Hello,

New to this group and was windering if we have any/many POTA people about? I got interested in POTA in June of 2020, it was welcome relief from all the pandemic panic and I got hooked.

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New to this group and was windering if we have any/many POTA people about? I got interested in POTA in June of 2020, it was welcome relief from all the pandemic panic and I got hooked.

For me, not really. My son (K9ZN) and I do get out into parks to operate reasonably frequently, usually with one or more people with our Field Day club. And we certainly do make contacts with people who are in POTA events. But I've never activated a park.


- Andre, WT9X
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Andre

Thanks for the reply. I work from home so I get the chance to hunt POTA activators between phone calls and meetings, and IT disasters. I have only activated one park, it's like 25 mins from the house. I havce activated it 13 times. I just really enjoy grabbing my gear and operating from the outdoors.
My home antenna leaves a lot to be desired so getting out allows me to do
some great experimentation with wire antennas and homebrew verticals. I also operate QRP.

My activation kit is a Elecraft K2, a portable vertical, and my straight key.
I run about 8 watts most of the time and haven't had a failed actvation yet. You only need 10 contacts to have a successful activation.

Before POTA I usually setup at the local city park and played radio from
there for half a day or so. Glad for the newer LiFePO4 technology in batteries, they are so much lighter and last so much longer.

73

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: PiBBS (21:4/135)

My activation kit is a Elecraft K2, a portable vertical, and my straight key. I run about 8 watts most of the time and haven't had a failed

I don't have a portable vertical, but I have used my friend's for SSB and was pretty impressed with how it did within the US.

We just built some EFHW, which we were both skeptical about, and putting one about 50' up in a tree with the feed end 4-5' off the ground, and we were making DX contacts on 3W. In a pinch that thing is better than I imagined. I have to eat *a lot* of crow for talking smack about them over the years.

there for half a day or so. Glad for the newer LiFePO4 technology in batteries, they are so much lighter and last so much longer.

That's all I run these days. Have a few, and while pricey, I can't imagine life without them.


- Andre, WT9X
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On 02-16-22 11:55, Brian Indy wrote to All <=-

Hello,

New to this group and was windering if we have any/many POTA people
about? I got interested in POTA in June of 2020, it was welcome relief from all the pandemic panic and I got hooked.

I haven't looked into POTA (or SOTA or IOTA for that matter), but it could be a fun thing to do with a group of people. I've got too much on as it is, especially in the warmer months of the year though. At least in this part of the world, a winter activation isn't a silly idea. :)


... I belong to no organized party - I am a walrus.
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On 02-17-22 08:30, Andre wrote to Brian Indy <=-

We just built some EFHW, which we were both skeptical about, and
putting one about 50' up in a tree with the feed end 4-5' off the
ground, and we were making DX contacts on 3W. In a pinch that thing is better than I imagined. I have to eat *a lot* of crow for talking smack about them over the years.

I'm looking into an EFHW for both portable and in my new shack later this year.
It's a leading candidate for my next HF antennas. I have seen one in use, even at a fairly low altitude, the ham who runs it has managed some excellent results.


... Use it up.Wear it out. Make it do Or do without.
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I just bought a new Miady 20aH LiFePO4 battery from Amazon in January, it was on sale for $69 so it was hard to pass up. I also have a 5aH battery from Expert Power, they had a promotion in December and they were selling the
little 5aH for $25. So I grabbed one. I can run my K1 at 5w just about 9
hours with that little battery (CW)

A lot of my POTA buddies use the EFHW or End Fed Random Wire antenna with a 49:1 UNUN on the transmitter end, or a 9:1 UNUN and they do great with
theirs. We built a 20m EFHW antenna and had it MAYBE 20 feet up at the far
end and 4 or 5 feet at the radio end last summer, worked DX from Europe,
Asia, and South America on that thing with 4w from a LNR 4BAND Mountain
Topper. We were shocked to say the least.

I enjoy playing with wire antennas, and when you are operating from outdoors, it's easy to do.

73 de KB9BVN

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It sure doesn't with the bands improving of late.

Back in the early 2000's the cycle was peaking and you could go nuts with a coat hanger and a couple watts! <grin>

73 de KB9BVN

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On 02-18-22 13:53, Brian Indy wrote to Vk3jed <=-

It sure doesn't with the bands improving of late.

A bit of quoting please to establish what "it" was in this context. ;)

Back in the early 2000's the cycle was peaking and you could go nuts
with a coat hanger and a couple watts! <grin>

Yeah, I started on the previous cycle (1989-early 90s), which was great fun. :)


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It sure doesn't with the bands improving of late.

A bit of quoting please to establish what "it" was in this context. ;)

Sorry about that. IT refers to how well a end fed half wave antenna works, meaning it doesn't hurt with improving bands.

de KB9BVN

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
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On 02-19-22 13:53, Brian Indy wrote to Vk3jed <=-

It sure doesn't with the bands improving of late.

A bit of quoting please to establish what "it" was in this context. ;)

Sorry about that. IT refers to how well a end fed half wave antenna works, meaning it doesn't hurt with improving bands.

Yes that's true, any antenna works better in improving conditions. :)


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