On Friday, October 24, 2024, I carried out my first POTA activation precisely one month (to the day) after Hurricane Helene swept by western North Carolina.
It felt oh so good!
As a lot of you recognize who’ve been following my Publish-Helene updates, I merely haven’t had time to do POTA or SOTA activations. And even when I wished to, a lot of the POTA websites round me are quickly closed because of injury from Helene.
Honestly, I didn’t begin my day anticipating a POTA activation. I’d deliberate, if something, to make a brief discipline radio video someplace on my property, chase some POTA/SOTA stations, and make some other random contacts.
Nonetheless, my daughter’s Shakespeare class determined to satisfy in particular person, so after dropping her off at 12:30, I had about two hours of free time. Earlier than leaving dwelling, I packed a few radio baggage simply in case I may discover a spot for a POTA activation, or at the very least go to a neighborhood park to play radio for a bit.
I noticed I used to be solely a 20-minute drive from the Sycamore Flats picnic website in Pisgah Nationwide Forest (US-4510), the place I’ve activated many instances earlier than. This website is in Transylvania County, which wasn’t hit as laborious by Helene.
Google Maps confirmed the location as open, so I made a decision to drive over. Fortunately, it was appropriate! Once I arrived, the entrance gate was open and there have been just a few guests round.
I may inform the location had some storm injury—some tree limbs down and proof of flooding from the Davidson River, which wraps across the space. The park service lately upgraded the picnic desk pads, however the gravel had washed away, and lots of tables had both shifted or washed away.
That stated, this website fared nicely in comparison with parks in Buncombe County. (Chimney Rock State Park remains to be inaccessible because of main flooding within the city of Chimney Rock.)
I hopped out, grabbed my backpack and TR-45L, and began recording my activation video.
Since nobody was utilizing the picnic shelter on the northeast finish of the park (and it had no reservation signal), I arrange there. I deployed my MM0OPX Finish-Fed Half-Wave antenna on a close-by tree, linked it to my TR-45L, and was able to go!
Gear
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I hopped on the air and began calling CQ POTA. After the RBN picked me up and the POTA web site auto-spotted me, the contacts began rolling in!
The second the RBN noticed me, a lot of my associates acquired HamAlert messages that I used to be on the air.
Vince (VE6LK) even despatched me a HamAlert notification through Ara (N6ARA) with the message: Nature is therapeutic!
I labored my first ten stations in eight minutes.
The pileup stayed regular.
It felt unimaginable to be again in a park, connecting with my POTA household!
In whole, I logged 41 stations in 39 minutes.
Had I not run out of time, I might have continued logging all afternoon—and certain switched to 40 meters—however I needed to wrap up for the day.
Right here’s what this five-watt activation regarded like when plotted out on a QSO Map:
Right here’s my real-time, real-life video of all the activation.
Be aware: the preamble in my activation video is longer than normal, as I defined why it’s been so lengthy since my final activation.
As with all of my movies, I don’t edit out any components of the on-air activation time. As well as, I’ve monetization turned off on YouTube, though that doesn’t cease them from inserting advertisements earlier than and after my movies.
Be aware that Patreon supporters can watch and even obtain this video 100% ad-free by Vimeo on my Patreon web page:
Click on right here to view on YouTube.
Generally, I’m lucky sufficient to be somebody’s first CW contact. After this activation, I acquired an electronic mail from Robert (W1RMW). 
Right here’s an excerpt:
I’m a reasonably new ham… who’s lastly venturing into HF a bit, with a package radio a neighborhood ham buddy gave me.
I simply completed constructing a KM4CFT EFHW QRP antenna lower for 20m at this time… and did my greatest to tune it up earlier than getting on the air for the primary time on 20m since getting my common license again in 2020 (throughout covid)… and for the primary time, in a really very long time, with CW. (I had a novice license practically 40 yrs in the past.)
I used to be shocked that:
a) my antenna labored (or appeared to) … and
b) one of many first folks I noticed whereas searching activators was you!
Lastly, I used to be shocked when after calling you, you got here again with my name!
Sure!! You have been my first CW QSO!! And first on any HF band since getting my common…. and first QSO with my new QCX package radio!
I hope you bought me within the logs… I’m excited to see affirmation on POTA. I used to be capable of hunt 3 whole activators earlier than I needed to cease to move again to work.
For sure, I’m hooked. Can’t wait to get on the air once more!
Thanks a lot for all you do. Hope to attach with you once more quickly.
Solution to go, Robert! Thanks for reaching out. There’s no higher honor as a CW op than to be somebody’s first CW contact. I sit up for logging your P2P sometime!
I’ll be posting a Publish-Helene replace this week, as life slowly returns to regular. This activation was an enormous step; it was the primary time in weeks that I’ve felt prepared for a purely leisure radio outing.
It felt superb!
As at all times, I actually respect your assist throughout this time!
Thanks for becoming a member of me throughout this activation!
I hope you loved this discipline report and my activation video as a lot as I loved creating them! And, oh boy, was it enjoyable creating this one!
In fact, I’d additionally wish to ship a particular because of these of you who’ve been supporting the location and channel by Patreon, and the Espresso Fund. Whereas not a requirement, as my content material will at all times be free, I actually respect the assist.
As I discussed earlier than, the Patreon platform linked to Vimeo makes it doable 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 recordsdata.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
