Many due to Anthony (M7TAW) who shares the next visitor put up:
Anthony (M7TAW)
Introduction
Let me begin with the confession that I’m an newbie radio operator born out of the Covid lockdown. With the swap to distant examinations by the RSGB in 2020, and lots of free time on my palms, I assumed why not get myself on the air! Nonetheless, it wasn’t till this yr, and a pleasant birthday reward from the fiancée, that I lastly managed to succeed in into the HF bands with a (tr)uSDX.
This 5W QRP multiband and multi(ish) mode transceiver was going to be my first severe foray into what I deemed “correct radio”. So, I endeavoured to try to be taught and maximise each little bit of utilization I might out of it. Like many newcomers to radio, I began with getting an EFHW strung out my window and bought onto digital modes with FT8 on 20m simply to verify that I might actually be heard. I additionally managed to SSB over to Italy at one level, although the in-built microphone gave me a 337 RST. At this level although, I used to be buzzing to be heard!
That’s USB lined, however what is that this CW mode I can choose?
As a graduate in historical past, there’s one thing about “outdated timey” expertise and strategies that intrigue me. Don’t get me flawed, I’m a technophile at coronary heart (you type of must be a knowledge scientist), however there’s one thing about post-industrial mechanical and electrical developments that amazes me nonetheless!
After all, morse code was going to be subsequent on the record of issues to discover then it appeared!
I ordered an inexpensive however respectable key from our favorite Chinese language market, and began cramming LCWO, Morse Mania, and Morsle as a lot as I might, and getting that muscle reminiscence rhythm with working towards sending the alphabet and my title. Fortunately, the (tr)uSDX has a apply mode and an honest decoder in-built so I can simply energy the radio from a USB connection and apply away!
Naturally, the YouTube algorithm determined that if you happen to’re studying about CW, you may also have an interest on this POTA factor. A number of K4SWL movies, a touch of K2EJT, and a splash of newcomer-encouraging KI7QCF, I used to be hooked. I might mix what I’d began studying, with gear within the discipline, and likewise a slight aggressive (I’m eyeing that high spot) and award-based exercise.
I began obsessively watching POTA spots on Gridtracker to verify I might hunt FT8 contacts, and likewise stored my eye on the spots for any CW contacts that I assumed I’d have the ability to hear. Lastly I did it; about 25 days after I significantly began studying CW, and with a little bit of a crutch with the morse decoder on the radio, I lastly made a POTA hunter CW QSO – DC5LY (pota.app) thanks very a lot.
As enjoyable as looking is, I needed to observe the YouTubers I’d been watching and truly get on the market for an activation. Nonetheless, really getting on the market – shudders – in public and getting my antenna up appeared a frightening process. Add in the truth that I used to be decided to not depend on digital solely to get an activation, but additionally CW.
I began to plan…
Firstly, I regarded for websites that had respectable parking, however had been additionally in all probability sufficiently big that I might tuck away uninterrupted (one thing to take the nerves away). Fortunately for me, about 20 minutes up the highway is a big beautiful Nationwide Belief space often called The Satan’s Punch Bowl – the legend has it that the Satan scooped up a handful of earth and hurled it at Thor, God of Thunder, the melancholy that remained is the Satan’s Punch Bowl. Additionally, unluckily for me, I needed to take a time without work work to go to the dentist, so why not mitigate that by making an attempt out my first activation!
Wealden Heaths SPA – Satan’s Punch Bowl Web site of Vital Scientific Curiosity (GB-0243)
Gear
When planning for this little journey, I assumed to myself that I’d possible panic if I needed to mix placing up a mast for an EFHW or making an attempt to throw a wire within the tree for the primary time. Coupled with the truth that the (tr)uSDX doesn’t include an ATU, I assumed why not spend money on a fast and straightforward vertical. After a little bit of analysis, and one other go to to our favorite Chinese language market, I opted for a JPC-12 vertical antenna together with an funding in a NanoVNA.
The (tr)uSDX comes with an inbuilt SWR meter however I wasn’t certain how dependable it was, and I’d have a tough time tuning with it. I grabbed some 18650 batteries and the stage was set! Helpfully, the JPC-12 antenna comes with a pleasant little carry case with supplementary area, and the compact dimension of the (tr)uSDX means I might simply throw all the pieces in there.
Full gear record and hyperlinks under:
Organising
I used to be up vibrant and early on a Friday morning, and headed over to the park barely nervous, but additionally excited!
As a nervy POTA first timer, my authentic plan was to possibly simply activate from the automotive park and conceal my antenna behind my automotive. Nonetheless, after I bought there, it grew to become very clear that there was nowhere to cover, and admittedly there weren’t many nice spots to plant a vertical within the floor.
I’d must suck it up, and enterprise deeper into the park! After grabbing my backpack, and trotting down a marked route, I selected to go left onto a observe that bikes weren’t allowed within the hope that it’d be quieter. Albeit the trail was fairly dense with overgrown bushes and vegetation. I used to be starting to assume I’d not have a clearing to even sit in, not to mention mount the antenna.
Nonetheless, a few minutes later I chanced up a bench and desk that was nestled barely into the bushes with a little bit of a clearing! It was just like the POTA gods had answered my requires an ideal location. I shortly plonked my backpack on the desk, claimed the spot, and began unpacking the gear. You possibly can see under how environment friendly I’d been in packing, and I used to be shocked myself how I might get this antenna and all of the gear I’d want neatly into my bag.
A couple of minutes later, the vertical was up, and I’d bought it tuned to 40m like I’d practiced at residence. Helpfully, the loading coil has marked factors which correspond to the bands, and all I needed to do was barely alter the size of the whip while keeping track of the NanoVNA. I bought it all the way down to 1:1.18 across the CW bands for 40m in Europe (7000-7040MHz) – couldn’t be happier!
Half 1 – A job half achieved
Now got here the thrilling half! Lastly getting on the air transportable for the primary time and POTA for the primary time! I assumed I’d settle my nerves by beginning with the acquainted FT8. I booted up FT8CN, and plugged the (tr)uSDX into the telephone. A number of firmware updates in the past, the (tr)uSDX bought audio over USB, and having the ability to plug it immediately into the telephone with a single cable and obtain and ship FT8 looks as if magic to me.
I navigated to pota.app and at last had the excuse to click on the “Add Spot” button. Then I hopped again over to FT8CN and hit CQ! I bought my pocket book prepared and waited. At this level I realised, “Damn, I’ve bought 20 minutes till I would like to depart for the dentist.” May I activate in that point?
I confirmed through PSK that I used to be getting on the market, after which after a few minutes the primary name got here in, ON6SAT in Belgium–phew, I’d managed one no less than! I furiously scribbled the small print and after getting RR73 I gave it a tick. 1 down 9 to go!
After a number of extra minutes I bought MM0RKN, PH9OY, and LB1RJ after a number of shaky makes an attempt – I used to be decided to play it proper and solely verify after the 73s had been acquired. Scotland, the Netherlands, and Norway within the bag.
Alas I hadn’t given myself sufficient time to get the complete 10, and I hadn’t even tried CW but, and I needed to depart for my appointment! All these snappy half an hour activations I’d seen on-line had given me a false confidence, and I used to be a bit of gutted I hadn’t bagged it on this go to. As I began to pack up, I felt dejected pondering that an activation was a one go to factor and I’d blown it. After a fast verify within the POTA discord, I fortunately realised that the principles are so long as it’s throughout the identical day you’ll be able to depart the park and are available again.
It’s then that I resolved to return again to the park after my appointment and end the job. Fortunately, this thought helped me get by way of the horror of the dentist’s drill.
Half 2 – Again with vengeance!
After a pleasing go to to the dentist, I’d began making my method again to the park. I’d hurriedly parked up and prayed that the bench I had earlier than was nonetheless free! I jumped out of the automotive and shortly marched to the spot, and fortunately no person had claimed it. A fast setup (significantly this JPC-12 goes up and tunes quick), and I used to be again and prepared. I began again the place I completed beforehand and booted up FT8CN.
This time they got here in sooner – it was barely later within the afternoon and clearly extra folks had been listening in! I began with a sign report from G0JOH however we didn’t end the QSO. Then DK5UR, adopted by a UEFA Euros Soccer occasion callsign DL2024EM that sadly didn’t full, DL7DJ subsequent, an tried however didn’t end PA3FHI, bagged an entire MD0RTZ (lastly bought the Isle of Man), not fairly made it with DL3SRH, made it with DL9PN. This was it, I used to be at 9 confirmed at this level. May I get the tenth? After a number of hits and misses ON1WFF got here by way of and gave me quantity 10! I’d lastly achieved it, my first POTA activation! I used to be about to unplug the telephone when LA3PNA got here in and tried however sadly we couldn’t attain 73s.
Time for CW.
This was the bit I’d been most excited for, however most nervous about: plugging in the important thing and calling CQ POTA for the primary time.
I grabbed my headphones, and tuned the radio all the way down to 7060 kHz – fully oblivious to the truth that I used to be exterior the band plan. I’d been US POTA spots for thus lengthy I simply thought I used to be in the appropriate place. I referred to as CQ and bought my HamAlert app exhibiting I used to be on the air, however clearly no person was calling again. I checked in with the OARC (On-line Newbie Radio Membership) discord to see if anybody might hear me, and so they shortly identified my mistake. I scrambled down the bands and began calling CQ once more. I assumed I heard somebody are available quick, then realised it was somebody spilling over from a close-by frequency, down and down I am going. I lastly dialed it into 7011 kHz and referred to as CQ once more.
At this level, it was half an hour from my final FT8 contact, and though RBN and the POTA spots had been telling me I used to be getting out, I assumed no person was listening! That was, till I heard a powerful sign coming by way of and responding to me!
I’d solely been studying CW for about 3-4 weeks, so I used to be shocked that regardless of this I used to be really making out the callsign! This was due partly to the opposite operator being helpfully gradual for me on my 15 wpm authentic name. The QSO thought course of went a bit of one thing like this from my finish.
“EI ?? was {that a} 4? I feel it was one other I. What’s that final one? Oh god. I’ll ship E I ? Please come again to me. Okay cool, it’s undoubtedly EI, oh wait that’s a 6, undoubtedly one other I…what’s the final one…yet one more time for me – EI6I? Ohhh it’s an F. Okay so EI6IF, let me ship that again with a query mark to verify. They’ve given me an RR again, I did it! Oh snap, what do I ship again now…ummm TU TU 5NN uhhh TU once more…umm BK that’s it. Okay there’s my sign report, what was that final bit, higher verify the decoder – oh GL good luck, that’s good, they will clearly inform I’m new at this. There’s 73 BK, umm okay do I ship BK again to begin? Let’s attempt it, then 5NN 5NN TU TU 73 EE. There’s an EE again, oh god I did it!”
That was my first shaky POTA CW QSO. Fortunately I had a affected person operator on the opposite finish, so thanks very a lot Denis EI6IF (pota.app).
A couple of minutes later I had one other station coming in, which I assumed was DD3, and I referred to as “DD?” and didn’t hear something again…I referred to as “D??” and fortunately they got here again and slowed it proper down “D…L…3…” was that one other D? Oh no wait that’s an L, that’s undoubtedly a J. Wow, I bought one which with solely 2 repeats. DL3LJ (pota.app) thanks very a lot! I even caught the 53N sign report, and gave them 5NN again (I don’t assume I’m good at differentiating between completely different RSTs except it’s 5NN or unreadable).
Then that was that, the cat wanted feeding, and I’d managed it. I’d conquered my purpose of a POTA activation, and never solely that I’d achieved it with some CW within the combine.
I rushed residence and plugged the log into the Ham2K logger app, and popped out an ADIF to add onto the pota.app web site. I couldn’t be extra excited to see the activation pop up on there, proof I’d achieved it. I’d reached a milestone!
The POTA bug has undoubtedly sunk its enamel into me.
73s
Anthony (M7TAW)
