Support-Your-Parks Summer 2020 RATpedition, Day 2

From the park website:

In the midst of some of Ohio's most rugged, scenic territory of Jackson and Vinton Counties lies 292-acre Lake Alma State Park. A quiet 60-acre lake and a gentle creek meandering through a wooded valley provide a restful setting for park visitors.

Pictures

The park sign
A view of Lake Alma
Two views of Eric's station: 1 | 2

Description

On Sunday, July 19, 2020, on the second day of the Support Your Parks Summer 2020 Event, one member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed activations of three POTA units in southeastern Ohio. Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, performed activations of Lake Hope State Park (K-1968), Zaleski State Forest (K-5455), and Lake Alma State Park (K-1967) as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program.

The third stop was Lake Alma State Park, K-1967.

Eric arrived at Lake Alma State Park at about 1800 UTC, and after driving around the lake, chose to set up in the picnic area below the dam. Eric deployed his 28½' wire vertical on his Jackite 31' telescoping fiberglass mast and drive-on mount. To help ensure proper social distancing during the continuing coronavirus pandemic, he set up his KX3 inside his car and was on the air by 1815 UTC.

Eric began operations on 80m but no QSOs were initially made there.

Changing to 40m, Eric's first QSO there came at 1825 UTC with VE3LDT in Ontario, who asked Eric to return to 80m to attempt a QSO on a second band; at 1826 UTC that QSO was successfully made. Back on 40m, QSOs came quickly, with Eric's seventeenth QSO on 40m coming at 1855 UTC with KN4SYS. This run of QSOs included a park-to-park (P2P) QSO with KC8YRK who was activating Amicalola Falls State Park (K-2166) in Georgia.

Changing to 20m, Eric's first QSO there came at 1901 UTC with VE1AMC/M. QSOs came steadily, with Eric's sixth QSO on 20m coming at 1910 UTC is KB3MHB in Maryland.

Changing to 30m, Eric's first QSO there came at 1918 UTC with KB2XX in Virginia. QSOs came steadily, with Eric's sixth QSO on 30m coming at 1923 UTC with K9IA in Florida.

In all, Eric made thirty QSOs including one duplicate QSO and one P2P QSO. All of Eric's QSOs were CW and were made at the 5-watt level.

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

(return)

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