Amateur Radio Station WD8RIF | POTA Activation Elk River Lodge State Park

On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, one member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed a successful activation of Elk River Lodge State Park (US-6457) in Alabama as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program.

While in northern Alabama to adopt a small dog, following successful POTA activations of Joe Wheeler State Park and TVA Wheeler Dam Public Park National Recreation Area, and following the visit to the dog-rescue for the adoption of the little dog, Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, visited Elk River Lodge State Park to perform his third POTA activation in Alabama. Eric was accompanied by his wife Vickie, their small dog Theo, and their new small dog Gracie.

Gracie-dog; photo by Victoria McFadden.
Yes, the harness is a bit large for Gracie.

Eric, Vickie, and the two small dogs arrived at Elk River Lodge State Park boat ramp area at about 2050 UTC, finding it to be unoccupied.

After checking out the area, Eric deployed his Tufteln (info) EFRW as a 29' vertical held aloft on a 31' Jackite telescoping fiberglass mast in a drive-on base and placed two 17' counterpoise wire directly on the ground. Placing his Elecraft KX2 on his folding camp chair's flip-up table, and connecting his Whiterook MK-33 paddle and his Sony earbuds, Eric was on the air at 2116 UTC.

Eric had cell-signal and would be able to access POTA Spots to spot himself and to find Park-to-Park (P2P) QSO opportunities.

Eric started his operation on 20m. After finding himself a clear frequency to run, Eric began calling "CQ POTA" and was auto-spotted on POTA Spots. His first QSO came at 2121 UTC with VE7VEK in British Columbia. A second QSO was slow in coming, so Eric paused to hunt for P2P QSOs and at 2127 UTC he made a P2P QSO on 20m with KG5OWB at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (US-0756) in Texas.

Returning to his run, Eric again began calling "CQ POTA", and his first QSO in this run came at 2130 UTC with WB0LQW in Colorado. QSOs came steadily, with Eric's fifth QSO in this run coming at 2138 UTC with WA5ZEG in Arizona. This run included QSOs with operators located in Arizona (2), Colorado, New York, and Vermont.

Pausing again to hunt for P2P QSOs, at 2144 UTC Eric made a P2P QSO on 20m with AB1II at Quincy Shores State Reserve (US-8425) in Massachusetts.

Returning to his run on 20m, Eric again began calling "CQ POTA", and his first QSO in this run came at 2148 UTC with W2BPL in Massachusetts. QSOs came steadily, with Erics fourth QSO in this run coming at 2152 UTC with KN4DHW in Florida. This run included QSOs with operators located in Florida, Massachusetts, and New York (2).

Eric ended his operation by hunting for more P2P QSOs. At 2154 UTC, he made a P2P QSO on 20m with WW9R at Anza Borrego Desert State Park (US-1126) in California. At 2156 UTC, he made a P2P QSO on 20m with N6HU at Fort Ord National Monument (US-4542) in California.

In all, Eric made fifteen QSOs, including four P2P QSOs, in thirty minutes of on-air time. All of Eric's QSOs were CW and were made at five watts output.