Amateur Radio Station WD8RIF | POTA Activation Whitewater Memorial State Park

On Friday, October 7, 2022, two members of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed a successful activation of Whitewater Memorial State Park (K-2275) in Indiana as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program. Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, and Miles McFadden, KD8KNC, performed the activation of Whitewater Memorial State Park at the Silver Creek Boat Ramp area.

This was the fourth of six planned activations in Indiana and extreme southwestern Ohio over a three-day period, the first and second being activations of Summit Lake State Park (link) and White River State Park (link) on October 5, and the third being an activation of Fort Harrison State Park (link) on October 6.

On the way from from Indianapolis following Eric's participation in a single-day seminar in Salesforce Tower (link) the previous day, he and Miles pointed the car to Whitewater Memorial State Park, arriving at the Silver Creek Boat Ramp about 1630 UTC. Because of the cold temperature and gusty winds, Eric decided to operate inside the car, and he and Miles deployed the 28½' wire vertical on a Jackite 31' telescoping fiberglass mast supported on a drive-on base. Setting up his KX3 inside the car, Eric was on the air at 1646 UTC.

Eric was somewhat surprised to find he had very good cell-signal at this location, and he was able to use POTA Spots (link) to identify possible Park-to-Park (P2P) QSOs and, if necessary, to spot himself.

Eric began operations by looking at POTA Spots for P2P QSO opportunities and at 1648 UTC he completed a P2P QSO on 20m with W2NR who was activating Hot Springs National Park (K-0038) in Arkansas.

Finding himself his own frequency to run on 20m, Eric began to call CQ. After only a few calls, Eric was pleased to see that he had been automatically spotted on POTA Spots. Eric's first QSO in this run came at 1652 UTC with VE1PVH in Nova Scotia. QSOs came quickly, with Eric's tenth QSO in the run coming at 1700 UTC with N4SD in Virginia. This run included QSOs with operators located in Nova Scotia, Idaho, Colorado (3), Wisconsin, New York, Florida, California, and Virginia

Pausing again to check POTA Spots for P2P QSO opportunities, at 1702 UTC Eric completed a P2P QSO on 30m with K0BXB who was activating Chief River State Wildlife Area (K-4275) in Wisconsin.

Staying on 30m, Eric found himself a frequency to run and began calling CQ. As before, he was quickly auto-spotted on POTA Spots. Eric's first QSO in this run came at 1709 UTC with WA4RCW in Tennessee. At this point, Eric was forced to pause in order to take a phone call from a contractor working on a project at Eric's house. After the completion of the call, Eric's second QSO in the run came at 1716 UTC with K0HX in Missouri. Thereafter, QSOs came quickly, with Eric's fourteenth QSO in the run coming at 1730 UTC with WB3GCK in Pennsylvania. This run included QSOs with operators located in Tennessee (3), Missouri (2), Ohio (4), Maryland, Quebec, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. Also during this run, Eric and Miles were surprised and delighted by the sight and glorious sound of B-17G Yankee Lady flying overhead.

Switching to 40m, Eric found himself a frequency to run and began calling CQ. As before, he was quickly auto-spotted on POTA Spots. His first QSO in this run came at 1733 UTC with his good friend K8RAT in Ohio. QSOs came steadily on 40m, with Eric's fourth QSO in the run coming at 1739 UTC with W8EWH in Michigan.

Eric finished his activation with one last look at POTA Spots for P2P QSO opportunities and at 1742 UTC he completed a P2P QSO on 40m with WG8X who was activating Clear Creek State Park (K-1341) in Pennsylvania.

In all, Eric logged thirty-one QSOs, including three P2P QSOs. All of Eric's QSOs were CW and were made with 5w output.

Whitewater Lake

Miles did not operate but helped with set-up and tear-down, and he did much of the activation photography.

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