Activations

My first POTA activation, at Tugaloo State Park

Play video: My First POTA Activation - Tugaloo State Park - K-2203

Watch on YouTube: My First POTA Activation - Tugaloo State Park - K-2203

QSOs
55
Grid squares
46
Furthest, JH87
7,273 mi
Bands
6

This was my first Parks on the Air activation: a weekend of camping at Tugaloo State Park on Lake Hartwell, in the northeast corner of Georgia, with the radio set up on the campsite picnic table and a solar panel keeping the battery topped up.

I worked 55 stations over two evenings, all FT8. Most of the contacts came on 30 meters, with a run on 15 meters that reached Europe. The two longest contacts were a station in Japan on 12 meters and one in Angola on 15 meters, both more than 6,700 miles away.

It was enough to make the activation count with room to spare. POTA needs 10 QSOs from the park in one UTC day, and both days cleared that.

POTA credited 55 QSOs (Sep 17: 31, Sep 18: 24).

The station on a picnic table, with a folding solar panel charging the battery
The station on a picnic table, with a folding solar panel charging the battery
Laptop running WSJT-X, the radio, and the coax at the campsite
Laptop running WSJT-X, the radio, and the coax at the campsite
The radio under a red headlamp after dark
The radio under a red headlamp after dark
Sunrise over Lake Hartwell from the campsite
Sunrise over Lake Hartwell from the campsite

Who I worked

3,107 mi6,214 mi9,321 miJN76 · 20m FT8 · 4,882 miDM78 · 20m FT8 · 1,246 miEN34 · 20m FT8 · 869 miEK58 · 30m FT8 · 1,164 miJN36 · 30m FT8 · 4,545 miEM12 · 30m FT8 · 814 miDM78 · 30m FT8 · 1,246 miFN21 · 30m FT8 · 653 miFN33 · 40m FT8 · 823 miFN03 · 40m FT8 · 659 miEN50 · 40m FT8 · 527 miEM34 · 40m FT8 · 565 miEM26 · 30m FT8 · 685 miDM04 · 17m FT8 · 2,036 miJO40 · 15m FT8 · 4,511 miJO21 · 15m FT8 · 4,323 miJM49 · 15m FT8 · 4,856 miJN47 · 15m FT8 · 4,600 miJN17 · 15m FT8 · 4,345 miKP11 · 15m FT8 · 4,637 miJN44 · 15m FT8 · 4,693 miJO43 · 15m FT8 · 4,425 miJO31 · 15m FT8 · 4,403 miJO01 · 15m FT8 · 4,163 miDM37 · 15m FT8 · 1,679 miJN18 · 15m FT8 · 4,319 miJN97 · 15m FT8 · 5,008 miJH87 · 15m FT8 · 7,273 miQM07 · 12m FT8 · 6,715 miFI06 · 12m FT8 · 2,638 miFN03 · 30m FT8 · 659 miEN82 · 30m FT8 · 553 miEN52 · 30m FT8 · 639 miEN91 · 30m FT8 · 497 miEN61 · 30m FT8 · 529 miJO40 · 30m FT8 · 4,511 miJN61 · 30m FT8 · 4,970 miEM36 · 30m FT8 · 575 miFN31 · 30m FT8 · 730 miEN41 · 30m FT8 · 648 miFN23 · 30m FT8 · 757 miEN53 · 30m FT8 · 698 miEN74 · 30m FT8 · 699 miFN03 · 30m FT8 · 659 miEN41 · 30m FT8 · 648 miFN13 · 30m FT8 · 702 miFN21 · 30m FT8 · 653 miEN40 · 30m FT8 · 601 miFN31 · 30m FT8 · 730 miEM28 · 30m FT8 · 718 miEM15 · 30m FT8 · 791 miEM28 · 30m FT8 · 718 miGN37 · 30m FT8 · 1,791 miEM17 · 30m FT8 · 805 miUS-2203 Tugaloo
  • 40m (4)
  • 30m (30)
  • 20m (3)
  • 17m (1)
  • 15m (15)
  • 12m (2)

Each line runs from the activation to the center of the other station's grid square, so it shows the direction and distance, not an exact location. One contact has no grid square in the log, so it isn't shown.

Log summary

BandFT8FirstLast
40m4Sep 17 03:05Sep 17 03:13
30m30Sep 17 02:16Sep 18 02:17
20m3Sep 17 01:20Sep 17 01:56
17m1Sep 17 18:12Sep 17 18:12
15m15Sep 17 18:30Sep 17 20:54
12m2Sep 17 21:17Sep 17 21:22

Times are UTC. Callsigns are left out on purpose; the full log is on POTA, SOTA, QRZ, and LoTW.