Yup. did another activation today. We took a drive on the spur of the moment up to Kings Gap Environmental Education Center (POTA K-4361). You might have surmised that we sorta-kinda like the place. What’s not to like? A peaceful hilltop in a verdant setting where any noises are muffled by the trees. Today there were 2 bus loads of public school kids and 4 van loads of Mennonite school kids participating in a school program and we didn’t even hear them from where we were parked. As to my setback … well, it was a lapse on my part. I got my antenna set up and ready and then put my rig out and connected it to the tuner and went to make the final connections to the battery and LO! and BEHOLD! I had left the pigtail that goes from the power pole connectors on the rig to the battery at home! Luckily, I had spare connectors, wire, alligator clips and crimpers in my radio box. I rigged up a pigtail and was soon on the air. The antenna I was using was my Buddistick. I had it mounted on a tri-pod and was using 6 meter by 10 cm copper mesh strip as a counterpoise. It worked pretty good on the 40M band though it did not out perform my usual inverted vee setup. I made 30 contacts varying from CT to MI to the Carolinas to Ontario. I will try this again to make sure it wasn’t just the day. I will also try this setup in one of the other parks I have activated before and compare notes. I will have to keep an eye on the weather but I may activate on Tuesday, either Big Spring or possibly Little Buffalo State Park. I am not looking forward to colder weather and am planning on squeezing in as many activations as I can before I am forced to stay inside until the area gets more hospitable. Well my coffee cup is empty so I think I will end this for now and will post a few pictures to include the owl of the day, Zarathustra. Picture 1 is my Biddistick. Picture 2 is Zarathustra supervising my logging. You kids behave. Namaste.