More from the POD Person

January 2, 2024December 31, 2024 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Heidi-Ho. Wow, 2 posts in 2 days. Something must be off with me lol. I decided to activate today because the weather was nice …. for January. The temperature was pretty mild …. about 3.5 C (38.5 F) which was not too bad. First, I tried to go to Fowlers Hollow State Park but there was oo much road construction activity there so I decided to go to Big Springs State Park, my old stand by. We got the POD set up and I got on the air. I put the heater in it and soon was in shirtsleeves. BTW, all my owls declined to make the excursion with us so I was mascot-less. Oh well, their loss. We were set up and on the air in a short period of time and I quickly made the required amount of contacts for a legit activation. After about half an hour I switched from 40 meters to 15 meters and made more contacts. I even made 2 DX contacts: Spain and Canary Islands. Overall I made a total of 45 contacts in an hour on 3 bands, 40, 15 and 20 meters using an inverted Vee antenna and my Yaesu ft891 at 75 Watts. My Wyfe is urging me to try operating from the car as a practice for our vacation so I am going to look at streamlining my setup. I will fill in more about that in later posts. Well the log has been uploaded, I am warm and am drinking coffee and my motional sports cat is by my side so I think it is time to sit back and relax. As always, namaste kidlets until we meet again.

Co-dependency? Symbiosis?

January 1, 2024 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Since one of my stated purposes of this blog is a study/discussion of the aspects of nature, I am going to start the New Year off with a discussion of the relationship between the POTA Activator and the POTA Hunter. First off, is it a co-dependency? Without the hunters there would be no activators and without the activators there would be no hunters. The existence of either depends on the existence of the other, but a true co-dependence would suggest a one-to-one relationship. Dictionary.com defines co-dependency as: “a state of mutual dependence between two people”. WAIT!!!!! They used a derivative form of the word within its own definition! Naughty, naughty!! Websters defines it as: “ a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person manifesting low self-esteem and a strong desire for approval has an unhealthy attachment to another often controlling or manipulative person”. This shows that it does not apply at all to the relationship between hunters and activators.

Let’s look at symbiosis. Webster defines it as: ” 1: the living together in more or less intimate association or close union of two dissimilar organisms (as in parasitism or commensalism)” This first definition does not really apply. Though we may make friends through POTA activities, I wouldn’t classify the association as intimate or parasitical. Now lets look at definition number 2 in Webster’s arsenal: ”2 : a cooperative relationship (as between two persons or groups)”. There, I think they are onto something! By activating, the activator gives the hunter a purpose and the hunter, by hunting gives the activator a purpose. It is often repeated that without the hunters, there would be no activators. Hmmmm …. something seems to be missing here.

The group that is overlooked or forgotten is the one that labors in the shadows. The organizers, the administrators, the VOLUNTEERS who run the POTA.APP website and maintain a clearing house of logs, those who track the State Parks and assign numbers to them, those who make the rules for activations and those who watch over the logs and design the awards which mystically and magically appear in our accounts when we pass a threshold. Think of them this year. Maybe donate some time or money to support the effort.

In any event, continue to support POTA in whichever why your heart tells you to and is within your abilities. If you are a hunter, hunt. If you are an activator, activate. If you do both then do both. Just have fun and POTA on

Namaste, kidlets!

A new Pod!

December 13, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

That is the Pod! It arrived last Monday and is a Christmas present from my most wonderful wyfe! It is an ice fishing shelter though I will be using it for POTA activations. Without any heat source it was nice and warm inside today. Much better than it would have been sitting out in 40 degree F (that’s 4 C for those who use Metric) temperatures with a light breeze blowing. It is large enough to fit a table and chairs inside and tall enough for a 2 meter high person to stand upright, though I am nowhere near that height. It has windows that let enough sunlight in to keep from needing a lantern. It isn’t too heavy though I would rather not have to carry it any great distance. I am very pleased with it overall. I activated Big Spring State Park today and made a total of 46 contacts to include some park-to-park contacts which is always nice. The day was a good one weather wise. I am trying to take advantage of all the nice days we are having. I used to do a lot of portable operating when I was younger, operating QRP and doing it as a personal readiness exercise. I, over time, fell out of that habit. POTA renewed my interest in it and I admit that I have dived right in. I am a neophyte to the POTA program but I enjoy the “freshness” of the whole thing. Each time I go out there is a new motivation. It is the same with hunting at home. Each time I reach a new goal hunting, I set another one. Another new experience I had today was a drive-by by a DCNR vehicle. When we were taking our stuff down they came back and talked to us for a few minutes. The driver was the regional manager for some of the local parks and was interested in what we were doing (in a good way). She even asked about the POTA program and for the web page for more information. We (my wyfe and myself) answered their questions and they seemed happy when they left. Well enough blathering. As soon as hunting season is over, I hope to activate some of the State Game Lands around here. Keep watching for new entries and stay safe. Namaste, kidlets

Ptolomey watching my 6 as I log a contact.

My set up including owl, log book, battery and coffee … always coffee. 🙂

And just like that, November was gone!

November 30, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

It was a rare and beautiful late Autumn day, today and I took advantage of it. The sun was out of the clouds and the temperature was heading up to the high 40’s F (8 C) and the outdoors was calling to me. My wyfe and I set out to Kings Gap (K-4361) and I set up quickly. Tootsie watched over my shoulder for lions, tigres and bears (and the odd hunter or 2) and I was on the air. The 40 metre band was not in the best of shape but I was able to make 18 contacts including 3 park-top-park contacts. I call this a success. I did have to move a bit up as someone came on just below me and was carrying on a QSO but that happens. I think the next time I blog I will have something new and exciting to report … maybe something unexected. 🙂 Until then, Namaste.

Still life with owl, thermos and antenna

Ha Ha Charade You Are

November 26, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

It was a somewhat gloomy day though not quite. Actually, it was pretty nice when we set out, my long-suffering wyfe and I. The goal was to activate K-1376, Little Buffalo State Park, about 19 kilometers away in New Bloomfield PA. The parking area near the swimming pool is gated off for the season which had no effect on me as I had no plans on going to that end of the park anyway. We went to the boat launch area. It overlooks the Eastern end of the lake and is usually less crowded with foot traffic. Today there were a few dog walkers and one fellow who put his boat into the water and went fishing but that was all. A side note about the fisherman, He had something in his truck that was causing a broad band humming on my radio, not enough to interfere but it was noticeable. It stopped when he shut the truck off. Anyway, I was set up in about 15 minutes and go on the air. I used my Buddistick this time and had good results. Ever since I stopped trying to tune using the counterpoise and started using a 6 meter by 10 centimeter strip of copper mesh as a ground plane, tuning it with my tuner is a breeze. I started operating on 7.188 MHz and made several contacts and then had to move due to a net coming in on top of me. I moved to 7.278 MHz and was able to finish out my operation. I stayed as long as I could but the cold did get the best of me. The temperature was around 7C but the wind was blowing from off the lake a constant 11 Kph and gusting to 28 Kph which took the core temperature right out of me, in spite of the copious amounts of coffee and the nice blanket I was sitting on. I made 46 contacts and had Zarathustra with me to keep watch for lake monsters. Namaste for now, kidlets.

My Buddistick. The cones mark the copper mesh ground plane.

Zarathustra watching over my shoulder for lake monsters

Always have a plan “B”

November 16, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Once again it was too nice a day to waste, so my long-suffering wyfe, my owl Ptolomy and myself set out to activate a park. I wanted to get a new one (at least new to me) in the books so we headed to Col Denning State Park, just on the other side of Doubling Gap. It was a great day and it did not take long to get set up. Unfortunately I was unable to make more than one contact. He was mobile and in RI so I know it wasn’t my antenna. Just circumstances, I guess. There was no internet signal where I was so I could not see if I was spotted, nor could I spot myself. Oh well, such is life and ham radio. On to Plan B. Not too far away is the Three Square Hollow Vista in Tuscarora State Forest, which I have worked from before. It is a beautiful location with an outstanding view and good radio visibility. Within about 1/2 hour of operating I was able to make 29 contacts including some park-to-parks which helped ease the sting of an unsuccessful attempt. All in all it was a great day. I even got to chat a bit with some of the other hams out there. I am attaching the obligatory photos of Ptolomey, my radio and the view from both locations. Namaste, kidlets, until next time.

Ptolomey watching my 6 at Col Denning State Park.
Yes, that is a thermos of coffee.

Ptolomey at Three Square Hollow Vista blocking my view of Cumberland County PA.

“There’s More To Life Than Ham Radio, You Know…And Here Ya’ Are, And It’s A Beautiful Day.”

November 7, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Wow! What a gorgeous day! It was too good a day to waste so I set out to do an activation. All too soon I will be trapped inside by the weather so I am taking advantage of every day that I can. Today, 7 November, it was in the mid 70’s F(low 20’s C) and mostly sunny. The only bad thing about the whole day was the almost constant barrage of large pine cones falling on and around my operating location. I got my antenna up in the tree with very few issues and was on the air. I got off to a bit of a slow start but soon made my 10 contacts. I sat there drinking coffee and playing radio in the sunshine for about an hour and totally enjoying myself until the realization of life intruded upon my zen. I had some adulting to do. I made a total of 45 contacts within an hour so I called it a day. Again, thanks go to those who hunted me and to my long suffering wyfe who puts up with me and to my owl, Tootsie who kept away the lions and tigres and bears. Until next time, kidlets, namaste.

Again I did it, Ooops!

November 2, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Well no shit, there I was, up at the Three Square Hollow Vista in Tuscarora State Forest setting up for an activation. It was a nice sunny day today albeit, there was a chill wind blowing. Anyway, I threw my arborist bag up over a convenient tree limb and, sure enough, the damn thing wrapped around it 6 times. Uttering several words that would cause any residual green leaves to turn various shades of colour, I tied my hammer to the other end of my throwing line and proceeded to throw it over the branch to unwind the wrappings. as I was partway through this operation, a vehicle pulled up next to mine and a couple of hunters got out. They came over to me and asked me about ham radio and went about their business of using their cell phones as this is one of the few spots in this area of the mountain that has reception. I got my bag unwound and got my antenna raised up. They asked a few more questions and seemed surprised that I planned on using such a small piece of wire to talk to people all over the place. I assured them it would work. They then took their leave and drove off. I sat down and hooked up my rig and made 33 contacts from CT to MI to SC to ON over the course of the next 45 minutes. The main problem was the wind blowing directly on my back. It was chilling me right through. If it hadn’t been for that I would have stayed longer. I am not looking forward to the colder weather coming but will continue to try activating as much as I can until it just gets too bad. I am including a picture of Zarathustra monitoring me and the view over my shoulder. In any event, Namaste until next time, kids.

The view behind me overlooking Cumberland County, PA

A Tale of Two Activations (with apologies to Charles. The Dickins you say?)

October 29, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

It was the best of times, it was … actually pretty good. even the bad was good. We went out on the 24th, Tuesday October 24th, for those who were wondering, and the weather was beyond compare. Sunny and in the mid 20’s C ( mid 70’s for those stuck in the F scale, mid 290’s for those who prefer K). Not much wind. My antenna went up easily , almost like it knows where it is supposed to go. The contacts started rolling in very quickly and in no time I had worked a total of 43 including some park to parks and a couple husband-wyfe teams. a good day. After packing up, my wyfe and I took a ride up Hemlock Road and she did some videoing before we went and got some lunch/supper (lupper?). My owl decoy, Tootsie, kept the bears and Karens away and generally helped me log. The park is one of the nicest places a person can go; remote and quiet with a wooded charm.

Yesterday, 28 October, my wyfe said that maybe I should take advantage of the weather and activate as rain was supposed to move in today. As you may be able to tell, I am doing my best to get as many activations in before the weather turns shitty for the next 3 months. I like the outdoors but sitting out in the cold doesn’t appeal to me much these days. I guess I should explain that I am a neophyte when it comes to POTA. I only started doing this with any seriousness this summer. Sure, I had worked a few parks before this and I had registered on the POTA website in April for 2022, but I never really made any effort until this past summer. I started hunting and then I started doing activations. I am no expert by any means, though I have a lot of experience doing portable operating. In fact it is good to be getting back into it. Ok. Enough history. Yesterday I packed up the car and brought along Ptolomey as my mascot/guardian. I also brought my pink flamingo, Charade. It didn’t take long to set up but it did take a while for my first contacts to come in. I thought it was going to be hard to get 10 but finally they started gaining momentum. I started getting spots on the POTA APP and I was able to work 54 contacts with a lot of Park to Park contacts. Overall, though the day was a bit cloudy and dismal and the temps were a bit lower than Tuesday, It was a good day. Hopefully there will be more chances this Autumn.

Logging under the careful supervision of Tootsie.

If Nothing Went Wrong, It Wouldn’t Be Ham Radio

October 19, 2023 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

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.

Nature, Radio, and Me

A POTA Explorer's Diary

Owls and Flamingos