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 Random files - Parks on the Air |
548 viewsWhat an adventure. After a rendezvous in Scottsboro AL the POTA crew headed out in four vehicles to the Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge K-0140. After a few highway miles we turned onto a county paved road and went to its end where we came to the first of four locked gates. Thanks to the Southeast Cave Conservancy Inc. for giving us permission to access their property which adjoins the NWR property. The road is 3.8 miles to our activation site and gets worse the further along we get. There are mudholes, rocky ledges, and gooey slick mud. Luckily no one got stuck or broke anything. Arriving at the end of the road we get turned around and begin unloading our gear. We walk a few steps and cross onto the NWR property where we set up four stations.
We made a total of 129 contacts. When we first got on the air we all were making contacts quickly then it was like you turned out the lights. Till we took a break for lunch getting contacts got harder and harder. The solar storm had hit hard. So then at lunch we start hearing thunder in the distance, A quick look at the weather radar reveals we are in the path of a line of thunderstorms. Radio gear and the 4x4 road we must take out do not react well to heavy rain. After we enjoyed Karen's blueberry "POTA PIE" we pack up everything and head out back to pavement, opening and closing all the gates as we go. Back on the pavement the vehicles are muddy to the windows and mud falls off the undercarriages. Luckily we outran the storms all the way home. The radar images later showed this big red blob passed directly over where we were activating. At a similar cave road location about 20 miles north a group found their access road flooded and several of their vehicles will have to be left on high ground for days till it quits raining. The vehicles that did get out had water over their headlights. The road we used only floods and traps vehicles after multiple heavy rains flood the valley. It has happened in the past but not for us this time.
Fern Cave NWR K-0140 was first activated by our crew in Nov. 2020. There have been 4 other small activations since then then our recent activation. Our group in two activations is responsible for 80% of the 487 total contacts made from this site. The other activators have accessed via canoe down the Paint Rock River. The 190 acre refuge is totally landlocked with no public access point. It is simply there to protect a cave where endangered bats live.
A mini DXpedition it was, with problems to be overcome, logistics to be planned and permissions obtained. This crew of experienced POTA operators had a successful POTA activation.
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513 viewsThe Rambler Radio Club W4LMS activated Cloudland Canyon State Park US-2169 today from the park interpretive center.
We set up two stations, one on 40 meters and one on 20 meters. Band conditions were tough with a solar storm arriving this morning. In spite of everything the 40 meter station made 36 contacts with 20 P2P and no DX with kids as operators and Danny AG4DW as the Elmer. The 20 meter station made ??? contacts with ??? P2P and ??? DX.
With Jody W4LWC as Elmer. Allen KN4FKS acted as the visitor welcoming person answering questions and handing out HAM radio information. The park was very busy today and the parking lot stayed full all day with a steady stream of folks coming into the interpretive center. Several licensed hams dropped in and several prospective Hams were helped along the way.
Matt AF4MH came by as did John KB4QXI. John visited a bit then went up the hill to our usual POTA site and made 21 Contacts on 20 meters with 15 P2P and 2 Canadian parks contacted.
The bear wanted to work some DX but we were trying to make P2P contacts so he just stood quietly in the corner.
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490 viewsWe gathered this past Thursday at Red Clay State Park US-2970 for an activation day. It was a pleasant day weather wise with lots of shade and a nice breeze.
Danny AG4DW set up his POTA Performer vertical antenna for Jody W4LWC to use. A Rambler Radio Club graduate Emma Gillenwater who lives near the park now joined us. They made 72 contacts on 20 meters SSB with 4 DX to Canada and 1 to the Netherlands. It was great to see Emma once more.
Allen KN4FKS set up his 17 meter folded dipole and made 17 contacts on 17 meters SSB with 1 P2P and DX to Canada, France, England, and 2 Italians. Dave KQ4GLQ set up in the picnic shed and worked 40 meters SSB. I don't have his totals, but he had a good day. Dan K2DTS stopped by and without band pass filters could not get but 1 contact on 15 meters. However he moved away from us and ended up with 15 contacts on 20 meters. He was amazed that he actually heard stations in Bulgaria and Vietnam. They were strong but he was unable to break the pile up. Cool nonetheless.
John KB4QXI arriving fashionably late managed 11 contacts with 3 P2P after moving to another parking lot on the park to escape all the RF.
Red Clay State Park is a small historic park. It was the capital of the Cherokee nation for many years. So for POTA it is also a Trail of Tears US-3791 location.
Fun day on the bands, we also were able to introduce ham radio to several park visitors.
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616 viewsPOTA - Pigeon Mountain - 4-24-2021
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565 viewsIt has been a busy POTA week.
The week started with John KB4QXI activating Chattahoochee Bend State Park US-2168 on Sunday. He made 34 contacts with 7 P2P and 3 DX contacts.
Then on Tuesday Allen KN4FKS activated J. Sloppy Floyd State Park US-2187. He made 97 contacts with 41 P2P and 12 DX contacts.
On Wednesday John KB4QXI and Danny AG4DW activated the Zahnd WMA US-7903. John made 33 Contacts with 15 P2P and2 DX. Danny made 17 contacts with 1 DX contact.
On Thursday the crew gathered at Cloudland Canyon State Park, Nick A Jack trailhead to activate US-2169. Allen KN4FKS operated mostly on 40 meters SSB and made 64 contacts with 16 P2P on a total of seven bands, 40,15, 80, 6. 2, 1.25, 70cm.
Dan K2DTS made 15 contacts with all of them being P2P contacts. John KB4QXI made a total of 113 contacts, 10 on 15m SSB and the rest on 20m SSB. He had 30 P2P contacts and 6 DX. Danny AG4DW had 50 contacts, 10 SSB and the rest FT8 with 11 DX contacts. Danny also participated in the multi band effort. He is leading the pack in the POTA N1CC award ( N1CC is making contacts on ten bands in ten different parks )
Lots of peanut butter and jelly was consumed and all had a fun time on difficult bands this week.
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360 viewsThis Thursday we activated Cloudland Canyon State Park US-2169 from the main park location.
The DNR Game Warden K-9 units from all over the state were training at the park Thursday. While Allen KN4FKS was setting up his vertical antenna a K-9 and two handlers came by working on a trail and an evidence search problem. They passed within ten feet but the dog was focused on the job and was not distracted by Ham!
Soon Allen was on the air on 20 meters SSB where he made 17 contacts. Moving he made 18 more on 40 meters for a total of 35 contacts with 14 Park to Park contacts. Just to see Allen called CQ POTA for ten minutes on both 15 meters and 17 meters with no success. Mid day these bands were just not happening.
Danny AG4DW set up and made 84 contacts total. 37 on 40 meters and 47 on 20 meters. 40 contacts were SSB and 47 were FT8. He had DX from Japan Spain and Canada.
Also on Thursday John KB4QXI activated Pigeon Mountain, Ed KM6UTC and Dan K2DTS activated the Battlefield from different sites.
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608 viewsOur fearless POTA leader, Allen (KN4FKS) had a last minute change of plans and was not able to make our POTA outing at the hallowed grounds of Chickamauga Battlefield (US-0716) today (4/25).
Nonetheless, several other operators met up at the picnic/recreation area on Brotherton Road to "POTA on". The early birds were Jeff Fitzpatrick (N2YPP) and Ed Dionne (KM6UTC). Jeff was using his FT-891 with a homemade EFHW antenna on 20 meters using SSB. At the end of the day Jeff had 145 total contacts, including 15 park-to-park and 6 DX (Canada).
Ed wound up working FT8 using two different antennas; his trusty loop antenna and a vertical antenna using a Faraday cloth as the counterpoise. In the end he wound up with 70 contacts total, including 21 DX contacts to Germany, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, England, Ukraine, Spain, Czech Republic, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Canada! There were at least 4 park-to-park contacts.
Danny (AG4DW) worked 10 and 15 meters all day using a vertical antenna and wound up with a total of 36 contacts, 24 FT8 and 2 SSB, including 1 park-to-park and 17 European DX contacts, including a new country for him, Lithuania!
Ed Sarnosky (KX4BE) arrived on his motorcycle to provide a semblance of adult supervision and offered advice where needed.
Dan Strickland (K2DTS) arrived late, after a little extra and much needed beauty sleep, and spent most of the day getting his FT8 setup to finally work properly and then did some on-the-job FT8 learning and made a few FT8 contacts.
It was a gorgeous day weather-wise but the bands were a little noisy. Except perhaps 20 meters which Jeff blew out of the water with his 145 contacts! We had fun watching Jeff sweat through some of the pileups but I fear we may have created a POTA monster out of Jeff. Stay tuned to see how it works out!
Great fun, great fellowship and we bounced lots of electrons off the ionosphere.
We also had a couple of park visitors drop by to check out what we were doing! Not a bad POTA activation at all...
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672 viewsPOTA - Chickamauga Battlefield - 6-03-2020
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 Last additions - Parks on the Air |
5 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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4 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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4 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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0 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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0 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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0 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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0 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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1 viewsIt was a beautiful day on top of Johns Mountain US-3758 at the overlook site. It was a bit chilly early with a steady wind making it seem even cooler but we POTA'd on. Band conditions were a bit wonky which made it hard work for everyone.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire as a sloper and made 56 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 20 Park to Park contacts and only 1 DX contact to Barbados Island.
Danny AG4DW set his 17 foot elevated vertical 'POTA Performer' and made 53 contacts, 23 were SSB on 40 meters and 1 FT8 contact. He moved to 17 meters and made 19 FT8 contacts. He had 6 P2P contacts and 5 DX to Canada. He set up his 2 meter J-pole antenna and made 10 FM contacts simplex on 2 meters. From the mountaintop he contacted: Gainesville, Talking Rock, Dalton, Lafayette, Chatsworth, and Cleveland TN.
John KB4QXI used his Hamstick roof mounted to make 15 contacts with 10 P2P contacts.
Micha K3WGC came by to see what all this POTA stuff was all about. After show and tell for everyone's rig he set up his vertical drive on pole support and used his G-90 to just chase DX and make a few contacts portable. It weas great to have him visit.
Dan K2DTS not wanting to sacrifice his car on the overlook road chose to activate the Battlefield US-0716. He had 36 contacts with 30 SSB and 6 FT8 on 20 meters. He is getting withing striking distance of his KILO for the Battlefield. Maybe soon if the bands cooperate.
Also of note this weekend is the Georgia QSO party contest. It starts at 2 pm local time on Saturday and runs till midnight than Sunday 10 am till 8 pm. The exchange is a signal report, and county abbreviation ( WLKR for Walker) This would be a great time to activate a park and take advantage of the increased traffic. Apr 14, 2026
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