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by Vince (VE6LK)
In August and September 2024 I used to be travelling round Southern Ontario for some household issues and naturally I introduced my radio equipment with me to squeeze in some radio remedy stops alongside the best way. That is the report of my cease at CA-5362 Fifty Level Conservation Space.
It’s my second to final day right here in Ontario and, as I wasn’t wanted for different issues, it was time to do a POTA rove and make the most effective of my final full day. I’m all the time looking out for a park that’s inside putting distance of wherever I’m that I’ve not activated earlier than and/or has not been activated earlier than in both SSB or CW. So I deliberate a path to get to 9 parks and managed to get to 7 and activate 5 earlier than different issues referred to as for my consideration. All had been deliberate to be drive-up activations given the world and time constraints I used to be working inside.
In my day job, I’m a Mission Supervisor in IT, thus my fashion is that I plan earlier than I arrive. You’ve already seen proof of this with my POTA and Guidelines instruments that I’ve spoken about earlier than. I often do an in-depth examine of a web site earlier than I depart, together with reviewing linked webpages from the pota.app web site, a satellite tv for pc view and avenue view of the doorway on maps.google.com, and if it’s out there, a 3D view of the world from maps.google.com. Let me know within the feedback in regards to the different methods you evaluation a park earlier than your arrival.
Nonetheless I used to be pleasantly shocked when I discovered picnic tables with a view of the water at multiple of them! Balancing the great with the not-so-good, there have been additionally some frustrations… I couldn’t find certainly one of my deliberate stops regardless of driving up and down the highway with two completely different GPSs blaring at me. My expertise has proven that the smaller the park, the tougher it’s to search out mapping, and this one from the Conservation Authority was no exception, and thus I deserted it and drove onwards. One other web site was proper beside the roadway and high-voltage traces, and I didn’t have time to do a walk-in and get away from the noise flooring. I all the time have a back-up web site in my record for conditions like this.
The Hamilton/Burlington/Niagara space may be very fairly and, with a late summer season occurring across the time of a harvest moon, I didn’t thoughts the additional driving. For these of you who’ve been to Hamvention at Xenia it will likely be considerably acquainted as the world is stuffed with gently rolling hills and plush inexperienced pastures. The humidity can be acquainted, ugh, and one of many most important causes I moved away from this space in 1997. However nothing beats the view of sailboats out on the water; I’ve all the time discovered serenity on this -even figuring out I get boatsick if I get on board!
Fifty Level is a sprawling 80 Hectare (198 acre) space situated on the southern shore of Lake Ontario at Winona. It has a top-tier restaurant, a number of seashores, pavilions and 330 slips for boaters, together with a tenting space. It actually is a multi-use space! You possibly can learn all about it right here (.pdf warning).
After finding the day use/seashore space, I discovered a desk overlooking the lake. Because it was a mid-week day, there have been loads to select from. The view was quiet with a couple of boaters having fun with the seashore within the small bay immediately in entrance of me.
I arrange my 40-30-20m trapped EFHW given the photo voltaic circumstances. I’m so very happy with the efficiency of this antenna and it has grow to be the one I attain for essentially the most when activating on this journey. It’s about half the size of a traditional 40m wire and is resonant on 3 bands. It has me musing about including 17m and 15m to it… maybe N7KOM will supply such a equipment?
After I constructed this antenna, I tuned it in order that finest resonance was in the course of the CW portion of every band, and with the feedpoint situated just some toes off the bottom after which sloped upwards on the endpoint. That’s how I deployed it this time round. As you see within the prior picture, my newly acquired Fishing Butler bungee strap held all the factor firmly in place with none motion as soon as I arrange the mast. You may get them at Fishing World in Hamilton as they ship round North America. They inventory a number of sizes so a cellphone name could also be wanted as their on-line retailer reveals just one measurement. Ask for the various pack.
As a result of I by no means was a Boy Scout and in a position to know the place north is predicated on the place of the solar and time of day or what number of chirps the cricket is giving <grin>, I consulted the compass on my smartphone. I unfurled my antenna and clipped it to the cease of the mast, walked the mast out to the size of the antenna and anchored it into the bottom beside some Sumac bushes. With sufficient repetition, I’ve gotten fairly good at estimating the place the far finish of my antenna will probably be. It is available in useful for car parking zone activation and working out of the trunk or your automobile with a mast supporting the far finish.
For these activations, and once I can, I’ve been orienting my antenna east and west in order that it radiates broadside north and south in order that I can seize essentially the most variety of hunters in North America. It is a distinction to how I usually function from Alberta when my antenna is oriented to be broadside from southeast to northwest.
The activation itself was nice and I used to be shocked with visits from QRPer.com remark regulars KQ4CW and K5KHK – and I respect listening to from them typically! 45 minutes after arriving I used to be packed up and on the highway to my subsequent cease.
Checklist of substances used for these activations:
Notice: All Amazon hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks that help QRPer.com for gratis to you.
Abstract
We do POTA (and different packages) for numerous causes. On this journey, it’s a break from life’s stresses. As I replicate upon my visits with numerous individuals, I notice that I’m fairly blessed to know so many pleasant hams irrespective of the place I’m travelling.
72 and dit dit,
…Vince
First launched to the magic of radio by a member of the family in 1969, Vince has been lively within the interest since 2002. He’s an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on nearly all the modes, and is frequently engaged on making his CW proficiency suck much less. He participates in public service occasions round Western Canada and is lively on the air whereas glamping, cell, at house or doing a POTA activation. You possibly can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, comply with him on Twitter @VE6LK, take a look at his YouTube channel, and view the tasks and articles on his web site.
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