From the Camp Nelson National Monument website:

The US Army established Camp Nelson as a fortified supply depot in April 1863. Over the next 3 years, the site evolved into a massive recruitment and training center for United States Colored Troops and a refugee camp for their families. It served as a shelter for civilians fleeing war and for enslaved people hoping to secure their freedom and aid in the destruction of slavery.

Pictures

Camp Nelson National Cemetery: 1 | 2
Camp Nelson National Monument Visitor Center
Inside the Barracks: 1 | 2 | 3
Eric's mast and antenna
Eric's KX2 station
Split-rail fencing: 1 | 2
The reconstructed barracks
The Oliver Perry "White House"
A cannon at the White House

Description

On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, one member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team performed a successful activation of Camp Nelson National Monument in Kentucky as part of the Parks on the Air (POTA; link) program.

Following a funeral service for an uncle (obituary) at the associated Camp Nelson National Cemetery, and following an activation of the nearby Kentucky River Palisades / Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve, Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, performed a POTA activation of Camp Nelson National Monument. Eric was accompanied by his wife Vickie.

Camp Nelson National Cemetery.

Eric and Vickie arrived at Camp Nelson National Monument at about 2030 UTC. Eric visited the Visitor Center to explain to the staff what his plans were and, since the Visitor Center and the reconstructed barracks were to close within half an hour, he toured barracks before setting out to perform his activation.

Camp Nelson National Monument Visitor Center.


The reconstructed barracks.




Displays inside the reconstructed barracks.

When the Visitor Center and reconstructed barracks closed, Eric gathered his equipment from the can and walked to the picnic area behind the Visitor Center, chosing a nicely shaded picnic table for his operation. He deployed his Tufteln (link) EFRW as a sloper up to the top of a Goture Red Fox Super Hard 720 carbon-fiber mast on a spike. Eric had hoped to just able to lean his mast into a tree, but the 29' radiator just wasn't quite long enough, so he had to resort to the spike. (Only later did he realize that the 35' radiator wire he also carries in the KX2 Mini Travel Kit would probably have been exactly the right length.) Placing two 17' counterpoise wires directly on the ground, and placing his Elecraft KX2 and his Whiterook MK-33 paddle on the picnic table, Eric was on the air at 2108 UTC.

Eric's mast and antenna.


Eric's Elecraft KX2 station.

As at his 2024 activation of this unit, Eric had good cell-signal within the park and would be able to spot himself on POTA Spots (link) and to use POTA Spots to hunt for park-to-park (P2P) QSO opportunities.

At his friend Tom's suggestion, Eric started his operation on 40m. Finding himself a clear frequency, he began to call "CQ POTA", and self-spotted himself on POTA Spots. His first QSO came immediately, at 2109 UTC, with his friend Tom, K4SWL, in western North Carolina. QSOs came steadily, with Eric's fourth QSO coming at 2116 UTC with WA4AAK in Alabama. This run included QSOs with stations located in Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

Switching to 20m, Eric found a clear frequency, began calling "CQ POTA", and self-spotted himself on POTA Spots. His first QSO in this run came at 2124 UTC with K3ONW in Pennsylvania. QSOs came steadily, if not quickly, with Eric's second QSO in this run coming at 2125 UTC with N0MMZ in Colorado, and his third QSO coming at 2128 UTC with WA2SPL in Vermont.

Pausing to hunt for P2P QSOs, at 2138 UTC, Eric made a P2P QSO on 20m with W0ANM at Glacial Lakes State Park (US-2486) in Minnesota, although the QSO was challenging and Eric thinks that W0ANM mis-copied his callsign.

Switching to 30m, Eric found a clear frequency, began calling "CQ POTA", and self-spotted himself on POTA Spots. At 2149 UTC, he made his only QSO on this band, with AB0BM in Iowa.

Switching to 40m, Eric found a clear frequency, began calling "CQ POTA", and self-spotted himself on POTA Spots. His first QSO in this run came at 2155 UTC with WB3DDJ in Pennsylvania. This was followed at 2156 UTC by a QSO with KB4LCI in Virginia.

Pausing to hunt for P2P QSOs, at 2201 UTC, Eric made a P2P QSO on 40m with N9WPY at Kankakee River State Park (US-1004) in Illinois.

Returning to 40m to run a frequency, Eric refreshed his spot on POTA Spots, and made four QSOs in three minutes: with K9VPL in Indiana at 2204 UTC, with WA3GM in Pennsylvania at 2205 UTC, with K9ABR in Illinois at 2206 UTC, and with AI4F in Kentucky at 2207 UTC.

Having already spent about an hour on the air while his patient wife sat in the car, Eric ended his operation with sixteen QSOs logged. All of Eric's QSOs were made with CW at a power-output of 5w.

After tearing down his station, Eric took a few minutes walking the grounds near the Visitor Center to take some photos.

Split-rail fencing.


The Oliver Perry "White House", the only
Civil War era structure remaining on the grounds,
and is closed for a multi-year renovation.


A cannon at the Oliver Perry "White House".

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

(return)

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