From the park website:

As one of Ohio's resort parks, Burr Oak State Park blends modern convenience with Ohio's wilderness spirit. Miles of forested ridges and hollows can be found here. The park offers a rustic full-service lodge with family suites and a cozy campground with easy access to the lake. A substantial trail system ranges from moderate to difficult with portions intersecting the statewide Buckeye Trail.

Pictures

Eric's station; photo by Miles McFadden

Description

On Saturday, March 20, 2021, two members of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed a successful activation of Burr Oak State Park Ohio as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program.

Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, and Miles McFadden, KD8KNC, performed the activation of Burr Oak State Park on a lovely first-day-of-Spring under the water tower while enroute to Granville for a family celebration. Eric and Miles were accompanied by little dog Theo. This activation was a quick activation in pursuit of the POTA Repeat Offender Activator Award for Burr Oak State Park and was Eric's nineteenth activation of the park.

Eric, Miles, and Theo arrived at the Burr Oak water tower at about 1345 UTC and Eric and Miles quickly deployed the 28½' wire antenna on the 31' Jackite telescoping fiberglass mast and drive-on base. Because the outside temperature was still cool, Eric chose to operate inside the car and he installed his KX3 on the car's dashboard. Eric was on the air at 1354 UTC.

With good cell-signal at this location in the park, Eric was able to use the POTA Spots website to look for possible park-to-park (P2P) QSOs and to self-spot himself.

Eric began operations by looking on POTA Spots for possible P2P QSOs but found no other activations he could hear.

Finding a clear frequency on 40m, Eric spotted himself to POTA Spots and began calling "CQ POTA" and his first QSO, a P2P QSO, came at 1400 UTC with K0BWR who was activating Dorsett Hill Prairie Conservation Reserve (K-7671) in Missouri. QSOs came quickly, with Eric's fourteenth QSO coming at 1415 UTC.

After the run on 40m, Eric again checked for P2P QSO possibilities and at 1417 UTC made a P2P QSO on 30m with KE4Q who was activating Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park (K-3612) in Florida.

In all, Eric made fifteen QSOs. All of Eric's QSOs were CW and were made at the 5-watt level.

Miles did not operate but did all the activation photography, helped with set-up and tear-down, and ensured the little Theo-dog remained safe.

Eric also submitted his log to the World Wide Flora and Fauna in Amateur Radio (WWFF; link) program.

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