K-3005 Eisenhower State Park

While admiring my POTA stats page, I noticed I was 70 QSOs short of 10K. Well, that’s close enough to do something about this weekend. My phone and I, anticipating spring-ish weather, immediately sought reservations for a screened shelter at Eisenhower State Park in North Texas. 

Eisenhower State Park is in Grayson County, northwest of Denison on the shores of Lake Texoma. The state acquired the 463.1-acre site in 1954 through a lease from the Army Corps of Engineers. It opened in 1958.

Evidently, I wasn’t the only one with good ideas as all but one shelter was reserved, SH17, and from the satellite view on google it looked fine with some room to the side of it. Booked!

Friday

Set up in the shelter Friday, mid-day.

I pushed up a Spiderbeam mast outside the door and hung a Packtenna random wire and RG-316. Hoping to get some field day-like, late into the evening-like operating, I’d brought a power supply. Rare for me because I don’t usually operate where there’s facility power and had forgotten I own one. And wouldn’t you know it, the power was out in the shelter.

When the Ranger came out and resolved the power situation with a huge kerchunk, it popped the GFI on the single outlet for the shelter – unbeknownst to me. I spent the rest of the weekend thinking my power supply didn’t work.

So, with my trusty FT-891, LDG Pro II auto tuner and battery, I got to it!

Wow!! The noise on the bands was like rocks in a coffee can – terrible on 40 and all its harmonics.  I’ve made a ton of activations from this park and these shelters and well, mercy me, the RFI was terrible for some reason!

Very slowly, I pulled out 32 QSOs from the noise to call it an activation and the hunters suffered more than me. It must have been frustrating to answer all my diddy dumdum diddies while everything sounds clean and clear on their end. As always, POTA hunters, the CW hunters in particular, are consistently forgiving. Thanks, folks!

W5DRT, Dave Turner, visited and he’s just a really easy guy to be around. We spent the rest of the evening chewing the rag about POTA, CW and the prospects of our club’s upcoming beginner Morse Code classes.

So, about all that noise….. Turns out that open spot next to the shelter I’d seen from the SAT view on my phone was filled with the water pump station for the park. I chose a shelter next to Satan’s megaphone.

Saturday

I really wanted to see 10,000 QSOs in my POTA stats. The next morning – at sunup – I had 40 QSOs to go until glory, admiration, and maybe parades. POTA achievements are a bit like peeing in your wetsuit. It gives you a warm feeling for a few minutes, but nobody else notices. Avoiding the noisemaker next door, I broke down my station and redeployed in the day use area at the other end of the park.

After the typical pre-game rituals, I sent a few QRL and got busy with 20 watts on 40m. Oddly, the spots page wouldn’t recognize the park number. Weird, I find the entire POTA.app and RBN system incredibly reliable. Obviously, they knew I was just 40 QSOs shy of fame and glory.

I called in the blind until my battery died – It didn’t take long with my current run of luck (poor preparation).

With a depleted battery, I CSMO’d (Artillery for Close Station March Order) and raced home for solar panels (75mi round trip). Remember, I thought I’d fried my power supply and ran on battery the day and evening before.

By the time I rolled back in the park, Dave and another club friend, KG5FDT, Ricky Jessen, were activating the park with SSB from the day use area. I had a great time as the third op on their activation. Both guys are great side-band operators with that calm and friendly delivery that really smooths out the pile ups.

I set up my KX2 on 17m with the Packtenna and mast. Dave and Ricky, running SSB on 20m, said there was no interference at all from my CW on 17. Had they been running an IC-7300 I suspect the overload indicator would have flashed in rhythm with my CW like the lights at a disco. Winter field day taught me the 7300 is a great rig but can’t take a punch. The sensitive front end makes it useless in a transmitting “crowd”, a glass jaw.

The park was packed with happy families. After a running game of tag sent a gagle of children in circles around my station, I moved to the end of the picnic area to a table surrounded by mud. Now – I’m not bothered by the families or rowdy children at all – not one bit – and they weren’t in my space, I was in theirs. Parks are for families, not POTA. I think that’s important for all activators to remember.

I wrapped up my day with 42 contacts, making my goal of 10,000 POTA QSOs. Cue confetti and parade soundtrack.

Saturday evening.

My daughter insists on have a birthday every year. She just won’t let it go. Wrapping up my adventure, mid-day, I packed up and made the drive home. While enjoying my daughter’s day, I couldn’t help but notice, I had time for one more activation. After 18:00 it would be tomorrow, Sunday UTC.

I got back to Ike about 1800 and for the first time ever, noticed a sign in day use area closing it at sundown. Maybe I’d get run out – maybe not. Mindful of keeping POTA on the good side of park folks, I returned to the shelter area. Hoping to avoid the Devil’s Magaphone, I set up on the opposite side of that area, on the edge of a parking lot.

I got a line in a tree in a tree, hoisted my 9:1 and tailgated with my KX2 and a stool for a very quick 10.

GEAR:

• Yaesu FT-891
• Elecraft KX2
• BamaKey Ty III
• Spiderbeam, 10 meter, Telescoping Mast
• Packtenna EFRW with 17′ counterpoise
• ExpertPower, 20ah, LiPo
• A dang power supply I never used

These reports might get better. No promises.

CU AGN ES 73,

KA5TXN Mark
DitWit