Not the most beautiful Monday for radio.  Overcast, drizzly, and in the 50’s, it was the kind of day where my recliner has much more influence than it should. Overdue for some POTA-therapy I was going – lazy or not.

 From the website: “Located in the heart of Denison, the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site showcases the home where the 34th U.S. President Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower was born in 1890. Antique furnishings fill the modest frame house, illustrating the working-class life of the Eisenhowers. The visitor center celebrates Ike with memorabilia and exhibits featuring his many accomplishments as president and war hero.”  It’s a beautifully kept property but let’s be honest, all I really need is the parking lot.

Load out:

Rigs-

• Yaesu FT-891
• MFJ-971 Portable Tuner
• Elecraft KX2

Antennas-

• Hamstick 20, Hamstick 40
• Packtenna Random length
• Packtenna EFHW 20m, with 40m linked extension (still not tuned or tested)
• Wolf River Coil Sporty 40

Power-

• ExpertPower 20ah
• Bioenno 6ah

Like General Eisenhower himself, I gazed across the field (imagine an American flag fluttering behind me), identified the challenges, and formed a plan. 

• The park is closed – the parking lot is within the boundaries, but I don’t feel like the covered pavilion is accessible after hours.
• There’s a fine drizzle with potential for not so fine drizzle.
• No “antenna trees” comfortably within wire and feedline distance of the parking lot.

I decided to “tailgate” it with the FT-891 and WRC Sporty 40.  I’ll set the HF power to an ionosphere-scorching 30 watts and scream through an activation.

I started by hunting on 40.  It was noisy, as 40 often seems to me.  One great feature of the Sporty 40 is I can use a DIY jumper connected to both ends of the loading coil to very quickly change from 40m to 20m.   With one park hunted on 40, I did just that.

I hunted two more parks on 20, then found some space and called QC.  Now, for the record, I like operating QRP.  I enjoy the pace, I enjoy accomplishing something I once thought unlikely, and I really favor the smaller footprint of a QRP load out.  But 30 watts is way more than 5 watts.  Some claim the difference between 5 watts and 100 watts is very negligible.  I won’t/can’t argue that.  I’ll simply offer, that negligibility seems to makes a difference.

I spotted, called QC four times, and 20 meters came alive.  I didn’t call again for the remainder of the activation.  This was Monday morning and when I sent QRT, I had to close the door on hunters.

CSMO (Close Station March Order), artillery-speak for break down, load up, and get on the road.

CU AGN ES 73,

KA5TXN Mark
DitWit