CQ POTA, CQ POTA... CQ Parks on the Air!

Parks on the Air®, or POTA for short,  is a program inspired by the ARRL's year long program in 2016 which promoted Ham radio operators to go out in the wild and set up portable communications from state parks around the world. Jason Johnston, W3AAX, is the POTA Administrator and President/Owner and has taken the original ARRL concept and molded it into the fun radio event that it is today. There are awards for both "hunters" and "activators", and just a lot of fun! But all this fun is really for a purpose... to hone our skills of communication during times of emergency. As Activators we learn about what we need to communicate out in the field and portably. We learn about antenna systems, radios, portable power, and how to put it all together for remote communication. But there is more... not only do we learn about Ham radio communications, but we are all learning about our nations National and State Parks and the beauty & resources they have to offer. It's addictive on both sides of the radio... Hunting is so much fun, trying to get thru the pileups, finding out how well your setup is doing over the air, trying to earn the different types of awards. And as an activator, it's always fun to be on the other side of the pileup. 

I don't think I've ever seen the bands as consistently busy as they are now. EVERY day I hear Hams talking on the radio with Parks and that's great! There is a REASON to get on the air. Not just for a QSO Party or a Special Event, or even a net, but for fun! 

Talk to 10 different parks and earn a Bronze award. Talk to 20 and get a Silver award. Talk to 75 and you're up to a Sapphire Award, all of which you can download from your account, which is free, and print out. It's personalized and even has the date you earned the award printed on it. It doesn't stop at 75 either... lots of different and unique awards are available. Check it all out at Parks on the Air . And in the meantime... dust off that radio and go hunting...

It's Not Always a Bed of Roses When it Comes to Your Signal Report...

That's not to say there is something wrong when you get a 22 signal report, it's just who wants a 22 (or in the case of CW a 222) , which is the worst acceptable signal report??? Well, I do! Yes, give me all 22's and I'd be a happy girl! Why you might ask. Let me tell you...

First, let me clarify that a signal report for us Ham's consists of 3 things; Readability, Signal Strength and Tone. If we are doing SSB (or phone, aka "talking"), our RST report is two numbers: Readability and Signal Strength. We all buy the best equipment we can afford, ground our stations, put up antennas, and tweak our audio and do all of this to hear and be heard over the air.  59 is the best report, meaning perfectly readable with extremely strong signals. That is the goal. That is perfection!

But what does a 22 signal report mean? Does it mean your equipment is crap and you should throw it all in the nearest dumpster? Absolutely not! A 22 means you worked for it! Yes, it wasn't easy for the other station to hear you and you could barely hear them, but in the end you pulled it out! You deciphered that call sign and they understood you... and that is the REAL goal! In times of emergency, when conditions aren't perfect and all communication is down EXCEPT for Ham Radio, we need to be able to pull it out. We need to be able to relay vital information, we need to be able to work together when conditions aren't ideal. 

In the end, with all the fun we have talking to far off Countries, doing contests, checking into Nets, it's all practice. So, give me those 22's, it's a compliment for both of us! 

73,

Suzanne, N1SUZ

QSL from a QSO I never had...

Sometimes when we have a QSO or work a special event, we get a callsign wrong. Sometimes during a special event the event operator is trying to get thru a huge pileup and your QSO may be short and sweet.  You hear the callsign quickly and truly think you got it... well, I worked a special event station recently with young kids who were attending the World Little League Championships in Pa. We weren't rushed, the young man I was talking to was taking his time and getting coached by the Elmer in charge. I recorded the QSO and all the particulars. Then I looked up the Callsign on QRZ to get the QSL information. I noticed that the callsign was from Alabama. Not a red flag because the kids were visiting Pa. So off my QSL card innocently went... fast forward to yesterday, a week after I sent that QSL card... I love getting QSL cards! With delight I opened the envelope... to find not a QSL card, but a letter... 

"Hi Suzanne N1SUZ, I was surprised to get your QSL card in the mail today. I must admit I was doubly surprised because I have not operated in the HF bands since Hurricane Frederick destroyed my antenna system in 1979..."

But a misheard Callsign, and a QSL card sent to the wrong Ham, turned into a friendly Ham related QSO anyway! He told me about how he became Amateur Extra, how he walked away from Ham radio while moving and then raising a family, and how sorry he was he had not saved any of his QSL cards so he could send me one and how he appreciated mine anyway. It was one of the nicest letters I have ever received.

I ended the letter by hoping that someday we actually would have that QSO on the air and wished him 73.

 

Welcome to the Shack...

 It's been a while since I've posted about Ham Radio. I use to have a blog on Wordpress that just disappeared. I only know that I'm still around and still talking on my Kenwood radio.... it use to be a Kenwood TS-480, then a TS-140 and now a TS-590. Not only have my radios changed in the 25 years I've been an Amateur Radio Operator, but the Ham Radio world has changed too! So, here I am... back to talk about my Ham radio adventures... please come along for the ride... 

73,

Suzanne, N1SUZ