From the Limberlost Swamp website:

The main features of this site include early successional emergent wetlands with upland and floodplain forest. Also present are tree plantings and shrublands that provide mid-successional habitat.

The Limberlost Swamp is an 800+ acre wetland restoration straddling the Adams and Jay County line. It encompasses portions of the Loblolly Creek.

A trail leads into the preserve, it totals over three miles round trip.

Pictures

Eric's station, inside & outside the car
Kiosk signage: 1 | 2

Description

On Sunday, March 9, 2025, one member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed a successful activation of Limberlost Swamp Nature Preserve (US-10231) in Indiana as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program.

While enroute to Chicago for a work conference, and following a successful activation of the nearby Limberlost State Historic Site, Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, performed an activation of Limberlost Swamp Nature Preserve. Eric was accompanied by his wife, Vickie.

Arriving at the nature preserve's single parking area, Eric deployed his 28½' end-fed random wire as a vertical supported on his 31' Jackite telescoping fiberglass mast in a drive-on base. For protection from gusty winds, Eric chose to operate inside his car and, mounting his Elecraft KX2 on the car's passenger-side dashboard, he was on the air at 1857 UTC.

Eric's station.

Eric had good cell-signal and would be able to spot himself on POTA Spots (link) and to use POTA Spots to identify possible park-to-park (P2P) QSO opportunities.

During this operation, ionospheric conditions would prove to be unsettled. The solar indices at the start of the operation were SFI=148, SN=73, A-Index=21, and K-Index=3.

Eric began his operation on 20m. Finding himself a clear frequency to run, Eric began calling "CQ POTA" and self-spotted himself on POTA Spots. His first QSO came at 1900 UTC with VE1ZZ in Nova Scotia. QSOs came quickly, with Eric's fourteenth QSO coming at 1918 UTC with KX4BE in Tennessee. This run included a QSO with EA1EC in Spain; a QSO with IK4IDF in Italy; a P2P QSO with M0TTQ who was performing a two-fer activation of Langstone Harbour Conservation Reserve (GB-0022) and King Charles III England Coast National Scenic Trail (GB-0711) in England; a P2P QSO with N4CD who was activating Love Valley Wildlife Management Area (US-6358) in Oklahoma; and QSOs with operators located in Alabama (2), Florida (3), Minnesota, Nova Scotia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas (2).

Eric finished his operation by hunting for P2P QSOs. At 1921 UTC, he made a P2P QSO on 20m with AI5DD who was activating Lake Carl Blackwell Wildlife Management Area (US-10658) in Oklahoma. At 1924 UTC, he made a P2P QSO on 20m with AB9CA who was activating Lake Bob Sandlin State Park (US-3023) in Texas. Finally, at 1925 UTC he made a P2P QSO on 20m with VE7SRF who was activating Sullivan Park (CA-3635) in British Columbia.

In all, Eric made seventeen QSOs in about twenty-eight minutes of on-air time. All of Eric's QSOs were CW and were made with five watts output.

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