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My first QRP POTA Activation was a Failure!
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2025 6:56 pm
by K2BRZ
Good Day everyone!
First time posting in here and wanted to share my first experience as a QRP POTA Activator. At least I can say it was a learning experience. I did enjoy myself, though, and can't wait to do it again at another park local to me.
https://briansden.wordpress.com/2025/08 ... /#more-911
72 de Brian, K2BRZ
Re: My first QRP POTA Activation was a Failure!
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 12:17 pm
by w2tef
Brian,
Great job getting out there! Another NJ POTA buddy and I have an agreement that there's no such thing as a failed activation. If you went out to a park and set up, that was a successful activation! The only question is whether it was a mini- (less than 10 QSO's) or full (10 or more QSO's) activation. It sounds like your adventure was a worthy and experiment and learning opportunity.
I was out this morning: maybe I was too early. But the bands were rough. It took more than 20 minutes just to get that first QSO!
Re: hanging the EFHW, I have terrible judgment trying to pick a tree that lands me on a bench or at a picnic table. I always bring a little camping stool so I can sit where I need to.
Re: tuning for SWR, I had a similar experience: a vertical carefully tuned with counterpoises to give me nearly a 1:1 at the home QTH responded very differently out in the field -- on a different patch of ground.
I appreciated your hunting report, too.
Let me know if it would be encouraging to do a joint activation sometime!
72 de Todd W2TEF