Ottawa State Fishing Lake, or as it is known to everyone around here, Lake Bennington, is a nice green wooded spot among miles and miles of wheat, sorghum, corn, and cattle. From time to time, I like to drive out here just for the woods that remind me of home. And there’s free primitive camping, my preferred way of sleeping outside. If you’re ever in North Central Kansas and looking for a nice place that’s not too far out of the way, I recommend that you swing by Lake Bennington for the night or just for a few hours.
A couple of days ago, I posted that I’ve had a few failed activations due to lack of planning. Today, I thought I would perform a shakedown of my POTA system.
Overall, it went really well. Everything that I needed to deploy my setup and operate now lives in my green Osprey backpack that I won at a rock climbing competition some nine years ago.
There are some weak spots in my setup, however.
I used this opportunity to look at my first aid kit and discovered that it was deficient in some ways. For instance, there was not bug spray, nor a knife, nor was there an emergency bivy or water treatment. Those are just the things that I could think of off the top of my head that I wished were in there.
I also wished that it was a bit easier to get everything that I needed to cook backpacking style. While my stove, cook set, spork, knife, and my dry rations all live in the same bin, I wish all the main components were all together in the same stuff sack so it would be easier to grab and go. A very minor issue.
Cooking a non traditional albeit backpacker-esque breakfast was easily accomplished. Before I setup the radio, I decided I would get food started. Boiling the water for coffee is always first. Instant coffee isn’t for everyone but its a great way to get caffeinated while out and about. Next came the food.
On the menu today were garlic instant potatoes with parmesan cheese cubes and beef jerky. Believe me, after a long day of hiking or bike riding, this meal will be a real treat. POTA activations are great situations in which to test new food ideas. Longer expeditions are not the time nor place to take chances on untested food combinations.
On to the activation…
Conditions were rough today. I started on 40m, but it sounded dead and the reverse beacon network didn’t pick me up. 30m yielded two contacts and only one RBN hit. 20m was a little better, giving me the eight more that I needed but I had more RST 339 and 539 reports than usual. No 599s sent or received today. That’s okay, contacts are contacts. Most everyone was either in NY, FL, or IN. It took me almost an hour to activate the park, but the MTR3b and Tri-Band Vertical always provide.
On the DX front, I heard YC2VOC from Indonesia, but I couldn’t get out to him. I rarely hear from Oceania or Asia and its usually either Australia, New Zealand, or Japan. Still looking for my first transpacific contact!
Stations Worked
30 Meters
- K2UPD
- N4RKK
20 Meters
- WA2FBN
- N4RKK
- KB4CO
- K4ARQ
- K4RUM
- K9EXY
- KO4RSJ
- WZ9B
Amateur Radio Station WB0ISG 