POTA - who plays?

Just did my first activation this past week. IC-703+ w/ 125ft wire up the side of a hill; LDG 9:1 matching network, a couple of counterpoises. We stayed at a cabin with friends and this was the best I could do with an hour and a half setup time for an antenna.

Took a tablet and other stuff to run FT8. Not much luck there but got good reports from a bunch of my local friends who shifted to 75M for the chance to put US1977 in their logs.

High noise level. I'm going to work on antenna deployment and see about finding a backpack which will accommodate everything including a slingshot throw-line launcher. There are probably 25 parks in a 15mi radius and better than half are situated in surroundings conducive for good antenna setups.

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Originally Posted by N8YX

Just did my first activation this past week. IC-703+ w/ 125ft wire up the side of a hill; LDG 9:1 matching network, a couple of counterpoises. We stayed at a cabin with friends and this was the best I could do with an hour and a half setup time for an antenna.

Took a tablet and other stuff to run FT8. Not much luck there but got good reports from a bunch of my local friends who shifted to 75M for the chance to put US1977 in their logs.

High noise level. I'm going to work on antenna deployment and see about finding a backpack which will accommodate everything including a slingshot throw-line launcher. There are probably 25 parks in a 15mi radius and better than half are situated in surroundings conducive for good antenna setups.

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I heard you (you were spotted!). My antennas aren't working well on 75 though.

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Originally Posted by W3WN

I heard you (you were spotted!). My antennas aren't working well on 75 though.

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A couple of the crew said I had lots of people calling me. But the noise was high to the point that most of the stations I was able to work were running in excess of 100w.

There are a couple portable vertical antennas I'm looking at for daytime activations - 10M through 40. If I can get a cabin in a needed park again I'll attack the 75/160M problem a little differently. First thing is experimenting with what I can loft, and what I can carry in a pack. I won't have a bucket truck available.

The POTA station in the Hamvention flea market.
Attachment 18394
The gentleman peeking his head out on the right is Curtis KB3CMT, I don't recall off the top of my head who the two ladies are.

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Originally Posted by W3WN

The POTA station in the Hamvention flea market.
Attachment 18394
The gentleman peeking his head out on the right is Curtis KB3CMT, I don't recall off the top of my head who the two ladies are.

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A better setup than I had available. Mine was a 2x2ft night stand. Rig, tablet, power supply etc. all had to live on it.

Is that a bomb shelter on a trailer? Look at that door.

Old military connex style hut. Can be bed mounted on a 2 1/2 ton truck or on a detachable set of wheels called a mobilizer. Worked in one for over 20 years in the USAF.

Great radio shelter. It also has a flap on the back wall that can mount an AC unit, just like the picture.

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Originally Posted by K4PIH

Old military connex style hut. Can be bed mounted on a 2 1/2 ton truck or on a detachable set of wheels called a mobilizer. Worked in one for over 20 years in the USAF.

Great radio shelter. It also has a flap on the back wall that can mount an AC unit, just like the picture.

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Interesting.

"Everyone wants to be an AM Gangsta until it's time to start doing AM Gangsta shit."
But if your Gonna do Gangsta shit....That's the Crib to have.

↑↑↑ scored points ↑↑↑

I do!
At least when I can. In fact trying to get the energy to go out for the SYP weekend.

Also re-hi. Havent been here in ages