Category Archives: POTA

Successful club POTA at Ft. Wetherill

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NCRC had a successful club Parks on the Air (POTA) activation on Saturday July 30th.

Twelve members of the Newport County Radio Club met at the Ft. Wetherill Park (POTA K-2875) in Jamestown on Saturday July 30 for a Parks-on-the Air activation. Three stations were set up on this beautiful summer morning. Jim Gorman, KC1QDZ, successfully activated his first park on 20 meters. Willy W1LY, John K1JSM, and Jim KA1ZOU logged a total of 34 additional QSO’S on three different bands.

Other attendees: Bruce, W1UQN; Jim, KC1LYG; Evan, K1GEA; Bill, W3CJK; Nancy, KC1NEK; Paul, K1YBE; Art, N1AJG; and Bob, WB4SON.

Nancy KC1NEK has a nice write up with photos on our groups.io page here: https://groups.io/g/W1SYE/message/496

(If you aren’t a member of groups.io, please consider doing so.  This is a lively and active discussion group.  You can apply for membership (free) here: https://groups.io/g/W1SYE

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MOTA-POTA-IOTA Lighthouse Holiday Adventure

Dec 18th   Summary

The gathering was a great success as an in-person club event. We set up and operated two stations; HF and D-Star. This was a great display of HAM radio resilience operating off battery in less then desirable weather.

We successfully activated POTA Washington-Rochambeau Mutli-state Trail(K-4582) and Case Mine (MOTA) for the first time. We also completed an IOTA (NA-031), on Aquidneck Island. Being 2540m from Hog Island Lighthouse doesn’t meet the 1 km rule but so what. More event pictures at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q5T7V-2jkHIkSMYzSCoM4dyw_soltvpV

Thanks to Nancy (KC1NEK) Austin, for making this event happen despite the rain and an unexpected family emergency. Great teamwork everyone! Thank you, Ted (W1GRI) & Mike (AA1XQ), for bringing your radio gear out in the wet WX. Thank you, Bob (WB4SON) Beatty, for the spot that got the frequency going. As a group we made 65 contacts total in just over an hour (16:46-17:49 UTC).

Stayed tuned for more events like this.

GREAT JOB TEAM!

MOTA (December 18 11 AM to 1 PM) No Sunday event.

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NCRC had an in-person get together at Lehigh Grove in Portsmouth on Saturday December 18th from 11 AM until 1 PM.   Since the weather did not dampen our intrepid members from participating on Saturday, we will NOT use the rain date on Sunday.

A more complete report on the event is being prepared but we did make 30 contacts on 40m.

This was the club’s first MOTA (Mine on the Air).  It also qualifies as a US Island on the air, International Island on the Air, Lighthouse on the air, and Park on the Air – more events than you can shake a stick at!

Details can be found by clicking on this link.

Club POTA Event Saturday October 23rd: 11 AM at Colt State Park

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We have just put back a POTA Tab on our website, which we will populate with information that might be helpful to POTA  Activators and Hunters.

More importantly, Next Saturday (Oct 23) Jim KA1ZOU, John K1JSM, and Andy AB1BX, will be holding a NCRC club-wide POTA adventure at Colt State Park in Bristol RI. We’ll be on the air with two K3 radios on 20 & 40m. The event will start at 11 AM. Club calls W1SYE and NE1RI will be used on air..

This is primarily a show & tell for any NCRC club member who has an interest. Other members who are POTA veterans are welcome and needed to help explain POTA operations to others.  Since this is an outdoor location (and stunningly beautiful too), this is a COVID safe activity.

You will be able to see the simple hardware (radio, battery, antennas) that can be used as well as electronic logging via laptop (N3FJP’s ACL – Amateur Contact Log.  In some ways, it is easier to get on the air from a car/truck/van than from a home location.  20m and 40m bands are excellent for working dozens of POTA contacts.

Be sure the check our website BEFORE heading to Colt State Park.  We may be able to provide some more specific location details.  Also, in the event of cancellation due to bad weather, will we post a cancellation notice on the website.

Email invitations will be sent out shortly to club members and will have a cell phone # for John Mills so he can help you locate the spot.

Get On The Air Challenge

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Those of you who have been joining our monthly Zoom meetings know that we have a Get On The Air Challenge underway for at least the first quarter of 2021. The objective is to work as many SSB contacts as possible on the HF bands.  All you need to do to participate is to keep count of your HF SSB contacts and report them at the end of each month (just the count, no details on the QSO required).  If there is enough interest, we will extend the challenge throughout the year.  There will be prizes awarded in the form of certificates and bragging rights.  Email your results (or questions) to gota@w1sye.org

Also, so you can be kept advised of the goings on for the GOTA Challenge, please email gota@w1sye.org to let the folks know you are participating.

It goes without saying that Parks On The Air SSB contacts count as well, so you can operate as a Hunter or Activator and get credit for both POTA and GOTA.

Have a safe and happy 2021, and hope to hear you all on the air soon.