Tripp Owens N4NTO and I have been friends over 40 years. He helped me increase my code speed to 13 wpm to where I could get my General ticket back in the day. Last year I helped him get started in POTA the QSL card is from a simplex contact in 1987 several years after I got my general. This is a case of the student exceeding the teacher in activations and QSOs. Link to our first activation https://n4mqu.com/k-6956-1/
My first solo 2 fer activation NC K-6931 and K-8226
It’s funny how the heat didn’t bother me after I got busy making contacts on 20. After the Sandhills Amateur Radio club meeting. We had a wonderful breakfast meeting at the Parkton Grill. Highly recommended if you are in the area. I decided to activate my first solo two for activation K-6931 and K-8226. I used my MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna. I started on 40 made 8 contacts that means 16 contacts for a 2 fer. I tried 10 then I went to 20 and had much better results. I made a total of 28 contacts. I appreciate the hunters and p2p.
K-6947 #24
That was tough this yesterday morning ended up on 17 and 40 MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna. I guess heat affects me since I got the park incorrect when I spotted. NC K-6947. Thanks to the hunters and p2p.
My original thought was to use my 17 meter MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna I received for a birthday gift. I tried answering a couple of CQs and called on SSB but no joy today. I then used my MFJ-1984MP ENDFED 1/2 Wave 40-10M modified it was tough putting that up I guess I was affected by the heat. I was able to make 2 CW and 14 SSB contacts. I read something about activators activating a park every day. I applaud all that do. I try to do something in POTA every day but I may miss that. Thanks for the hunters and p2p. And I had to buy a newspaper for the article about working the 4 h campers from K-6947 Wednesday.
K-6947 NC Sandhills State Game Land #23
* MFJ-1984HP, ENDFED 1/2 Wave 40-10M
* IC-706MKG HF/VHF/UHF All Mode Transceiver
* MFJ Model MFJ-969 Deluxe Versa Tuner II antenna tuner
* Bioenno Power 12V 20Ah 240 Watt-hours Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
* Bioenno Power 28 Watt Foldable Solar Panel
* Bioenno Power 12V/24V 30A Solar Charge Control
Operators N4MQU and KE8WDY 37 contacts
It was a good day yesterday but hot. It was OJ’s second activation. My 23rd for the park. OJ made the hot sun more comfortable by bringing her canopy. We really enjoyed the contact with 6 youths from the 4H camp in Pennsylvania from K3PMC and KC3EVL. I noticed some youth are shy about getting on but others are a little more engaged. Thanks for the hunters and p2p.
K-3891 SC Campbells Crossroads and Angelus Tracts Wildlife Management Area
As I know my shortcomings it is easy for me to get instructions wrong and get lost. This was no exception but I did find the park. The instructions say Turn left onto SC109 and proceed 0.4 miles but it left you with choices left or right without signs I chose left but I turned around checked google earth and found the facility and a church I could use as a land mark. I made 36 contacts using the MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna. I do not want to get in the habit of using just this set up but with the grey clouds and rain in the forecast I chose this today. I know I get better signals with the Endfed. Thanks for all the contacts and p2p.
I picked out five new parks to activate while I was staying at my friends house in Virginia
Yesterday I did accomplish activating 3 of them.
K-4987 Lake Curtis State Fishing Lake 36 contacts
K-3975 C.F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area 10 contacts
K-0717 Fredericksburg and Spotslvania National Military Park 12 contacts
I used MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna mounted on the car. It was challenge for me since I was totally unfamiliar with the area but technology was helpful but the third park the name on the sign was different from the POTA name but I was able to verify the correct park by a sign at the park. I failed to take a photo of the sign displayed at the parking area. The cool temperatures made working from the car more tolerable.
I was trying for 5 but finding K-4983 Lake Orange got to be a challenge and decided to head home after not finding the park.
I appreciate all the hunters and p2p and the multiple park and band hunters. W4JE, N4AWP, and N4UHH. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out
The following parks will have to wait.
K-4983 Lake Orange Fishing Lake
K-7640 Oakley Forest Wildlife Management Area
SC K-9224 Lake #3. Wallace Wildlife Management Area.
Nice day for an activation but I had to operate from the car. Since there are no tall trees to use I chose MFJ Short HF Mobile Ham-tenna mounted on the car my friend retired engineer n4awp came up with this mount to use with the ham-tenna.
Contacts for today
40 m 3 CW
15 3 phone
20 43 phone
5 P2P
Thanks to all the hunters and p2p
NC K-3871 White Pines State Nature Preserve
Another fun and productive activation. This was a new park for me. I had to run up north and decided to activate a park outside my home area.
20m 13 4 p2pgy
40m 31 phone 1 cw 2 p2p on cw and phone N4NTO 1 DX Canada VE3TH
15 2 phone 2 DX Poland SO5CAL
No solar power today I was in the shade of the woods.
