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1 viewsIt was cold outside, but we were warm and toasty inside. This Thursday Jan.15 2026 we activated the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area US-3742 from the check station site on Rocky Lane. It sure is nice to have friends in high places that let us use the check station to do POTA. However setting up antennas was a bit frosty in the 23 degree F air with a 20 Mph wind.
Allen KN4FKS set his end fed half wave wire in a nearby tree and Danny AG4DW set his Pota Performer elevated radial vertical in the side yard. We used some foam pipe insulation pieces to block the wind where we pulled the coax through the slightly open windows. It kept the heat in and the cold wind out.
Allen started on 40 meters and was busy from the start. Later he went to 20 meters and was also busy For the day he had 76 contacts with 15 Park to Park contacts and no DX.
Danny started on 20 meters and made 1 SSB contact then switched to FT8 He made 69 more contacts. He worked digital on 20, 15, and 10 meters. He had 24 DX contacts from all over Europe, the Caribbean, and South America.
We had a few visitors curious about what we were doing so we explained Ham radio and POTA then answered their questions about the area. We always take time away from pileups to meet visitors. Part of the job as POTA ambassadors.
Fun day, great peanut butter and jelly, stayed warm and had great company for the day.
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1 viewsWe activated two parks at once this Thursday Jan 22. Chickamauga Battlefield US-0716 and the Trail of Tears US-3791. The old Lafayette Road which runs through the middle of the Battlefield is a designated part of the National Trail of Tears network. To activate a "trail" the rules are you have to be within 100 feet of the trail and on public land. There are a few places along the Lafayette road where you can park and be within 100 feet of the roadway/trail. To make this work the three of us set up at three different places along the road.
Danny AG4DW set up with his Hamstrick on top of his truck. He made 146 contacts, 74 SSB and 72 FT8 with 11 Park to Park and 11 contacts to Canada.
Allen KN4FKS set up north of Danny using his 17 ft vertical with the 6 foot extender in place. Working on 20 meters SSB he made 116 contacts with 17 park to park and 2 Canadians.
Dan K2DTS set up south of Danny and chased parks on 20 and 40 meters. making 25 P2P contacts and oddly on 20 meters made several contacts under the first skip zone to GA, NC, VA, SC.
Just after Allen set up the National Park enforcement rangers stopped by. They had seen the yellow coax coming out of the truck window and decided to investigate. They did not see the vertical antenna until they got out of their truck. They immediately realized I was doing POTA and commented you folks normally are over at the picnic area. I explained about the Trail of Tears thing and they were ok with it all. Probably thinking what a bunch of crazy old men. Nice fellows, protecting a special place.
Fun day with excellent band conditions for lots of contacts.
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1 viewsWe activated two parks at once this Thursday Jan 22. Chickamauga Battlefield US-0716 and the Trail of Tears US-3791. The old Lafayette Road which runs through the middle of the Battlefield is a designated part of the National Trail of Tears network. To activate a "trail" the rules are you have to be within 100 feet of the trail and on public land. There are a few places along the Lafayette road where you can park and be within 100 feet of the roadway/trail. To make this work the three of us set up at three different places along the road.
Danny AG4DW set up with his Hamstrick on top of his truck. He made 146 contacts, 74 SSB and 72 FT8 with 11 Park to Park and 11 contacts to Canada.
Allen KN4FKS set up north of Danny using his 17 ft vertical with the 6 foot extender in place. Working on 20 meters SSB he made 116 contacts with 17 park to park and 2 Canadians.
Dan K2DTS set up south of Danny and chased parks on 20 and 40 meters. making 25 P2P contacts and oddly on 20 meters made several contacts under the first skip zone to GA, NC, VA, SC.
Just after Allen set up the National Park enforcement rangers stopped by. They had seen the yellow coax coming out of the truck window and decided to investigate. They did not see the vertical antenna until they got out of their truck. They immediately realized I was doing POTA and commented you folks normally are over at the picnic area. I explained about the Trail of Tears thing and they were ok with it all. Probably thinking what a bunch of crazy old men. Nice fellows, protecting a special place.
Fun day with excellent band conditions for lots of contacts.
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1 viewsWe activated two parks at once this Thursday Jan 22. Chickamauga Battlefield US-0716 and the Trail of Tears US-3791. The old Lafayette Road which runs through the middle of the Battlefield is a designated part of the National Trail of Tears network. To activate a "trail" the rules are you have to be within 100 feet of the trail and on public land. There are a few places along the Lafayette road where you can park and be within 100 feet of the roadway/trail. To make this work the three of us set up at three different places along the road.
Danny AG4DW set up with his Hamstrick on top of his truck. He made 146 contacts, 74 SSB and 72 FT8 with 11 Park to Park and 11 contacts to Canada.
Allen KN4FKS set up north of Danny using his 17 ft vertical with the 6 foot extender in place. Working on 20 meters SSB he made 116 contacts with 17 park to park and 2 Canadians.
Dan K2DTS set up south of Danny and chased parks on 20 and 40 meters. making 25 P2P contacts and oddly on 20 meters made several contacts under the first skip zone to GA, NC, VA, SC.
Just after Allen set up the National Park enforcement rangers stopped by. They had seen the yellow coax coming out of the truck window and decided to investigate. They did not see the vertical antenna until they got out of their truck. They immediately realized I was doing POTA and commented you folks normally are over at the picnic area. I explained about the Trail of Tears thing and they were ok with it all. Probably thinking what a bunch of crazy old men. Nice fellows, protecting a special place.
Fun day with excellent band conditions for lots of contacts.
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