Everytime I travel to do a Parks on the Air activation is special but on April 22nd, "Earth Day 2025" I reached a noteworthy occasion at Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve US-7956 in Louisville, KY. USA. The occasion; activation Number 300. I never imagined that on an early Sunday morning on August 8, 2021, I would achieve this milestone and the path that Parks on the Air would provide that has lead me to enjoy so many meaningful and wonderful experiences
Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve 8/8/2021
I discovered POTA during the height of the COVID pandemic and was recovering from surgery and treatment for liver failure. LIttle did I know at the time of two more bladder cancer surgeries, treatments and the horrendous side effects that face me over the next three years. Undeterred since I've survived a previous bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer surgery and treatment, Parks on the Air was the best medicine and treatment during this time. I am so LUCKY to have a Parks on the Air Site less than three miles from my QTH. How could I not take advantage of an opportunity to discover something new which turn out to more exciting than I could imagine.
I'd like to share some of the equipment I've used during some of those 300 valid activations at Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve.
I've had a few failed attempts but being able to spend time outdoors during COVID surges and my cancer surgeries and treatments are more meaningful than those failed attempts. I've meet countless people, have now been able to call a few friends, shared the hobby with many, numerous encounters with wildlife and seemingly have become the favorite of a multitude of canine visitors.
Not knowing what to expect on my first Parks on the Air activation, I used my trusty Yaesu FT-891 with my Alpha Mag Loop antenna. Having barely used Morse Code in over 30 years most of the QSOs during that first POTA activation was SSB.
Not only did I take the moniker "Ham on a Bike" during these 300 activations, I learned to lighten my bike load. First with my Yaesu FT-817 along with LDG/z817 Autotuner when needed.
And I've continued to get smaller with my rigs over these 300 activations.
YouKits HB-1B
QRP Labs QCX Mini
And I have collected a few paddles and keys during the 300 activations.
American Morse Equipment Porta Paddle
Radio Adventure Paddle
CW Morse SP4 Paddle
3D Printed Paddle
American Morse Equipment Ultra Porta Paddle
3D Printed Mini Paddle
Putikeeg Mini Straight Key
CW Mouse 3D Printed Paddle
I've used a variety of antennas during these 300 activations. Most of them are DIY but a few are commercially built. All types of setups, masts, and other means of support.
I've used my Buddipole Antenna System in several different confirgurations.
40 & 20 Linked Dipole
QRO EFHW /TennTennas 49:1
QRP Guys Mini Random Wire
Speaker Wire Random Wire
On this Earth Day 4/22/2025 I decided to use the rig I and antenna I started my Parks on the air activation with this this site. My Yaesu FT-891 and Alpha Mag Loop antenna.
Here is a short video of how thingsturned out on this 300th 40 meter CW/SSB Parks on the Air activation from US-7956 Beargrass Creek state Nature Preserve in Louisville KY. USA .
Outstanding achievement Jim! I've only done a hand full of activations, and those were with our local club, so I can truly appreciate what you've done over the past four years. Keep on activating, and I'll keep trying to work you when I can hear you! 73, Howard, AC4FS
If any of you follow "LIVE" broadcast of American Football you may have heard the announcers refer to a defense scheme called "Cover Two". It is a defensive setup that uses two deep safeties to protect the two deep halves of the field. This is what I use to describe the "CW MOUSE COVER" for the QRP LABS QCX Mini and QMX QRP Transceivers. Why do I call it the "COVER TWO"? Because it protects the two knobs and two buttons on top of these two QRP radios, The developer of the CW Mouse Paddle and now this cover asked me to test ride his CW Mouse Cover. There are a few of these covers out within our community but this is the only one I've had an opportunity to use. I am not able to compare it with any of the others so the opinions I give are strictly based on my use and how it works for me. The first thing I observed with my test model was it is made from 3D PLA printed material. (PETG material is available upon request). My cover i...
Drive Thru Lines, School pick-up Lines, Bank Lines, Grocery Store Lines, Airport Lines and the lists of lines can seem almost endless. Recently I've come to enjoy standing and waiting in what's called "THE GRAY-LINE" or "GREY-LINE". Since I'm in the U.S., I'll use the Gray-Line spelling. What is "THE GRAY-LINE"? For those new to Ham Radio or have not move that far along in their journey of the hobby; it can be defined this way. "THE GRAY-LINE" is a band around the Earth which separates daylight from darkness. Propagation along the gray line is very efficient. The main reason is the D layer of the ionosphere, which absorbs HF signals, disappears rapidly on the sunset side of the gray line and it has not yet built upon the sunrise side. In the YouTube below Dave Casler explains. I've worked "The Gray-Line" on many occasions over the years but not in the last few years. Here it is August 2025 and August is ty...
Over the last few weeks all over the planet Mother Nature has been rearing her ugly head with rounds and rounds of different types of devastating effects of Terrestrial Weather. For some of us in the Amateur Radio community Space Weather has not been a bed of Roses either. How does this play into my Amateur Radio operating? It leads me to an ADAGE most of you may have read about in that the MOST IMPORTANT part of your Ham Radio Station is NOT your RIG. IT IS YOUR ANTENNA. I've spent the better part of this summer checking all of my antenna for wear and tear, repairing those that needed and putting each one through their paces on my Nano NVA. Due to unpredictable Terrestrial and Space Weather conditions, my HF operating and Parks on the Air operating have been somewhat diminished during the last few weeks. That has lead me to understand that in the waning period of Solar Cycle 25, I can likely expect the unexpected as we journey on the downside of this cycle. As ...
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Outstanding achievement Jim! I've only done a hand full of activations, and those were with our local club, so I can truly appreciate what you've done over the past four years. Keep on activating, and I'll keep trying to work you when I can hear you! 73, Howard, AC4FS
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Jim!
ReplyDelete73
John McGrath
KF6EFG