This yr, we’ve skilled some chilly climate and snow at our mountain residence—circumstances that all the time appear to reach on weekends. Whereas we haven’t had any important snowfall, the two–4-inch dustings we’ve obtained have been sufficient to coat our steep and winding mountain highway. Since our highway continues to be present process repairs from the harm attributable to Hurricane Helene, there are not any guardrails, making it really feel a bit sketchy to navigate.
Our household’s method has been easy: we hunker down and keep away from heading into city. Truthfully, it’s an important excuse to remain cozy at residence.
On Friday, January 10, 2025, I deliberate to put aside a part of the day for a POTA outing however determined in opposition to heading down the mountain. Seems, that was a smart determination. Unbeknownst to me, a contractor engaged on a neighbor’s home misplaced management of his one-ton truck on our slick highway. The truck veered off into the creek and narrowly averted plunging all the best way in. Whereas it’s laborious to inform from the picture, his truck was precariously balanced on the highway’s edge, with the rear passenger tire dangling two ft off the bottom.
The mishap blocked our highway for 2 full days, as no tow truck might make it up the mountain to retrieve the car.
Undeterred by the climate, I used to be nonetheless decided to squeeze in some POTA time—however in relative consolation. So, I made a decision to do some transportable POTA searching from one among our porches.
Since Hurricane Helene took down all of my antennas, I’ve saved a line in a tree close to the home for fast antenna deployment. After I need to hop on the air, I merely connect a wire antenna for the bands I plan to make use of.
That Friday, I deployed my PackTenna 20-meter Finish-Fed Half-Wave. My aim was to work as many POTA activators as potential, particularly since these working north of me have been seemingly going through some critical winter circumstances.
Because of my KX2’s ATU, I knew I might discover matches on 40, 30, 17, and 12 meters if the resonant bands (20, 15, and 10 meters) have been quiet. I made a decision to seize this searching session on video, so I turned on the digital camera and started working!
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I began scanning for POTA stations inside my propagation footprint. Sadly, there weren’t many activators on the air. A lot of the nation was enduring an arctic blast, so I think the chilly and snow saved many operators indoors.
Nonetheless, I managed to log 5 activators inside a 14-minute span:
- VE3KZE, N9QF, KT7RC, and K4KVC on 20 meters
- WG8X on 30 meters
After I labored all of the stations I might hear, I wasn’t able to pack up. Earlier that day, I had reviewed my Elecraft KX2 handbook to refresh my reminiscence on utilizing PSK31, a weak-signal digital mode.
Many KX2 and KX3 homeowners don’t notice that these radios can deal with digital modes natively, with out the necessity for an exterior pc or interface. Out of the field, they assist PSK31 and RTTY (with adjustable baud charges). This characteristic has all the time fascinated me, although I’d solely used it sparingly, similar to throughout Discipline Day.
I made a decision to offer PSK31 a attempt, so I moved to 14,071.15 kHz—the PSK31 frequency on 20 meters. Initially, I couldn’t hear any PSK31 indicators, and the KX2 decoder wasn’t selecting up any QSOs. Then I began calling CQ and practically fell out of my chair when K9OM in Edgewater, Florida, got here again to me with a robust sign!
Dick (K9OM) and I had a brief rag chew, and I used to be thrilled. He talked about that it had been a few years since his final PSK31 contact, and I instructed him it had been even longer for me. Dick was working an Elecraft K3S at 50 watts right into a vertical antenna.
Admittedly, my paddle-based PSK31 operation was removed from flawless. Sending PSK31 with CW paddles doesn’t permit for backspacing, so Dick seemingly noticed loads of extraneous characters on his finish. I even caught myself making an attempt to make use of CW jargon, like sending a string of dits for corrections—which, in fact, simply seems as “E E E E E” on the opposite facet!
Regardless of my clumsy transmission, Dick was affected person and understanding. It was such a pleasure to function PSK31 natively on the KX2 once more!
Thanks, Dick,!
Right here’s my real-time, real-life video of your entire porch session. As with all of my movies, I don’t edit out any elements of the on-air activation time. As well as, I’ve monetization turned off on YouTube, though that doesn’t cease them from inserting adverts earlier than and after my movies.
Be aware that Patreon supporters can watch and even obtain this video 100% ad-free via Vimeo on my Patreon web page:
Click on right here to view on YouTube.
When you watched the video, you seemingly picked up on my pleasure about making a PSK31 contact natively with the KX2.
At first look, this functionality may look like a gimmicky characteristic, however I don’t suppose it’s in any respect. Whenever you’re within the discipline and need to interact in a little bit of weak-signal DXing QRP-style, PSK31 is a strong mode! What makes it particularly interesting is that it permits me to attach with operators who don’t know CW, though my enter system is a set of CW paddles.
For a few years, PSK31 was the dominant digital mode, however lately, FT8 and FT4 have surged in recognition and largely eclipsed it. It’s straightforward to neglect simply how pleasing PSK31 will be. Not like FT8 or FT4, that are primarily point-and-shoot modes, PSK31 is a conversational digital mode, making it ideally suited for many who get pleasure from a correct rag chew.
One in all my private targets this yr is to revisit and promote PSK31, maybe even encouraging fellow POTA and SOTA activators to make use of it within the discipline. My good friend James (KE8PZN) not too long ago talked about his personal discipline use of PSK31, which impressed me to discover this mode once more utilizing my KX2 and KX3.
When you’ve got a KX2, KX3, or just get pleasure from dabbling in digital modes, maintain an ear out for me on PSK31 this yr—let’s make a contact!
Thanks for becoming a member of me throughout this transportable POTA searching session and thanks for bearing with me as I made my first PSK31 contact in years!
I hope you loved the sector report and my activation video as a lot as I loved creating them!
After all, I’d additionally wish to ship a particular due to these of you who’ve been supporting the location and channel via Patreon, and the Espresso Fund. Whereas not a requirement, as my content material will all the time be free, I actually recognize the assist.
As I discussed earlier than, the Patreon platform linked to Vimeo makes it potential for me to share movies that aren’t solely 100% ad-free but in addition downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account additionally serves as a 3rd backup for my video information.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me! Have a tremendous week forward!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
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