Many due to Bob (K4RLC) & Alanna (K4AAC) for the next subject report:
By Bob K4RLC & Alanna K4AAC
In August 2024, K4AAC, my YL Alanna and I took a visit to magical Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was Alanna’s suggestion to have fun my 74th birthday in July. She knew my “Bucket Record” had a aim to go to and hopefully activate the 2 Marconi websites east of Sydney, the Parks Canada Marconi Memorial Website and the unique 1905 Marconi Home Nationwide Historic Website, each POTA websites. Thomas K4SWL kindly printed the write up of this journey just a few weeks in the past.
After initially activating the Marconi Park station at Glace Bay, we determined to drive the gorgeous 300 kilometer Cabot Path, which circles Cape Breton Island and parallels the rugged Beach on each the East and West sides, permitting you to have the steep mountains in your left and the Beach in your proper – for those who make the choice to drive the path counter-clockwise.
As this was a final minute journey and we had problems with Air Canada delaying our journey by a day, we determined to observe the foremost factors of a clock, and go to websites on the 3:00, 12:00, 9:00, and 6:00 PM positions. The most important downside is that there are such a lot of fantastic websites, it’s exhausting to resolve the place to go to.
The primary day after we left Sydney (see Marconi write-up), we drove to Ingonish Seashore Campground on the East, a straightforward drive from Sydney. You are taking the the Trans Canada Freeway to choose up the northward Cabot Path in South Haven. The Ingonish space has many locations to go to. Alanna had achieved a lot Web analysis and actually wished to go to Ingonish Seashore on the campground. This can be a very nice white sandy seaside, bordered by easy, rounded glaciated stones and views to the south of Cape Smokey Provincial Park.
As somebody who lives half time in North Myrtle Seashore SC, I used to be pleasantly stunned to see a lifeguard however much more stunned to see plenty of folks having fun with the very chilly waters of the north Atlantic, with water temperature virtually 20 levels cooler than SC. It’s not even that chilly once we do the Polar Bear Plunge on New 12 months’s at North Myrtle!
Lower than a mile north of the seaside, you enter the Cape Breton Highlands Nationwide Park, an virtually 1000 sq KM park that spans from the east aspect to the west aspect of the island and has a few of the most nice mountain climbing and tenting potential, together with 27 completely different mountain climbing trails.
We determined to hike the Center Head Path beginning close to the historic Keltic Inn. The path is on a mile plus lengthy slender finger of land that juts into Ingonish Bay, separating its North and South elements. Center Head is a rocky, up and down path, similar to elements of the Appalachian Path again residence in North Carolina. (Whereas the Scots settled in Cape Breton, many additionally settled in Western North Carolina, as each areas reminded them of their Scottish Highlands residence).
The path led to a excessive rock outcropping. We frolicked there having fun with the gorgeous ocean view and seeing one lone seal, however it is rather fashionable so we went off to the aspect and arrange the radio on a flat-top boulder. The radio was once more Rhett KB4HG’s KX2 (as mine was within the store), with the modified MP1 base loaded coil Vertical on a digicam tripod. Sadly, our timing was unhealthy as there was one other main photo voltaic flare. We solely had just a few contacts on 20 CW. Nonetheless, the gorgeous view and hike was nicely price it. We spent the evening at a rustic inn there, overlooking the Bay, and having fun with recent native lobster tacos.
The following morning, we resumed driving north towards Bay St. Lawrence with just a few potential activation websites in thoughts. The primary was within the very small fishing village of Neils’ Harbor, the place the 1899 Lighthouse is each a POTA web site (Neil’s Harbour Lighthouse Nationwide Heritage Website) and a Canadian Heritage Lighthouse. There’s a small fenced in space across the Lighthouse, protecting you from falling over the cliff to the ocean under, and two picnic tables.
Whereas picturesque, this space had the worst electrical noise I’ve ever heard, starting from S 6-8. Consequently, I solely made two 20CW contacts with Ontario, utilizing the inventory KH1. Some might take into account this as “failed” activation however, to me, it’s successful to function in a wonderful, historic web site by the ocean. On the constructive, contained in the Lighthouse is an ice cream store, promoting native flavors, however Money solely.
Driving 10 KM north off the Path, we stopped at one other POTA web site (CA-0454), Cabot’s Touchdown Provincial Park, on the shore of Aspy Bay. The park has a white sandy seaside shoreline, and a monument to John Cabot, who allegedly landed there in 1497. The situation additionally marks the 1856 western terminus of the proposed Transatlantic Telegraph cable from Cape Breton to Newfoundland. It was one other Kodachrome day by the ocean, with a scenic vista of the steep face of the Pollets Cove-Aspy Fault Wilderness Space to the north of the shoreline.
Having gotten there earlier than lunch, I used to be actually blissful to see few beach-goers and several other excessive posts round the place I hoped to erect an EFHW for 20 meters. Sadly, simply as we started organising, the park turned stuffed with sunbathers, after all strolling via the deliberate antenna space. Fortunately, the trusty KX2 and Modified MP1 on the digicam tripod by the picnic desk did wonderful. Propagation was respectable for a change, and I quickly was working a pile-up of different Canadian stations and into the US on 20 CW. However probably the most superb side was that there was completely no electrical noise to intervene with this activation. It was an exquisite expertise to function in a extremely quiet and picturesque space, to date off {the electrical} grid.
Earlier than we left Raleigh, I had corresponded with Paul VE1PVH, the SOTA supervisor for Nova Scotia. There have been two SOTA peaks within the far north of Cape Breton Island that I used to be concerned with, however neither had been activated in virtually 9 years. Paul shortly wrote again very pleasant that he had activated each peaks a few years in the past. Based on Paul, Cape North VE1/CB-003 had turn into massively overgrown and untended, such that it was a a number of kilometer tough bushwhack to get there.
He said that even in his Jeep, the final time he tried he was unable to make a 2 km drive to the trailhead. VE1/CB-005 Wilkie Sugarloaf was the opposite island SOTA web site, however Paul said that it was on personal land and never nicely tended however possibly doable. The issue is that there’s not a marked entrance and one has to discover a painted rock on the roadside however there’s no parking.
Whereas we have been activating at Cabot’s touchdown, a curious native who occurred to be an electrician got here up and we started discussing the radio and Sugar Loaf. He knew the place the painted rock entrance is perhaps, however said that because it was late within the afternoon and a protracted climb, we might be caught in darkness and may delay going till the following day. Sadly, we had reservations within the far north, so we have been unable to do Sugarloaf – possibly subsequent journey.
We drove just a few extra kilometers north on Bay St. Lawrence Highway to remain the evening at Burton’s Sundown Oasis Motel. It actually is an oasis, on a hill overlooking a wonderful harbor, with nice sunsets. There was a mournful cow sound coming from the Bay; it took a very long time earlier than we have been informed these have been auditory buoys and the sound warns fishermen away within the heavy fog.
From Burton’s, we determined to go to the furthest level north on Cape Breton Island, taking a paved highway which turns into a few 12 km grime highway to slightly village and tenting space known as Meat Cove. The identify had its origin from being a hunter’s space the place they dressed their animals. On the finish of the highway is a primitive campground with out hook-ups, proper on the precipice overlooking the St. Lawrence Bay. The meals hut there may be known as “Lawless Lobster,” and so they solely take money as a result of the proprietor doesn’t need the federal government to know the place he’s :-).
Because the northeast and northern elements of the island have been settled by Scots, a powerful Gaelic affect stays – as evidences by the highway indicators all in each English and Gaelic. A few of the locals nonetheless communicate this stunning mystifying Scottish dialect. No radio this time, simply loved superb nature and nice lobster.
The following day, we started our journey going south alongside the western shoreline of the Cabot Path. We determined to not keep in Cheticamp, the extra French influenced a part of the island within the 9 o’clock place, however did cease there for lunch with a coastal view and a menu studying: “Poutine Heaven.” I splurged on their copious BBQ Poutine platter earlier than we set out for a lighthouse on Cheticamp Island, off the West Coast of Cape Breton – Enragée Level Heritage Lighthouse that can be a POTA Website CA-5808.
Cheticamp Island is a protracted rectangular island with the lighthouse on the far northwest nook, a pleasing drive on a dust highway to get to the gorgeous lighthouse for activation. As we have been quick on time, I took out the KH1 to offer it a strive, standing within the subject subsequent to the SUV. The propagation gods have been with us and on the primary strive calling CQ on 20 CW with no recognizing, I received my good friend Wealthy N4EX again in Raleigh.
I had a pleasing pile up with the KH1 utilizing the hooked up whip and inventory key. I additionally made a distance document of working a station virtually 4000 miles away in Palo Alto California working 3 watts on 20CW!
The KH1 did nice for this impromptu activation.
We then took the Cabot Path additional south and inland towards Baddeck, a beautiful village that additionally has the Alexander Graham Bell Nationwide Historic Website , additionally a POTA web site CA-4826. We spent the evening in a quaint lodge that offered every room with a deck and two Adirondack chairs overlooking the shoreline. We arrived early the following morning to tour and activate the Bell Nationwide Historic web site. It’s a very intensive Museum detailing the historical past of Alexander Graham Bell, and displaying his innumerable innovations and technological advances, together with the “voice telegraph.”
Bell was very concerned with speech and language and dealing with the hearing-impaired, as each his father and later his spouse have been deaf. Born in Edinburgh, the household moved to London the place they skilled tragedy with lack of his brother and two sons because of the cesspool London had turn into then. Bell determined to relocate to Canada for well being causes and located Cape Breton Island to be very similar to his beloved Scotland.
Bell did try and contact Marconi for collaboration. Though Baddeck and Glace Bay are solely 100 KM aside, Marconi replied that they wanted to delay assembly as he was busy working with the British Boer Struggle effort. Bell was a prolific inventor who even found out find out how to transmit voice over beams of sunshine, predicting the mobile phone.
I used to be very blissful to have a look at the evolution of his telephones exhibit and see certainly one of his best innovations known as “the Liquid Phone.”After I was a child in Winston-Salem North Carolina, my dad was a supervisor on the native Southern Bell Phone & Telegraph Firm and supported my curiosity in radio and electronics. Dad purchased me a equipment of Bell’s authentic Liquid Phone, which I used to be capable of construct and have conversations with a good friend over, very similar to Bell and Watson.
I left Alanna within the museum present store and was capable of arrange the radio on one of many two picnic tables within the shade. Once more, there was no room for a wire antenna so I arrange the KX2 to a modified MP1. Circumstances have been okay, not great-not unhealthy, however I once more was capable of work stations all through Ontario and Québec and down into the mid Atlantic and North Carolina. At one level, one of many Park Rangers, a really nice younger lady, came visiting and requested what I used to be doing. I defined the radio and she or he mentioned she thought Bell would approve of it. She turned very excited when she realized I may transmit, not simply obtain.
I wanted a pen to jot down a name signal and she or he pulled out a pen from the museum and mentioned “right here’s a memento for you.”
It was one other magical day being on a hill wanting down towards the large Brass d’Or lake which separates Baddeck from the opposite elements of Nova Scotia. Alanna had enjoyable within the present store shopping for T-shirts and fridge magnets for household and buddies, and later joined me on the picnic desk on the hill.
Later that afternoon, I made a decision to likelihood the advice of Mike from the Marconi NHS Station, and drive again out to Marconi Towers Highway and attempt to be the primary to activate the unique Marconi Home, a Nationwide Historic Website of Parks Canada and a POTA web site.
That’s once I had the good luck to satisfy Barry, the grandson of the person who purchased the home from Marconi, who graciously invited us onto his property and into the home. That’s all defined in my Marconi article Thomas printed.
My method to radio gear is to be a minimalist. This comes from being a wilderness backpacker within the 1970’s, lengthy earlier than there have been affordable moveable radios (eg, not Navy). The method is to hold the least weight and maximize what you’ve gotten.
My Go-To radio is the Elecraft KX2, an exquisite piece of engineering. I even have the Elecraft KH1 but it surely doesn’t do as nicely with the bizarrely unhealthy atmospheric situations we’ve had. As a backpacker desirous to have a small “footprint,” I exploit the MP1 “Tremendous Antenna” modified on a light-weight digicam tripod and 4 home made 13ft counterpoises. The MP1 is nice for me, as I like to hang around on the sting – uncovered rock faces with a a number of hundred foot drop. For this journey, I carried an EFHW, however was not capable of deploy, as a consequence of being in crowded parks or on the steep rock cliffs at Center Head Path. Logging was pencil and paper utilizing a free pocket book and pen from an expert convention years in the past.
In hindsight, we actually ought to have taken two weeks or extra to discover stunning Cape Breton Island. Of the 27 mountain climbing trails in Cape Breton Highlands NP, we solely had time to do just a few. There are extra POTA websites on the island than you possibly can think about, and we have been solely capable of do just a few of these. Nonetheless the surroundings and meals was nice; the locals have been gracious and welcoming; and we made fantastic buddies at each Marconi websites.
We completely look ahead to going again for an extended go to.
73 de K4RLC & K4AAC
Tools Record
Observe: All Amazon hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks that help QRPer.com for gratis to you.
