The second of three POTA (Parks On The Air) events is approaching.  The event date is July 8 at the Washington Crossing State Park, NJ side.  We have reserved Sullivan Grove near the Visitor Center/Museum to set up our portable radios and antennae.  The event time is from 9 am to 1 pm.  The third POTA date is August 19.

 

There are currently no entrance fees to the NJ state parks.  CRA members, HAM operators, and the public are encouraged to attend.  There are restrooms inside the Visitors Center.

 

If Operators want to use their vehicle mobile equipment for POTA park activation, that will be fine too.  We are allowed up to 5 vehicles to park along the side of the road at Sullivan Grove (2 wheels on the pavement, 2 wheels on the lawn).  If you are just coming for coffee, tea, bagels, please use the Visitor parking lot, and make the walk to the Visitor’s Center.  If you have Handicap Parking tag, there are spots next to the Visitor Center adjacent to Sullivan Grove.

 

Operators can use whatever modes they wish: CW, SSB, Digital.  All setups should be self-contained, self-powered (batteries please).  Trees can be used to stretch sloping wire antennae or bring your vertical antenna.

 

I plan to use a folding table, chair, and a Bioenno 12V, 15 Ahr LiFePO4 battery.  I have the ICOM IC-7300 100W transceiver and Mat-Tuner mAT-180h.  I use a RigExpert AA-35 Zoom to check antenna resonance before connecting to my radio.  I will choose one of several antennae options: Wolf River Mini Coil vertical, or a Buddistick Pro, or possibly one of several wire types with an arbor type thrown line high up into the trees (Superintendent has already said we can use the trees provided we don't damage them!). 

 

I will have my QRP radio (ICOM IC-705 10W on Bioenno battery).  If you would like to try activating the park and don't have portable equipment, no problem!  You may use either of my radios, just let me know ahead.  Bring a logbook and pre-register your call sign on the POTA network.

 

Handheld transceivers on VHF, UHF may be used for POTA operations.  However, I don't have a lot of experience doing POTA on VHF, UHF.

 

If you want to learn more about Parks On The Air (POTA), go to https://parksontheair.com site.  Registration is free, however, registration is necessary to spot yourself on the POTA network and for Hunters to find you, your operating mode and frequency.  I have the POTA app on my mobile iphone.   

 

While at a park, I can "see" other operators "spotted" around the country (and world) using different bands, modes.  I sort the active spotters by band (40M, 20M (the most popular band), 17M, or 15M), the Mode (SSB) and by "frequency." 

 

I can “hunt” them to make QSO contact on their frequency and give them my park number for a "Park to Park" QSO.  Activators tend to sort through pileups by taking P2P contacts first.

 

I use a paper notebook to log my contacts.  Later I'll use HAMRS logging software to electronically file the QSOs.  Some Operators go directly in their laptop logging software in the Field. 

 

I'll upload the HAMRS .adi file to my POTA account and to QRZ.  You have to log your QSOs with POTA in order to activate the Park and to receive POTA award certificates.   A minimum of ten (10) QSOs are required of the Activator in order to claim park activation.

 

BTW: The Washington Crossing POTA park number is K-1634.  I plan to make myself available to help members get started with POTA and to the extent I can, I will answer questions.

 

Mike Brown, KD2ZZA

(908) 892-3016 iphone

Flemington NJ