POTA with Friends

Today I met some new friends and we activated Great Brook Farm State Park in Massachusetts together.

After a long time away, I decided to pop into the Long Island CW Club Slow Speed Test session. The K1USN Slow Speed Test takes place on the air every Sunday evening and is a lot of fun. I recommend it for all CW operators. If you’d like to learn more, I wrote a post about the K1USN SST in an earlier journal entry.

While in the LICW Zoom gathering, where we chat with each other while making CW contacts on the air and help new operators get their first SST contacts I met Michelle, KC1UML, who lives nearby. We learned that we activate many of the same POTA parks and set an intention to get together soon.

POTA at Great Brook Farm State Park, US-2435

The next weekend on a gorgeous Saturday Fall morning I went out to meet Michelle and operate radio together at Great Brook Farm State Park. Desmond, WK1V, and Adam, AA1N, were there as well.

I set up my Xeigu G90 with my ground spike mounted vertical whip and Michelle set out to activate the park.

While Michelle was activating with CW, Desmond and I helped Adam set up his mast and dipole antenna nearby. He began operating on 10 meters so he wouldn’t interfere with Michelle on 20 meters.

First POTA Activation

Desmond remarked that he hadn’t activated a park yet. He was next on G90 radio and activated his first POTA park. I helped by keeping the log and so that he could focus on the key and radio.

Desmond did great. Activating a park for the first time is intimidating and an accomplishment. I enjoyed being a small part of his first activation.

Better with friends

Whatever your hobby, get out there and enjoy it with your people. You won’t regret it. I’m glad that I joined the Long Island CW Slow Speed Test session to enjoy their company and meet Michelle.

And I’m so thankful that Michelle invited me out on a beautiful day to activate Great Brook Farm and make some new friends to enjoy amateur radio together.