 Most viewed - Parks on the Air |
590 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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589 viewsPOTA - 20221103 - Crockford-Pigeon Mtn. WMA K-3742 today from the Estelle Trailhead field. Today Tony WA4TW with help from David KO4YQD made 37 contacts on 20 meters SSB with 19 P2P and 1 DX contact. Ed KM6UTC had 28 contacts on 40 meters digital with 1 DX. Allen KN4FKS just helped Tony chase parks. John KB4QXI overslept and was late arriving and was having vehicle electrical issues. While we were there Jeff N2YYP rode up on his horse and with two fellow riders and visited with us for a while.
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589 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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589 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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589 viewsWe had a two site activation on this past Thursday.
In the Morning several folks activated Pigeon Mountain US 37-42 from the Estelle mine road site. Then later another group activated Johns Mountain US-3758 from the overlook site. At the Estelle site Tony WA4TW set up his elevated delta loop antenna and had quite a morning working DX with 17 total contacts with 11 Park to Park contacts. His DX was Ukraine, Norway, Israel, Belarus, and Alaska. Dave KQ4GLQ also worked 10 meters but I don't know his contacts nor did Jeff N2YYP report in his totals.
In the afternoon we activated from the Johns Mtn Overlook. Peter KX4BE set up his absolutely tiny QRP rig. He operated CW and made 11 contacts total with 10 being CW and one SSB . See the photos of this micro rig. He packs it easily into his box on the back of his motorcycle. Allen KN4FKS made 31 SSB contacts with 11 P2P and 3 DX to Romania, Poland and Canada. Tont WA4TW came over to the overlook and worked the spot page for Allen.
The leaves were beautiful, the weather was wonderful and the bands were in great shape. A fun day.
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588 viewsPOTA, Nick A Jack Trailhead - Cloudland Canyon - 12-17-2020. W4TDH, N9ZEN
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588 viewsWe activated Chickamauga Battlefield US-0716 this Thursday September 19 which was special as it was the 161st anniversary of the battle.
The picnic area where we activated was the hotly contested battle line on the afternoon of the 19th and saw battle into the night. The Ohio artillery and the Indiana infantry held the Federal line here and attacked from here just before dark. It is a very special place to all of us.
Jeff N2YYP had a Great Great Grandfather who was a soldier with the Georgia Infantry severely wounded during this battle on the 18th near Lee and Gordon Mill and he suffered for a few days and then passed away.
Allen KN4FKS made 16 contacts on several of the odd bands. Lots of time spent calling CQ POTA. 3 on 17m, 2 on 10, and 3 on 12m, finishing out with 8 on 20 meters. He had 1 DX to France on 12 meters.
Ed KM6UTC had 75 digital contacts on 15,17,20 and 30 meters with 9 DX contacts. John KB4QXI had 19 contacts after lunch on 20 meters with 11 P2P and 2 Canadian parks in that total.
Thanks to all the other hams who came by to lend support and share our special day!
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588 viewsYesterday Thursday Jan. 23 we activated Crockford-Pigeon Mtn. WMA US-3742 from the check station on Rocky Lane. It was warm inside but getting the antennas up was COLD !
Danny AG4DW set his rig up on the dining area table and Allen set his rig up in the front entry room. The coax was passed through a window and a piece of foam pipe insulation was used to keep the cold out and prevent damage to the wire.
With room for only two operating positions inside Ed KM6UTC opted to use his back seat shack to operate on 15 meters. He made 64 FT8 contacts with 22 being DX into Europe. Inside Tony WA4TW used Allen's rig and quickly made 44 contacts in 30 minutes on 20 meters with 3 P2P and 2 DX to Canada.. Allen handled the logging and helped grab callsigns out of the nonstop pileup.
After a bathroom break Allen KN4FKS got on 20 meters and again quickly made 48 contacts in 32 minutes. He had 4 P2P and 1 DX to Canada. Tony handled the logging which helped maintain the fast pace contacts. Later John KB4QXI got on the 20 meter rig and made 48 contacts with 5 P2P and 2 DX to Canada. Dan K2DTS fired up the 20 meter rig later and made ??? contacts. So after 4 successful activations of over 140 contacts the 100 watt radio had used less than 10 amp hours from the battery.
In the other room Danny AG4DW set up his station and operated on 10 meters. he made 35 total contacts with 17 SSB and 18 FT8. 22 contacts were DX with contacts made to Argentina, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, Maderia Island, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, and Spain.
Just think in about six years we'll remember how 10 meters was super hot and even open for dx after 10 pm local. Now we are in the good times so get on 10 meters and talk to the world.
Matt AF4MH got on Danny's 10 meter rig and using SSB made 15 contracts with 2 P2P and 7 DX to Canada, Brazil, England, Chile, Spain, Argentina, and Puerto Rico.
At lunch we were joined by four of the DNR wildlife folks who were our host and also wanted to enjoy a warm place to have lunch. Thanks for letting us "play radio" in the check station. Another fun day of activating POTA!
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588 viewsPOTA from many places. This past Thursday April 17 the TSARC POTA crew activated several parks from different places.
Allen KN4FKS and John KB4QXI activated 'Sloppy' Floyd State Park US-2187 from the site near the lower lake dam. Allen had 105 contacts with 23 Park to Park contacts and 1 DX to Canada. John had 64 contacts with 28 P2P contacts and 1 DX to Mexico. Allen is now just 59 contacts away from making that 'KILO' award for Floyd SP. The KILO is awarded in recognition of making 1.000 contacts as an activator from that park.
Ed KM6UTC activated Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Battlefield US-0716 from the Cravens House site up on the slopes of Lookout Mountain overlooking downtown Chattanooga. Operating the digital mode of FT8 he made 99 contacts with lots of DX all over the world. He worked an 'EA6" station from the Balearic Islands. Do you know where that is without looking it up? Dan K2DTS had a quick activation from the Chickamauga Battlefield US-0716 by pulling onto a roadside pulloff and setting his mag mount antenna on the car. He made 20 quick contacts by simply chasing parks. So he had 20 Park to Park contacts. with 1 DX to Bermuda.
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587 viewsPOTA - Zahnd Wildlife Mgt Area - 2-19-2021, It was cold!
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587 viewsJ. Floyd State Park K-2187 on 04-27-2022. We set up down by the dam of the lower lake. John KB4QXI worked 20 meters with a ham stick on the roof of his car and made 60 contacts, 4 P2P, 6 Canadians and Spain. Tony WA4TW went first on 40 meters using the End Fed Half Wave wire rigged as a sloper fed from the bottom. He made 60 contacts before lunch. After lunch Allen KN4FKS took over the microphone and Tony logged. Allen made 42 contacts with 2 P2P before the battery was almost gone at 7% remaining.
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587 viewsPOTA - 2022-09-01 - Today we went to Cohutta Wildlife Management Area K-7446 over East of Chatsworth GA. We set up two stations each using an end fed half wave wire rigged as a sloper fed from the bottom. Battery power ran the 100 watt transceivers. Peter KX4BE worked CW on 20 meters and had 42 contacts with 1 P2P and 1 DX contact. Allen KN4FKS worked SSB on 40 meters and had 34 contacts with 4 P2P. Tony got on 20 meters SSB and made 15 contacts with 6 P2P and 1 DX to Alaska. Another great day doing POTA !
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