Although I bought my little (tr)uSDX transceiver two years ago, it has only seen sporadic use. Other than an occasional contact or two, it has been mostly relegated to the shelf. I figured it was about time to put it to serious use in a POTA/WWFF activation. 

I made a return visit to Norristown Farm Park (US-4363, KFF-4363) for another activation. It was raining on and off this morning here in southeastern Pennsylvania, so I pretty much had the place to myself. 

I set up the (tr)uSDX with my Elecraft T1 tuner in the cab of my truck. I used three 18650 Li-ion batteries power the radio. As usual, I went with my 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil on the back of the truck.

I’m getting a little better at navigating the (tr)uSDX’s menus and using the controls. There are a lot of functions covered by three controls. To refresh my memory, I used the rig last night with my rain gutter “antenna” to make a couple of contacts. I also brought along a cheat sheet today, which I didn’t need.

Just for the fun of it, I started off using my little N6ARA TinyPaddles. They match the orange radio, so why not. Unfortunately, I had some issues with them, so I switched over to my Palm Mini paddles. I have to tweak the contact spacing on the N6ARA paddles. 

Starting out on 40M, the signals were strong and plentiful. It only took me about 11 minutes to log my first 10 contacts. When things slowed down on 40M, I made a few contacts each on 30M and 20M. After 45 minutes, I had 21 contacts in the log with one park-to-park QSO.

The (tr)uSDX is an incredible little rig. They packed an awful lot of features into a tiny package, but it’s not really a high-performance radio. I have to admit it wasn’t the most pleasant rig to listen to; there were some pops and clicks in the sidetone when keying. It could have been the earbuds I was using. I also need to go back through the menu settings to make sure I haven’t missed something. Looking at my RBN spots, I could see I need to tweak the frequency calibration a bit. It’s transmitting a little lower than the displayed frequency. Having said all that, I can’t be too critical of radio at this price point.

In the end, though, the little rig got the job done today. Not bad for a five-band, multi-mode radio that costs less than $140 assembled. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

Between the grand-kids’ equestrian competitions and soccer games, Sunday morning was the only time I could squeeze in a POTA/WWFF activation this week. Like most of my recent activations, it had to be early and short.

It had been a while since my last visit to Norristown Farm Park (US-4363, KFF-4363), so I headed over there. Before I headed out, I took a quick look at the band conditions. The A Index was around 6, the K Index was zero, and there was no geomagnetic activity. Now, I’m not an expert in this stuff, but that looked pretty good to me.

My original plan was to do this activation with some vintage QRP gear, but I wasn’t able to get all that together. Instead, I used my usual Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW), 12-foot whip, and my homebrew loading coil. 

My band conditions app showed poor daytime conditions on 40M, but I found that wasn’t the case. Signals were strong and plentiful. My first 10 contacts only took 13 minutes to achieve. The 20M band was equally strong, so I spent some time there. Finally, I checked 17M, and picked up five more there. 

In all, I had 32 contacts with two known park-to-park QSOs and one DX contact (F1BLL). Not too bad for an hour’s effort, I guess. Then it was time to head off to my grandson’s soccer game.

I have to remember to get that old gear together, so it’s ready to go for next time. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

The monthly running of the Straight Key Century Club’s Weekend Sprintathon (WES) contest was this weekend. I needed two more activations at Marsh Creek State Park for a POTA “Repeat Offender” award, so I headed out both Saturday and Sunday for POTA/WWFF activations and to make a few WES contacts.

We had some outstanding weather here in southeastern Pennsylvania, so I knew Marsh Creek (US-1380, KFF-1380) was going to be pretty busy. Given that, I headed out early on Saturday morning. I found a parking spot in the boat launch area, but the parking lot was filling up fast. 

My trusty Penntek TR-35 was the perfect rig for this weekend. The TR-35’s separate straight key and paddle inputs let me instantly switch between the two without having to make configuration changes in the radio. I also went with my usual 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil. 

The 40M band was alive and well, so I spent most of my time there. I alternated between calling “CQ POTA” with the paddles and searching and pouncing SKCC WES stations with my little MS2 straight key. In about an hour of operating, I logged 26 contacts. Among those were three park-to-park QSOs and six SKCC WES QSOs. 

As great as the weather was on Saturday, it was even better on Sunday. I wanted to attend my grandson’s hockey game, so I went out even earlier this time and kept it even shorter. Even though I got an earlier start than the day before, the parking lot was even more crowded this time around. 

Once again, 40M was in excellent shape, and I ended up staying there for the duration. I logged 19 contacts in about 45 minutes, with three park-to-park and three more WES contacts. Then it was time to head home to take care of a few things before going to the soccer game.

In the end, I didn’t set any records in the WES contest, but I got in the two activations needed for my Repeat Offender award. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

I was recently looking at some of my older gear gathering dust on the shelf, so I resolved to start putting it to use. So yesterday, before I headed out for Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414), I grabbed my old homebrew z-match antenna tuner and gave my Elecraft T1 tuner the day off.

I built this tuner from scratch about 24 years ago, and it has always been one of my favorite projects. Based on a bunch of different designs, it gave me years of great service. For years, my go-to portable rig was my old FT-817 coupled with this tuner. Today, I paired the z-match with my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW). I used my 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil mounted on the truck. The loaded whip’s SWR on 40M and 30M is just slightly high, nothing the old z-match can’t handle. 

I’ve been spoiled using automatic antenna tuners lately, but tuning the z-match was a cinch. Just peak the received noise, switch in the resistive SWR bridge, key up the rig, and tweak the knobs to extinguish the LED. Then switch out the bridge and go. 

The z-match is a high-Q, narrow bandwidth device, so when changing frequencies on a band, I did a check with the SWR bridge before transmitting. It just took a minor tweak to extinquish the LED again.

It was a pretty good day on the bands. I split my time between 40M and 20M. I ended up with 28 QSOs. Among them was one park-to-park contact and one DX contact (IW2NXI). I forgot my water bottle, so my parched throat (and famously short attention span) prompted me to pull the plug after an hour on the air. Activation #20 from US-1414 was in the books.

My little Elecraft T1 tuner certainly has a size and weight advantage over my homebrew z-match. It’s certainly is easier to use, too. However the z-match can handle both balanced and unbalanced loads, and it doesn’t need a battery.

I have some other old gear in mind for future activations. A couple of rigs could make for some challenging activations.

Stay tuned.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Due to a medical emergency in the family, I unexpectedly spent the Labor Day weekend at my daughter’s house in central Pennsylvania. My (far) better half and I went out to help where we could. Thankfully, our family member’s medical situation was coming under control, so I was able to squeeze in three short activations over the weekend, while still being available to help out.

I’ve always been an early riser, and that worked to my advantage over the weekend. Pennsylvania State Game Lands 246 (US-8941, KFF-5862) is just a few minutes away, so my plan was to head over there early and keep my activations short. On all three days, I was onsite and set up at 0800 local time and back at the house around 0900. By the time I got back, everyone else was just getting up, so I was back in time for breakfast. 

Unlike my last visit, I had my truck this time. On all three activations, I used my usual Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and a 12-foot whip with my homebrew loading coil. 

On Saturday morning, I gulped down a cup of coffee and headed out the door. Less than 15 minutes later, I was on location and ready to go. The bands seemed in pretty good shape. I stayed on 40M the whole time and logged 17 contacts in about 40 minutes.

On Sunday, things went downhill a bit. It was rainy and the geomagnetic conditions were unsettled. Signals were much weaker than the day before, and there was some constant noise on the bands. Despite the conditions, I still managed to squeak out 13 contacts in about 40 minutes, including two park-to-park contacts. The rain stopped by the time I started packing up, so I had a chance to dry off the whip and loading coil before packing them away in the truck. 

I went back out on Monday morning, and boy, what a difference a day makes. Conditions on 40M were great, and there were plenty of hunters out there. This time out, I logged 26 contacts in 40 minutes, with three park-to-park contacts. The activity was fast and furious at times.

I really appreciate all the hunters who were out there during my early morning activations. There were even a few who worked me on all three days:

• KQ4CW in VA
• WA1HRH in NH
• WX4TW in NC

Medically, my family member is doing much better, so I wrapped up my trip and headed home Monday evening.

I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday weekend. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

The (far) better half and I made a trip out to central Pennsylvania to attend some activities our grand-kids are taking part in. I had some time on Saturday morning for a quick activation, so I drove a few miles down the road to nearby PA State Game Lands (US-8941, KFF-5862). 

We made the trip in the (far) better half’s little Chevy Traiblazer, so like a previous trip, I went with a simple setup. Along with my Penntek TR-35 (5W, CW), I used my Elecraft AX1 on a clip-on window mount. The diminutive AX1 has always gotten the job done in the past, so I hoped for similar results today.

Today, I had a couple of things working against me: doing an early morning activation (0900 local time) on 20M coupled with some unsettled geomagnetic conditions. Not to mention running 5 watts into a 45-inch loaded whip. Still, I enjoy a challenge. Or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment.  

With the AX1, it only took a few minutes to get set up and get on the air. After spotting myself, it took nine minutes of CQing to make my first contact. Then, 19 minutes after that, I made contact number two. Yikes! It was looking like I was headed for my first busted activation with the AX1. I also began wishing I had brought my Gabil GRA-7350TC and mag mount, so I could have made some contacts down on 40M. Undeterred, I pressed on.

Not too long after that, things picked up a bit, and I started getting some more callers. Either the band conditions were improving or the hunters were waking up and getting out of bed. One of those callers was OH1MM. I had a weak copy on him, so I can only imagine what my QRP signal sounded like in Finland.  

An hour after arriving onsite, I had 14 contacts, including one park-to-park and one DX contact. I was happy with that, so I packed up and headed back to my daughter’s house for a late breakfast. 

So, despite getting off to a slow start, my little AX1’s undefeated streak remains intact. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

 A few miles down the road from the Sheep Mountain trailhead is the Campito Mountain trailhead. The best place to park is at the col to the northeast of the summit. There is a pullout so you can get off the road. From here, the hike is pretty straightforward.

Looking at the summit from the car. From the col, there is a cliff which blocks the view of the high point, and to the left a dead tree on the ridge. Start walking towards the tree. It was not a hard walk, especially before the small grove of trees.  Talus on the way up. Higher up the slopes there is a lot of talus and some scree. It was pretty easy to avoid the scree which made the hike up a lot more pleasant. If you want a spicier hike, aim for the cliff. It is some class three excitement, but is completely bypassable. On the summit we set up and did our usual thing. The cell service  was good enough to send out some spots.

Looking at County Line Peak and Blanco.

 After getting down from White Mountain Peak we packed up our tents which we had left set up so they could dry out after the previous night's rain. A quick lunch was eaten, then we headed up the hill towards Piute Mountain.

Looking up at the small col.

We hiked up the hill to the ridge, then turned right. There are two small peaks with a low col between them, and we aimed for the col. From the col, the peak is in front of you. Its not very visible before then. It had been cloudy and windy all morning, but the afternoon weather was great. Calm, warm, sunny, everything you'd want for hiking.

Looking back at White Mountain Peak.

Such a beautiful area.

 White Mountain Peak is a 14er and the third highest mountain in California. We had driven up the day before, and camped at the end of the road. Despite afternoon and evening showers, including some overnight, it was mostly clear when we woke up before sunrise. 

Sunrise in the White Mountains.

At dawn we mounted our bikes and started up the trail. It was steep, and we quickly went to pushing our bikes up. Turns out its really hard to bike at 12,000 feet. By the time we made it the two miles to Bancroft station, the sun had come up, and it was turning into a nice day. The summit was still shrouded in clouds, but they still had time to clear before we got up there.

The trail up White Mountain Peak is long. The downhill sections were quick on bikes, but the ups were slower than if we had just be hiking. Nevertheless we made steady progress up the trail. The switchback section seemed never ending, pushing a bike up it, but we did it. At around 14,000' we left the bikes by the side of the trail and went straight up. Then we were on the summit. The clouds had mostly lifted, and we got decent views.

Happy to get my first 14er.

There were already a number of people up there. After quickly layering up, we took some photos then got on the air. There was decent cell service, and we had no trouble spotting. It was pretty chilly though, so we didn't linger too long. The walk back to the bikes was quick, then even quicker riding down the hill.

Looking back at the summit.

It took a few switchbacks for me to get the hang of riding down the steep, rocky trail, but I got it. Everything was going well until Rex's back brake cable broke. That made the ride more interesting for him. But we all made it back to the car safely. 

The bike I had was old, and not very fun. Turns out you really do want shock absorbers and working gear shifters when riding in the mountains. Who could have guessed. Next time I think I'll just hike to the summit, or do it as a trail run. 

Well, the 2024 edition of our annual Outer Banks family vacation has come and gone. My (far) better half and I, along with our two daughters and their families, converged on a rental house in Duck, North Carolina. Of course, ham radio (for me, at least) was a part of that vacation. 

After an early morning start, our long drive from Pennsylvania to North Carolina on Sunday was relatively uneventful, and the traffic on the Outer Banks wasn’t too bad. We all arrived safely, albeit a little road weary. 

This year, we rented the same house overlooking Currituck Sound we were in last year. Being familiar with the layout of the rental house, I had an entire year to think about my antenna situation. The vertical I used the last time was somewhat noisy on 40M, and my 31-foot Jackite pole really took a beating in the wind. This year, I tried something a little different. 

I wanted to avoid using a telescopic pole, so I strapped my homebrew weather-resistant 9:1 unun to the railing on the third floor deck. From there, I configured a 29.5-foot wire as a sloper, and tied it off to a fence post. I dropped 35 feet of RG-8x coax off the deck and fed it through a ground floor window, where I set up my KX3. I also used a 1:1 choke at the radio end. I’ve used this antenna configuration in the past with good results, so I was confident it would work here.

Giving it a quick test, I found the noise on 40M was only S1-S2. That was an improvement from last year. There were no noise issues on 30M and up. I tuned around on 40M and made two quick Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) Weekend Sprintathon (WES) contacts. There were some storms in the area, so I declared victory, disconnected the antenna, and cracked open a cold adult beverage. 

Although most of my time was devoted to other vacation activities, I squeezed in some radio time and made a few contacts from the house each day. I mostly hunted POTA activators and SKCC members. 

When I’m down here, I always like to check into the Outer Banks Area Wide Net on Thursday evening at 8pm (local time). They are always a friendly and welcoming group. The Outer Banks Repeater Association maintains a linked system of repeaters covering the entire area, so I easily hit a repeater across the sound with an HT while sitting out on the deck.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park (US-2737, KFF-2737)

I planned to do one or two POTA/WWFF activations during the week. On Tuesday, I took a 30-minute drive down to Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Since this is a family vacation, I went out early and kept it short, so I could get back and spend time with the grand-kids.  

It had been 25 years or more since my last visit to the park. So, when I rolled into the main parking lot, it was nothing at all like I remembered. Still, I found a shaded parking spot and set up my 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil on the back of the truck. I used my trusty Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW) up front in the truck. 

I was glad to see that the bands had started to bounce back after the severe geomagnetic storms of the previous couple of days. In less than an hour of air time, I logged 23 contacts with four park-to-park contacts. I didn’t work any DX, although I heard a French station calling. They were just too far down in the noise to copy their callsign. On the plus side, however, I worked a station in Nevada on 20M. 

Jockey’s Ridge is known for having the tallest living sand dune system on the East Coast. It’s also a very popular spot for hang gliding. I didn’t have time to make the trek out to the dunes this time, but I have been there before. I didn’t take any pictures that do the park justice, but the Outer Banks Visitor’s Guide website has some great ones. 

Nags Head Woods Preserve (US-3862, KFF-3862)

I got in one more POTA/WWFF activation during the week. This time I drove down to Nags Head Woods Preserve, an interesting park that was not without some (radio) challenges.

I rolled into the parking lot and grabbed a spot near the entrance and away from the other cars. I was in a hurry to get set up. My friend, N3FLL, was activating a park back home in Pennsylvania and I wanted to snag a park-to-park QSO with him.  

I used my usual setup: Penntek TR-35 (5W CW) and 12-foot loaded whip. I powered up and found lots of electrical noise on 40M. Noise notwithstanding, I quickly found Frank, and after a few attempts to break the pile up, I finally got him.

I moved up the band a bit and started calling CQ. The cell service was poor, but I was able to use the Wi-Fi hotspot in my truck to put out a spot. It was slow going at first, and the noise was relentless. Eventually things picked up, and I worked 9 stations on 40M before things dried up.

I checked 30M to look for P2P contacts, and the noise was still there. Not hearing anyone, I moved on. The 20M band was no different, noise-wise, but at least there was more activity. I managed 11 more contacts before deciding to declare victory and pack up. Right before I turned off the rig, I heard a Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) member calling CQ, so I had a quick contact with him.

As I was taking my antenna down, I saw the likely source of the noise I had been hearing. When I first pulled in, I didn’t notice the power lines that crossed the parking lot. On the other side of the parking lot from me, there was a utility pole with two transformers on it. As I started back down the gravel road to leave, I noticed a large transformer not far from the parking lot. No wonder it was noisy there. 

After an hour of operating, I had 21 contacts in my log, including four park-to-park QSOs. Once again, I had no DX contacts, but I did work two California stations on 20M. 

I took a short walk around the Preserve before leaving. It’s a fascinating place that definitely warrants further exploration in the future. There are wetlands and several beautiful trails with some really cool wooden bridges. Maybe next year, I can talk the grandkids into going on a nature hike there. 

And That’s a Wrap

After a few final QSOs on Saturday, it was time to take down the antenna and pack up the radios. Our week on the Outer Banks was over before we knew it. Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.  

The sloper antenna I used at the rental house did pretty well, even with the geomagnetic storms over the first day or two. I had room to accommodate a longer wire, so next year I’ll pack 36-foot and 44-foot wires and give those a try. This is our last year renting this house, but I’m sure I can make the sloper work wherever we end up next year. 

72, Craig WB3GCK

Station Peak is one of the more remote peaks of the White Mountains. With Rex's SUV we were hoping to get all the way to the base, but we had bikes if the road turned out to be too rough. From the main road we turned right towards the Crooked Creek Station (road 5S01). Past the station the road got much rougher. We made it a few miles down before it was too much for the Pilot. 

On the way.

A short distance after starting my bike decided it had had enough, and the rear wheel came loose. Luckily, we had the tools and strength to get it back where it belonged. Thankfully it was the last real problem I had with my (very old and cheap) bike that weekend. After riding downhill a few miles, we turned off and headed up (road 5S01B). Around the place this spur road ended, there was a small station with two guys working. They were doing something with the cattle grazing in the area.

Station Peak.

From here there was no road or trail, and it was too steep for the bikes, so we left them by a rock and walked the rest of the way. On the way up we went straight. It was a decent route, however our return route was better. On the way down we hiked to the col to the east of the summit then followed the reentrant back to the bikes. I think I would take this route up next time.

Large meadow where we left the bikes.

The summit was covered with flying ants or something like that. It was pretty bad when the breeze didn't blow. There was marginal cell service, and we were able to get a few spots out. Sadly, the bands were in terrible shape, and I barely got my contacts. We could see rain moving in, so we packed up quickly and got out. Back at the bikes we rode back to the road, then up the hill to the car. It is hard to bike at elevation. So hard.

 This peak is the easiest in the White Mountains, by far. The main road goes around the peak just below the summit. However, the only nearby parking is to the south, at the last switchback below the peak. We parked here.

Radio set up at the summit.

From the pullout, it was about a five minute walk up to the top. I was pretty out of breath despite spending the night at 8000 feet. I guess it takes more that eight hours to acclimate.

Pointing at tomorrow's goal, White Mountain Peak.

There was good cell service on top, and the bands were open. We shared a KX2 so we could eavesdrop on all the QSOs. It was a quick and easy activation.

Bristlecone Pines.

We didn't spend too long on top since we wanted to get another peak or two before heading to the end of the road. We were feeling good and hopeful, so we decided to try and get Station Peak next.

 KE6MT, N6RUN, and had decided to go to the White Mountains for some peakbagging and SOTA. In order to acclimate a little, we left after work on Thursday and drove through Yosemite to spend the night on top of Lookout Mountain. I was around 11:30pm when we arrived at the turn off from 395, and with Rex's SUV we quickly made it to the top. 

Trying a midnight activation.

It was a bit hard to see, but my guess is a sedan would've had a lot of trouble getting up to the summit. There were a few rough or sandy sections. We put up our tents, then quickly put up an antenna. Saurabh called CQ for a while, but only got two contacts. Since it was late, we went to bed after deciding to just get our contacts in the morning.

Sierra in the background.

In the morning I woke up first and got on the air. Since it was light across North America, it was easy to get contacts and I quickly got a dozen or so. As the other took their turns, I packed up and made breakfast. Once we all had our contacts and had finished packing up, we headed back down the hill and on to Bishop.

Despite a few trees, the views were excellent.

At the Great Basin Bakery, we met up with Adam K6ARK who was in town for his own trip. Properly fueled with tasty sandwiches, we headed into the White Mountains and our next summit, Peak 10920.

I know you are wondering what does a baseball double play have to do with (POTA) Parks on the Air.  Let me briefly explain my introduction into Parks on the Air. 

During the Pandemic shutdown I stumbled upon Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA) and shortly thereafter World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF).  Information on the first two were readily available as it related to me here in the U.S.  However, at face value, all I could conceive about WWFF from YouTube videos; that it was an organization dedicated to countries outside of the U.S.  What a HUGE MISCONCEPTION.  Once I delved further; I learned WWFF was Worldwide just as POTA and SOTA. Since becoming a POTA activator in 2021, there are few POTA sites near my QTH that are part of WWFF which I've included in my POTA activations.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago while going through my YouTube Amateur Radio recommendations I came upon a video by Stuart VE9CF "This One Thing Often Overlooked By Almost All POTA Operators".  

In Stuart's YouTube video, he explains how some POTA activators overlook the relationship between POTA and WWFF and how to combine the two, just like you would with POTA and SOTA. 

Now, where does the Baseball Double Play analogy come into play. There are thousands of POTA sites that are part of the WWFF network. With those POTA sites you can combine those WWFF sites and POTA sites for a Double Play.  Thanks to Stuart (VE9CF), I wanted to pass along to those who may be unaware of the relationship with POTA and WWFF.  Find out more about Stuart's Ham Radio experiences on his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@outnaboot and his website: https://www.outnaboot.ca/

To find out more about World Wide Flora & Fauna, how to register and WWFF sites (U.S.) and abroad, here is the link:

https://wwff.co/

 This is one of three SOTA peaks in the Kaiser Wilderness above Huntington Lake. After some staring at a map, I decided the easiest approach was to drive up to Kaiser Pass, then follow the ridge. This is broadly what we did.

About to enter the wilderness.

The road gets pretty narrow and windy on the way up to the pass, so be prepared for that. There was plenty of parking at the pass, and even some bathrooms. Much cushier than I expected. Heading up the hill we passed a few campfire rings, then the sign marking the wilderness boundary. The slope here is pretty gentle, and it was a pleasant walk through a Sierra forest. On top of the first sub peak we headed down to the col.

Enjoying the view from the open areas.

On the way there we stayed high enough to avoid the marshy meadows. It was probably slightly longer, but having dry shoes made it worth it. The original plan was to get on the ridge and follow it to the summit, but the ridge looked pretty rough. We decided to stay a little below where we only had to walk through calf-high brush. Going was pretty easy, and there weren't any areas we had to fight through.

Huntington Lake.

After you pass around the last sub-peak, you can see the summit above you. This climb was the steepest of the day, but nothing terrible. From below it looks like there are some cliff bands, but the rocks are broken and it was easy to just walk to the summit. From the top the views to the north were excellent, there being a cliff on that side of the mountain. My Verizon phone had ok service, enough to put out some spots. AT&T had some, but not as good.

Making contacts with the new KH1.

The bands were not in good shape, but I managed to get enough on HF with only the KH1 whip. We called on 2m for a while, but there was a station hogging the calling frequency, so we didn't make many there. 

We retraced our steps, more or less, to get back to the car. We stayed a little lower on the ridge during the traverse, and it was just as easy as higher. It did mean, however, we had to cross the wet meadow. Luckily we were able to find enough solid ground to keep our feet dry. Back at the car we coasted down the hill to the general store at the marina to get some snacks and beverages, then back to the campground to relax by the lake.

Yesterday was the annual Flight of the Bumblebees (FOBB) QRP contest, a four-hour sprint sponsored by The Adventure Radio Society. It’s been a couple of years since I last took part, so I was glad to get out for a couple of hours this afternoon. Prior to the contest, I signed up to be a bumblebee station and was assigned bumblebee number 82. 

I operated from a picnic area in nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park (US-0761, KFF-0761). There were several picnics in progress, so I headed to an area well away from them. I found a nice shady spot under the trees, where I set up my table and chair. Except for having to swat the occasional bug, it was a comfortable spot.

My rig was an Elecraft KX3, running 5 watts. I dusted off my trusty homebrew 19-foot vertical and put it to use for this event.

In general, the bands weren’t all that great. Most of the signals I heard were weak, and there was considerable fading on the bands. A few contacts were a real struggle. 

The FOBB activity was surprisingly brisk when I first started, but slowed dramatically as the contest wore on. In about two hours and a half hours of operating, I ended up with 22 contest QSOs. Fourteen of those were with fellow bumblebees. Before I shut down, I came across a POTA station and had a quick park-to-park contact outside of the contest.

Although I was in a POTA entity, I didn’t spot myself or call “CQ POTA.” However, my FOBB contacts were more than enough to complete an activation.

Given the conditions, I did better than I expected. Thanks to those stations that hung in there to pull me out of the noise.

72, Craig WB3GCK

I had a chance to use the inexpensive whip I bought through AliExpress recently. While it performed well enough, I encountered a couple of minor quality issues. That’s certainly not surprising, given its $18 USD price tag. 

I made an early morning trip to Ridley Creek State Park (US-1414, KFF-1414). I coupled the AliExpress whip with my homebrew loading coil. My rig today was my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW). 

Extending the whip, I noticed that two of the sections were pretty tight and took some effort to pull them out. Better tight than loose, I guess. Another issue is that the crimp that holds the mounting stud in the bottom section of the antenna was a little loose. When the antenna was fully seated in the mount, I could still rotate the antenna. 

Because this whip is longer than a quarter wave on 20M, I didn’t extend the first section from the bottom. Using an antenna analyzer, I was seeing SWR readings similar to my MFJ-1979 whip. The SWR readings seemed stable. So, I guess the suspect crimp is making a good enough connection. 

Band conditions seemed so-so this morning. Despite that, I logged 25 contacts on 40M and 20M in an hour, including three park-to-park contacts. I didn’t work any DX stations today, but I worked a station on the west coast in Washington on 20M. 

Even with its issues, the whip did a pretty decent job this morning. It won’t replace my MFJ whip, but it will have a place in my antenna arsenal.

72, Craig WB3GCK