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44 viewsWell we braved the tropical storm, totally avoided the threat of flash flooding and activated Johns Mountain WMA US-3758 from the overlook site. The rain came in bands so we were able to all get set up in the dry and take down in the dry but every now and then it would rain, sprinkle or pour down rain. We all elected to operate out of our vehicles.

Allen KN4FKS set up his 17 ft vertical with Faraday cloth radials and made 28 SSB contacts, 26 on 20 meters, 1 on 15 meters and 1 on 40 meters. He had 4 Park to Park contacts and 1 DX to Canada.

Danny AG4DW set up his 17 ft vertical with elevated radials and made 44 contacts, 17 SSB on 40 meters, 21 FT8 on 40, 1 FT8 on 30, and 5 FT8 on 17. He had 5 P2P and 1 DX to Canada.

Jim K4WWE set up his odd looking tripod antenna thing (see attached photo) and made 20 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 8 P2P contacts.

Once again we were ham radio ambassadors, A Forest work crew stopped by to have lunch at the overlook and one of the young men was interested in what we were doing. After answering lots of questions we loaded him up with information sheets on Ham Radio, TSARC and, POTA. On the way home Allen stopped in the Villanow store to get a drink and the clerk saw his Ham Radio related t shirt. She exclaimed her grandfather was a ham and she had fond memories of being in his shack as a child. You never know how you can represent the hobby so be prepared.
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59 viewsWell we braved the tropical storm, totally avoided the threat of flash flooding and activated Johns Mountain WMA US-3758 from the overlook site. The rain came in bands so we were able to all get set up in the dry and take down in the dry but every now and then it would rain, sprinkle or pour down rain. We all elected to operate out of our vehicles.

Allen KN4FKS set up his 17 ft vertical with Faraday cloth radials and made 28 SSB contacts, 26 on 20 meters, 1 on 15 meters and 1 on 40 meters. He had 4 Park to Park contacts and 1 DX to Canada.

Danny AG4DW set up his 17 ft vertical with elevated radials and made 44 contacts, 17 SSB on 40 meters, 21 FT8 on 40, 1 FT8 on 30, and 5 FT8 on 17. He had 5 P2P and 1 DX to Canada.

Jim K4WWE set up his odd looking tripod antenna thing (see attached photo) and made 20 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 8 P2P contacts.

Once again we were ham radio ambassadors, A Forest work crew stopped by to have lunch at the overlook and one of the young men was interested in what we were doing. After answering lots of questions we loaded him up with information sheets on Ham Radio, TSARC and, POTA. On the way home Allen stopped in the Villanow store to get a drink and the clerk saw his Ham Radio related t shirt. She exclaimed her grandfather was a ham and she had fond memories of being in his shack as a child. You never know how you can represent the hobby so be prepared.
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67 viewsWell we braved the tropical storm, totally avoided the threat of flash flooding and activated Johns Mountain WMA US-3758 from the overlook site. The rain came in bands so we were able to all get set up in the dry and take down in the dry but every now and then it would rain, sprinkle or pour down rain. We all elected to operate out of our vehicles.

Allen KN4FKS set up his 17 ft vertical with Faraday cloth radials and made 28 SSB contacts, 26 on 20 meters, 1 on 15 meters and 1 on 40 meters. He had 4 Park to Park contacts and 1 DX to Canada.

Danny AG4DW set up his 17 ft vertical with elevated radials and made 44 contacts, 17 SSB on 40 meters, 21 FT8 on 40, 1 FT8 on 30, and 5 FT8 on 17. He had 5 P2P and 1 DX to Canada.

Jim K4WWE set up his odd looking tripod antenna thing (see attached photo) and made 20 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 8 P2P contacts.

Once again we were ham radio ambassadors, A Forest work crew stopped by to have lunch at the overlook and one of the young men was interested in what we were doing. After answering lots of questions we loaded him up with information sheets on Ham Radio, TSARC and, POTA. On the way home Allen stopped in the Villanow store to get a drink and the clerk saw his Ham Radio related t shirt. She exclaimed her grandfather was a ham and she had fond memories of being in his shack as a child. You never know how you can represent the hobby so be prepared.
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4 viewsOur plan worked for once. This week we activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the South Brow site. It was nice and shady, a light breeze blew and it never really got that hot. The bands also cooperated enough to make it a fun day.

Allen KN4FKS set up his end fed wire as a sloper and worked 40 meters SSB. He made 47 contacts with one Park to Park and no DX. A useful accessory for POTA this time of year is a small clamp on 12 volt fan.

Danny AG4DW set up his POTA Performer 17 ft vertical and made 69 total contacts. 21 SSB contacts on 20 meters, then 41 FT8 contacts also on 20 meters. Then he made 7 FT8 contacts on 15 meters. He had 4 P2P contacts and DX to Canada (5) Cuba, France, and the Netherlands.

Jim K4WWE set up his Horizon Antennas Vertical Dipole and made 11 contacts for a successful activation.

Doug W4LAW came by to check on us and provide some adult supervision.

It was a fun day proving you can actually successfully activate a park in the summer heat if you pick your spot carefully.
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1 viewsOur plan worked for once. This week we activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the South Brow site. It was nice and shady, a light breeze blew and it never really got that hot. The bands also cooperated enough to make it a fun day.

Allen KN4FKS set up his end fed wire as a sloper and worked 40 meters SSB. He made 47 contacts with one Park to Park and no DX. A useful accessory for POTA this time of year is a small clamp on 12 volt fan.

Danny AG4DW set up his POTA Performer 17 ft vertical and made 69 total contacts. 21 SSB contacts on 20 meters, then 41 FT8 contacts also on 20 meters. Then he made 7 FT8 contacts on 15 meters. He had 4 P2P contacts and DX to Canada (5) Cuba, France, and the Netherlands.

Jim K4WWE set up his Horizon Antennas Vertical Dipole and made 11 contacts for a successful activation.

Doug W4LAW came by to check on us and provide some adult supervision.

It was a fun day proving you can actually successfully activate a park in the summer heat if you pick your spot carefully.
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7 viewsOur plan worked for once. This week we activated Pigeon Mountain US-3742 from the South Brow site. It was nice and shady, a light breeze blew and it never really got that hot. The bands also cooperated enough to make it a fun day.

Allen KN4FKS set up his end fed wire as a sloper and worked 40 meters SSB. He made 47 contacts with one Park to Park and no DX. A useful accessory for POTA this time of year is a small clamp on 12 volt fan.

Danny AG4DW set up his POTA Performer 17 ft vertical and made 69 total contacts. 21 SSB contacts on 20 meters, then 41 FT8 contacts also on 20 meters. Then he made 7 FT8 contacts on 15 meters. He had 4 P2P contacts and DX to Canada (5) Cuba, France, and the Netherlands.

Jim K4WWE set up his Horizon Antennas Vertical Dipole and made 11 contacts for a successful activation.

Doug W4LAW came by to check on us and provide some adult supervision.

It was a fun day proving you can actually successfully activate a park in the summer heat if you pick your spot carefully.
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5 viewsI think Danny AG4DW said it best " we had great weather till we didn't"

This Friday Aug. 7 we activated Cloudland Canyon State Park US-2169 from the Nickajack trailhead. At about 1:30 pm we notice the air getting cooler, we hear thunder in the distance and over the treetops see a huge black cloud coming our way. Quickly we went into demobilization mode. It started a light rain as we finished packing up then the bottom fell out, It rained a lot. Oddly as we drove home we drove right out of the storm onto dry pavement. Our luck. However before the storm hit we all had a good day on the radio.

Danny AG4DW set up his 17 ft vertical with elevated radials and made 59 contacts, 44 SSB on 20 meters then 15 FT8 contacts on 17 meters. He had 15 Park to Park contacts as well. It was an odd twenty meter propagation day. The usual contacts weren't there but the entire west coast was there.

Allen KN4FKS set up his end fed wire half wave and made 36 contacts on 40 meters with 5 P2P contacts. After lunch he turned the rig over to Jonathon AA6H who cranked out 15 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 5 P2P contacts before the storm came.

David WK4DS set up his truck mounted 17 ft vertical and made 17 total contacts on 17,15, and 10 meters, 6 were CW and 11 were FT8 with 1 P2P.

Staying closer to home, Ed KM6UTC activated the Trail of Tears US-3791 at the Browns Ferry Tavern site. He had 60 FT8 QSO's on 6,17, and 20 meters. He had DX contacts in Cuba, France and Canada.

Just a heads up to put on your calendar. The 163rd anniversary of the battle that took place at the site in the Chickamauga Battlefield where we activate often will be on Saturday September 19 2026. We plan to activate that day from the picnic area site where on that day many years ago cannons roared, rifles fired and men died. It is a special hallowed place in our nations history. Plan to come join us on this special day.
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4 viewsI think Danny AG4DW said it best " we had great weather till we didn't"

This Friday Aug. 7 we activated Cloudland Canyon State Park US-2169 from the Nickajack trailhead. At about 1:30 pm we notice the air getting cooler, we hear thunder in the distance and over the treetops see a huge black cloud coming our way. Quickly we went into demobilization mode. It started a light rain as we finished packing up then the bottom fell out, It rained a lot. Oddly as we drove home we drove right out of the storm onto dry pavement. Our luck. However before the storm hit we all had a good day on the radio.

Danny AG4DW set up his 17 ft vertical with elevated radials and made 59 contacts, 44 SSB on 20 meters then 15 FT8 contacts on 17 meters. He had 15 Park to Park contacts as well. It was an odd twenty meter propagation day. The usual contacts weren't there but the entire west coast was there.

Allen KN4FKS set up his end fed wire half wave and made 36 contacts on 40 meters with 5 P2P contacts. After lunch he turned the rig over to Jonathon AA6H who cranked out 15 SSB contacts on 20 meters with 5 P2P contacts before the storm came.

David WK4DS set up his truck mounted 17 ft vertical and made 17 total contacts on 17,15, and 10 meters, 6 were CW and 11 were FT8 with 1 P2P.

Staying closer to home, Ed KM6UTC activated the Trail of Tears US-3791 at the Browns Ferry Tavern site. He had 60 FT8 QSO's on 6,17, and 20 meters. He had DX contacts in Cuba, France and Canada.

Just a heads up to put on your calendar. The 163rd anniversary of the battle that took place at the site in the Chickamauga Battlefield where we activate often will be on Saturday September 19 2026. We plan to activate that day from the picnic area site where on that day many years ago cannons roared, rifles fired and men died. It is a special hallowed place in our nations history. Plan to come join us on this special day.
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