Back To The Park
The temperature was supposed to hit close to 60dF on a cloudy Tuesday in early March and that just screams GET TO THE PARK! I had a lot to do that morning, but I wasn’t going to ignore this clear sign from the universe that I was meant to head out to Cuyahoga Valley National Park – US-0020 and get on the air. What a great decision!
The park itself was pretty quiet except at The Octagon. That’s the shelter area where I usually go to set up because there isn’t much traffic at all – except when there is. As I made my way over the last hill to the parking lot there were two school busses. They had just emptied themselves of what appeared to be elementary school students and the kids were milling about right where I intended to spend my quiet hour.
Nope! Up to The Ledges!
The Ledges are a huge attraction. There is a wide open field for activities and a series of trails that offer wonderful views with relatively low complexity. There isn’t much elevation to deal with on them so they are very, very popular on sunny weekends for people with children or older family members. It’s a wonderful place! I just tend to avoid it for radio because I prefer a more solitary experience.
The Gear
This was meant to be the maiden voyage of my QMX+. I had it all packed up and ready to go. I got to the park and set myself up on a picnic table island in a sea of mud and hooked up the battery. I pressed the power button and heard the speaker make a click but…nothing. Changed to my backup battery. Nothing. This was…disappointing. After I got home, I opened it up and tweaked the display brightness and all seemed to be well with the world. I’m not convinced that was the problem. I think something might have jostled loose. I will be doing some more bench tests and do a little home radio to make sure it’s solid.
So that was the end of the activation.
Well, that’s what I would have said if I hadn’t been a Smart Kid™ and tossed my Penntek TR-35 in the bag. That little guy is so lightweight it would have been silly to take the chance on a new rig without him along for the Just In Case. Glad I did!
New Gear!
This was meant to max out the New Gear by pairing the QMX+ with a new Bioenno 9v battery and my new Putikeeg Grey Morse Mini paddles. With the QMX+ swapped out, I still had plenty of new stuff to play with. The battery was great. There’s a reason I alway get my stuff from Bioenno.
And then there are the paddles!
I was looking for something metal that could take a bit more of a beating than my CW Morse paddles – which I really like! I also wanted something smaller than my Begali and that I wouldn’t be screaming into the sky if it were to disappear on an activation or camping trip. I had a close call with my Begali Traveler at the end of the summer where I thought I’d lost it (but found it in my backpack) and it was a reminder that I needed to be more mindful of my gear. I had also read good things about the Putikeeg keys as being very adjustable and durable. So why not?
I plugged it in and got to work. I have to say, I managed to set them up to be very sensitive. It’s not like the slapping around I do with the CW Morse paddles but I would never go so far as to say that they are as light a touch as the Begali. It’s a fine device – amazing for the price, really. Am I going to set it up at home ever? Probably not. Would I toss it in my backpack to take on a hike or keep it in a kit so I’m ready when I get on my bike? Absolutely.
I also took along the little metal base that I picked up a while back at the recommendation of Thomas K4SWL. It’s an anvil of some sort for jewelers, maybe? I don’t know. But it’s steel and heavy. The magnets on the Putikeeg are amazing and hold tight to the base. I did find the base still slipping a bit on a table top or my tarp. I peeled off the plastic bottom that comes with it and installed some rubber feet. That worked really well! For camping and POTA? I’d definitely take it along. For a hike? Nope. That’s just weight and I can make other configurations work just fine. I would say that it’s a nice luxury in the field.
On The Air
I used my EndFedz halfwave antenna this time out as I wanted to give the QMX+ the benefit of something resonant for our first trip. There were plenty of leafless trees around and getting a line up was easy. Once I had it attached to the TR-35, I went straight to 20-meters and I was quite pleased with the pile-ups that ensued. Maybe I just happened to be the only activator people could hear on 20 at that hour? I don’t know, but it was really, really easy to get 10 contacts.
There was some noise and there were a few crashes here and there that I’d have to assume were some kind of solar fun happening overhead. By and large, the conditions were good and I was definitely getting out. I heard from ID and other points west along with NY and AL. I was surprised I didn’t hear from FL, but some days it’s just like that.
QSO Map
Here’s what the QSO Map looks like.
Final
I could say that improvising in the field is always a good time, but that’s not a very honest assessment. I was pretty bummed out that I didn’t get the QMX+ on the air. That just means that I will need to find another time in the coming days to get to the park. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Thanks for reading along!
72!
