One of many ponds on the Mason Valley WMA site. Shot with Fuji X100vi with some post-processing in PhotoLab 7.
Goodness, I have been busy the last few weeks. I have project work plus the markets are giving me fits.
Saturday I just could not stand to stay in the house. So, I took Sera back down to Yerington to the Mason Valley WMA and activated the park. We had a nice walk and came across this pond that had quite a bit of activity. I made a few images with the Fuji X100vi and wished I had brought the Sony A7iii and the 400mm lens. There might have been a few more nice captures.
Still, I am satisfied with this one.
After the park, we drove over to the northeast side of Yerington to look at a property. It is a manufactured home on a five-acre lot. I am unsure about the condition of the home. The storage building looks fine and there is a small metal shed workshop that would be lovely, but awful hot in the summer.
It was good to take a look. I would like to have room for some wire antennas and be away from the noise of the mains behind my duplex. It looks like there could be some grass in a fenced front yard for The Girl.
I will have to think on it some more. I think the price is much too high for what it is.
This was my setup for the Washoe Lake SP activation, after I discovered I left the station battery behind.
Saturday morning I woke, made coffee, and sat down to collect my thoughts. It was a normal day. Well, it was until I decided there were a couple of tasks I needed to get done. So, I busied myself photographing the Fuji X100V and the X-E2 that were on my list to sell.
Once that task was done and the images reviewed, I wrote the descriptions and listed each camera on fleaBay. I realy do not like to use the service anymore because their fees are excessive. My cost to sell is on the order of 15 percent. But, it is the devil I know so I continue to use them.
That task done, I asked myself what was next. By that time, The Girl had wandered into my workroom, checked in with me, and moved to her daytime mat. I gave her a ruffle of the ears and a shoulder pat and turned back to my work.
“Nope, this is not going to do. We need to get outside.” So I fed her, took her out, and started to gather up a few things. We both needed some outside time and I decided to make a run to Washoe Lake for some air, some exercise, and some radio play.
The rig was basically loaded, so I grabbed a couple of water bottles, her gear, and we loaded up. I grabbed McD’s for lunch and we drove to the park, nibbling on fries as we drove. (Yes, she gets fries…)
At the park, I got her out and we got a short walk in. The wind was down and the Sun felt good. I let her sniff about while I got out my table, chair, and her mat. She stayed in the rig while I deployed the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 antenna with the mil-extension and the mil-whip. I used my hand-built counterpoise set — three wires about 16-feet long that I deploy symmetrically about the antenna. I’m confident I get a better ground plane from multiple wires and it takes only a couple of minutes to deploy them.
I then turned to setup the station and found that I had… wait for it… left the station battery behind. At that point, several thoughts passed through my mind, none of them printable. With the antenna deployed, I could not leave the site to retrieve the battery.
However, I had the Elecraft KX2 shack-in-a-box in the rig. So, I put away my exterior equipment (save the antenna), got the little radio out, connected it to the antenna, and turned it on. It powered right up, so I checked the 20m band but it was busy. So I moved to 15m and found an open frequency. I spotted myself on the POTA.app website and started calling.
I was puzzled that the little rig was putting out only seven watts. I checked the antenna match and power output settings and found nothing. Then, in the middle of a contact, the rig shut down. The battery was depleted.
It took only seconds to retrieve the spare from the rig’s kit. I plugged it in and powered the rig on. In my haste, I had changed frequencies, did not notice, and lost the contact I was working.
So, I paused, took a breath, changed back to my frequency, and found it occupied. “Poop!” I thought (well, kinda-sorta). Frustrated and harried, I searched for an unoccupied frequency, adjusted my log (HAMRS on my iPhone), and edited my spot. I restarted my call, CQ POTA DE AG7TX AR, and started working callers again.
We came up on the close of the day (1600h PST == 0000h UTC), so I took the last call and then cleared the frequency. I powered down the little radio, closed my log, and sat for a minute. What might have been a frustrating experience turned out fine. I had a spare radio that had a good battery. I made about 20 contacts (more than enough to make my activation), solved a couple of problems, and had a good day.
I recovered the station and the antenna and put them away. I got The Girl out of the rig and we took a ten-minute walk around the area we have been working. She sniffed, pulled on the lead to go faster, peed, and pooped — all the doggie things. Her gait is improving and maybe the muscle mass of her left hip is increasing. She limps less and all of that is good.
The day ended well with us heading back to the house for a good evening. I got the KX2 kit from the rig and put it on the charger. Both batteries needed to be charged.
The Yaesu FT-897D station at the end of my Mason Valley activation. I left the microphone in the 897 box. Shot with Sony A7iii and Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 at f/4.
I woke Sunday morning with the time change screwing with my natural rhythm. I made coffee (a substantial habit) and sat down at my desk. There are a few websites I check daily while I have coffee. As I worked through my second mug, I looked out the window and noticed the Sun shining. I checked the weather and we were in for another lovely day. So I checked the radio weather and it looks like propagation would be OK if not good.
I decided to go activate Mason Valley WMA. It is only a bit more than an hour away, is not heavily used (at least the area where I like to play radio), and I have not activated it in a long time (a couple of years). So, if propagation turned out to not be good, it was not a long trip to have spent.
I took The Girl out to eliminate and sniff. Then I fed her before I started preparations to go. (If I do not do things in the proper order, she will not eat.) I checked the KX2 and swapped batteries on the charger. This meant I was not taking the little rig with me. I grabbed a snack, The Girl’s gear, and we headed for the rig.
I started the rig and then realized I did not have a battery for the Yaesu FT-897D. Hmmm… I almost violated the First Rule of the Day… again. Well, for the second day in a row. I retrieved the Bioenno 30Ah battery from its charger in the camper and stowed it in the carry bag in the 4Runner.
Then we headed for McD’s for a breakfast sandwich and another coffee. Provisioned, we headed through town and then east on US 50 while I chatted with Older Son.
The trip was uneventful and I remembered the trail at the park to my preferred operating position. I got The Girl out for a short walk and enjoyed the air and the Sun. Then I put her on her mat and started setting up the station. Again, I used the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 and the Yaesu FT-897D. The radio would not power up. Hmmm…
I checked the connections, but no joy. I thought this odd because I had used the radio only a week ago. I returned to the rig and checked the 897 box. I had a spare power cable. I retried it, swapped it for the cable connected to the radio, and the radio powered up. Hmmm… I thought. That is odd. There was nothing physically apparent from a brief examination. I will need to check it.
With the station setup, I picked up my iPhone to spot myself on the POTA.app website.
“#!#$$#%%#$#!!!” no freakin’ signal. Plus, in my haste, and had not posted an activation on the website. So, I took a drink of water, paused, and decided how to solve the problem. I could a) just start calling and then send my park number as part of the first exchange with a request for a spot or b)drive a half-mile back towards the main road to pick up a cellular signal.
I elected Plan B. So, The Girl and I drove back toward the main road until I got a good signal. I then posted an upcoming activation, and we returned to the OP. I set the radio to an open frequency on the 17m band and started calling (CQ). I was greeted with a caller after a couple of calls and started working stations. At this point I knew that the Reverse Beacon Network would pick up my general calls (CQ POTA DE AG7TX) and then the POTA website robot would scrape by call sign from the RBN. This would keep me spotted so that callers could find me.
The Sun was a little too much, so I moved the rig to shelter the station (and me) a bit. The hatch does a pretty good job of providing shade.
I worked the bands for a couple of hours until the number of callers fell off. My farthest call of the day was an operator in Sweden whom I have worked a number of times. When the upper bands are working, I get calls from Europe and sometimes South America. That is fun.
Satisfied and ready to head back home, I recovered the antenna and station. With the equipment stowed, The Girl and I did another walk. We then loaded up and headed home.
I reflected on the weekend as we drove home. The Fujifilm X100V sold Sunday morning. I knew I would want to pack it and get it prepared to ship Monday. I thought about supper and decided I had not had enchiladas in a long time. There is a Mexican place in the CVS lot on US 50 on the east side of town, but it was closed. So, I started for San Marcus Grill. I called a buddy who has been trying to engage for a shared meal, but he was just taking supper from the oven.
So, I was solo. The Girl would be fine in the rig while I got a bite of supper. I parked in the lot, dropped the windows a bit, and opened the moonroof a bit. She would have plenty of ventilation.
I went inside, was finally seated, and the helper brought chips and salsa. I ordered a Margarita because I have not had one in a very long time. In fact, I have all but given up alcohol since the first of the year. It was not that I felt addicted; but I thought the habit was not my best self and decided to try an experiment wherein I reduced my alcohol intake substantially to see how I feel.
The result is that I have almost no reflux overnight and I think I sleep a little better. So I will maintain the regimen even if I allow myself an occasional Margarita or glass of wine with supper.
I ate most of my enchiladas, so I did not pay the Dog Tax. Forgiven, I drove us home, put the battery on the charger, and fed her. We then settled in for the night. It was a good day.
There were things learned, of course.
Be sure to check the punch list.
Wait, I do not have a punch list.
If I do not leave necessary parts of the station in the rig, then create a punch list… even if it is just a note that I need to get a battery, radio, antenna, etc from storage and put it in the rig.
Have a backup plan. On the Saturday outing, I had a QRP radio in the rig and had batteries for it. This saved the activation.
On the Sunday outing, I had an Elecraft KX1 and battery in a box in the rig. That was my backup. And, I knew it was there.
I did not have a DVM in the rig. I should be sure to have a small toolkit in the rig with a ohm meter for continuity checking. Fortunately, I had a spare power cable so was able to operate.
I have a propensity for ad hoc activations. While this is OK it can lead to failures, such as a forgotten battery, no cellular signal for spotting, or other problems from lack of a punch list or moving equipment/items to and from the vehicle.
I should spend a few more minutes before leaving the house to post my intended activation, check the kit, and be sure I have everything needed for a daytrip.
As usual, I learned a few things. I hope the lessons stick. It was a good weekend. The weather was good. The Girl is healing, albeit slowly. I played some radio. One of my excess cameras sold (the X100V is still in high demand).
Oh yeah, hat tip to Dickens for my use of his meme.
Life is good. I am grateful.
After completing the Mason Valley WMA activation, I paused to make an image of the site and the Chameleon MPAS antenna. It was a good day. Shot with Sony A7iii and Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 lens at about f/8.
While activating the park at Walker Lake, the view across the lake caught my attention. I made the capture with the Fujifilm X100vi using a Kodachrome 64 film simulation with just a little adjustment to the contrast.
Last Sunday I was a bit out of sorts, tired of sitting at the house, tired of doing the same old thing, and kind-of just generally out of sorts. So, I decided to get out and go somewhere.
I need to renew my Nevada Senior Park Access Pass (gets me in free), so elected to see if I could activate the Walker Lake SRA. It was a new park for me and I would like to my number of unique parks activated.
So, I grabbed the 30Ah battery from the camper, loaded a few things into the 4Runner, and we set off. I knew The Girl would want to go along. I also knew that we could get in a couple of short walks as well.
The drive down was uneventful until I approached the turn off to the park. The driver behind me apparently was displeased that I slowed to make my turn. So, he shouted at me rudely (honked the horn), expressing his displeasure with my driving skills.
We worked our way down to an unoccupied portion of the park, found a relatively level place, and stopped. I got The Girl out for a short walk (that is all she gets at the moment). Then I put her back into the rig, got out the radio and antenna, and got out my table and chair.
It was warm enough to sit outside in the Sun, with it playing peek-a-boo through the clouds. I put down a mat for Sera and she took advantage of it. It did not take long to set up the antenna and the Yaesu FT-897D. I also put out a solar panel and connected it to the battery.
I started on the 10-meter band, phone, and then worked my way down to 20m. The bands were not very good and there was a lot of noise on 20m. I made enough contacts to make the activation before the noise drove me off.
I put away the station and gathered up The Girl for another short walk. I carried the new Fujifilm X100vi along with me and made a few captures. I am pleased with the two shared in this entry and the Rexall Drug Store capture in the last Remainders entry.
Although unusual, I came away with no lessons learned this outing. It was a straightforward setup, operate, enjoy, and recover the station operation. That is good.
We headed home and I drove through Yerington, Nevada instead of taking the bypass. The bypass has been heavily regulated. I suppose there was too much traffic using a local/collector road so they took action to reduce the traffic load. The road is not in good condition, anyway.
I used the opportunity to drive downtown. The Lucky Gold Casino was open and the restaurant/diner was serving. So I bought a grilled chicken breast supper and enjoyed some coffee.
Of course I carried the dog tax to the rig for The Girl. She enjoyed her early supper quite a lot and then settled in for the remainder of the trip home.
It was uneventful. I am grateful. Life is good.
While walking Sera a little, I paused to make this capture with the Fujifilm X100vi using a Kodachrome 64 film simulation, SOOC.
While walking The Girl up at Washoe Lake SP, I paused to make this capture of the afternoon light on Slide Mountain. There is snow, but not enough for spring flows. We need more. Capture with Fuji X100vi and the standard film simulation, mostly SOOC (slight contrast adjustment).
I had The Girl up at Washoe Lake State Park yesterday for an outing. We walked after arriving about noon, then I setup the Yaesu FT-897D station to play radio for an hour or so. The bands were not very cooperative, but I still made about 30 contacts — more than enough for a POTA activation.
Then I got her out for a second walk. We are rebuilding the tissue around her knee to reinforce it. Her gait is better already and the trick will be to avoid damaging the repair until it is strong enough to handle the stress she puts on herself.
She is an all-in dog. That is my girl!
I made the capture on our second circuit of the field, after I put away the station. I am learning the new Fujifilm X100vi and it is a substantial upgrade from the X100V. I am enjoying it.
The Yaesu FT-897D transceiver used for the day’s activation of Washoe Lake State Park. Although a legacy radio, it is still capable.
Sunday morning came gray, threatening rain and wind. I woke late for me, about 0700h, but I felt better than I have in a while. I think I slept better for a couple of nights. That does make a difference.
I had talked to friends about possible activating Prison Hill, a low-point Summit (on the Air) hill that would be my first SOTA activation of 2025. But it was raining at 0800h so I thought maybe not.
I was engrossed in my coffee and in working on my Winlink/Digirig/VARA install on my station computer. After months of no attention, nothing worked anymore. Thank you, Microsoft. It is likely that there were more than one updates that resulted in a reset of the sound settings.
Why do I say this? Well, the settings I remember establishing for the Digirig were gone. I did not change them. No one else has access to the computer. Induct.
But with the help from another ham, who wrote an excellent how-to, the process was relatively straightforward and I had Winlink, the Digirig, and VARA FM talking once again. I was able to exchange email with the local Winlink gateway. It was not long before I had VARA HF talking to the Elecraft K3 and then WSJT-X and JS8Call followed.
So, I made another mug of coffee and some hot cereal for breakfast. That left me at about 0930h and the rain was gone and the Sun was shining. I decided to get out for an outing and maybe play some radio.
The Girl has not been out of the house but for the backyard to eliminate and to the vet for checks since her knee surgery about a month ago. She has asked to go with several times of late. I decided to take her with because she could be with me in the rig while I operated the radio and I could get her out for a little walk without endangering her knee.
Spooner Lake SP was full of tourists and we had enough snow that there was no good place to operate. So, grumpily, we headed back down the hill. I decided to go to Washoe Lake SP and play there.
What I did not know is that the wind was howling through Washoe Valley. The warning signs prohibiting high-profile vehicles were flashing. When we got the our operating point off Bellevue Road, I could barely stand to deploy the antenna.
I elected to use the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 in the vertical mode. I drove the spike well into the wet ground, affixed the counterpoise and matching transformer, then deployed the mil-extension and whip. The antenna leaned about 30-degrees under wind pressure.
I retrieved the Yaesu FT-897D from its case and the support equipment for it. This legacy radio is old, but I have 300Hz and 2.3KHz filters in it and it works very well. Plus there is not a lot of fiddling with cables and such. I also know how to run the rig.
Everything took longer than usual — a factor of the wind and the length of time since I last setup the portable station. But, after about 20 minutes, I had the station assembled and was ready to operate.
So, I said goodbye to Older Son and started hunting other activators. I used HAMRS on my iPhone for logging as well as reading spots from the POTA website. I made a couple of contacts and then started looking for an open frequency on the 20-meter band.
I landed on 14.290MHz in the phone portion of the band and called a couple of times to see if the frequency was in use. In between calls, I started a spot for myself on the POTA website. Hearing nothing, I pressed the spot button and started calling.
It took only a few minutes before the first few calls started coming in. For the first few minutes it was a steady stream, but no pile-up. Then ka-blooey! the frequency blew up and I spent nearly the next three hours working a huge pile-up. Sometimes there were so many calls I could not get even a fragment of a call sign.
I did not move from the frequency or change modes for about three hours. At the end of that time I had 206 contacts in the log. At the end, the calls trailed off. A last call brought a few more. Then the frequency went quiet. I offered my thanks and indicated I was ending my occupation of the frequency (QRT).
I shut down the radio, made a photograph, and then got out and began recovering the station. The wind had abated some so it was not as bad as when I deployed the station. But it was also cooler and the Sun had fallen behind the Sierra.
Once the station was put away, I got The Girl out and we walked around the site. She sniffed, peed, and pooped and had a good time. It is good for her to exercise her leg. She lost a lot of muscle mass from the starboard hip. It will take time for her to recover that.
With that out of the way, I picked her up and put her in the rig. Then I clambered in myself, started it up, and called my buddy in Montana. We both marveled at the run.
As usual, I learned a few things.
Deploying a portable station is a skill. I had no problem with the setup. I had everything needed in the rig with me. But, I was not as efficient as normal. That is a lack of practice.
When my deployment skills are fresh, I can deploy that station (FT-897 and Chameleon MPAS) in about ten minutes. This deployment took between 20 and 30 minutes.
My code skills might be a little slower than they were when I last ran a frequency. But I was still able to copy the callsigns and exchanges at 18wpm.
The mental game was pretty challenging. I had so many callers, sometimes five or more at the same time. During some of the busiest periods I could not even get a fragment of a call sign. Fortunately, if I just waited someone would put out their call sign in the clear.
That gave me an opportunity to pull one caller off the pile, work him (or her), and then let everyone know I was ready to take another call. (I called QRZ.)
The 20m band was hot and had legs. It was unusually busy and I was hearing callers from Southern California and Oregon. Normally those are harder areas to work. Arizona, Washington, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico were LOUD.
My noise floor was between S4 and S5, which is quite high for the location. There was some noise on the band. There was also some fading at times.
Recovery of the station took a little longer than I wanted. But, I was mentally tired after all that work. It was a good kind of tired.
I am well on my way to a second Kilo at Washoe Lake SP. That surprised me.
It was a good day, despite the wind. I was shocked at how busy I was.
It was a very good day. I am grateful. Life is good.
Most of the contact map for my activation of Washoe Lake State Park, US-2640.
A KH1 stump shot, photographed with my iPhone 13 Pro Max and no post processing.
A few days ago (before the new year), I had The Girl out for a walk. The Sun shone and made it feel warm even if the air was cool.
It was a day that had no afternoon duties scheduled, so after walkies I got out my Elecraft KH1 to play just a little radio. I sat on this old cottonwood block, facing the Sun. The Girl hung out in the rig, only a few feet away. I think she liked the warm of the rig.
I heard a few stations calling CQ POTA and answered their calls. However, none heard me and answered. The few watts the KH1 makes was not making the trip this afternoon. After about 15 minutes, I decided to pack it in and head home. I paused for the photograph, then reloaded the KH1’s box and put it away.
There will be another day for radio, God willing. It was still a good day — we had a good walk and I sat in the Sun for a few minutes, listening to the radio waves.
Life is good.
Edit: Yes, the title is a pun. The KH1 is a little radio.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) hosts an annual radio event called Field Day. The objective is to get away from the home station, setup a station somewhere portable, and practice a field activation. There are lots of things to learn by operating portable and the lessons learned are valuable when the time comes to serve during events that need radio support or during emergencies. Although Field Day is not a contest per se, it is contest-like in that points are offered for contacts and bonus activities.
My friend Greg planned our expedition for weeks. We made a scouting run of the dry lake (above) a few weeks ago and it looked like a pretty good spot. It is relatively flat, far enough but not too far from the highway, and there is room for several stations.
My plan was to use my Elecraft KX3 with its panadapter and amplifier as my primary station. Given that Greg wanted me to run the VHF/UHF net (that we always do for Field Day), I also decided to take my Yaesu FT-857D because it is all band and all mode.
But, work kept delaying my preparations for camping. I also needed to replace the camper’s battery box because the lid of the original was lost during my trip home in early May. So, although I planned to leave Thursday afternoon, it was Friday morning before I finished the loadout and headed out.
Travel to Site
The north end of a southbound semi-truck. We were waiting to pass construction on southbound US395 on the way to Field Day 2024 camp.Travel to the dry lake was relatively uneventful. I got away from the house around 1000h local and drove south on US395. I bypassed the bulk of the construction in Gardnerville by taking a small detour. The US395 construction near Holcomb Junction could not be circumvented, however. But, I was lucky and the delay was only a few minutes.
The access road from the state highway to the dry lake was slow. The road is rough from OHVs running hard on it. There are lots of loose rocks that are kicked out by those vehicles. There is also some rutting of the road from storm and snow runoff. I was often running a couple miles an hour and some stretches allowed a little more speed without beating up the camper or the rig. I think travel from the highway to the site required about 45 minutes or so.
When I arrived on site, both Greg/Subrina and Tim had their camps and stations set up.
Camp
I had no trouble getting camp setup and ready to support Sera and me. I have setup my camper so many times that it is nearly routine. The playa bed was relatively level although I did drop the tongue a half a foot to level the camper forward to aft. It was level enough laterally. However, I found myself stressed and in a hurry because of my late arrival. I really wanted to be setting up my station on Friday and not setting up camp.
Greg came over when he saw me putting up the EZ-Up. It is possible to set one up solo, but it is much easier with two people. I staked out the tie-downs carefully as well. The wind does blow on Nevada afternoons and has been known to fold up shelters (and tents… and awnings).
By the time I had camp setup, I was pretty much done, physically and mentally. So I elected to deploy my station Saturday morning and sat in my chair in the shade to collect my thoughts and relax.
Greg and Subrina graciously asked us to supper. Because I was not completely prepared for this outing, I had nothing to contribute — not even dessert.
This was 2024 FD camp at Desert Creek Dry Lake.
Station
Greg was working his station, an Icom 7000, in his radio trailer.My plan was to deploy the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 in the vertical configuration for my primary station antenna. I would use the Yaesu FT-857D for my Saturday operation and the KX3/PX3/KXPA100 for Saturday night and Sunday morning operations.
I got out the MPAS pack and started laying out the components on my work table. Unfortunately, the spike was missing. Tim, who had wandered over to watch my deployment said “I have a piece of 3/8-inch all-thread. I also have a three-foot 3/8-inch by 24 extension if you want to get the feed point off the ground.”
We drove over to his camp, retrieved the parts, and returned to my camp to complete the antenna deployment. We found the all-thread to be too flimsy to support the MPAS. Greg suggested he had a light fence post that might provide stability, so he and Tim walked over the Greg’s camp.
Tim returned with three posts, which was an excellent idea because we fabricated a tripod using the three light-duty posts and a heavy zip tie. This provided excellent stability of the antenna system and the feedpoint was about five feet above ground level.
I also had a speaker-wire doublet that I built that I considered deploying for a second antenna. However, after working so hard to deploy the MPAS antenna, I elected to use just one antenna.
The sun was bright when I made this capture of Tim at his camp.I was also going to deploy a roll-up J-Pole for VHF/UHF operation, but Tim suggested I just use the mobile antenna of my 4Runner. I took that suggestion. After working so hard on the MPAS, simplicity was the expedient.
I setup the Yaesu FT-857D and the LDG YT-100 matching unit on my worktable. I elected to use my 30Ah Bioenno LFP battery for power into a West Mountain Radio distribution block. I was unsure how much energy I might need so I added a PowerFilm 60w foldable solar panel to the mix into a Genasun GV-10 Lithium charge controller. I did no meter the power.
I chose the FT-857D for my Saturday outdoor operation because it includes the 2m and 70cm bands. Greg tasked me with net control duty for the local net we run at the beginning of Field Day. This affords the local operators a chance to get started with a set of contacts without the hassle of trying to break the initial pile-ups that occur on the bands.
A Microsoft Surface Go 2 has been my radio computer (and travel work computer) for a couple of years. It is a relatively low power computer, but it also does not use a lot of energy. This attribute, plus the fact that it has adequate power to run radio software, makes it an excellent computer for field work.
I ran an extension cable from the antenna in my 4Runner to the VHF/UHF output of my FT-857D.
This was followed by a little testing. I had an operational station for the start of Field Day 2024.
Operations
I started operation at 1100h local by calling on the designated frequency (VHF). Two of four known operators responded. This resulted in a trip by Greg to Fred’s camp to help him get his station sorted. After a few minutes, we had three of four planned operators all on the same frequency. The remainder had elected to camp outside the dry lake basin and could not be heard.
I ran the net on the designated frequencies with one flub — I forgot to pass control to the next operator on my list to make their contacts. Fortunately, I had my smarter brother Greg to remind me of my error. The net ran smoothly after that.
After the net closed, I puttered for a few hours playing search-and-pounce on running stations. Outside of our little group, I made only one or two contacts on phone; the remainder were all CW mode (Morse Code).
I had to move the shade tarp from the east side of my shelter to the west. The direct sun was too hot. The temperature was fine with the shade from the shelter (and tarp).
By sundown I had a few dozen contacts. I was not working that hard, but really enjoying being away from the house, the cooler weather (at altitude), and the sound of the radio. When we met for the evening break, we all had about the same number of contacts by straw poll.
I returned to camp, moved the antenna connection indoors, and connected it to the Elecraft KXPA100 amplifier for my KX3/PX3 station. I had a little setup to do before I was ready to run indoors, but that did not take long.
After getting The Girl out for a break (and feeding her), I sat down at the radio and worked stations I could hear. I probably worked until about 2200h local before retiring for the night.
As is usual for me, I woke about 0500h when night turned into twilight. I turned on the radio and made a coffee while listening to the background noise of the HF bands. I also stepped outside to look around and enjoy the cool morning air before returning to the station and working more operators.
I shut down about 1100h, satisfied with my 140 contacts.
Fred, KG7VNG, setting up his station Saturday morning.
Conclusion
I spent the remainder of Sunday with my friends and relaxing in the shade at my camp. Fred tore his station down, packed up, and headed home. He had work Monday. I offered help to Greg and Tim with tearing down their stations, but both had the chores handled. We are all experienced field operators.
I put away the FT-857D station and stowed it in the 4Runner. As I write, I cannot remember if I put away the Elecraft KX3 station or not. I think that I did, knowing that I would be up and wanting to break camp Monday morning.
Monday morning I rose, made a coffee, and stepped outside the camper to enjoy the morning air. I was treated to a beautiful alpenglow on a nearby mountain, this caused me to make a photograph. I decided to get out the DJI Mini and see if the batteries had any charge. Once again, I brought the tool but had not prepared it before leaving home.
Of course, none of the batteries carried a full charge. But I was able to fly a circuit around the dry lake and make a few aerial images.
I finished my coffee and made another. Sera and I walked to the other camps to see if anyone needed help. All were good.
Alpenglow on the mountain south of the ARRL Field Day campsite. The moon is also in the frame. Shot with my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Things Learned
Sometimes stuff happens. In this case, the stuff was me being busy with other things than preparing for the 2024 Field Day expedition. This resulted in a delay of my planned departure and then the compression that comes from being late. It added unnecessary stress to my life and my setup.
Always check your equipment before leaving home. I had alternatives, but it is better to have a complete antenna system from the start.
Always have a backup plan. I had several other antennas I could deploy in the back of the 4Runner. I always carry spares.
Always carry spare parts and supplies. You might not need them, but another operator in your group could have a failure or be missing a critical piece of equipment for operations. Be prepared to help out other operators in your group.
Be prepared to offer physical assistance to other operators in your group. Some equipment is much, much easier to deploy with a second set of hands. Sometimes an additional brain is of use as well as all of us can get locked in a loop when trying to solve a problem.
The addition of a tarp to extend the shade of the EZ-Up was necessary. The sun was too bright to readily read the SG2 screen and direct sun provided a lot of unwanted heat. A second tarp would be a good addition so that one could be setup on west and east sides of the EZ-Up. However, I would leave the north and south facings open for air flow on summer outings.
From an operational standpoint, I had fun. I did not burn up the ether trying to make a lot of contacts. I am not sure that I want to do that, as I operate a radio for fun and for practice should I need to run a radio. I operate portable (a lot) because I want to get out of the house and because there is so much noise at my house. But, I think maybe I should be a little more serious during one of these outings and keep my butt in the chair and run frequencies. It would be good practice to push the operation a little harder.
It was a good Field Day outing. I had fun playing radio. I learned a few things, as I generally do on a field deployment. I enjoyed my friends. My dog and I had a blast. Everyone was safe and seemed happy to be in the field together.
I am grateful. Life is good.
This is an aerial view of our Dry Lake camp. I captured this early Monday morning with the DJI Mini 4 drone.
Alpenglow on the mountain south of the ARRL Field Day campsite. The moon is also in the frame. Shot with my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
I am back from ARRL Field Day camping and radio play. I will write a complete AAR when I return from field work this week. But, here is a hint at what the site looked like. I made this capture early Monday morning as the sun rose over camp.
The trip home was uneventful. It was a good weekend and a good day.
This is my Molle II Patrol Pack (MARPAT) in the wild with the Elecraft KH1 transceiver shack in a box. Shot with the Fujifilm X100V and post-processed on my iPhone 13 Pro Max with Snapseed.
I bought a milsurp Molle II Patrol Pack a couple-three months ago. It is part of my (apparently) never-ending search for the perfect pack. These are long out of service, relatively rare, and in demand. They are also nearly the perfect size for a daypack.
My seller scrounged up a stiffener and pad for my pack and I have them installed. The stiffener helps keep the shape of the bag. It works well enough, although I might have to trim it up just a bit as it seems to be about a half-inch too tall.
It is big enough to hold my necessaries for hiking with The Girl. I have enough water for us both for a morning or afternoon hike, and even room for a small radio. I have been carrying a camera and small water bottle in a small Domke bag slung cross-body and over the pack. That does not put too much pressure on my neck (a personal peeve).
I like it so far. I am still setting it up and would like to carry a water bottle on the outside, but the Maxpedition bottle bag I have does not hang well from the PALS webbing. So, I need another solution.
I paused to make this image on a small summit just off our regular path near Spooner Summit. I had paused to breathe a minute, take some water, and water The Girl. She also posed for me while we were on break.
Carter Cemetery, established 1891, in Busiek State Forest, POTA US-4838 in Christian County, MO. It is south of Ozark about ten miles. Shot with iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Busiek State Forest, POTA US-4838, has been on my to activate list for a long time. I hiked the Yellow Trail with the kids a couple of years ago. Along the way, we came on the Carter Cemetery, an old family plot that was established late in the 19th Century. It looked like a perfect place to activate the park.
But, I never got back to do the activation. So, last week I had a day off and it was a pretty nice day. So I took The girl and we drove out there. There were not a lot of people, it being a weekday. So there was not much traffic to deal with.
We had a nice hike up to the cemetery. I decided to set up on a bench there, although I had to face away from the trail to get my leg high enough for my kneeboard. I did not care for that facing, but it was necessary.
I decided to use the Elecraft KH1 for the activation. I am still learning that radio and have a little trouble with the paddles. But I can make it work and it is an excellent little rig.
I was just starting to work calling stations when Sera broke away from me and approached another dog. The other do said No! emphatically, but there was not really a fight. I had to drop everything and retrieve my dog.
There was no damage other than a pissed-off handler. But it really affected me emotionally and in one way really ruined the day. I just cannot take my attention from Sera when we are out in the field and might encounter another.
I moved us about 50 feet away from the trail, behind a low rock wall. She could not see the trail and I could. I put her in a down-stay and sat on my sweatshirt and started over.
I could pay attention to my operations and stay aware of the situation around me. It was a much better location from which to activate the park.
I made 14 contacts on three bands — 20m, 17m, and 15m. It was more than enough to make the activation and there was still time to get in a bit more walk before returning home for the day. I packed up the kit, donned my pack, and we walked on up the trail another quarter of a mile to a split. Both ways would require fording the stream. I was not geared for a fording, so we reversed and walked back down the trail and to the rig.
The Girl got a nice big drink from the stream. (I love the rocky-bottomed Missouri streams in the Ozarks.) We crossed the bridge and stowed gear in the rig, then drove home.
I had a lot of maintenance scheduled for the 4Runner starting the next day. All of the 200,000-mile scheduled maintenance was done, plus I replaced the tires and had the alignment checked and adjusted. It was a lot of money, but I think the rig might have another 100,000 miles left in it and I might as well get them.
In the end a learned a few things:
I absolutely have to station myself so I can remain aware of what is going on around me.
I cannot ever allow my attention to be completely subsumed by another activity when I have The Girl out with me.
The little Elecraft KH1 is an excellent radio. But I doubt I will ever operate pedestrian mobile when I have The Girl with me. There is just too much that can go wrong in a hurry if I do not have hands free to wrangle her.
I think the paddles need a little more adjustment to be right. I still fumble my sending more than I should (and normally do).
I really like POTA activations. I want to do more, but I have to choose my OP carefully so I can remain aware of what is going on around me. Yes, I repeated myself. It is that important.
Despite the uncomfortable feelings associated with Sera’s behavior and the engagement with another dog, it was a good day to be out. It was a good day to be with her. And it was a good day to play a little radio.
I am grateful. Life is good.
At our second operating position in Carver Cemetery. Shot with iPhone 13 Pro Max.
