[W2CRA] Summary of POTA Event on May 17 at Round Valley St Rec Area

[MIKE BROWN]

On Saturday morning, 5 operators met at the West picnic area of Round Valley St Recreation Area.
KD2ZZA, Mike
N2UP, Rob Z
WA2RT, Rob T
KR2C, Kurt
Fr Bill, W2BWL
 
The skies cleared and the sun came out.  Band conditions were another story due to intense solar activity (K index 4, HF band conditions from Poor to Fair).
 
Rob Z N2UP (our club POTA co-chair) set up his station on 20M.  He had a unique sun awning that pulled right off his car roof.  His station antenna was a super long whip vertical with an impedance matching device at the tripod base.
 
Rob T WA2RT shot his wire sloper over the top of the tallest tree, had to be 75' tall.  His home-built air gun is the Blast!  I think he has named it something else related to Smith and Wesson.  He operated on 40M.
 
I set up the refreshments table (coffee, freshly baked Mel's Bagels, cream cheeses, yogurts).  I then set up my ICOM IC-7300 station using my Buddistick vertical, 100 watts power, SSB, 15M band, with my Bioenno 20 Ah battery.
 
No joy for me on 15M.  While Rob T was setting up his sloper. I retuned my antenna for 40M.  Just 1 qso in my log.  Ughh.
 
I qrt'd my station and went over to Rob Z as a second operator on 20M.  Logged several qsos from NJ, OH, NY, PA, WI.
 
I visited our third station (Rob T) on 40M and joined as another operator.  Continued to log qsos on 40M, although it was challenging.
 
All three stations successfully activated Round Valley, US-7505, POTA park in 2 hours of challenging HF band conditions.  The POTA activator logs were in the POTA database later that day.
 
Our next club POTA event is June 21, 9-11 am at Washington Crossing State Park, NJ side, at the 3-fer spot or possibly up by the Visitor Center (single POTA park).
 
On July 19 is another scheduled club POTA event, tentatively at WCSP, 9-11 am.  This weekend is also the POTA Support Your Parks summer weekend.  Both Hunters and Activators can earn SYP award certificates, provided they have registered accounts (free) on the Parks On The Air site.  Hunters need to get at least 10 qsos with POTA activators.  If you join the event as an Activator, make sure sure hunt at least 10 park activators to earn both awards. 
 
Mike Brown, KD2ZZA
(908) 892-3016 iphone
Flemington NJ
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