Sporks Foons And Other Tripe

August 6, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

This is a scary thought: I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a window and realized that if I wore a pointed hat I would look like a gnome!

I guess I should start with National Night Out. This year it was help on 4 August. We (The Perry County Amateur Radio Club) set up a booth at the Landisburg Fire Department. This being a community event, they had a good turn out. Right from the start there were people wandering the grounds and participating in the activities. We had radios set up for demonstrations and literature to hand out. The idea was to provide to the community information on ham radio and how it benefits the local area.

Yesterday was uneventful. It was rather dismal. We did our shopping. Nothing much to talk about unless you want our grocery list.

This morning we left home at 6AM and arrived at Gathland State Park (US-1574 and US-4556 The Appalachian Trail) and got on the air by 0817. Within a half hour we worked 35 stations before it got too hot to sit there. We had one net (MidCars) ask us to move, which I gladly did as they were polite and ,considerate. The spot we moved to was the location of another net but they did not start until we were done. A park ranger drove past, checking us out but did not stop. As I was starting to pack up, a man in his early 20s came over and he expressed interest in what we were doing. He was doing a hike on the Appalachian Trail and was carrying a GMRS. He was interested in ham radio and is studying for his license. I gave him a description of POTA and how it is a good way for fat old hams to keep active.

Over the course of the day we heard the following birds: American Robins, Northern Cardinals, House Finches, Mourning Doves, Chipping Sparrows, Northern Mockingbirds, Tree Swallows, Eastern Wood Peewees, Red-eyed Vireos, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow-throated Vireos, White-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Wrens, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

After this we went down to the cemetery in Burkittsville and did some photography.

I can’t stress enough the importance of making a good impression on others. When I interact with people I try to leave them with a positive attitude toward radio.

I asked CHATGPT to come up with 10 ways to promote POTA and ham radio and here is the list: Parks on the Air (POTA) is one of the best gateways into amateur radio because it combines technology, the outdoors, and friendly competition. Here are ten practical ways to promote both ham radio and POTA in your community.

Host a “Try Ham Radio” POTA Activation
- Invite the public to a local park.
- Let visitors listen to contacts and, under FCC rules, make supervised contacts using your station.
- Bring brochures explaining how to get licensed.
Create Short YouTube Videos
- Produce 30-60 second videos showing:
  - Setting up an antenna in a park
  - Making your first contact
  - Portable radios
  - Wildlife and scenery
  - “A Day in the Life of a POTA Activator”
- Keep videos entertaining rather than overly technical.
Offer “POTA Discovery Days”
- Your club can organize monthly outings where newcomers only need to bring a lawn chair.
- Experienced operators provide radios, antennas, and coaching.
Partner with State Parks
- Ask park managers if you can demonstrate amateur radio during park events.
- Emphasize emergency communications, outdoor recreation, and STEM education.
Create an Information Packet
Include:
- What is Amateur Radio?
- What is POTA?
- How to Get Licensed
- Local club information
- Upcoming activations
- QR codes linking to your club website and the POTA website.
Speak to Community Groups
Offer presentations to:
- Libraries
- Scouts
- Hiking clubs
- Historical societies
- Senior centers
- Schools
- Emergency preparedness organizations
Share Interesting POTA Stories
People love stories more than technical specifications. Examples include:
- “We talked to Alaska from a Pennsylvania park.”
- “This tiny radio reached Australia.”
- “We operated entirely from solar power.”
- “A family joined us and made their first radio contact.”
Promote Through Social Media
Post:
- Photos from activations
- Contact totals
- Beautiful park scenery
- Antenna setups
- Wildlife encounters
- Time-lapse videos of station setup
- “Today’s Park” features
Offer Portable Operating Workshops
Teach beginners:
- Portable antennas
- Battery power
- Logging software
- Safety
- Lightweight equipment
- Park etiquette
- Leave No Trace principles
Host a Friendly POTA Challenge
Organize a club event such as:

Activate five parks in one month.
Work all state parks in your state.
Make 100 park contacts.
Operate from every county park in your county.
Award inexpensive certificates or small prizes to participants.

Bonus Idea: “Ham Radio Meets Hiking”

Many people aren’t interested in radio alone—but they are interested in outdoor adventures. Promote POTA as:

Hiking with a purpose
Camping with communication
Technology without the Internet
Emergency preparedness
Family-friendly outdoor fun
Photography and radio combined

Instead of saying “Come learn about ham radio,” try saying:

“Join us in a local park and see how we can talk across the country—and around the world—with nothing more than a battery, a wire antenna, and a radio.”

That kind of demonstration sparks curiosity and often leaves a stronger impression than simply describing the hobby. For clubs like the Perry County Amateur Radio Club, regular POTA outings combined with YouTube Shorts and local newspaper coverage can be an especially effective way to attract new operators and show that amateur radio is an active, modern outdoor hobby rather than just something done from a home shack.

I believe that is a good list with some ideas to think about. Well, time to go for now. Namaste, kids, and keep your stick on the ice.

The gateway to the old cemetery at Gathland

A visible bee hive at the National Night Out

Calamitous Virtue In The Face Of Vapid Indifference

July 23, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Howdy kids! It has been a few since I have inflicted my blog on you. Things got very busy. Due to a fellow employee taking off for a few days, I had to work 6 consecutive nights. Let me tell you, the older I get the less fun these long stretches are.

As usual, plans can change. SWMBO and I had planned on going camping in Maryland and playing tourist and activating a park or two, but that got washed away by some weather. Sitting in a tent trying to play radio during a thunderstorm or slogging through cemeteries in pouring rain were not activities that appealed to us. We could have gone down yesterday evening, but then what fun would it have been to set up, spend the night, and then come back? We will try the camping thing again in a few weeks.

We spent yesterday doing necessary chores to include the first stage of eradication of some unwanted flora. I know I have mentioned before wanting to get rid of the bamboo I planted so now we are in the process of destroying it. I got some super-duper exfoliant which is supposed to be true death to all living plants, so we are giving it a try. We also did some of the other basic stuff that needed to be done.

This morning it was a bit chillier than it has been for a while. When we left to go do an activation it was 12.7 C (55 F) and it had warmed up to 15 C (59 F) by the time we got to the ATV lot in Michaux State Forest. The sun was shining bright and the temperature was on the rise. There were a few people camping there and others offloading their ATVs for some trail riding. We set up and between 11:43 UTC (07:30 EDT) and 12:33 UTC (08:33 EDT) we worked 29 different stations stretching from Maine to Mississippi. We did get chased off of a frequency by the sad hams who occupy an infamous frequency on 40M, (I was down 2 from said frequency but they came on and started splattering over my signal) but that was not a big issue. We just hunted other parks for a bit and then found an empty spot on the band. After a very successful activation we went to the Dickenson Restaurant in Carlisle for a great breakfast. Now I am contemplating taking out the trash as I drink my coffee.

Our newest cat, Muffin. is growing and full of mischief. Our next oldest, Scout, has taken her under his wing and they have bonded. If she isn’t in the room, he will go look for her and is very protective. Last night I was tickling her as she sat next to my chair, and Scout was giving me dirty looks. Muffin likes to climb up my legs which I have the scars to prove, and to jump into the refrigerator every chance she gets.

Now this is where I assert myself as a non-expert with ship-loads of experience. I am going to mention some stuff I take in my car that is not related to activating or to radio in general. I always have at least one first aid kit. The reasons are self-explanatory; I believe everyone should carry one. Next, I have a small fire extinguisher. I also carry window cleaner and cloths to clean dirty windshields and side windows. You never know how dirty your windows are until you see them through strong sunlight. I have a small survival kit that I received for Christmas (from SWMBO) that contains all sorts of items that would help to survive in a wilderness area such as fire making tools, a knife, fishing gear, a flashlight, a compass, some parachute cord and other items. I have a flashlight in my kit box along with duct tape.I have some orange cones in case of a breakdown. I also keep a pair of binoculars in case I want to binocle. It sounds like a lot but all this doesn’t take much room.

One more thing to mention, when driving in PA it behooves you to keep your eyes peeled for those pesky 4-footed ruminants (mentioning them by name summons them) that run out in front of your car and cause damage upon impact. This morning on the way to the restaurant a 6 pointer ran out right in front of us which made me test my anti-lock brakes and verified that I have a functional heart.

Ok, kidlets, I have rambled on too long, I think. Namaste and keep your stick on the ice!

Ollie and Hubert the Gnome are helping me operate

For no reason, a Rose-Of-Sharon growing next to the restaurant.

Vacation And Other Nonsence

June 30, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Howdy kids. This entry will be written over several days.

Today is 21 June 2026, the first day of summer (don’t argue) and the longest day of the year. SWMBO and I are up in NH for a week of relaxation and blatant tourist activity. We drove up on the 18th (Thursday) and the trip was uneventful, thankfully. The weather was cloudy and I believe we outran the rain. We took a drive up to Errol NH and then came back through Grafton Notch ME, down to Fryeburg ME, through North Conway NH and back up Crawford Notch NH. We also took a drive up Jefferson Notch Road to the highest elevation of a highway in NH. We did stop in Errol at Cote’s store and had our annual slice of pizza.

On the 19th and 20th, Friday and Saturday, we did some driving around and visited some thrift shops. It was raining off and on but not too badly, just enough to stop any yard sales. On Saturday a bear crossed the road in front of us but was too fast to get a picture of.

I did manage to do an activation yesterday: US-2653 Franconia State Park. It took me some driving around to find a good spot to work from but I managed 11 contacts in about an hour. One of my contacts was the president to the Perry County Amateur Radio Club, KB3PSN.

So far, for birds, I have heard Chipping Sparrows, Song Sparrows, American Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, Indigo Buntings, Chestnut-sided Warblers and Red-eyed Vireos. When I hear more I will post them.

Monday the 22nd, we started the day off right by seeing a moose right off the bat. We watched him for a few minutes and then SWMBO reminded me not to hog the moose as other cars were stopping. I pulled away and let others have their turn at ogling nature. We then went to an aquarium where we fed stingrays and tortoises, had our hands nibbled on by some small fishes and walked around gawking at various aquatic critters. After this, we drove into Vermont to the city of Montpelier and visited a couple cemeteries. Green Mount cemetery was really worth going to. We had been here before but wanted some pics of a couple monuments such as the one dedicated to Little Margret. Her memorial statue is something special to see. Her tragic story can be found at: Margaret Caroline “Little Margaret” Pitkin (1892-1899) – Find a Grave Memorial

Tuesday the 23rd, we set out early and went to Portland Maine to visit Portland Head Light. The rain kept the crowds away, as we had hoped. When we got back we activated White Mountain National Forest US-4512. In 12 minutes we worked 10 stations and then went for a ride to Zealand Road.

Wednesday the 24th was almost a bittersweet day. We knew we were leaving for home on Thursday and we were sorta wrapping things up. First we took a drive into VT and went to Lyndon State Forest US-5556. Over the course of half an hour we were able to work 22 stations (4 of them park-to-parks) and we even worked our club president, KB3PSN who was back home in PA. We heard Red-eyed Vireos, Black-throated Green Warblers, Ovenbirds, Alder Flycatchers, Black-capped Chickadees, Common Yellowthroats, Black-and-white Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Chestnut-sided Warblers, American Crows, Blackburnian Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, Veerys, Northern Yellow Warblers, and Common Ravens. We were well serenaded!

Thursday we drove from 3am until around 2pm. We had a couple of traffic slowdowns and then had to deal with our bank as I found some bad charges to SWMBO’s card. We got that straightened out quickly.

We are back, now, trying to relax and getting ready for Field Day, which is tomorrow.

28 June 26 I admit I have been resting up from vacation. lol. Yesterday I went to the PCARC Field Day site and helped set up and then made a few contacts. I also spoke with a ham who wants to join the club and learn as much about radio as he can. Enthusiasm is nice. It is hard to believe that I have to return to work tomorrow. Time has flown past and I was glad to get home and sad to leave New Hampshire at the same time. Well there is always next year. Now we are looking forward to doing a camping trip or 2 and exploring some new areas.

I guess it is time to close out this entry. I hope everyone is having an enjoyable day. Namaste and keep your stick on the ice.

20260620_180818 — A sculpture in Franconia NH

A remote weather station at the top of Jefferson Notch

Black Aggie … if you sit in her lap at midnight you will die

20260623_095157 — Lighthouse keepers house and lighthouse at Portland Head Light in Portland ME

Driving North up Franconia Notch in NH

Driving North through Crawford Notch in NH

Looking around Casco Bay in Maine from Portland Head Light

A Casual April Weekend

April 12, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

We took it easy this weekend. We started out with a drive on some local backroads looking for critters. We spotted about 12 squirrels and 3 ruminants. We also took a walk through the Pine Plantation in King’s Gap State Park. The temperature was about 22C (71F) for a high and the sky was clear. We then came back home and Scout decided to snooze on my chest.

Yesterday, Saturday the 11th, we set out early to Virginia. We went to activate Sky Meadows State Park US-1318 in Delaplane, VA. When we arrived the sky was cloudy and the temperature was about 9C (48F) and rising. It was also windy. There were a lot of people at the park so we found a good spot in one of the overflow parking lots. Wouldn’t you know it, part way through our operation someone parked right next to us. They got out of the car and walked up towards the headquarters, so they didn’t really bother us. There were several acres of open land, but they had to park in our lap. lol Anyway, we had a successful activation with 24 contacts in about 1/2 hour. We continued on our way, using back roads and arriving at Buc’ees in Mount Crawford VA at about 11:30. It was crowded so we only stayed long enough to get some food and gas up. Our trip home was uneventful. We then had a peaceful evening.

Today, 12 April, a Sunday, we went shopping. I will not name the store but it was a horror show. They decided to “remodel” and stuff was everywhere. The aisles were clogged with boxes and piles of merchandise. It was very difficult to find anything as items were moved out of the areas they should have been in. To further cause confusion and chaos, some of the employees were wandering around filling up carts with merchandise to fulfill online orders to be delivered in the parking lot. Added to this, the store was packed and filled with the usual people who randomly block aisles. Well enough complaining. lol

This afternoon we took a walk through the Old Graveyard in Carlisle PA. It dates to pre-revolutionary times and has a lot of old stones there. Buried there, among other notables, is Molly Pitcher. She went with her husband to war and helped Martha Washington cleaning clothes and blankets at Valley Forge. During the battle of Monmouth, her husband was wounded. She took over his cannon, keeping it firing during the battle after he was carried off the field. Below you will see a picture of the statue dedicated to her along with a link to a video I made of the walk through the cemetery to her grave.

Over the course of the weekend we heard the following birds: (at King’s Gap) Pine Warblers, Fish Crows, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches (at Sky Meadows SP in VA) Red-headed Woodpeckers, American Goldfinches, Chipping Sparrows, Northern Cardinals and (in Carlisle PA) American Robins, House Sparrows and House Finches. Quite an array.

Well I need another cup of coffee so I will say Namaste for now kids. Keep your stick on the ice!

An interesting stump in the Pine Plantation

Missie and Moxie guarding my radio at Sky Meadows SP

Got Those Bad Band Conditions Drizzly Day Lazy Afternoon Blues

April 2, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Howdy kidlets. It is the second day of my “weekend” as I work a weird schedule. This week my days off are Wednesday and Thursday followed by work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday then off again on Monday and Tuesday followed by work Wednesday and Thursday then off until Monday. I do get every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday off so I guess it is ok. You get used to the schedule sometime during the first decade.

We didn’t go anywhere yesterday though I did go to Big Spring State Park US-4355 again. The temperature was about 28C (83 F) and it was making a serious attempt to be sunny. Band conditions were not good and there was a lot of noise. I started out on 40M but soon went to 17M as there was very little activity on 40. I made 9 more contacts on 17M (making my activation bona fide) and then went back to 40 for 9 more. All this took around an hour. The park was, as usual, nice and quiet with the sounds of nature only occasionally being interrupted by passing vehicles. Being in a remote park has its advantages. Anyroad, my total for this park is now 873. I am getting there.

In my last entry I neglected to itemize the birds which my app heard. Here they are now. We heard in Maryland: Carolina Wrens, House Finches, House Sparrows, European Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds. In Shepherdstown WV, we heard: Chipping Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, American Goldfinches, Canada Gooses, Northern Cardinals, Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos and Eastern Phoebes. I guess Spring might really be here.

I am including a link to the contents of my radio box that I take to activations. Of course, my radio, but also various tools, some meters, a flashlight and other items. I also include my logbook as I do paper logging in the field, my exposure guide printout (per FCC regulations), band plans, a copy of my license and other paperwork to include a description of POTA for anyone who might be curious. I keep my antennae in the car as I have shown before. These days I like to travel light. It all fits into a plastic storage tub.

Well enough for now. I am going to sip some coffee and enjoy some slack. Namaste, kids.

A rescued possum at Possumbilities in Fredericksburg, VA

One Weekend, 3 Activations

March 29, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Hi kids. I didn’t plan on activating 3 times this weekend but that is what happened.

Friday afternoon I was sitting here and decided to go to Big Spring State Park US-4355. I arrived at about 1950 UTC and got set up. I tuned to 40M and worked 14 stations before moving to 17 M where I worked 8 more stations including Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Spain. I was happy with that total and it brings me closer to my kilo award for this park.

Yesterday, Saturday, we took a drive down to Shepherdstown, WV, seeking a few cemeteries. We stopped in at Elmwood Cemetery where we had been previously. We also visited the Old English/Episcopal Cemetery where there are some graves of Revolutionary War soldiers. We then visited a park which held a monument dedicated to James Rumsey, the inventor of the steamboat (not Fulton as we were taught in school). After this we took a leisurely drive along the Potomac River to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park US-0735. In 25 minutes, we worked 16 contacts before heading home.

Today, Sunday the 29th, we did some shopping including a trip to the local Ollie’s. We had lunch, I did my bike ride and then we tackled some domestic chores. Then I set out again for Big Spring State Park US-4355. In spite of a contest going on I was able to work 21 contacts before calling it a day.

I have mentioned before that I like Big Spring State Park as it is peaceful and usually deserted. I did have a Ranger check up on me about a year or do ago. She seemed interested in my operation and, since I had my ice-fishing tent set up as a warming shelter, I guess she wanted to make sure I wasn’t camping there. We have occasionally seen various wildlife there, mostly squirrels and a couple times I smelled and heard a bear checking us out.

Well that is my latest update. Please feel free to leave comments. So long and namaste!

The plaque on the bottom of the monument

From Ides To Now

March 24, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Hmmm … 10 days since my last update. I can’t say it wasn’t fun for the most part. I did work 6 days in there (12 hour night shift) so I guess the fatigue factor was present. I had to fill in for one of the others as he had a karate tournament to host.

So on the 15th, last Sunday, the day following my last post, we found ourselves in Gettysburg PA after doing some photography in Shepherdstown WV in Elmwood Cemetery. SWMBO and I like going to cemeteries and looking for interesting gravestones and stained-glass windows in mausoleums. I mainly like to photograph stones with interesting carvings as a way of preserving them. The weather is taking its toll on older stones and some of them are fading fast. I collect pictures of them so that there is a record (albeit un-official) of what the carvings looked like. Maybe someday I will produce a coffee table book.

Anyway, in Gettysburg on Culp’s Hill we did a short activation. We worked 10 stations in 11 minutes. Not bad for a quick setup. After this we went for lunch, did some shopping and then headed home.

The week passed slowly going forward but quickly looking back. Our dryer broke the other day and the repair guy was scheduled to come over today. He actually showed up early and was done in about 15 minutes. The belt had broken. They no longer make this model (it is a GE) so he had to substitute a belt from a different model: a Maytag. He tested it and SWMBO was happy. She immediately put a load in and started it up.

This morning, rather than wait patiently for the repair guy (scheduled arrival was between 1230 and 1300), I went and activated Big Spring State Park US-4355. I have activated this park 25 times so far. It is close by; a 12-minute drive (roughly). When I arrived at 11:40 UTC, the temperature was -2C (28 F for those who dislike metric) and did not warm up much while I was there. The sun did start to appear over the horizon and through the trees, promising an enjoyable day. I set up and got on the air around 11:50. I chose the 40M band and it was in good shape. The past few days propagation has been in a slump but today it picked up. In 47 minutes, I made 59 contacts. Not too bad.

A few words about Big Spring State Park. It sits at the Western end of Perry County and does not get a lot of visitors, especially between October and April. It is a good place to go for a quiet picnic or to just enjoy solitude and nature. There is a little stream running through it which is fed by Big Spring. It makes for a nice walk if you like walking along streams. A couple hundred meters from the park is a trail which goes about 1 Kilometer to a hole in the side of the mountain where they started building a railroad tunnel. They gave it up but the tunnel is still there and goes in about 100 meters. The walk to it is nice. Maybe someday I will pack my radio into there and activate (it is in Tuscarora State Forest).

Well, it is time for slack. Namaste, kids and keep your stick on the ice!

One of the stones at Elmwood Cemetery. Clasping hands was a common theme.

An unsheathed sword. Usually indicating a soldier.

This dove (symbolizing the Christ) is fading and will soon be unrecognizable.

Moxie, Ollie and Missie keeping me company at Big Spring State Park

Looking Northeast through the trees in Big Spring SP

The Seasons Wait On No One, Neither Man Nor Groundhog

March 14, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Winter, a grumpy old man shaking his hoary fist in impotent rage is grumbling as he shuffles towards the transition point where he will meet Spring. Spring, a bouncy and loveable kitten dances up the garden path to rub against your ankles and bring you promises of better times to come.

The weather today was nice. Not perfect but still nice. It was windy which is usual for March. The temperature topped out at 14C (57F) and the skies were clear. Humidity is currently 33% and the pressure is 1018 millibars. So far this month we have received 50.29 MM (1.98 IN) of precipitation. The last of the snow has disappeared.

It was under sunny skies that we (SWMBO and I) set out for Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland: US-0700. The battlefield activation was only a prelude to our real goal but more on that later. It was a nice drive down there and we arrived about 15 minutes before the Visitor’s Center opened. I parked at the end of the lot and got set up on 40M. The band was a bit strange this morning. The contacts were not fast nor were they steady, but we worked 29 stations including some park-to-parks. A lot of contacts were from Georgia, Alabama and Florida which is a reach for 40M during the day.

After we finished, we stopped at the monument dedicated to Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross. She played a large role in the battle, delivering medical supplies and, more importantly, tending the wounded. During 12 hours of combat on 17 September 1862, 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing. Tending the wounded was a daunting task and Clara, with her staff of 30, worked diligently for 3 days, patching up the wounded and feeding them. She later founded an organization to find and identify graves on Civil War battlefields.

We then proceeded to Elmwood Cemetery in Shepherdstown, WV. The cemetery is easy to find and has some nice stones. I like to photograph the carvings and oddities as time and weather will take its toll and deprive the future of these relics. It was quite windy so the only birds we heard were Red-Shouldered Hawks and American Bluebirds. We went to another cemetery but it was a disappointment.

We found a scenic route back to the highway and proceeded home where I now sit watching my cats wrestle.

So ends another entry in my blog. I hope all is well with my readers and, as always, namaste.

Missie and Moxie helping me activate Antietam National Battlefield

the 7th PA Volunteer Regiment monument right next to the Clara Barton monument

The daffodils across the road are starting to bloom

The Activation That Wasn’t Then Was Then Wasn’t And Then Was!

January 22, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Since the weather was good, SWMBO requested a bit of a drive, so we loaded up the car and departed for Hagerstown MD to the Beaver Creek Cemetery. Loading the car consists of putting camera equipment and radio equipment in the car. We headed out and soon after crossing the MD line, I realized that I had left my ham-stick antennae home! I took full advantage of my extensive knowledge of cuss words. We continued to the cemetery and did some photography there. SWMBO then found directions to another cemetery close by.

When we were in the second cemetery, I had an epiphany: I had an option for antennas in the car. I keep a Buddi-Stick in the back along with a tripod and 20 foot strip of copper mesh as a ground system. Well Well Well! Things were looking up! We went to Taylor’s Landing on the C&O Canal. It was a nice drive there and easy to find. We parked and SWMBO went to the creek to take pictures. I started getting my stuff out to set up and then I noticed the gale-force winds. I realized that there was no bloody way that my antenna would not blow over and I didn’t feel like picking it every 5 minutes so I cussed again and packed back up. Meanwhile, SWMBO had returned and reinforced my decision by telling me that she had almost been swept off her feet by the wind. Sigh.

Ok, we went to Walmart and did some shopping before heading over to Super Buffet for lunch.

When we got home I grabbed my antennae and went to Little Buffalo State Park US-1376. It took me about 5 minutes to get set up and get on the air. A bad thing did happen, though. I placed my lap desk on my lap and tried to close the car door. Problem was that I had knocked SWMBO’s sunglasses down and they got crunched in the door. Once again, I dipped into my large sack of swear words and let some loose. I got on the air on 40 meters and first worked a couple guys activating a park in CT. When I was through, I found an empty frequency to use and started calling CQ. The calls started coming and it was pretty steady for a while … then it dried up. I grabbed my 17 meter Ham-Stick and swapped that for the 40 meter one. When I got back on the air it did not take too long to start working stations including a J8 station from St Vincent. The wind was getting stronger at this time and the wind-chill was down in the negative Kelvin area so I packed up and called it a day after 42 contacts.

That is how I spent my day off. Now to sit by the pellet stove and drink coffee. Namaste, kidlets!

A Ride On A January Morning

January 13, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

SWMBO wanted to take a ride in Western MD and Eastern WV today so we set out looking for some small towns. We didn’t find anything very interesting other than an old Methodist Cemetery. Generally, we look for interesting thrift shops and cemeteries but we didn’t find any that looked like they were worth perusing.

I was allowed and encouraged to bring my rig with me and we activated 2 parks. The first park was Fort Frederick State Park US-1570. We arrived before the park opened but found a spot in the parking lot at the visitor’s center which I did not count this as a 2-fer. Where I usually park is down near the C&O Canal but the gate on the road to get there was closed. We got set up in a few minutes and started working on 40M on 7.195MHz. We had pile-ups right from the start but we made it through and I hope we didn’t miss anyone. In 13 minutes, we made 27 contacts including 1 park-to-park. It was a short but busy activation. We then continued with our sightseeing.

After checking out a bit more of WV we decided to do another activation before heading home. Antietam National Battlefield US-0700 was on our way so we stopped in there. We got set up and were on the air by 1539UTC. When I turned my radio on it was still on the last frequency I was working, 7.195MHz, and I heard KE8QJV (Craig) from the Black Swamp Radio Club activating 2 parks. I got him on my 3rd call and we logged each other. I then searched for an open freq and settled on 7.212MHz. Over the course of 17 minutes, we logged 29 contacts. Another successful activation in the books. We then travelled home and did our grocery shopping. Yep, another interesting day.

The weather was nice. Mostly sunny with a temperature of 10C and no appreciable wind. Maybe the weather is the reason that there was a paucity of animal sightings. There were no songbirds around, just a few buzzards and crows feeding off of road-kill carcasses. The only critters we saw were a few squirrels that were trying to impress us with their dance moves. Other than that, nothing. Sort of strange but then again it is January.

I have done roves a few times; the activations today could be considered one as I moved from one park to another. The most I have done is 5 parks in a 24 hour period which qualifies for the Rover Warthog award from POTA. I have earned a couple. Maybe someday I will try for 10 in a day but I digress. This general area of PA, WV, VA, and MD has a lot of historic sites and battlefields. I am thinking of doing a 5 battlefield rove soon and making special QSL’s for it. I would title it my War-pigs rove. Stay tuned as I will be putting this into action before long. The QSL cards will be available on request with log info of the appropriate contacts.

Well my coffee cup is empty and my motional sports cat, Scout, is telling me that I should quit typing and pay attention to him so I will end this for now. Namaste, kidlets and keep your stick on the ice.

Nature, Radio, and Me

A POTA Explorer's Diary

cemeteries