After a tough couple of weeks, I was really looking forward to a park activation today. Although the weatherman predicted storms later in the day, it was supposed to be a decent morning. I had some specific plans in mind. Mother Nature, however, had other plans.
I planned to drive over to nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park (US-0761, KFF-0761) to operate from a picnic table and experiment with an antenna or two. When I was about halfway to the park, it started raining. Figuring it was just a passing shower, I continued on. Hah! It just kept raining.
Not wanting to get my radio gear wet, I gave up on the picnic table idea and stayed in the truck. I quickly set up my usual 12-foot whip and homebrew coil in the rain. I fired up my trusty Penntek TR-35 in the truck and got started.
About three QSOs into my activation, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. That was a cruel prank, Mother Nature! I briefly toyed with moving my gear over to a picnic table and setting up the antenna I wanted to try. Since I didn’t want to spend my limited operating time tearing down and setting up again, so I pressed on.
As activations go, it was nothing special. The bands were so-so, and I could hear some static from the impending storm. Still, I logged 19 contacts in about 50 minutes. Among those were park-to-park contacts with K4NYM in Florida on 30M and 20M. I had other business to attend to, so I started packing up to leave.
As I was out taking my antenna down, the sky clouded over and it started raining again. Well played, Mother Nature! You were quite the prankster this morning.
72, Craig WB3GCK
WB3GCK QRP Amateur Radio 