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| 4,062 files in 52 albums and 10 categories with 0 comments viewed 2,283,023 times |
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533 viewsPOTA 01-12-2023 - Crockford-Pigeon Mtn. WMA K-3742. Tony WA4TW was on 20 meters and made 82 contacts, 24 P2P, 7 Canadians, and 1 Maritime Mobile, a 30 ft. sailboat on the Mississippi River. Allen KN4FKS handled logging. John KB4QXI was on 40 meters and made 37 contacts with 3 P2P. Operating was tough with the ever increasing lightning crashes on both bands. Before the storm hit we shut down operations, disconnected coax and laid down the vertical antenna. We enjoyed a long lunch while the storm passed over. The wind blew, and the rain came down in buckets but we were high and dry inside the check station. The power stayed on the entire time as we kept a watch on the storm. We got back on the air after the storm passed but the bands were still noisy. I'm glad to report, no one overslept, no gear was left at home, and all batteries were fully charged.
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648 viewsWe activated Booker T. Washington State Park TN K-2933 yesterday Thursday Nov 30 2023. It turned out to be a wonderful weather day in a really nice park. The park is one of those reminders of a segregated past. Now used by everyone we had a great time. For the activation we established four stations. Peter KX4BE worked CW on 12 m and 15m using the 'screwdriver' antenna on his van. Danny AG4DW worked FT8 mostly on 10 meters. One SSB contact was a park to park contact in England. He had a total of 26 contacts, for DX he also had 2 Brazil, Spain, Netherlands, and Canada. Danny used his elevated vertical antenna set up. Tony WA4TW worked 20 meters SSB with his Chameleon vertical and had 50 contacts with 9 P2P and 2 Canadians. After Tony got 50 QSO's Allen took over the rig and made 21 contacts also on 20 meters with 3 P2P's and 3 Canadians. After Allen Fred KQ4JXX took over and made 12 contacts on 20 meters SSB with 3 P2P's . John KB4QXI finally arrived and made 10 contacts with 2 P2P's on 40 meters using his 'Buddystick' on top of the car. Ed KM6UTC provided the needed 'Adult Supervision' necessary to keep the POTA crew out of trouble.
Band conditions were "wonky" all day signals would be strong then fade to next to nothing and suddenly be back strong in the midst of one QSO. You might see a 5-9 signal go to 4-3 on the next over then back to 5-9 mid sentence. Everyone just worked through the fading and made a successful activation. We utilized the loop road in the 'Recreation Area 2' and Pavillion 2 on top of a small hill and it made an excellent place to set up with some distance between stations yet close enough to enjoy visiting with each other We wondered about the odd layout of the hill top site.
While there the Park Ranger came by and stopped to chat. Very friendly fellow and he mentioned he had seen other folks like us in the past and wondered what it exactly was. We explained the Parks on the Air Program (gave him a brochure) then explained HAM radio in general and about our equipment. We then asked about the history of the hilltop and he said it was originally a campground, not for RV's but for tents. He also said they built a boat marina but neither were used much as back then the folks who came here didn't have a lot of boats or camping equipment. Times have changed he said. Well spoken. He then recruited us to help him with the parks Junior Ranger program next June. We'll be there whatever it takes!
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0 viewsThis Thursday June 4 we activated Chickamauga Battlefield US=0716 from the Brotherton Road picnic area.
Danny AG4DW arrived early, set up his 'PotaPerformer' vertical and made 47 quick SSB contacts. He had 13 on 40 meters and 34 on 20 meters with 6 park to parks and 1 DX to Canada. Jody W4LWC arrived and operated Danny's rig on 20 meters SSB. He cranked out 101 QSO's with 25 P2P and no DX. Dan K2DTS dropped by for a quick 'eye ball' QSO and had to leave soon.
John KB4QXI brought his new computer by so that Allen KN4FKS could set up the N3FJP logging software for most efficient use on POTA activations. As is typical when Allen is faced with technology issues the one critical step/ menu / tab is forgotten and things do not go well. Ugly words were spoken to the computer.
Taking a break Allen KN4FKS got on 17 meters and made 4 contacts, then went to 20 meters and made 9 more for a total of 13 QSO's with 9 P2P contacts. Then it was back to the computer this time trying to watch the You Tube video on how to set everything up on John's cell phone. Once again a fail so Allen took the computer home and sat down and soon had the 'Ah Ha' moment and remembered the one critical step to get everything working. Success finally! John is now set to go.
Earlier in the week on Wednesday Danny AG4DW headed out to a newly listed park in Alabama hoping to be the first activation at the new one. After quite a drive he arrived at the park to find a sign on the gate "Closed Wednesdays" POTA rules state the park has to be 'open' so defeated but not broken he headed over to Hinds Road Forever Wild site US-12740 and made 42 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 17 P2P. Then packing up and moving to nearby Indian Mountain Conservation Area US-11027 he made 35 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 11 P2P's. Also on Wednesday Allen KN4FKS headed out to Otting WMA US-7913 (it was actually open on Wednesday) and made 106 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 36 P2P and 3 DX all to Canada.
Jun 06, 2026
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0 viewsThis Thursday June 4 we activated Chickamauga Battlefield US=0716 from the Brotherton Road picnic area.
Danny AG4DW arrived early, set up his 'PotaPerformer' vertical and made 47 quick SSB contacts. He had 13 on 40 meters and 34 on 20 meters with 6 park to parks and 1 DX to Canada. Jody W4LWC arrived and operated Danny's rig on 20 meters SSB. He cranked out 101 QSO's with 25 P2P and no DX. Dan K2DTS dropped by for a quick 'eye ball' QSO and had to leave soon.
John KB4QXI brought his new computer by so that Allen KN4FKS could set up the N3FJP logging software for most efficient use on POTA activations. As is typical when Allen is faced with technology issues the one critical step/ menu / tab is forgotten and things do not go well. Ugly words were spoken to the computer.
Taking a break Allen KN4FKS got on 17 meters and made 4 contacts, then went to 20 meters and made 9 more for a total of 13 QSO's with 9 P2P contacts. Then it was back to the computer this time trying to watch the You Tube video on how to set everything up on John's cell phone. Once again a fail so Allen took the computer home and sat down and soon had the 'Ah Ha' moment and remembered the one critical step to get everything working. Success finally! John is now set to go.
Earlier in the week on Wednesday Danny AG4DW headed out to a newly listed park in Alabama hoping to be the first activation at the new one. After quite a drive he arrived at the park to find a sign on the gate "Closed Wednesdays" POTA rules state the park has to be 'open' so defeated but not broken he headed over to Hinds Road Forever Wild site US-12740 and made 42 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 17 P2P. Then packing up and moving to nearby Indian Mountain Conservation Area US-11027 he made 35 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 11 P2P's. Also on Wednesday Allen KN4FKS headed out to Otting WMA US-7913 (it was actually open on Wednesday) and made 106 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 36 P2P and 3 DX all to Canada.
Jun 06, 2026
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0 viewsThis Thursday June 4 we activated Chickamauga Battlefield US=0716 from the Brotherton Road picnic area.
Danny AG4DW arrived early, set up his 'PotaPerformer' vertical and made 47 quick SSB contacts. He had 13 on 40 meters and 34 on 20 meters with 6 park to parks and 1 DX to Canada. Jody W4LWC arrived and operated Danny's rig on 20 meters SSB. He cranked out 101 QSO's with 25 P2P and no DX. Dan K2DTS dropped by for a quick 'eye ball' QSO and had to leave soon.
John KB4QXI brought his new computer by so that Allen KN4FKS could set up the N3FJP logging software for most efficient use on POTA activations. As is typical when Allen is faced with technology issues the one critical step/ menu / tab is forgotten and things do not go well. Ugly words were spoken to the computer.
Taking a break Allen KN4FKS got on 17 meters and made 4 contacts, then went to 20 meters and made 9 more for a total of 13 QSO's with 9 P2P contacts. Then it was back to the computer this time trying to watch the You Tube video on how to set everything up on John's cell phone. Once again a fail so Allen took the computer home and sat down and soon had the 'Ah Ha' moment and remembered the one critical step to get everything working. Success finally! John is now set to go.
Earlier in the week on Wednesday Danny AG4DW headed out to a newly listed park in Alabama hoping to be the first activation at the new one. After quite a drive he arrived at the park to find a sign on the gate "Closed Wednesdays" POTA rules state the park has to be 'open' so defeated but not broken he headed over to Hinds Road Forever Wild site US-12740 and made 42 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 17 P2P. Then packing up and moving to nearby Indian Mountain Conservation Area US-11027 he made 35 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 11 P2P's. Also on Wednesday Allen KN4FKS headed out to Otting WMA US-7913 (it was actually open on Wednesday) and made 106 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 36 P2P and 3 DX all to Canada.
Jun 06, 2026
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0 viewsThis Thursday June 4 we activated Chickamauga Battlefield US=0716 from the Brotherton Road picnic area.
Danny AG4DW arrived early, set up his 'PotaPerformer' vertical and made 47 quick SSB contacts. He had 13 on 40 meters and 34 on 20 meters with 6 park to parks and 1 DX to Canada. Jody W4LWC arrived and operated Danny's rig on 20 meters SSB. He cranked out 101 QSO's with 25 P2P and no DX. Dan K2DTS dropped by for a quick 'eye ball' QSO and had to leave soon.
John KB4QXI brought his new computer by so that Allen KN4FKS could set up the N3FJP logging software for most efficient use on POTA activations. As is typical when Allen is faced with technology issues the one critical step/ menu / tab is forgotten and things do not go well. Ugly words were spoken to the computer.
Taking a break Allen KN4FKS got on 17 meters and made 4 contacts, then went to 20 meters and made 9 more for a total of 13 QSO's with 9 P2P contacts. Then it was back to the computer this time trying to watch the You Tube video on how to set everything up on John's cell phone. Once again a fail so Allen took the computer home and sat down and soon had the 'Ah Ha' moment and remembered the one critical step to get everything working. Success finally! John is now set to go.
Earlier in the week on Wednesday Danny AG4DW headed out to a newly listed park in Alabama hoping to be the first activation at the new one. After quite a drive he arrived at the park to find a sign on the gate "Closed Wednesdays" POTA rules state the park has to be 'open' so defeated but not broken he headed over to Hinds Road Forever Wild site US-12740 and made 42 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 17 P2P. Then packing up and moving to nearby Indian Mountain Conservation Area US-11027 he made 35 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 11 P2P's. Also on Wednesday Allen KN4FKS headed out to Otting WMA US-7913 (it was actually open on Wednesday) and made 106 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 36 P2P and 3 DX all to Canada.
Jun 06, 2026
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1 viewsThis week we activated 'Sloppy' Floyd State Park US-2187 on Thursday May 28th. We used the site on the park up by the bathrooms on top of the hill in the covered Picnic shelter.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper into one of the tall pine trees nearby. With 100 watts power made 53 SSB contacts on 20 meters with les to get a replacements than ideal band conditions to be kind to the propagation gods. He had 20 Park To Park contacts and 2 DX contacts (both P2P) to Canada and Puerto Rico.
Matt AH4MH used Allen's set up and made 13 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 5 P2P contacts Band conditions were such that you had to work for every contact and hope you didn't loose contact mid QSO.
John KB4QXI set up his roof mounted Hamstick on 40 meters then realized his logging computer just went toes up. He headed off to Wal-Mart to get a replacement. Now the fun begins getting the logging software set up to handle POTA. It should be easy but there is always some new wrinkle that doesn't quite match the how to You Tube video. We'll get it up and running this week so he can POTA on. Jun 01, 2026
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0 viewsThis week saw folks in far flung places and right here at home.
On Wednesday May 20 Dan K2DTS activated the Battlefield US-0716 from the Brotherton Rd. Picnic area. He made 15 SSB contacts with 13 P2P contacts and then made one CW contact. He commented:
"Conditions were poor with a smothering noise floor and persistent signal fading. Even with those conditions, it was a good day. In many ways, it is more fun to have to work for every contact. And it was satisfying to make the CW contact, although I am sure the station on the other end was not impressed by my many sending mistakes." Small beginnings of a great CW operator !
On Thursday May 21 Allen KN4FKS activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the check station site. It is nice to have friends who help you stay warm and dry while doing POTA on a rainy day Using 100 watts and the end fed half wave wire rigged as a sloper he made 61 contacts (29 on 20 meters and 32 on 40 meters) with 33 P2P contacts and 2 DX (Canada and St. Lucia )
On Friday May 22 John KB4QXI activated Sandhills State Park US-2351 near Hutchinson Kansas. John is out there attending a huge Geocaching convention so he and several other ham geocachers all headed out to the nearby state park. John made ??? contacts.
On Saturday afternoon May 23 KN4FKS Allen headed up top of Pigeon Mountain US-3742 to the Sawmill lake site to play with a different antenna configuration. Using the old faithful have wave end fed wire he rigged it as an NVIS antenna. Using three plastic electric fence post he rigged the wire horizontally waist high. He then deployed a slightly longer counterpoise wire along the ground directly under the antenna wire. A quick check with the antenna analyzer showed resonance on 40 and 20 meters. The bands were slow and he made a total of 16 contacts with 13 contacts in the first hour of calling CQ on 40 meters. They were mainly clustered around South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. At the end he went up to 20 meters and made 3 contacts there in Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. So the NVIS concept works and now to see the next test might be to rig it about 8 feet off the ground using the horse hitching poles in the camp area. Might have this worked out in time for Field Day so we can contact those close in stations.
Danny AG4DW is across the pond in Ireland bemoaning the fact that he has no radio gear with him this trip. The POTA map even showed never activated parks along the route his tour is taking. Painful for POTA but beautiful country for touring..
Jun 01, 2026
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0 viewsThis week saw folks in far flung places and right here at home.
On Wednesday May 20 Dan K2DTS activated the Battlefield US-0716 from the Brotherton Rd. Picnic area. He made 15 SSB contacts with 13 P2P contacts and then made one CW contact. He commented:
"Conditions were poor with a smothering noise floor and persistent signal fading. Even with those conditions, it was a good day. In many ways, it is more fun to have to work for every contact. And it was satisfying to make the CW contact, although I am sure the station on the other end was not impressed by my many sending mistakes." Small beginnings of a great CW operator !
On Thursday May 21 Allen KN4FKS activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the check station site. It is nice to have friends who help you stay warm and dry while doing POTA on a rainy day Using 100 watts and the end fed half wave wire rigged as a sloper he made 61 contacts (29 on 20 meters and 32 on 40 meters) with 33 P2P contacts and 2 DX (Canada and St. Lucia )
On Friday May 22 John KB4QXI activated Sandhills State Park US-2351 near Hutchinson Kansas. John is out there attending a huge Geocaching convention so he and several other ham geocachers all headed out to the nearby state park. John made ??? contacts.
On Saturday afternoon May 23 KN4FKS Allen headed up top of Pigeon Mountain US-3742 to the Sawmill lake site to play with a different antenna configuration. Using the old faithful have wave end fed wire he rigged it as an NVIS antenna. Using three plastic electric fence post he rigged the wire horizontally waist high. He then deployed a slightly longer counterpoise wire along the ground directly under the antenna wire. A quick check with the antenna analyzer showed resonance on 40 and 20 meters. The bands were slow and he made a total of 16 contacts with 13 contacts in the first hour of calling CQ on 40 meters. They were mainly clustered around South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. At the end he went up to 20 meters and made 3 contacts there in Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. So the NVIS concept works and now to see the next test might be to rig it about 8 feet off the ground using the horse hitching poles in the camp area. Might have this worked out in time for Field Day so we can contact those close in stations.
Danny AG4DW is across the pond in Ireland bemoaning the fact that he has no radio gear with him this trip. The POTA map even showed never activated parks along the route his tour is taking. Painful for POTA but beautiful country for touring..
Jun 01, 2026
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0 viewsThis week saw folks in far flung places and right here at home.
On Wednesday May 20 Dan K2DTS activated the Battlefield US-0716 from the Brotherton Rd. Picnic area. He made 15 SSB contacts with 13 P2P contacts and then made one CW contact. He commented:
"Conditions were poor with a smothering noise floor and persistent signal fading. Even with those conditions, it was a good day. In many ways, it is more fun to have to work for every contact. And it was satisfying to make the CW contact, although I am sure the station on the other end was not impressed by my many sending mistakes." Small beginnings of a great CW operator !
On Thursday May 21 Allen KN4FKS activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the check station site. It is nice to have friends who help you stay warm and dry while doing POTA on a rainy day Using 100 watts and the end fed half wave wire rigged as a sloper he made 61 contacts (29 on 20 meters and 32 on 40 meters) with 33 P2P contacts and 2 DX (Canada and St. Lucia )
On Friday May 22 John KB4QXI activated Sandhills State Park US-2351 near Hutchinson Kansas. John is out there attending a huge Geocaching convention so he and several other ham geocachers all headed out to the nearby state park. John made ??? contacts.
On Saturday afternoon May 23 KN4FKS Allen headed up top of Pigeon Mountain US-3742 to the Sawmill lake site to play with a different antenna configuration. Using the old faithful have wave end fed wire he rigged it as an NVIS antenna. Using three plastic electric fence post he rigged the wire horizontally waist high. He then deployed a slightly longer counterpoise wire along the ground directly under the antenna wire. A quick check with the antenna analyzer showed resonance on 40 and 20 meters. The bands were slow and he made a total of 16 contacts with 13 contacts in the first hour of calling CQ on 40 meters. They were mainly clustered around South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. At the end he went up to 20 meters and made 3 contacts there in Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. So the NVIS concept works and now to see the next test might be to rig it about 8 feet off the ground using the horse hitching poles in the camp area. Might have this worked out in time for Field Day so we can contact those close in stations.
Danny AG4DW is across the pond in Ireland bemoaning the fact that he has no radio gear with him this trip. The POTA map even showed never activated parks along the route his tour is taking. Painful for POTA but beautiful country for touring..
Jun 01, 2026
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