Camping and Ham Radio October 2024

Linda, Suzy, and I embarked on a fifteen-night camping trip on October 12. We made two Georgia State Park stops on our way to Pigeon Forge, where we spent seven nights. Pigeon Forge has Dollywood and is next to the Smoky Mountains National Park. On the way back, we made two Alabama State Park stops. I took several of my portable rigs and two older rigs to participate in the Fall Classic Exchange CW event. I did not want to miss it. Our camping trailer is twenty-four feet long, and the tow vehicle is a Ford F-150.

The first stop was FD Roosevelt State Park near Pine Mountain, Georgia. I activated the Dowdells Knob Summit in the park for POTA and SOTA credit. I used the Elecraft KH-1 QRP CW rig with a whip antenna for two contacts and the AlexLoop magnetic loop for the rest. They were all 20 meters.

The second stop was Cloudland State Park near Rising Fawn, Georgia. I drove the last ten miles with a flat on the trailer. I activated the park for POTA using the Chinese FX4-CR and The Alexloop. I got five FT8 contacts using the Android FT8CN app and the rest on CW. All were 20 meters.

The third stop was the Foothills RV park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A few miles from the RV park, I had my second flat of the trip. I chose to drive it in a flat. I bought two new tires in town. Of course, the RV park is not POTA, but I drove to a beautiful picnic area in Smoky Mountain National Park. I used the FX4CR rig and the Alexloop and got ten 20-meter CW contacts. I especially liked the stream next to the picnic area.

Our RV site in the park had a deck with a nice view. I participated in the Classic Exchange event using my Icom 703, which is about 16 years old, and the Heathkit HW-8 rig, which is about 42 years old. I have even older rigs at home QTH, but these were the easiest to pack. The age of your rigs factors into the multiplier for the event. I enjoyed working the old rigs the other participants were using, too. Note that one contact was Steve K1NA, who was back in Dothan. 

I worked ten POTA activators from the deck with the KH1 and its whip antenna for fun. You can all that Decks On The Air, DOTA.

Of course, Linda and I spent a day at Dollywood. My favorite part was riding the Steam Locomotive train. It was the real deal, including the whistle.

My new toy is a DJI Mini 4K Drone. At several stops, I sent it straight up and got a bird' s-eye view.

The fourth stop was Cathedral Caverns State Park near Woodville, Alabama. I met some hams who had come to the park for a Coleman Lantern Event. I activated POTA with the Icom 703 and the SOTABeams 40-30-20 link dipole. Linda and I took advantage of the Cathedral Caverns Tour. The guide did a great job.

The fifth stop was Cheaha Mountain State Park near Anniston, Alabama. I activated POTA at the campsite using the Icom 703 and the Elecraft KXPA-100 Amplifier. I worked Tom WD0HBR, portable, on 40 meters CW at the Wiregrass ARC Tailgate in Headland, AL. I then drove to the mountain's peak and activated it for SOTA, making four 20-meter CW contacts with the Elecraft  KH1.

We took advantage of the mild weather and blue skies, saw lots of pretty trees, and drove the curvy roads. Linda enjoyed the attractions, and I participated in five POTA activations and two SOTA activations. Suzy met many fellow campers, dog lovers, and their dogs. It is hard to beat camping and ham radio.

73,

Greg N4KGL

Heads Up for the RaDAR Rally

RaDAR is Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. The next RaDAR Rally is Nov 2nd, 2024. We cover how you can participate in our Beginner's Academy Zoom Meeting recorded on Sept 9th, 2024. Visit www.radarrally.info and join the RaDAR group on groups.io for more info.

Stone Mountain State Park Portable Ops Opportunities in July 2024

UPDATE: We postponed this trip until April 2025

Linda and I will take our camping trailer to Stone Mountain State Park, East of Atlanta, in the last week of July. Stone Mountain is the most popular park in Georgia, with the mountain itself, a lake, and several attractions. Our campsite overlooks Stone Mountain Lake.

Satellite view of Stone Mountain State Park, Georgia

Being a state park, my first thought is Parks On The Air (POTA). The park is reference US-9799. I will set up from the campsite and do several POTA activations.  The site could be more spacious, but I can extend antennas in the wooded area toward the lake. I have been successful for POTA with the FX4-CR and the Alexloop. That rig will even do FT-8 via Bluetooth with my smartphone. My alternative antenna would be my SOTABeams link dipole. You just need ten contacts during the UTC day to activate. Multiple activations are in order. 

My picnic table is set up for POTA with the FX4-CR and the Alexloop mag loop.

An even more exotic opportunity is Summits On The Air (SOTA). The summit is W4G/CE-003. As a college student, I have hiked up the mountain, but I am leaning toward using the Sky Tram. I only need four contacts for SOTA. I might get those on two meters, but HF with the Elecraft KH-1 will be fun. That's just what Wayne Burdick had in mind for the rig. It is a hand-held HF transceiver with a short whip capable of CW on 20, 17, and 15 meters. You trail a twelve-foot counterpoise wire when operating a pedestrian mobile.

Suzy and I do pedestrian mobile with the Elecraft KH-1.

But there is more! Stone Mountain Lake has Indian Island, accessible by foot via a covered bridge. Yes, the island is GA025L on the US Islands Award Program list. It has lots of foot trails. I could advertise an expedition to the island. 

A likely stop on Indian Island in Stone Mountain Lake.

A must-do opportunity on Sunday, July 28th, is Flight of the Bumblees, a four-hour QRP CW event starting at 1 p.m. Eastern. I could choose the campsite, the island, or the mountain to operate from. I look forward to contacting the other bees. I have done FOBB for many years.

Remember the Alabama QSO Party on Saturday, July 27th. I may have to pass on that because we will likely meet relatives that day.

It pays to do a little research when camping or on vacation. This time, POTA, SOTA, US Islands, and FOBB are in play. Of course, it is not all ham radio; Linda and I will see the laser/drone light show, among other attractions. I'll give my friends a heads-up when we are on the air.

73/72,

Greg N4KGL

N4KGL's 2024 ARRL Field Day

For the 2024 ARRL Field Day, Rick NZ2I of Panama City and I operated from Eastbank Campground in Southwest Georgia on the East side of Lake Seminole. We were a two-operator, two-transmitter Class B Battery entry. We got 350 contacts for 3500 points plus 450 bonus points. The heat was brutal, but we still had fun. Here are some photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nfWibga1dUe8SRLh8

Enjoy,

Greg N4KGL

N4KGL 2024 ARRL Field Day Plans

This ARRL Field Day, Rick NZ2I of Panama City and I will operate from site C33 at Eastbank Campground in Georgia on the East side of Lake Seminole. We will use my callsign N4KGL. We will be a two-operator, two-transmitter Class B Battery entry. Last year, we had success running five-watt QRP. I operate CW, and Rick operates FT-8. Each contact is two points, with a 5X multiplier, yielding ten points per contact. We will use virtually the same setup as in past years. The campsite accommodates my Buddihex 20 through 6-meter hex beam. In addition, there is green space for a 130-foot 80-10 MyAntennas.com end-fed. We will share the Buddihex with a Low Band Systems Quadplexor that allows two transmitters on different bands for the same antenna. The Quadplexor requires bandpass filters on the inputs. On FT-8, we will use the Icom 7100, which is reduced to five watts, and on CW, the Icom 705. Both rigs are hooked to Panasonic Toughbooks running N1MM logging software networked with an Ethernet hub. For power, we have a Bioenno 40 amp-hour battery for each rig. There is a solar panel charging each battery. We will try a satellite contact with the Arrow Yagi and the Icom 9700 for bonus points. The S.A.T. box controls the rig for Doppler. The operating point will be a clamshell-type shelter. Linda and I will sleep in our trailer; Rick will rough it outside. I have posted our location on the ARRL Field Day Locator site. If you are in the area, please drop by. ARRL Field Day starts at 2 PM EDT on Saturday and goes for 24 hours. All we need is good weather and propagation. Can you get involved in this year's ARRL Field Day? Wiregrass ARC will operate in Dothan, Alabama, and the Panama City ARC/ Bay County ARES group in Panama City, Florida.

Good Luck,

Greg N4KGL

Team RaDAR Rally at Falling Waters State Park, April 2024

Tom WD0HBR was my teammate during the April 2024 RaDAR Rally. Our venue was Falling Waters State Park in Florida. Tom, Suzy, and I walked the trails to four locations within four hours making five contacts at each on 20 meters. We used the FX-4CR rig on SSB with both the SOTABeams 40-30-20 link dipole and the Alexloop mag loop. The last stop was my favorite, using the Elecraft KH-1 running five-watt CW. It is a handheld rig with a four-foot whip antenna. I got the last five there for a total of twenty contacts. The weather could not have been better. Tom and I enjoyed our team's RaDAR outing.

 73, Greg N4KGL

Countdown to the April 6th, 2024 RaDAR Rally

RaDAR is Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. The next RaDAR Rally is April 6th, 2024. See the details at www.radarrally.info. All ham radio operators are welcome to participate.