Sandy State Fish Hatchery POTA K-10390 2023-10-27

New POTA parks are now being added in the US. There have been some very nice parks added. Activators hit the ground running (or driving) activating the new parks. One park added to Oregon is the Sandy State Fish Hatchery K-10390. I was hesitant in adding fish hatcheries to Oregon at first. Mainly because they are not a 'typical' park. After looking at aerial views. Map views. Reading the official hatchery website. I discovered that the Sandy Hatchery would be a great fit to POTA. I knew this hatchery existed. My father, who passed away last year, volunteered at that hatchery. He spent many many hours and days helping harvest Coho Salmon eggs and other duties. He told me of many stories while volunteering there. After reflecting on all of my dad's volunteer time, I quickly felt it was the right thing to add the park to POTA. I added the park this week. I also felt I needed to be the first to activate.

When I arrived at the hatchery, I immediately felt my fathers presence there. He lived for fishing.  My father and I fished for salmon, steelhead and trout throughout the years. Walking around the hatchery, I was reflecting on the many fun, exciting and great fishing experiences we had. I no longer fish. Well, I do a different kind of fishing now. Fishing for POTA activators and hunters. 

The hatchery has a stream called Cedar Creek running along it. It empties into the Sandy River. This time of year is Coho and early runs of winter steelhead. The hatchery has holding pens for the fry with many Coho salmon nearing ready for release. At the hatchery is a fishing parking area. The hatchery set this area aside for fisherman to park while walking the trail to the Sandy River. 

I found the fishing parking area was perfect for POTA. It is removed from the day to day operations of the hatchery. It is fairly far away from power noise. It has a beautiful pasture on one side. Tree lined on the other. To the SW is a slight hill. But the rest of the terrain was somewhat even. 

I chose hamstick and 17' whip antennas today. I wanted to keep it simple. But I could have used my kite pole with 84' wire without interfering with anyone parking. I started on 10m and the band was pretty good. I bounced to 15m to hunt. I wasn't feeling great. So I decided no big pileups. Well, until the end of the activation. I jumped on 20m and powered down to 10w. Everyone could still hear me. haha.. So I worked through the pileup a bit. But had to tap out after a short time. My brain told me I was done. 

I had so many nice QSO's with folks. It was nice to just take my time and catch up with some folks. The scenery was very good. Often, I would just sit and continue to reflect on the fishing experiences I had with my father. 

Thank you to all that got in the log. And thank you to all that couldn't, for trying. I will be back at that hatchery. 

Link to the Sandy State Fish Hatchery Website https://myodfw.com/sandy-hatchery-visitors-guide 

73 W7RTA  Charlie

10m Hamstick Dipole Nulls out Noise At K-4576 Oregon NHT 9-28-2023

 Today I was along the Willamette River where the K-4576 Oregon National Historic Trail passed down the river. At times, some of the bands get noise from the golf course across the street. Using my 10m Hamstick, I was able to null out the noise to where the 10m band was useful. 

Here is a short video on How I POTA'd Today using the 10m Hamsticks to null out noise.  

I started on 10m and bounced around a bit. I went to 40m to get some local PNW contacts. Then back to 10m where I got 2 VK4 stations and Argentina. Back down to 40m and on 20m for short bit. All and all it was a good few hours. 

Green = 10m  Orange = 20m  Red = 40m 

Thank you to all the hunters and P2P's today. 

K-4576 Oregon National Historic Trail and This is how I POTA. This time. 2023-09-08

I activated K-4576 Oregon NHT. I haven't used my painter pole in a while. So with 10m opening more lately, I decided to use it. 2 BD7 Chinese whips in dipole format with MFJ Hamstick Dipole mount. I was very pleased with how easy it was to measure the whips and put the antenna up. 10m was great again today. Need more hunters out there exercising that band. Japan and Australia. That was a nice treat. I wasn't at the park long. 1.5 hours. 15m and 17m were working well too. I am glad the higher bands are opening. 

There is this thing that Wes VA5MUD is starting. It is a 'This is how I POTA' . Sort of challenge. So I wanted to jump in and share how I POTA at my activations. I mix it up when activating. So I will be creating more videos in future activations. Below is my first crack at how I POTA'd today. Below that are the maps. 

Thank you to all the hunters and P2P's today. 

13 days without an activation and trapped in the house sick.

 It has been almost two weeks since I was at a park. 13 days trapped at home recovering from a head cold. I made it out today, 9/7/2023 to the park K-3424 Ice Age Geological Trail. 

It felt great getting out in the fresh air. Weather has cooled. Partly cloudy dry day here in NW Oregon. I wasn't feeling very adventurous, so I used hamsticks on a triple mag mount for 10m, 15m and 17m. The 17' MFJ whip for 20m. I was in the Tacoma Truck in the bed with my topper lift canopy. Using the IC 7300 . 10m has been open lately at home. So I started on 10m at the park. It was a nice run of about 25 contacts. Midwest, SE US were coming in great. After a bit I moved to 15m. Got a few contacts. Not as active. But nice to work folks on that band. Then a few on 17m. I heard Wes VA5MUD on 20m in a park. So I put my whip on the mag mount (I use quick disconnects for quick antenna changes) . I hunted Wes for the P2P. I wasn't planning on 20m for my activation. I didn't want to lose my voice. But I wasn't feeling to bad. So I went for it. Yikes. You hunters are awesome. I had quite the pile up for a bit. WA7FLY, Tom, reached me with 5 watts (I had just

called for any QRP stations. Smart move Tom!) So after our QSO I kept the power down so the pile ups would not make me lose my voice. Sorry folks. After a it I packed it in for the afternoon. 

Shout out to the HamJazz Discord folks VA5MUD, W6PUG, WA7FLY, AJ5C, VE1SK. And a couple folks worked me on 3 bands. 

Thank you everyone! 73

W7RTA

Charlie

Riding the greyline W7RTA 7-27-2023 and 7-28-2023

 This summer of 2023 has been a bit brutal on many of the HF bands. Lately, I have been going to the park in the evening and working the greyline. That has paid off. Around 4pm Pacific time 23z, 20m as well as other bands seem to open more. 

Yesterday I went out to activate K-3424 Ice Age Geological Trail in Oregon. I arrived at the park and was set up and on the air by 23:17 UTC. Fearing I would not reach 10 contacts by 00z, I pushed through several mini pileups. I usually like to chat with folks. Catch up with hunters and other activators. But since I was nearing the 00z I spent less time being chatty. I wanted to get as many hunters in the old day as I could. Then in the new day slow down the pace a bit. 

20m started off getting 37 contacts in the log before the day change. Mary, KC3HMB was last in the log for the day and first in the log for the next day. This was the first time I got her in the log too. It has been a while since I got EC1R , Alfonso, from Spain in my log. But I also got EA1GIB, Manuel, from Spain in the log too. Almost back to back. I love when those openings happen. And good to get some DX in the log. 

Not often I get a couple of stations from Florida in my log. But yesterday, I had 6 in the log. That was pretty cool. There is much more POTA activity in Canada this year. Very good to see the increase in hunters and activators up there. 

After the 00z, I was able to chat more with folks. Conditions were changing a bit, so some of the weaker stations I had to rush through to get in the log. I started the new day on 20m. When it slowed, I dropped down to 40m. The time of day here in the PNW is during rush hour and dinner time. So there was not a lot of contacts. But those that I made were very welcomed. Nice to get more PNW folks in the log. K7CAN, Mike in Idaho is difficult to get in the log on 20m. But dropping to 40m , it was a success. KK7HGV, Jacob , has been maritime mobile the past couple of contacts. In February on 10m and April on 20m, he was in Southern Baja. Yesterday, he hunted me on 40m and was near the Olympic Peninsula. He had traveled from Baja to Hawaii. Then to the PNW where he lives. That was really cool to get him on three different bands. 

I used the IC 7300. 10.6 amp hours of battery consumed. 100w. 17' BD7 whip with WRC Sporty Forty (shorted out for 20m) on triple mag mount on the roof of my truck. 

It is always nice to get some of my regular hunters and POTA friends in the log. AJ5C, Bob, VA5MUD, Wes, K7CAN, Mike, VE7NB, Robbie, K2JWD, Mel, K6YYL, Kim, N3XLS, Joe, AD2CD, Tobi is getting in my log more lately :) , NA7X, Carl, thanks for the antenna info. I know I am missing folks. Every contact is special to me. 

Thank you to all the hunters and activators. 

W7RTA - Charlie