by Teri (KO4WFP)
After a enjoyable POTA for K2D the earlier week, it was time to renew the pursuit of my 2024 objective – 60 new legitimate POTA activations. Friday, August thirtieth, I headed to Fort McAllister State Park (US-2175). Although I’ve lived in Savannah most of my life, I’ve by no means visited this park in close by Richmond Hill.
The park is positioned at Genesis Level, a bluff on the Ogeechee River. An earthen fort was construct on the bluff to guard the plantations alongside the Ogeechee River and the Savannah, Albany, and Gulf railroad bridge. In keeping with the Georgia Division of Pure Sources, it’s the finest preserved earthwork fortifications of the Confederacy. The fort repelled seven Union naval assaults between 1862 and 1863 however was lastly captured by Common Sherman from the landward aspect throughout his March to the Sea marketing campaign.
After being captured, the fort turned a jail for Accomplice troopers captured on the higher Georgia coast. It fell into disrepair till bought by Henry Ford (sure, that Henry Ford) within the Thirties and restoration started on the positioning. Later the fortifications had been restored to their 1863 look.
I arrived on the park round 8:30 AM with out Daisy. Although she loves going with me, the warmth and humidity had been just too excessive for her consolation and I needed to tour the museum on the web site. (Usually canine aren’t allowed inside buildings at parks.)
For those who go to the park, please take the time to stroll by the museum. It’s effectively carried out, trying on the historical past of the positioning all the best way again to the Guale Indians who initially occupied this land. There may be additionally a room dedicated to ironclads. (After getting into the park, there’s an outdoor exhibit for the equipment that was within the CSS Nashville, a ship who was sunk on the Ogeechee River by the Union ironclad Montauk.)
After strolling by the museum, you head outdoors to the greenway resulting in the fort. There’s a sign tower like one that will have been constructed after the seize of Fort McAllister, non-commissioned officer huts, and a replica of a barracks constructing that beforehand occupied the positioning.
Then you definately come to the fort. Who doesn’t love a fort? Although this one is straightforward, you could possibly get rotated in it pretty simply. The within is accessed through a bridge crossing a moat with palisades in it. I discovered the central bombproof shelter attention-grabbing although I definitely wouldn’t need to shelter in it. Simply outdoors it, I found a deer consuming breakfast.
I couldn’t have requested for a greater day for viewing the Ogeechee River. Wow! A vibrant blue sky with fluffy white clouds reflecting within the river beneath and hardly a ripple on the floor. Views like this is among the causes I like residing in coastal Georgia.
I might have loved organising on prime of the fortifications like I did at Fort Anne in Nova Scotia. Nonetheless, there wasn’t as a lot room right here and organising the EFRW right here won’t be appreciated.
I regarded beneath and noticed a number of oak timber close to the riverbank. Although there was a gravel path, it was wider than the trail on prime of the fort. Anybody strolling by would have loads of room to keep away from my antenna. Plus the timber would shade me from the summer season solar.
After a number of tries, I snagged a stay oak department and had the Tufteln EFRW put in. I arrange my Helinox chair, settled my tools on my Tufteln kneeboard, and received to enterprise.
I began with 40 meters, giving ops near residence a crack at me; however the one op who contacted me was Lou N8LEM, a pleasant op in Ohio from one in all my CW Improvements lessons. I switched to twenty meters and that band proved to be the heavy lifter of the day – 31 CW QSOs over the course of an hour and a half, together with two park-to-parks: Carson W8VAB at US-1828 in West Virginia and the Tortolita Radio Membership KT7RC at US-4571 in Arizona.
By midday, it was time to name QRT. The solar was progressively encroaching on my shady locale and I had sweated sufficient for in the future.
I had no concept this park was such a gem! The fort is accessed solely by paying a price or buying a Georgia State Park historic web site annual move. (There are picnic grounds accessible with a state park move or $5 price outdoors the museum and fort space.) As I intend to revisit the positioning in addition to different historic websites over the course of this subsequent yr, I went forward and bought a move.
For these , it’s possible you’ll entry my YouTube video for this activation through the next hyperlink: https://youtu.be/IhXsd87fy6k
My legitimate activation right here gave me #38 of the 60 parks I want for my 2024 objective. I’ve 4 months to get the remaining activations I want. The place will I present up subsequent? Keep tuned…
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