WB3GCK QRP Amateur Radio

Back in Business

The past few weeks have been crazy. I mentioned in the last post that I’ve been going through some medical issues. While I still have a few issues to resolve, I’m doing well—well enough to get in a long-overdue POTA activation.

I drove up to nearby Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351). I’m (slowly) closing in on a Repeat Offender award for this park, so Evansburg was an easy choice.

There was nothing special about my setup today. I went with my usual Penntek TR-35 (5 watts CW) and a 12-foot whip with my homebrew loading coil. This combination has always served me well, so why tamper with success?

WB3GCK - Alive and well at Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) — WB3GCK – Alive and well at Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351)

The bands weren’t very “QRP-friendly” this morning. Starting off on 40M, it took longer than usual to make my first ten contacts. There was some static, which I assume was from some bad weather passing to the south. To make matters worse, a hybrid car parked a few spaces away, wiping out the 40M band, until the driver turned the engine off.

Despite the less-than-stellar band conditions, my 90 minute activation yielded 27 contacts. There were two park-to-park contacts that I’m aware of. Only one European station made it into my log today. IW2NXI called me on 20M, but didn’t come back after I sent his report. Fortunately, Graziano called again later on, and we completed the contact. I heard another station (Sweden?) calling, but I just couldn’t get the whole callsign. I hate when that happens.

It certainly felt good to get back out to a park again. I really needed that. Hopefully, I’ll get back to activating more regularly soon.

I also want to thank those who reached out to see how I was doing. Thanks for checking on me!

72, Craig WB3GCK

Easter Activation

I wasn’t planning to activate a park today, but my (far) better half suggested I might want to. I have some medical procedures coming up and a bunch of other obligations, so I probably won’t have many opportunities in April. It had been a while since I last activated Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380), so I tossed my radio gear in the truck and headed out.

For a holiday, there was a fair number of people in the park. I pulled into a spot overlooking the lake and started setting up. Once again, I used my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts CW) and my 12-foot loaded whip.

One of my favorite spots in Marsh Creek State Park (US-1380, KFF-1380)

I spent an hour operating on 40M and 20M, and the hunters were out in full force. Although band conditions have been better, Craig sure was a busy boy. I ended up with 52 contacts. With the QRN, it was tough copying some of the DX stations. Despite that, I still logged nine of them:

St. Maarten
France (2)
Slovak Republic
Italy
Sweden (2)
Finland (2)

Hopefully, I’ll be able to get back out there in a few weeks.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Quick Holiday Weekend Outing

We have some family coming in, and I had some errands to run to get ready for them. Before I got started with all that, I drove to Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351) to squeeze in a short activation.

I went with a usual setup: my TR-35 (5 watts, CW) and 12-foot loaded whip. Although I was off to an early start, it didn’t take long to make my first 10 contacts on the 40M band. The 30M band was less productive, but it produced a handful of contacts.

WB3GCK at Evansburg State Park (US-1351, KFF-1351)

I spent the rest of my time up on 17M. I spotted myself on the WWFF spotting page, and the European WWFF hunters did not disappoint. They contributed seven DX QSOs to my log:

Poland
Belgium (2)
Finland (2)
Germany
Italy

There were a few other notable highlights. I worked NL7V in Alaska (17M), and I also received a call from Thomas K4SWL from QRPer.com (30M). Right before I pulled the plug, I saw on the POTA spotting page that fellow Polar Bear QRPer, Michael VE3WMB was on 40M. I ended my activation with a Polar Bear park-to-park QSO with Michael. My activation wrapped up with 37 contacts, including six park-to-park QSOs.

And now it’s back to the holiday preparations, I’d like to wish all those who celebrate a very happy Easter.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Keep It Simple, Stupid

My (far) better half and I spent the weekend puppy sitting at my daughter’s house in central Pennsylvania. There are some POTA entities in the area, so I planned to get in an activation while we were there. We drove out in my (far) better half’s car, so I couldn’t use my usual setup.

Thanks to the work I did before I retired, I have a tendency to plan for every contingency. I started thinking about antennas for every scenario I might encounter. Since I have a lot of antenna options, my packing list quickly grew to ridiculous proportions. In the end, I resisted the urge to over-plan and kept things simple.

For this trip, I took my Elecraft AX1 antenna. With this antenna, I could go “picnic table portable” or use a window mount on the (far) better half’s car. For the rig, I went with my KX3, so I could use 20M, 17M, and 15M.

Early Saturday morning, I threw my backpack into my (far) better half’s car and drove up to Boyd Big Tree State Preserve (K-4356, KFF-4356). My last activation at this park was back in 2022. Coincidently, I was puppy sitting on that trip, too.

The parking lot was pretty crowded when I rolled in, but I found a spot with a little room around it. It only took a minute or two to set up the AX1 on the window mount. The car is pretty small, so I had to experiment a little to find a spot on the center console to accommodate the KX3.

It was a little cramped inside my (far) better half's car, but certainly workable. — It was a little cramped inside my (far) better half’s car, but certainly workable.

My goal for the day was to make at least 14 contacts to reach the required 44 contacts at this park for World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF). (I had 30 contacts on my previous activation.) Of course, I would have been happy just to make the 10 contacts required for POTA. But, once again, I underestimated the effectiveness of the AX1.

My AX1 and window mount on my (far) better half's car — My AX1 and window mount on my (far) better half’s car

Running five watts of CW on 20M and 17M, a steady stream of hunters kept me busy. It only took about 20 minutes to make the 14 contacts I was looking for. The last time someone activated this park was back in November, and there have been very few CW activations. So, this was probably a new one for a lot of hunters.

DX-wise, I had one of my better outings. I had 14 DX contacts with the following countries:

Sweden (2)
Finland (4)
Italy (3)
France
Poland
Germany
Slovak Republic (2)

I worked OH2LIO on both 20M and 17M. Although not DX, I was pleased to log a contact with a California hunter. My little QRP signal really seemed to be getting around.

After slightly over an hour, I had 37 contacts, including four park-to-park contacts. Not too bad for five watts and a 45-inch whip.

I’m glad I went with this simple setup. That little AX1 never ceases to amaze me.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Gone Before the Wind

The weather prognosticators said we’re under a Wind Advisory from midday today through tomorrow. In the best interest of my antenna, I got an early start this morning to avoid confronting the forecasted 45 MPH wind gusts.

Instead of doing a normal POTA or WWFF activation, I headed down to Ridley Creek State Park (K-1414, KFF-1414) to take part in the Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) Weekend Sprintathon (WES) contest. I haven’t been very active in the WES contests of late, so I focused my attention on that.

I used my usual Penntek TR-35 transceiver (5 watts CW) and my 12-foot loaded whip antenna. I also used my little American Morse MS2 straight key. The MS2 is an unusual-looking key, but I’ve really grown to love it over the years. I did some earlier posts on the MS2 and the magnetic base I built for it.

My little MS-2 straight key attached to my clipboard with a homebrew magnetic base I made for it — My little MS2 straight key attached to my clipboard with a homebrew magnetic base I made for it

Most of my operation today was on 40M. I split my time between calling CQ and search-and-pounce. The WES contests are rather laid back, compared to a typical POTA activation. The WES QSOs come at a much slower pace. I didn’t log my 10th contact until about 45 minutes in.

As I was making my tenth contact, it started raining. So, I grabbed a plastic bag and went back to wrap up my loading coil. It was only a passing shower, so I removed the antenna’s “raincoat” a short while later.

The "raincoat" I fashioned to protect my loading coil from the rain — The “raincoat” I fashioned to protect my loading coil from the rain

I ended up this morning with 15 contacts in my log. Thirteen were with SKCC stations, and two were POTA park-to-park contacts. I also worked KS1KCC, the SKCC club station in Michigan, on both 40M and 20M.

This was a fun change of pace today, and I added a few new SKCC numbers to my log.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Sunny Weather Sandwich

Today was a day of sunny weather sandwiched between a rainy day yesterday and a week of mostly rainy days coming up. So, I took advantage of it and headed over the Norristown Farm State Park (K-4363, KFF-4363) for an early morning activation.

I operated today from a parking lot near the picnic pavilions. This area is a little lower in elevation than some other parts of the park, but I always seem to do well there. This spot also has the advantages of being less crowded and having nearby “facilities.”

WB3GCK at Norristown Farm State Park (K-4363, KFF-4363)

I used my usual “stationary-mobile” setup, with my Penntek TR-35 (5W CW) and 12-foot loaded whip. Although the bands seemed a little weak, the hunters were out in full force. Starting out of 40M, I had 10 contacts in the first eight minutes. After an hour and ten minutes, I had 48 QSOs in my log with two park-to-park contacts.

Among my contacts today was one with fellow QRPer, W2LJ. It’s always nice to hear Larry. I also had a DX contact with SM4BNZ. Initially, I copied his callsign incorrectly (placing him in Italy). Fortunately, he called back, and I got my log squared away.

I had some other things I needed to do today, so I was glad I could sneak in a quick activation this morning.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Evansburg State Park Activation

After a busy week, I was in dire need of a QRP-portable outing. I opted for an early morning trip to Evansburg State Park (K-1351, KFF-1351), since I’m slowly inching my way to a “Repeat Offender” award there.

It was a chilly morning with below freezing temperatures, so there weren’t many people in the park when I arrived. I parked next to a wooded area and started setting up. As I was setting up the antenna, I encountered an overhanging branch that was in the way. After moving to a better spot, I was back in business. I used my usual setup with my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts CW) and 12-foot whip with a homebrew loading coil.

My location next to a pile of downed trees

I spent most of my time on 40M and 30M today, with my last few contacts on 20M. All in all, I made 39 contacts, with two European contacts (Italy and France).

For the past couple of weeks, I have been sitting at 299 park-to-park contacts, just one shy of the next award level. With five P2P contacts today, I easily crossed the 300 mark.

My park-to-park total starting out today

When my supply of hot coffee ran out, it was time to pack up and head home. The weather man says warm temperatures are on the way this week. I’m looking forward to that.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Frosty Morning in Marsh Creek State Park

I was long overdue for some portable operation. Between family obligations, malfunctioning toilets, and a couple of snowstorms this week, opportunities were few and far between. Since I had gotten past all that, I headed out for a short activation at Marsh Creek State Park (K-1380, KFF-1380).

It was downright chilly this morning. When I left the house, the temperature was in the teens (°F). By the time I arrived at the park, the temperature had moderated to a balmy 25°F. I rolled into my favorite section of the park, and for a while, I had the place to myself.

I operated from my truck using my trusty TR-35 (5 watts) and my 12-foot loaded whip. Starting out on 40M, it took all of 10 minutes to make my first 10 contacts. I made about half of my total contacts today on 40M. I spent some time on 30M, before finishing up on 17M.

Towards the end of my outing, some strong winds had kicked up, and my antenna was whipping around in the breeze. I figured it was a good time to pack up.

The lake in Marsh Creek State Park (K-1380, KFF-1380) with the remnants of the snow we received earlier in the week.

I ended up with 41 contacts in just under an hour. I didn’t have any park-to-park contacts (that I know of), but I worked nine European stations:

Slovak Republic (3)
France
Germany
Lithuania
Ukraine
Sweden
Denmark

I also worked a station in Washington State. It always amazes me when my little five-watt CW signal makes it out to the West Coast and into eastern Europe in the same session.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to get out more often in the coming months.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Byonics KX3 AX1 Stand

I mentioned in an earlier post that I bought my Elecraft AX1 antenna not long after they came out. Although I carried in my pack as a backup antenna for a few years, I never used it much. That changed last year, when I started giving it some serious use. It’s now one of my go-to options for casual, impromptu portable operation.

Of course I bought a few accessories for the AX1. I typically use the AXB1 Bipod with the AX1 attached directly to my KX3. While that works fine, I saw mention of an interesting alternative to the bipod, the Byonics KX3 AX1 Stand. My curiosity got the better of me, so I ordered one.

It’s a clever little 3D printed stand that weighs next to nothing. To use it, attach the BNC elbow adapter to the AX1 and set it in the stand. Scoot the stand up to the radio and connect the AX1 to the radio. That’s it!

I set it up at home, and it seems pretty stable. The thing I like about it is that there are no adjustments. Since Byonics makes these stands for specific radios, the KX3 version won’t fit a KX2 and vice versa. That’s not a problem for me, since I don’t currently own a KX2. The Elecraft bi-pod, of course, can be adjusted to fit either radio.

I’m looking forward to trying it out in the field sometime soon.

73, Craig WB3GCK

Multi-Purpose Outing

Heading out for some portable operations yesterday, I had a few objectives in mind. First, I needed to take some pictures of an antenna mount for an article I’m working on. I also wanted to do a POTA activation, while also making some Winter Field Day (WFD) contacts. Lastly, I wanted to try out an inexpensive LiFePO4 battery I recently purchased.

I planned to do all this stuff while at Ridley Creek State Park (K-1414, KFF-1414). I started off by setting up to take the pictures for the article. After getting the shots I needed, I set up to get on the air. Today, I was using my KX3 (5 watts CW) and 12-foot loaded whip. I also had a 29-foot vertical wire fed through a 9:1 unun.

My POTA/Winter Field Day setup. The straight key was pressed into service for a Straight Key Century Club contact.

I finished setting up about 10 minutes before WFD kicked off, so I started calling “CQ POTA” on 30M. By the time WFD started, I had the required 10 POTA contacts in the log. After marking myself as “QRT” on the POTA spotting page, I started “searching and pouncing” on the bands. I was hunting for WFD, POTA, or anything else that seemed interesting.

After a little under two hours, I wrapped up with 25 contacts in my log. Thirteen of them were WFD contacts. I also had a park-to-park QSO with AA4XX down in North Carolina. It’s always a pleasure to work Paul. A Straight Key Century Club contact with K3Y/8 rounded out my log.

The battery I was using today was a 6 Ah LiFePO4 battery I found on Amazon for about $20 (US). My trusty Bioenno batteries are still hanging tough after more than six years of use, but I was curious to see how this cheap battery would work. It did just fine, but we’ll see how it holds up over time.

The $20 6Ah LiFePO4 battery I used for the first time today. It got the job done.

With some welcomed mild weather yesterday, this wasn’t the most wintry of Winter Field Days here in Pennsylvania. I wish I had more time for it this weekend, but life had other plans for me. Best of luck to everyone taking part in WFD.

73, Craig WB3GCK