On Saturday, Could 4, 2024, I drove to the Hickory, NC space to go to my father, who had lately been launched from the hospital and was beginning rehab at a talented nursing facility. I had a busy afternoon deliberate again dwelling within the mountains, however I couldn’t resist squeezing in a fast POTA activation!
A lot of you already know this can be a recurring theme for me – it’s uncommon that I’ve numerous time for activations. I’d be doing far fewer if I couldn’t handle 45-60 minute home windows to arrange, function, and pack up.
The ability the place my father is staying is just about 20-25 minutes from Tuttle Academic State Forest, so I needed to cease by.
It was wet that Saturday, so I used to be already fascinated with Tuttle’s glorious picnic shelter. I had my Elecraft KX2 and AX1 antenna packed, and whereas working below a steel roof with a compromised antenna isn’t excellent, I’ve had shocking success prior to now, together with certainly one of my first Transatlantic Park-to-Park contacts (click on right here to learn that discipline report).
I arrived at Tuttle and located that there was nobody within the car parking zone. Not shocking contemplating the climate.
I grabbed my gear and headed to the shelter, solely to find that the lights have been on and it was reserved from midday to five:30 PM. Dang!
Though it was nonetheless drizzling, I wasn’t too involved. Tuttle has loads of timber, so I figured I may discover a spot below a superb cover to guard my gear. I went again to the automobile for my rain jacket and my new folding foam seat.
I had been planning to purchase the Nemo Chipper Foam Seat from REI, however a few days after including it to my cart, one arrived within the mail!
It was a present from Al (N4EII), who talked about he loves his and makes use of it for SOTA and POTA as a result of it’s so light-weight and transportable. I feel it was this very wet activation that prompted him to ship me the Nemo seat!
Thanks, Al, for studying my thoughts! So very sort of you!
I discovered a picnic desk below a heavy cover and arrange my Elecraft KX2 and AX1 antenna–certainly one of my favourite radio/antenna combos.
That mentioned, I used to be undoubtedly taking a little bit of of venture. Band situations (a recurring theme right here recently) have been fairly tough and utilizing a compromised antenna can be dangerous in contrast with, say, a a lot higher-gain 40 meter end-fed half-wave. However the AX1 is so fast to deploy, which is vital when time is proscribed.
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It being noon, I made a decision that 20 meters would probably be the most effective band selection.
I began calling CQ POTA and was a bit stunned that my first contact was Michael (N7CCD) in Washington State.
Michael is in my logs loads–regardless that he runs QRP from dwelling more often than not, he has a really efficient hex beam that casts a sign into NC with ease. With the bands in such tough form I didn’t anticipate to work him that day.
Then once more, most of the photo voltaic numbers have been wholesome, it’s simply that the ionosphere has been fairly unstable. This often leads to deep QSB (fading) thus contacts could also be sturdy one minute, then utterly gone the following. That is how I felt situations have been at Tuttle that day.
I continued logging stations at a really respectable fee. I did observe numerous exercise from 5 land (Texas and Mississippi). It’s humorous how typically a path will open like this. Certainly, Texas has had a most welcome opening into North Carolina loads recently.
In the long run, I labored a complete of 11 stations–yet one more than the required ten for a sound POTA activation.
I did all this in simply 16 minutes on air. That’s really a formidable fee contemplating propagation was so flaky.
Little question, I may have labored extra stations if I had the time.
Right here’s what this five-watt activation appeared like when plotted out on a QSO Map (it’s nonetheless exhausting for me to consider this may be completed with such a small antenna!):
Right here’s my real-time, real-life video of all the activation. As with all of my movies, I don’t edit out any elements of the on-air activation time. As well as, I’ve monetization turned off on YouTube, though that doesn’t cease them from inserting adverts earlier than and after my movies.
Observe that Patreon supporters can watch and even obtain this video 100% ad-free by way of Vimeo on my Patreon web page:
Click on right here to view on YouTube.
Wet climate doesn’t cease me from activating if I’ve my thoughts set on it.
That mentioned, when it’s raining, I do search out parks with shelters. It makes the entire set-up course of simpler and faster.
Ideally, you need your antenna out within the open, however I’ve even used quarter wave verticals in shelters with out subject (I’m considering of this Lake Norman activation particularly).
In fact, I additionally preserve a small rainfly in my automobile for makeshift shelter if wanted. With a rainfly, tenting chair, and kneeboard, I can activate within the wettest of climate. In actual fact, a rainfly saved this fast Area Day activation final yr.
And naturally, when raining, you may all the time activate from inside your car! Which may be the best choice of all for a few of us.
Once more, Al, thanks once more for the Nemo seat – it’s improbable!
Thanks for becoming a member of me throughout this activation!
I hope you loved the sector report and my activation video as a lot as I loved creating them.
In fact, I’d additionally wish to ship a particular due to these of you who’ve been supporting the location and channel by way of Patreon, and the Espresso Fund. Whereas not a requirement, as my content material will all the time be free, I actually respect the help.
As I discussed earlier than, the Patreon platform related 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! And as we speak being Memorial Day, my ideas are with households who’ve misplaced family members in service to their nation.
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
