOTA activations in the past six weeks, you’ve probably noticed conditions have been rough—at times, downright miserable.
