Cleveland Lakefront
Cleveland Lakefront State Park K-1942. It was a beautiful day to activate! Unfortunately I had a schedule to keep, so I only made 14 QSO’s.
Funny thing about this activation, I had several people stop and ask what I was doing. This doesn’t usually happen to me.
While I was tearing down a guy stopped and asked what I was doing. He wanted to take my picture and he sent it to me. Nice shot of those clouds!
Oak Point
Oak Point State Park K-1981 on South Bass Island. This was the first of 3 activations on South Bass Island, located in Lake Erie.
Oak Point is a very small park with limited parking so I wanted to make this my first stop. It has a great view of Perry’s monument across the bay.
I made 47 QSO’s there, but quickly discovered that between the golf carts generating all kinds of RFI, and the park service cutting grass, this activation was going to have challenges.
Perry’s Monument
Perry’s Victory Monument On South Bass Island K-0787. I made 12 QSO’s for the activation. With all the golf cart traffic around the monument, and the corresponding RFI from them, I cut things short.
I did take the time to go into the visitors center, which did a great job of telling the story of Perry’s victory. Its definitely worth visiting.
South Bass Island
South Bass Island State Park K-1992. This is a nice campground with great views of Lake Erie. I made 36 QSO’s for the activation.
The next time I come to South Bass Island I will be traveling by bicycle.
6 Meter POTA Activation
On this activation I wanted to see if it was possible to activate a park on 6 meters. I was using my newly constructed 6 meter full wave loop antenna, and it was certainly up for the task.
I was at my go-to park, Malabar Farm, K-1974. I ended up with 10 QSO’s on 6 meters running FT8 and 12 QSO’s on 40 and 20.
So yes, it is possible to activate a park on 6 meters.
Marblehead Lighthouse
Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie K-3519.
Officially this was a failed activation with only 7 QSO’s. This was the first time I used my second QCX mini (20 meter version..) Still I call it a success because I worked EC1R in Spain while running 5 watts.
Washington Jefferson Forest
Spent a week in Virginia. The cabin where we stayed is less than a mile from the Washington-Jefferson National Forest K-4526.
My daughter, KC8GRS, her kids and I hiked up on a ridge in the park. The view was great!
Took the QCX mini and a couple of HT’s. Good thing, as I only made 7 QSO’s on 40. Worked my daughter on 2 & 70cm plus a SOTA activator which gave me my 10 for the activation.
Shenandoah National Park
During our Virginia trip, we took a drive on the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park K-0064. The kids were napping in the back, and KC8GRS was busy drawing while I set up the vertical and activated.
It wasn’t until we got home and I was looking at a map that I realized the Appalachian Trail K-4556 was just on the other side of the stone wall on the right – a 2fer!. Made 22 QSO’s that day.
