Many due to Rod VA3MZD who shares this 5 park POTA bicycle rove report with us. You probably have an article in your head and wish to have it posted right here, let’s maintain this group going whereas our pal Thomas continues to assist his neighbours within the wake of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Draft up your story in an electronic mail with reference factors to the images you need embedded and their captions, connect photographs to the notice and ship it my solution to vincedeon at gmail dot com and notice QRPer within the topic line to get my consideration.
By Rod Murray VA3MZD
Final 12 months I reported, in a visitor put up right here on QRPer, on the 5 POTA parks close to my QTH which might be linked by the Elora-Cataract Trailway, a rail path that runs east from the quaint vacationer village of Elora, Ontario, via the city of Fergus, the place I dwell, via Belwood Lake Conservation Space and continues for about 45 km to the village of Cataract, on the Niagara Escarpment, nicely to the east. The path passes via or close to 4 POTA parks in my rapid neighborhood, made simply accessible by foot, bicycle or automobile, as one chooses. The Trailway can be a part of the Nice Path of Canada CA-5082. In one in all these close by parks, Belwood Lake, it’s a 2-fer, making 5 parks in complete.
In my unique report I had additionally set a aim of in the future activating the one close by park I had but to go to, and likewise to activate all 5 native parks in in the future. With the summer season shortly coming to an in depth right here in South Western Ontario, and the truth that the one park I had but to go to would shut for the season in only a few days, it was time to assault my two objectives with a rove! So I made plans to rise early, hope for cooperative climate and full my 5 park cycle journey. May I do it?
One morning in late August, after espresso and a wholesome breakfast, I packed up my new Go Field, which features a nicely tuned (tr)uSDX, 3Ah Bioenno battery, N9SAB QRP 20m dipole, and an Android cellphone operating FT8CN app for FT8. A couple of cables, some parachute twine, water and snacks have been additionally loaded into the bicycle panniers and I used to be off, shortly after 1200 UTC, or 8 am native time EDT.
My first cease can be Belwood Lake, a pleasing 10km journey east on the rail path, after first descending into the Grand River Valley, via the city of Fergus, again up the valley’s north rim via farm fields and forests in the direction of Shands Dam, which is the construction that creates Belwood Lake. The Lake types a part of the Canadian Heritage listed Grand River. It was a straightforward pedal as I used to be pumped to get this rove began. I shortly deployed my 20m dipole underneath a large white pine, and arrange on one of many picnic tables at Belwood Lake Conservation Space CA-5319, adjoining to CA-5082, The Nice Path or the Trans-Canada Path as it’s also recognized.
The (tr)uSDX shortly started to obtain indicators and the FT8CN app decoded them and briefly order I added 10 QSOs to the log. I topped off the activation with a 2fer on SSB once I noticed Gordon KW4CZ and Sharon W4SHA noticed on 20m and logged their P2P QSOs. I quickly dismantled the antenna, packed up the radio and loaded the panniers, then headed 15 km west, again via Fergus to Aboyne, my subsequent cease on the Elora-Cataract Path.
The Wellington County Museum and Archives, positioned about 500 metres off the rail path in Aboyne, is housed within the historic Wellington County Home of Business and Refuge Nationwide Historic Web site. This nineteenth century limestone constructing sits excessive above the Grand River because it cuts its method via the bedrock. The Museum, POTA Reference CA-5928, has picnic tables and mature evergreen bushes that make a POTA activation fairly nice, particularly for deploying wire antennas. Up went the 20 metre dipole and in 40 minutes I had one other 10 FT8 contacts within the log.
With three activations down and two to go, I rode one other 5 km west alongside the path, via the historic mill city of Elora and into the Group Campground of the Elora Gorge Conservation Space, POTA Reference CA-1392.
Right here, sitting on the cliff edge, trying down into the Gorge the place the Grand River cuts a 22 metre chasm via the limestone, propagation took a sudden flip for the more severe. It took virtually two hours so as to add 10 FT8 contacts to my logbook, and the day was marching on. It was now early afternoon and I had yet another activation to finish.
I had by no means activated the Elora Quarry Conservation Space CA-5600, a former limestone quarry, now a scenic spring fed swimming gap on the banks of the Grand River, east of the village of Elora. The park is just open from June via to Labour Day, which is at all times the primary Monday of September. Entry requires superior reserving and I’d chosen the late afternoon, fortuitously.
Earlier than leaving The Gorge I contacted my spouse Colleen and we agreed to satisfy alongside the rail path, to share a late lunch. I hadn’t realized how hungry I’d turn out to be, and scorching too! The afternoon had turned fairly heat, virtually 30C.
I departed the Gorge and raced 5 km eastwards via the village once more, in the direction of the Quarry, making the rendezvous with my spouse. We entered via the park gate on our bicycles and, within the warmth of the late afternoon, determined {that a} swim was the primary order of enterprise. It’s a scenic place to chill off and so I did simply that.
After a brief swim and a stunning lunch, I arrange my radio and antenna again up high of the Quarry’s edge and in half an hour, was in a position to log 10 FT8 contacts. I had lastly achieved my aim of activating the Elora Gorge for the primary time and finishing a 5 Park Rove of my native parks! As well as, the (tr)uSDX had carried out nicely with FT8CN to decode and log the contacts.
My enthusiasm was considerably tempered by the truth that I nonetheless had 5 km to journey to make it again to the QTH and full my 40 km journey. It was a private achievement about which I’m quite proud. The subsequent morning I uploaded my 5 logs after which found that I had acquired a brand new POTA award. The Rover Warthog Award is given to those that activate 5 entities in in the future. Bonus!
Due to all of the Hunters and Activators who helped me obtain one in all my POTA objectives this summer season! As I write this, the cooler, wetter Autumn climate is now entrenched in Southern Ontario and the alternatives for biking and POTA activations have gotten fewer. I problem others who nonetheless have good climate to proceed getting out and activating, by bicycle should you can!
73 and POTA on!
Rod, VA3MZD
