April Sans Showers

April 7, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Howdy kidlets. Had a nice couple of days off. Got 2 more activations in, did some banking, did some shopping and interacted with the kitties.

The weather the last couple of days was nice-ish with temperatures hitting 9C yesterday (48 F) and 10C today (50F). Yesterday the sun was trying to hide but came peeping out now and then. Today it was just plain sunny which made it nice sitting in my car.

Yesterday I made 30 contacts from Big Spring State Park US-4335 and it brought me closer to 1000. Today I made 21 contacts some on 40M and some on 15M. I worked a station from Italy and one from Spain. Those 2 contacts were higher in signal level than some from the US. I tell people that any signal report I receive is a good one. It all depends on what the bands are doing. I worked from MD to WA in the US. I am not sure what our plans are for the upcoming weekend but there might be an activation.

One thing I can’t stress enough is safety. Keeping antennae away from power lines is one thing but keeping them out of the paths of people is just as important. When you are in a park you have to be aware of other people in the area. When I use my Buddi-pole I place cones around it and on the ground strip to keep folks away. I always look around for situations where people could endanger themselves on my equipment.

I am including a picture of my gear laid out even though I linked a video of it last time.

Well it is suppertime so I will say namaste to you and yours.

The mascots today including Tootsie the owl

Coltsfoot peeking through the leaf-litter

My gear laid out and being inspected by Kalamazoo

One of the fireplaces near the pavilions

Got Those Bad Band Conditions Drizzly Day Lazy Afternoon Blues

April 2, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Howdy kidlets. It is the second day of my “weekend” as I work a weird schedule. This week my days off are Wednesday and Thursday followed by work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday then off again on Monday and Tuesday followed by work Wednesday and Thursday then off until Monday. I do get every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday off so I guess it is ok. You get used to the schedule sometime during the first decade.

We didn’t go anywhere yesterday though I did go to Big Spring State Park US-4355 again. The temperature was about 28C (83 F) and it was making a serious attempt to be sunny. Band conditions were not good and there was a lot of noise. I started out on 40M but soon went to 17M as there was very little activity on 40. I made 9 more contacts on 17M (making my activation bona fide) and then went back to 40 for 9 more. All this took around an hour. The park was, as usual, nice and quiet with the sounds of nature only occasionally being interrupted by passing vehicles. Being in a remote park has its advantages. Anyroad, my total for this park is now 873. I am getting there.

In my last entry I neglected to itemize the birds which my app heard. Here they are now. We heard in Maryland: Carolina Wrens, House Finches, House Sparrows, European Starlings and Brown-headed Cowbirds. In Shepherdstown WV, we heard: Chipping Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, American Goldfinches, Canada Gooses, Northern Cardinals, Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos and Eastern Phoebes. I guess Spring might really be here.

I am including a link to the contents of my radio box that I take to activations. Of course, my radio, but also various tools, some meters, a flashlight and other items. I also include my logbook as I do paper logging in the field, my exposure guide printout (per FCC regulations), band plans, a copy of my license and other paperwork to include a description of POTA for anyone who might be curious. I keep my antennae in the car as I have shown before. These days I like to travel light. It all fits into a plastic storage tub.

Well enough for now. I am going to sip some coffee and enjoy some slack. Namaste, kids.

A rescued possum at Possumbilities in Fredericksburg, VA

One Weekend, 3 Activations

March 29, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Hi kids. I didn’t plan on activating 3 times this weekend but that is what happened.

Friday afternoon I was sitting here and decided to go to Big Spring State Park US-4355. I arrived at about 1950 UTC and got set up. I tuned to 40M and worked 14 stations before moving to 17 M where I worked 8 more stations including Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Spain. I was happy with that total and it brings me closer to my kilo award for this park.

Yesterday, Saturday, we took a drive down to Shepherdstown, WV, seeking a few cemeteries. We stopped in at Elmwood Cemetery where we had been previously. We also visited the Old English/Episcopal Cemetery where there are some graves of Revolutionary War soldiers. We then visited a park which held a monument dedicated to James Rumsey, the inventor of the steamboat (not Fulton as we were taught in school). After this we took a leisurely drive along the Potomac River to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park US-0735. In 25 minutes, we worked 16 contacts before heading home.

Today, Sunday the 29th, we did some shopping including a trip to the local Ollie’s. We had lunch, I did my bike ride and then we tackled some domestic chores. Then I set out again for Big Spring State Park US-4355. In spite of a contest going on I was able to work 21 contacts before calling it a day.

I have mentioned before that I like Big Spring State Park as it is peaceful and usually deserted. I did have a Ranger check up on me about a year or do ago. She seemed interested in my operation and, since I had my ice-fishing tent set up as a warming shelter, I guess she wanted to make sure I wasn’t camping there. We have occasionally seen various wildlife there, mostly squirrels and a couple times I smelled and heard a bear checking us out.

Well that is my latest update. Please feel free to leave comments. So long and namaste!

The plaque on the bottom of the monument

From Ides To Now

March 24, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Hmmm … 10 days since my last update. I can’t say it wasn’t fun for the most part. I did work 6 days in there (12 hour night shift) so I guess the fatigue factor was present. I had to fill in for one of the others as he had a karate tournament to host.

So on the 15th, last Sunday, the day following my last post, we found ourselves in Gettysburg PA after doing some photography in Shepherdstown WV in Elmwood Cemetery. SWMBO and I like going to cemeteries and looking for interesting gravestones and stained-glass windows in mausoleums. I mainly like to photograph stones with interesting carvings as a way of preserving them. The weather is taking its toll on older stones and some of them are fading fast. I collect pictures of them so that there is a record (albeit un-official) of what the carvings looked like. Maybe someday I will produce a coffee table book.

Anyway, in Gettysburg on Culp’s Hill we did a short activation. We worked 10 stations in 11 minutes. Not bad for a quick setup. After this we went for lunch, did some shopping and then headed home.

The week passed slowly going forward but quickly looking back. Our dryer broke the other day and the repair guy was scheduled to come over today. He actually showed up early and was done in about 15 minutes. The belt had broken. They no longer make this model (it is a GE) so he had to substitute a belt from a different model: a Maytag. He tested it and SWMBO was happy. She immediately put a load in and started it up.

This morning, rather than wait patiently for the repair guy (scheduled arrival was between 1230 and 1300), I went and activated Big Spring State Park US-4355. I have activated this park 25 times so far. It is close by; a 12-minute drive (roughly). When I arrived at 11:40 UTC, the temperature was -2C (28 F for those who dislike metric) and did not warm up much while I was there. The sun did start to appear over the horizon and through the trees, promising an enjoyable day. I set up and got on the air around 11:50. I chose the 40M band and it was in good shape. The past few days propagation has been in a slump but today it picked up. In 47 minutes, I made 59 contacts. Not too bad.

A few words about Big Spring State Park. It sits at the Western end of Perry County and does not get a lot of visitors, especially between October and April. It is a good place to go for a quiet picnic or to just enjoy solitude and nature. There is a little stream running through it which is fed by Big Spring. It makes for a nice walk if you like walking along streams. A couple hundred meters from the park is a trail which goes about 1 Kilometer to a hole in the side of the mountain where they started building a railroad tunnel. They gave it up but the tunnel is still there and goes in about 100 meters. The walk to it is nice. Maybe someday I will pack my radio into there and activate (it is in Tuscarora State Forest).

Well, it is time for slack. Namaste, kids and keep your stick on the ice!

One of the stones at Elmwood Cemetery. Clasping hands was a common theme.

An unsheathed sword. Usually indicating a soldier.

This dove (symbolizing the Christ) is fading and will soon be unrecognizable.

Moxie, Ollie and Missie keeping me company at Big Spring State Park

Looking Northeast through the trees in Big Spring SP

The Seasons Wait On No One, Neither Man Nor Groundhog

March 14, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Winter, a grumpy old man shaking his hoary fist in impotent rage is grumbling as he shuffles towards the transition point where he will meet Spring. Spring, a bouncy and loveable kitten dances up the garden path to rub against your ankles and bring you promises of better times to come.

The weather today was nice. Not perfect but still nice. It was windy which is usual for March. The temperature topped out at 14C (57F) and the skies were clear. Humidity is currently 33% and the pressure is 1018 millibars. So far this month we have received 50.29 MM (1.98 IN) of precipitation. The last of the snow has disappeared.

It was under sunny skies that we (SWMBO and I) set out for Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland: US-0700. The battlefield activation was only a prelude to our real goal but more on that later. It was a nice drive down there and we arrived about 15 minutes before the Visitor’s Center opened. I parked at the end of the lot and got set up on 40M. The band was a bit strange this morning. The contacts were not fast nor were they steady, but we worked 29 stations including some park-to-parks. A lot of contacts were from Georgia, Alabama and Florida which is a reach for 40M during the day.

After we finished, we stopped at the monument dedicated to Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross. She played a large role in the battle, delivering medical supplies and, more importantly, tending the wounded. During 12 hours of combat on 17 September 1862, 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing. Tending the wounded was a daunting task and Clara, with her staff of 30, worked diligently for 3 days, patching up the wounded and feeding them. She later founded an organization to find and identify graves on Civil War battlefields.

We then proceeded to Elmwood Cemetery in Shepherdstown, WV. The cemetery is easy to find and has some nice stones. I like to photograph the carvings and oddities as time and weather will take its toll and deprive the future of these relics. It was quite windy so the only birds we heard were Red-Shouldered Hawks and American Bluebirds. We went to another cemetery but it was a disappointment.

We found a scenic route back to the highway and proceeded home where I now sit watching my cats wrestle.

So ends another entry in my blog. I hope all is well with my readers and, as always, namaste.

Missie and Moxie helping me activate Antietam National Battlefield

the 7th PA Volunteer Regiment monument right next to the Clara Barton monument

The daffodils across the road are starting to bloom

Almost Flamingo Season

March 10, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Wow! Currently the temperature is 28C (85F for you that use outdated systems). It has been nice all day. It almost makes me want to dig out the flamingos and place a platoon of them on the lawn!

SWMBO wanted to go to a couple of stores in Chambersburg PA, today so we set out about 0700 and went to Caledonia State Park US-1337 and did an activation. We got set up by about 0835 and got on the air. I wanted to start on 40M and ended up staying there as the contacts were flying in. I found an empty space at 7196 Khz and spotted myself online. A net came on about 1 or 2 K down but they didn’t bother us too much. I do my best to avoid nets as the folks who participate can be prickly sometimes when you are too near “their” frequency. Anyway, we had 10 contacts within 5 minutes, and they just kept coming in fast and furious. I like this type of activation. I barely had time to put spots on some of the groups. When we packed it in we had 41 contacts over the course of 31 minutes.

The weather was nice. Partly cloudy and it was 4C when we started and climbed at a steady rate. We even were able to log some birds which is a good sign of improving weather. We heard Black-capped Chickadees, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina wrens, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Dark-eyed Juncos. A nice assortment and we did hear them in spite of the chain saws running nearby.

When we finished up we went to Sportsman’s Warehouse looking for sleeping pads but were unable to find anything that suited us for camping use. We crossed town and went to Better Days Animal League thrift shop. We usually find dvds or books there and the money goes to a good cause. They also have adoptable kittys there and we interact with them.

After all this we went home and relaxed for a bit before going to Blain Hotel for a nice lunch/supper. All in all a good day though some might find my life a bit dull.

The UPS truck just stopped here and dropped an order which included “The POTA Antenna Book” by Don Dickey WV1W. Now I have something new to read.

Well enough for now. As always, namaste kiddos.

Missie, Tootsie and Moxie watching me operate

A view looking south from our parking space at Caledonia State Park

Looking south-east from our parking space

In front of the building where the restrooms are is a “little library”. I think this is a great idea.

Steamy Windows, A Wet Owl, And A Milestone Reached

March 5, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Greetings and salutations, kidlets. It has been a good day in spite of the weather. Today was rainy then gloomy then rainy then drizzly and back to rainy. We were out this morning running some errands and, when we got back, I decided to do an activation. SWMBO decided to remain home.

When I arrived at Little Buffalo State Park US-1376, the temperature was around 7C (45 F) and remained so for my time at the park. During my activation it got very warm in the car and the windows fogged up. I had to take off my coat and finish in shirtsleeves. Holman Lake is the manmade lake occupying 88 acres of Little Buffalo State Park. The ice on Holman Lake was that gray color that old ice gets when it is thin and rotten. The fishing shacks are gone as are the homemade skating rinks. I pretty much had the park to myself.

It did not take long to set up, and I was soon on the air on 40M. I worked 26 contacts before switching bands. One thing that I thought was fortuitous was that my first contact was a park-to-park … this one from Ontario. So after 26 contacts the band seemed to dry up. I swapped antennae and started working 17M which is usually a good daytime band. It proved to be today. I was able to work Italy, Oregon, St Kitts, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, California and a lot of other stations. A good time was had. Part way through my operation I realized that I was getting close to my Kilo award for this park. This gave me incentive to keep working stations until I had reached a total of 76. I had started the day with a total of 928 so I had only need 72 contacts to reach 1000. This was exciting as it is my first Kilo award (hopefully not my last). I want to thank everybody who helped me achieve this.

I was able to hear and identify (with my app) the following birds: Ring Billed Gull, American Crow, Common Raven, American Herring Gull, Blue Jay, Wild Turkey and Sharp-shinned Hawk. I think the birds are getting sick of winter and are anticipating the return of Spring and nice weather.

Well, once again I am sitting near the pellet stove and enjoying some coffee. I hope all is well with my readers. Namaste

2 gnomes and a wet owl

Looking South across Holman Lake from the parking lot at the boat launch

A Warm Day And Some Non-Cooperating Bands

February 28, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Here it is the last day of February. The temperature is currently 17 C (62.6F) at 22:30 UTC. Nice. I don’t for a minute believe that we are done with cold weather, but I am enjoying the break from the dreary mess it has been lately. The daffodils across the road are reaching higher and I look forward to them blooming. We have a window feeder that a couple of chickadees have been enjoying which mesmerizes our cats.

We (SWMBO and I) went out to Little Buffalo State Park US-1376 today to activate it and enjoy the weather. I started on 40 M and wasn’t working many stations. It was a bit discouraging. I tried 12M and was able to work a station form France before moving to 17M. First off I was able to work a lot more on this band. It is nice to find a band that is open. We worked more stations on 17 and then had to call it a day. I made a total of 23 contacts of which 9 were park-to-park contacts. Overall, it was a success.

So why am I returning to Little Buffalo so often? I am working on my Kilo certificate for that park. POTA has different certificates for different achievements, and working 1000 stations from a single park entitles you to the Kilo certificate. I currently have 928 contacts at Little Buffalo. I am also close to getting the next level certificate for working Park-to-Park contacts. My next certificate will come at 850 and I have 830 right now. It is something simple to do and does give you a sense of achievement.

Today I verified that my homebrew is ready to bottle. I checked the gravity and got a reading of 1.010. The specific gravity of water is 1.000 (as determined with an instrument called a hygrometer). The gravity of the wort when I placed it in the fermenter was 1.050 so it has leveled out at a nice gravity. The calculators say that the ABV (alcohol by volume) is 5.25%, nicely in the middle of the range for a robust porter. I sampled the specimen after I had taken the reading and it is a bit lighter in body than I was expecting but tastes good. The hops are apparent and the flavor of the malt can be tasted. I will comment more once it is carbonated.

Ok, kids, I am going to have some supper. As always keep your stick on the ice. Namaste

Missy, Ptolomey and Moxie watching my activity.

Remembrances Of A Cold And Blustery Day

February 24, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

It has been eventful the past few days. Mostly good and some not so good. On Friday the 20th, we took Scout to the vet to be neutered. The operation went without a hitch and Friday afternoon he was back at home, causing a ruckus.

I had to work this past weekend, Friday thru Sunday night; the usual 12 hour shifts. It was pretty much without incident until Sunday when the storm hit. From Sunday afternoon until Monday mid-morning we got a mixture of rain and snow which left 5 Centimeters (2 inches) on the ground which pretty much melted off last night. This storm has been labelled The Blizzard Of 2026″ as Philly, New York, and Southern New England got hit pretty hard, amounts varying from 45 CM (18 inches) to a bit mor than a Meter (39 inches). Today they are starting to dig out. As I said, we dodged the bullet on this one.

This morning the wind was gusting to about 15 KPH (9 MPH) and the temperature was around -4 C (25 F) so, of course, I went to a state park and activated. I went to Little Buffalo State Park US_1376 as it is close to my home. There were no birds around and the lake was totally devoid of ice fishers.

As usual it did not take long to set up. I chose 40M to start with and once I got on the air the contacts were coming in at a fast rate. I stayed on 40 for about 1/2 hour until things started to abate. I then mounted my 17M “Hamstick” on the car and continued for another 25 minutes. I was able to rack up a total of 52 contacts before I took my station down. I even worked some DX: St Vincent ( the Caribbean island, not the singer) and Italy. I was receiving good reports out to Colorado and down into the south. All in all a good activation.

As I have mentioned previously, I have my operation streamlined. At first, I was dragging out the ham radio equivalent of a full British mountaineering expedition, more bells and whistles that one person would ever need. SWMBO made suggestions over time which work out. Nowadays I use a mag mount on the car roof with one of my various “Hamsticks” on it. It isn’t perfect but it makes for a convenient and non-obtrusive setup. The only thing I do that might attract a bit of attention is to place one of my owl decoys on the hood of the car. I do carry a couple other antennae as back ups but rarely have occasion to use them

The day is now winding down. It is 1630 EST and my weather station is telling me that it is 1 C with a Southwest wind of 12 KPH. The cats have been fed, the stove is full and the coffee is hot so I may get on the air and do some POTA hunting. Namaste for now.

Scout home from the traumatic experience at the vet’s.

My porter boiling a couple weeks ago. It will soon be ready to bottle.

Spur Of The Moment Activation But Not Warm As Predicted

February 19, 2026 / KB3CVO / Leave a comment

Greetings kidlets. Another fine day here in Pencilvania. SWMBO is suffering from a cold, so I am trying to look after her. The other day I looked across the road and WOW!!!!! Daffodils are coming up! Those wonderful flowers are giving the finger to the groundhog!

This morning, I decided to head out for a little while to do an activation. Little Buffalo State Park is only about 15 minutes or so from here. I packed up my gear and my owl, Ollie, and off I went. SWMBO didn’t want to go due to her bout of virus. It is nice when she comes along but I can manage without her. Anyway, the weather forecast called for temps in the mid 50s F (about 13C) but that was not the case. The temperature hovered around 38F (3.3C). Not too bad but not what was promised. There was a fog out there and visibility was about 1 Km.

I was really surprised to see people on the lake ice fishing. You would think the ice would be getting a bit thin due to the temperatures we have been having. The snow is leaving us, but I like that. I am ready for Spring to attack us.

My activation went well. I started on 40M and finished on 17M. I was able to log 50 contacts in about 50 minutes. Not a record but I thought it was pretty good. My furthest contact was in Poland. The furthest I worked here in the US was Colorado.

I believe I have mentioned previously that we have hermit crabs. Before I left, I checked the tank and they have been busy performing massive urban renewal projects. They have dug up the tank and moved stuff around. Sometime overnight they pushed some of the sand in the tank up into their water bowl and up into their saltwater bowl. The trails of sand cause the water to drain out due to capillary action; I refilled the bowls before leaving. Land hermit crabs need water on their gills to breathe. They climb into the water bowls and store water in their shells to keep their gills moist. So now they can drink and breathe.

Well, my coffee cup is empty, and I need to go ride my bike to maintain my health so I will end this here for now. Namaste kids and keep your sticks on the ice.