Due to a poor weather forecast for 5/18 and problematic band conditions thanks to solar CMEs, we are rescheduling our POTA activation to MAY 25 and changing the operating time to 2pm – 5pm to catch better band conditions.
DVRA Members and Non-Member Guests: Please join us on Saturday morning, May 25 in New Jersey’s Washington Crossing State Park in Washington Crossing, NJ as W2ZQ plans to conduct a Parks On The Air (POTA) activation. Weather permitting, we’ll set up in the Knox Grove picnic area between the children’s play area and the roofed picnic pavilion, which we can use as a shelter if a Spring rain shower pops up. Join us for the setup between 1pm to 2pm, and/or join us for the activation itself, which will run from approximately 2pm to 5pm. Reserve operating time (see below) so you can have the experience of working a “POTA pileup” (we hope!).
If you have your own portable equipment and wish to perform an activation with your radio operating as W2ZQ, please notify Bob Bowden ( thebowdens@yahoo.com ) so we can coordinate setup positions, bands/modes and your times of operation, etc.
If the weather forecast for May 25 is sufficiently threatening, the rain date for this event will be the next day Sunday, May 26.
“Parks On The Air” (POTA) has become a very popular Amateur Radio program. It’s an on-air activity that helps Amateurs practice some key skills while enjoying our great hobby, including:
- emergency preparedness, allowing us to obtain and hone the ability to operate “off the grid” and away from our home station
- temporary antenna and station deployment “in the field”
- utilization of emergency power equipment (no-noise battery power is preferred in POTA settings)
- “working pileups” on both ends: getting through pileups as a Park Hunter, and working and managing them as a Park Activator
- Finding yet another way to get outside and enjoy our wonderful State and Federal parks, which have been called “America’s Best Idea”
- Positive public relations for our hobby via exposure to the general population. Members of the public stop by and watch us enjoy Amateur Radio in the great outdoors
Whether you’re a current DVRA Member or not, are currently registered with the Parks On The Air program or not (registration with POTA is simple and free of charge online at Parks on the Air | POTA, provided you’re a currently licensed Amateur), you will be included on our submitted log as the Operator for your completed QSOs and get POTA “activator” credit for those contacts from our park station. If you join us and operate during this event, and if you work at least ten stations as an Operator, you will get POTA credit for a successful Activation under your callsign – and club station W2ZQ gets credit, too!
Here are the details:
WHEN: Saturday, May 25 in the Knox Grove section of Washington Crossing State Park (NJ). The schedule is for antenna and station deployment to begin at 1pm, testing to occur at 1:30pm, and for Parks On The Air operation to occur from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Operators will work in half hour blocks (on the half hour), and be assisted by a person manning the station log. To sign up for one or more half hour on-the-air blocks for operating and/or for logging, please sign up on the following Google Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13-ixbSaoUi3nIRCszBIrAnFeynpi2S3h-5qfW164fYo/edit?usp=sharing.
WHERE: On May 25, we will set up the Knox Grove Picnic Area. As you’re driving within the park, follow the signs to Knox Grove and if you have Google Maps, you can have your smart phone take you there by clicking the following link: Knox Grove and Playground – Google Maps
Park in any one of the small parking lots that ring the picnic area.
Weather permitting, Plan A is to perform our activation in the open air location pictured below. If there’s a possibility of rain, we may utilize the roofed pavilion (pictured):
WHAT TO BRING: Bring your licensed self, and of course bring family member(s) or a friend if you think they might enjoy seeing Amateur Radio practiced in the great outdoors! Bring folding lawn chairs for yourself and for anyone else in your party. And bring snacks and / or sandwiches and beverages to keep fueled and hydrated. DVRA is bringing operating equipment; the rest is strictly BYO. Note that alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted in NJ state parks. Stay for whatever period you wish – if you have other plans, your DVRA friends will understand if you must leave mid-event. Any time you can spend with us supporting our activation by helping with station setup or tear-down, by operating, or even by just observing this POTA activation will be appreciated!
Bob Bowden KB3BB, thebowdens@yahoo.com
