Many because of Karl (K5KHK), who shares the next visitor put up, which initially appeared on his ham radio weblog:
by Karl (K5KHK)
For manner too lengthy, I’ve had the “Working from 200 completely different items” awards dangling in entrance of my face: I used to be at 197 distinctive parks activated. Solely three extra! Sunday 11/3/24 was an exquisite day with nothing else to do, so I used to be planning to hit the street. I wanted three parks that I had not but activated and I needed them to be comparatively shut to one another.
Some time in the past, a created software program that takes my activation stats from the POTA website and marks entities in New York with completely different colours and symbols based mostly on there sort and if I had them activated or now. I seemed on the map and located the three closest entities that may not require “particular tools” like a ship.
The primary one on the checklist was Honeye Creek Wildlife Administration Space – US-9032 – adopted by Honeye Inlet Wildlife Administration Space – US-8642. These two are shut to one another. My third deliberate park was about an hour away from the second cease: Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Administration Space – US-8626.
I received on the street a little bit later than deliberate – this was the day after altering the clocks again to straightforward time and I needed to have loads of daylight left.
On the first cease, the whole lot went easily. I put up my 31ft Jackite mast with the 30.5ft random wire going to a 9:1 LDG Unun and a 1:1 LDG choke. The coax then goes to a LDG AT-200Pro II tuner and my Yaesu FT-857D dialed all the way down to 5W. That is my customary configuration when I’m working from the automotive.
This was my first outing with a brand new key: The Putikeeg Mini straight key.
I began by on the lookout for energetic spots on 40m and located one, a minute later, I had KD3D within the log. I seemed for a free frequency, noticed myself and completed with 13 contacts in my log about half an hour later.
After a ten minute drive, I arrange at my second location. The little wrinkle in my plan right here was that I had no cell protection to identify myself. My final spot from the sooner park was lower than half-hour in the past, so if I might have referred to as CQ with out a new spot, I might have been re-spotted at my earlier park. Not what I needed.
There are after all methods to get noticed with out cell service. APRS over HF is an possibility, SOTAMate by way of FT8 will work as properly, however I needed to strive one thing new…
The not too long ago launched iOS model 18 got here with a brand new function: Apple has supported making emergency calls by way of low earth orbit (LEO) communication satellites because the iPhone 14, however till not too long ago, this was reserved for contacting emergency providers. With iOS 18, this function was prolonged to textual content messages – each SMS and iMessages.
When no cell protection is out there, the highest of the telephone’s display screen reveals “SOS” and an image of a satellite tv for pc:
So how does one spot by way of this satellite tv for pc connection?
The APSPOT service (https://apspot.radio) received its title from recognizing by way of APRS, however has since added Winlink and SMS recognizing.
In preparation for a state of affairs like this, I had tried a check spot by way of APSPOT and SMS a number of weeks earlier than, simply to ensure it labored, and the final time I used to be with out cell service, I attempted sending a message by way of the iPhone’s satellite tv for pc function. This function solely turns into obtainable when there isn’t a cell service.
As we speak, I used to be able to put these two issues collectively and spot myself.
Sending a textual content by way of the satellite tv for pc shouldn’t be as straight ahead as by way of a cell tower: The telephone “is aware of” the place the satellites are and instructs the person to level the telephone the correct manner.
I queued up my textual content, waited till communications with the satellite tv for pc had been established after which despatched the textual content.
To identify an activation with a textual content message, the format required is that this:
“!
In my case, I used the next string:
!K5KHK POTA US-8624 7.0445 CW
This resulted within the downswing reply after some time (preserve that telephone pointed on the satellite tv for pc because it strikes throughout the sky):
SUCCESSFULLY SPOTTED FOR US-8624 TO pota.app
And positive sufficient, my CQ calls received answered.
This new function is free to make use of for now. Apple simply invested $1.1 billion into Globalstar’s satellite tv for pc community (https://www.streetinsider.com/dr/information.php?id=23913530), that’s most likely a reasonably good indication that they’re planning to ultimately make a buck or two from this service.
Utilizing the iPhone to observe a satellite tv for pc is fairly straightforward, the telephone will immediate which method to flip, and the picture on the high of the display screen reveals how properly the telephone is pointed in the direction of the satellite tv for pc.
Retrieving Spots
APSPOT doesn’t simply permit an activator to identify, but additionally supplies a method to get spots:
Spots POTA cw 5
This command will return 5 CW POTA spots in 5 separate texts:
So, again to my activation: I completed my second activation of the day with 13 QSOs, 5 on 40m and eight on 30m. And after a brief journey to my third park, I lastly ended up with activations in 200 distinctive POTA entities.
Don’t overlook, this function can be utilized in different conditions as properly. You could wish to apply it in order that should you ever have to make use of it (both to identify your self, or in an emergency), you know the way it really works.
