[PPRAANet] Parks on the Air Q

[ken at k0kwh.me]

Hi Chris,

It took me over a year to get my hunted all 50, in fact I finally got it about a couple months ago when I finally got Hawaii.  

I'd have to go back thru my log to see what I got at the qth vs several of them I ended up getting while I was out activating using my Ham Stick Dipole set up about 30' high.  The QTH is a Alpha Delta DX-CC, N-S orientation, Inverted V - Peak is 35' - Ends are about 10' off the ground.  You said you were using a dipole wire - what orientation is it?  If it's N-S like mine you won't get much off the ends (at least I don't - using FT8 and GridTracker / PSK reporter is a great indication of that), you could try moving it NW-SE to help the pattern, especially for WY.

My advice if you can do it would be to set up some kind of multi band beam that you can point exactly where you need.  I did a temp set up with my Buddipole Hex Beam a couple months ago while I was home with Covid, that's how I finally got Hawaii and DC.

I remember catching KS and OK during one of my activations from Cheyenne Mtn State Park and was surprised.  In my opinion, it just depends on the band conditions, most of the time I don't get any of our neighbor states (on any frequency), but every once in a while I will so sometimes it's just a matter of patience and catching it at the right time.  

Good Example, this weekend I was able to get another station activating Cheyenne Mtn State park Crystal Clear from my qth in Fountain (about 8 miles) - Typically when I see someone activating that park on the spot page I can't hear the activator at all, but can hear every station they can (I could probably log for them, LOL).

One of the other issues (again, in my opinion) is that there just doesn't seem to be as many people out activating parks in WY, KS, UT, NM, OK as there are in other states.

Hopefully something in this helps (mostly just saying Hang in There).

Ken - K0KWH



-----Original Message-----
From: ppraanet-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ppraanet-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Chris Nicoll
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2022 3:57 PM
To: Ppraanet reflector <ppraanet at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [PPRAANet] Parks on the Air Q


        

        
            Ive been having fun doing POTA hunts and I'm closing in on all 50 states. My problem is that im skipping over our neighboring states on 20m like WY NM KS etc… i did manage get Utah and AZ.   I have been keeping an eye on 40m spots in those close by states thinking i might catch an activation in NM, KS or WY on 40M.  Unfortunately, there is less POTA activity on 40M band.  I use a dipole wire antenna. Any suggestions on reaching neighboring states like a different antenna type that might get me in close without skipping over.  I can generally hear the distant end of the contacts being made and miss out on the close in stations on 20M for the neighbor states.My only other thought is to go for a road trip out a ways to creat some HF distance to hit those close in states from somewhere else. Or jump on a Software Defined Station remotely that transmits from the midwest or east coast back to the west.  That sounds either highly innovative, or maybe cheating.  Not sure which.  Any thoughts?  Thx,Chris ________________________Chris Nicoll Phone: (719) 225-6600chris at chrisnicoll.usAmateur Radio Call Sign: WØCNXLinkedIn 
                
            
        
        

    
    

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