Ch-ch-ch-changes

I guess I learned a few things about my POTA setup and a few changes that need to be made.

First, these battery packs I am currently using don't last long at all. I've decided to purchase another of the small blue lithium packs like I use with the KX3. The only problem there is that I will have to build an adapter cable as they come with a 3.5mm plug, while the QMX uses a 2.1mm plug. I have plenty of 2.1mm plugs and I have an old battery that bulged and is no longer usable. I'll scavenge the 3.5mm charging socket off of that, solder on a 2.1mm plug and I'll have the adapter cable I'll need.

Second, I'm not thrilled with the paddle I had recently purchased.  I'm having a hard time adjusting it to the feel that I want, and as I was putting it back into the QMX bag yesterday after the Kring Point activation, a small nut dropped out of it and landed on the picnic tabel - not good. I still have a Whiterook single lever paddle kicking around somewhere and I also have the Bulldog Clip key. I can use either one of those. My American Morse DCP paddle will remain exclusively with the KX3.

Lastly, I have not fallen in love with the QMX to the point to replace my KX3 with it. For POTA activations, it's great because you generally find a clear frequency, call "CQ POTA" and don't move around too much. The KX3 is way more easier to tune. For general operating, and for hunting and pouncing in Sprints the KX3 is the way to go. Plus the KX3 gives me access to bands that the QMX does not. The QMX will be my "in the car, operate at the spur of a moment" rig. The KX3 will remain the weapon of choice for serious operating. 

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

OK, I'm sold!

Yesterday was a rainy day, and Marianne and I vegged out for most of the day. The skies started clearing out in the late afternoon:

And we were rewarded with yet another beautiful sunset a few hours later:

This morning dawned sunny, bright and a tad on the chilly side. After breakfast and a few stops, Marianne and I headed out to Kring Point State Park, US-2091 for the second activation of our wedding anniversary getaway.

This time, I did not bring the AlexLoop along, only the Elecraft AX1. I was impressed by its performance on Tuesday and I was not to be disappointed this time, either!

Here are some photos that Marianne took of me doing the POTA thing:

And here are some photos that I took of the setup:

We arrived at the park at about 11:00 (15:00 UTC) and stopped at the Park Ranger booth only to be told that the picnic area was closed for renovation and construction, but that we were free to drive around and look at the park. That's when Marianne noticed quite a few vacant campsites that sure enough had picnic tables! So we stopped at campsite #12 and I headed off to the picnic bench while Marianne did some exploring,

I was set up by15:25 UTC, spotted myself on the POTA app and after calling CQ POTA on 14.062 MHz, I was immediately greeted by Hunters. I didn't want to stay too long as today is actually our anniversary and I didn't think it was polite and proper for Marianne to be bored out of her skull.

I quickly racked up another 14 QSOs in just 32 minutes and I pulled the plug when my batteries started going wonky. More about that in a minute. QSOs were made with New Jersey (NY to NJ on 20 Meters - strange!), WI, a Park to Park with WA9LEY at US-7256 in IL, SC, CA, GA, OH, VA, NC and AR.

The performance from this little antenna just blows my mind. As Craig WB3GCK said to me, "It defies all logic.", but there you have it, the proof is in the pudding. The AX1 will be my go to whenever I activate picnic table portable, The RBN map wasn't as impressive as Tuesday's but the snr figures were very nice! There was not a single skimmer that picked me up with a single digit snr report.

Regarding the batteries. I made sure they were fully charged and they did not last at all. That's probably due to the fact that they've been sitting in the shack for years without being used. I'll have to go to eBay to pick up some fresh ones or perhaps something else that will last a bit longer, but is still small enough to fit in my QMX bag.

Thanks to all the Hunters who worked me this week! My activations were not long or filled with triple digit QSO numbers, but they are valid activations and I had a lot of fun!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Unpopular opinion?

Maybe. But I'm going to state it anyway. After what's happened recently to Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee.....

You want an EMCOMM Team capable of setting up fast, with a minimum of effort and fuss that can go virtually anywhere at a moments notice?

Recruit some POTA people for your team.

72 de Larry W2LJ 

QRP - When you care to say the very least.

Success!

Around 10:00 this morning, Marianne looked at me and said, "So you want to go to one of those parks you were talking about?" Of course, I didn't miss a heartbeat and answered in the affirmative, so I placed the gear in the Jeep and we headed off for Keewaydin State Park, US-2088, which only a few miles down the road.

We drove to the lot where people park their boat trailers. Right next to it was a children's playground, a community pool and a very nice pavillion with plenty of picnic tables. The pavillion is all wooden, so no Faraday Cage syndrome.

I began by setting up the AlexLoop. It doesn't take long and I was on the air a few minutes before 11:00 AM - 15:00 UTC. At first, the calls came easy as I worked to really loud N9 stations out of Indiana. But after those two contacts I was calling "CQ POTA" a lot with little to show for it, and I was starting to worry that this was going to turn into a busted activation.

That's when I decided to break out the AX1, From previous posts you all know I've had mixed results and have been ........skeptical about its ability. I have to adnit that once I swithed over, the QSOs just started rolling in, one right after another! I worked stations in Virginia, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, Michigan and Ohio. I worked NL7V who according to QRZ is in Alaska, but I have to believe he was down here in the lower 48 somewhere on vacation. I didn't catch the state when he sent it. Alaska would be a dream QSO!

I didn't want to stay too long, as Marianne has no interest in Amateur Radio whatsoever. In just over a little over an hour, I made 14 contacts which is nothibg as far as POTA activations go, but still it counts as a valid activation.

The good news is that Marianne has agreed to accompany me to Krings Point State park later this week. The bad news is that since I only brought my aging Samsung tablet with me (and no laptop) my log submissions will have to wait a few days. My tablet doesn't have the display format size required to display the log upload page.

Here's the Reverse Beacon Network report for the day:

As you can see, the snr dB figures are pretty good for QRP. This AX1 is starting to turn me into a beleiver!

The rest of the day was spent doing things that Marianne had an interest in, and it turned out to be a very nice day. As we headed out to dinner this evening, we were rewarded with another gorgeous sunset.

Perfect ending to a great Amateur Radio day!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP = When you care to send the very least!