SKCC 5123T----- FISTS 14979----- Flying Pigs 2331----- NAQCC 3610-----QRP ARCI 14176-----Polar Bear 257

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Why RaDAR?

You will have more options in RaDAR for the upcoming Nov 6th RaDAR Challenge according to the new draft rules. Note there are new categories and online logging and evaluation. Eddie ZS6BNE is in the process of finalizing the rules and his online web pages. So please standby for updates. Below is a slide show entitled Why RaDAR? It includes some of the new RaDAR ideas coming.


Thursday, October 14, 2021

More Camping, POTA and SOTA

Linda, Suzy, and I made a camping trip from late September into October; FDR State Park, GA, Unicoi State Park, GA, and Cheaha State Park, AL. On our way to FDR State Park from Dothan, AL we had our first blowout on a trailer tire. This was disappointing since I replaced all the tires with Goodyears recently. The good news was we were safely back on the road in a couple of hours. 

Dowdell's Knob SOTA Summit

At FDR state park, I did a POTA activation with seventy-seven contacts. I also did a SOTA activation from nearby Dowdell's Knob WG4/CE-004. It is an easy drive-up summit. I had good success with the Icom IC-705 and the Alexloop. I was running five watts because I set five watts as the max and forgot how to raise it to ten watts. Even at five watts, I got contacts on 40, 30, 20, 17, and 15 meters for a total of twenty-one. I also used the IC 705 for a two-meter simplex contact on 146.520 MHz.

The activation stats for our stops while camping

Always a joy when my buddies chase me.

Unicoi State Park in North Georgia was a change of scene. Unfortunately, it rained for most of our stay. I got in a POTA activation. Also, the Peanut Power Sprint, a two-hour QRP event, was on October 3rd. I was Nut 113 and I worked twenty-one other QRP Nuts mostly on 40 meters. I had to bring the rig into the trailer to escape from the rain. When camping, I look for other parks in the area I can do POTA from. I found Smithgall State Park. I went during a brief break in the rain. To speed my setup I went with the Alexloop again. I was pleased to get seventeen contacts and four on 40 meters SSB. 

A view along the trails in Unicoi State Park, Suzy enjoyed the trails.

Our last camping stop was at Cheaha State Park. I had no internet to spot myself on the POTA Site. I did hunt & pounce taking advantage of the SKCC WES and several QSO Parties for a total of nineteen contacts. I ran ten watts and the Alexloop yet again. Due to a calendar miscalculation, we had to leave the park a day early. So I missed doing the SOTA summit right there in the Cheaha State Park. Oh well, a reason to go back.

Sunset at Cheaha Mountain, the highest mountain in Alabama.

So the next event for me is RaDAR on November 6th. Eddie ZS6BNE has come up with New RaDAR Rules. I will likely go with the IC 705 and the Alexloop mag for a manageable pack up, quick setup, and rapid band changes. 

Suzy stays dry at the Smithgall State Park POTA activation.