This week our POTA group met up at Russell Cave National Monument (US-0960), near Bridgeport, AL, on Thursday, October 8. The weather was perfect with an absolutely clear sky (I think pilots call it "severe clear") and the temps were more in keeping with fall weather! We met up about 30 minutes earlier than usual to allow ample time to make it back to the TSARC meeting but return traffic on I-24 East almost foiled us anyway! This is a really nice site with several picnic tables and more than a few shade trees. Nobody had cellular service, though!
Ed (KM6UTC) set up inside his Range Rover and used his ATAS antenna to make 45 FT8 contacts, mostly on 20 Meters but a few on 30 and 17 Meters, too! DX included; Canada, Ceuta & Melilla, Slovak Republic, Chile, Germany and France.
Micha (K3WGC) set up his painter's pole mast with a "drive-on" mast holder in a unique way. Instead of driving over it with his truck, he slightly lifted one end of the picnic table he was using at the park, slid the holder under the leg, and let the weight of the heavy-duty table hold it down. Then with his 20 Meter hamstick dipole on top he used his Xiegu G90, at 20 watts, and made at least 16 Park-to-park contacts!
Danny (AG4DW) set up his KJ6ER Performer antenna with elevated radials and started out on 40 Meters SSB and got a quick 27 contacts. Switching to 15 Meters and FT8 mode, he managed another 21 contacts. Finally, switching to 20 Meters, he hunted for another quick 5 contacts, including the Mother Ship (W1AW). Total of 54 contacts for the day, including 9 Park-to-park contacts. DX (14) included: Belize, Canada (4), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Poland, Puerto Rico (2), Spain (2) and Switzerland. All on 15 Meters.
Having a need to stay a little closer to home this week, Dave (KQ4GLQ) and Maurice (KO4MPH) ran a two-operator activation at Cloudland Canyon State Park (US-2160) from the Nick-a-Jack Trailhead. Dave had a total of 87 contacts; 33 SSB on 40 Meters, 33 SSB on 20 Meters and 21 FT8 on 40 Meters. Maurice had 36 SSB contacts for the day.
Jim (N4WWE) activated Chattanooga and Chickamauga NMP (US-0716) and Trail of Tears (US-3791) with a 20 Meter hamstick and was QRP at 5 watts. After successfully hunting AG4DW, KQ4GLQ and KO4MPH at their respective parks, he went on to make a total of 18 contacts.
Earlier in the week:
Allen (KN4FKS) headed up to Otting WMA (US-7913), near Cloudland, GA, on Monday, October 5. Allen is getting closer to his Kilo at that park. On Monday he had 125 SSB contacts which leaves him only 93 more to go!
Danny (AG4DW) set up in Chattanooga and Chickamauga National Military Park (US-0716) on Wednesday, October 7, at the recreation area behind Wilder's Tower. He had a total of 138 contacts on 40 and 20 Meters using both SSB and FT8.
And congratulations to Doug (W4LAW) who managed a total of 5 activations at Chattanooga and Chickamauga National Military Park (US-0716) this past week and crushing through his 4th Kilo at this park! 421 total contacts in US-0716 just in the past week!
>>>>>> And don't forget to listen for Allen Padgett (KN4FKS) and John Law (KB4QXI) calling CQ this weekend. They are in Mentone, AL, at a Cave-In meeting, and will be playing radio in between activities, with probably some other operators thrown in. Maybe they will do some 40 Meter SSB so we can have a better chance of hearing them. Set them up in HamAlert and make contact!
