| Single TX in park | ||||
| Call | Parks | QSOs | Multipliers | Score |
| KZ9V | LWSP | 117 | 5 | 585 |
| WA9TT | RBSP | 42 | 9 | 403+ |
| W1QC | MRSP,BHSP | 33 | 11 | 363 |
| AC9LF | LSSP,HWSF | 104 | 2 | 233+ |
| AA9WP | HBSP | 13 | 5 | 90+ |
| KC9ONY | RBRA | 17 | 1 | 42+ |
| KB9WDX | NPSP | 3 | 2 | 31+ |
| N9XIM | CFSP | 30 | 1 | 30 |
| K9WOC | LPSF,LLSF | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| K9FI | LPSF,LLSF | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| KC9UHI | HFSP,HCSP | 5 | 4 | 20 |
| NF9U | MCSB | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Multiple Tx, Multiple Ops | ||||
| W9AV | LWSW | 322 | 8 | 2601+ |
| N9AOT | GDSP | 69 | 6 | 439+ |
| K9ZIE | WDSP | 42 | 1 | 42 |
| WI Ops not in park | ||||
| NG9B | 18 | 15 | 270 | |
| KG9JP | 6 | 6 | 36 | |
| W9ET | 6 | 6 | 36 | |
| Non-WI Ops | ||||
| K2RYD | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| NO2C | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| KG6T | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| VE2GT | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
+25 bonus points for pictures and comments submitted with log entry.
Here are a few of the pictures we received from park participants.
Congrats to Clint W9AV & Quent W6RI for overall high score.
Here is Gerald K9FI. Also operating a separate station was Cherri K9WOC.
Nicholas AC9LF operated from Lakeshore state park.
Soapbox
I was the only operator. KM9I arrived late and spent time conversing with my wife. I tried operating from the parking lot on the right side of the park road. I experienced a +20-noise level from some piece of equipment on all bands lower than 20 meters. This prohibited me from hearing all but the loudest station and was a very unpleasant experience for my ears! In the future I would recommend operating as far away from the buildings as possible. Ronald NF9U
I went to two parks today with my wife and our two dogs. I activated Lakeshore state park for my first time. This park was a little more tricky as I needed to bring my gear some distance from where the car was parked and set it up. Nicholas AC9LF
I made lots of contacts but I was really disappointed in the very small number of other Wisconsin park stations that I could hear. I checked 75 meters and called CQ frequently, but only worked 4 Wisconsin park stations in the entire 6-hour contest period. I don’t understand that. Was nobody else on the air today? With 116 contacts, a few more multipliers could have generated a very respectable score. Eventually I just gave up on 80 meters and worked almost exclusively 40 meters where I had several long POTA runs from K-1460. Dave KZ9V
For the third year, Clint (W9AV) and Quent (W6RI) activated the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (LWSW) in a tent on the bank of the Wisconsin River. As in the past, we had three 100 W radios each with a dedicated laptop computer and three antennas dedicated to 80, 40, and 20 meters plus two other computers to monitor and send cluster spots. The 80 meter antenna was an end-fed half wave in the trees, the 40 meter antenna was a half wave dipole in the trees, and the 20 meter antenna was a quarter wave ground-mounted vertical with eight radials. We were fortunate to be within 150 ft of an electrical outlet. Logging was done with N1MM+ networked on the computers. Since the site is accessible only by canoe or through private property, we were able to set up the day before. Aside from a few hardware and software glitches, we ran non-stop for seven hours. We made more QSOs than last year but had fewer multipliers. We listened and called CQ on 80 meters for at least ten minutes at the start of every hour but never heard most of the parks or saw them spotted. We suggest in the future a more serious effort to arrange a time or times for everyone on congregate on 80 or 40 meters to work one another. Thanks to everyone for a well-planned event and for all the QSOs. Clint W9AV & Quent W6RI
Not sure the logging program worked correctly. Lou NO2C
I activate parks with POTA. I use paper and pen in the field and log it in LOTW and send that file to them. A log that does not automatically log the current time would be helpful to me to send it directly to you. I tried the excel logger but it wanted to put the now time not when I made the QSOs. Michael NG9B
Don AA9WP was the operator working from Harrington Beach State Park. But I had help from OZARES (Ozaukee Amateur Radio Emergency Services) members Dave KD9JYL, Roland KB9TMB and our newest member and ham Todd Z. (passed the test but no call sign).
An additional six hands is always great to have.
Park rangers checked us out early to see what we were up to. They had no concerns, just interested. We setup near the observatory and Puckett’s Pond on a small strip of grass between parking lots. Tried our best to keep out of the way of everyone at a very busy park.
This was my first WIPOTA and ham contest setting up in the field. So it was quite a learning experience using the SOTA beams telescoping mast and dipole. I was concerned about safety so added the guy wire kit but it does get to be messy with wires and guys going all over the place. Need more practice and organization.
Things got off to a nice start, although an hour late, on 75 meters. Then a half hour later the band got very quiet. Checked around on 40 and nothing heard. Came back to 75 for a few more contacts. Worked a former work colleague and another member of the Ozaukee Amateur Radio Club.
Then the dreaded Murphy attacked. My trusty Elecraft K2 was dead. The thermal fuse blew so we waited a few minutes. But blew again on next power up. Something bad happened but I haven’t had a chance to check it out.
So, we went over to 2 meters and only two contacts made. But we did play with some WINLINK RMS stations (WI9OZ-10 at the Ozaukee Justice Center and KD9CIV-10 located in New Berlin. That site has very good coverage)
Ok so looking forward to next year. Thanks. Don AA9WP
1. Suggest participants use the pota.us spotting network to get more qso’s. I got a few that way.
2. Suggest if a participant goes to another park, it should be close by. Otherwise he wastes a lot of time in transportation. I blew 2 hours. Wayne W1QC
Veni, vidi, vici. Also set up in Peninsula State Park, but made no contacts from there. Peter KB9WDX
Beautiful day at Rib Mountain. Many, many visitors to the park. I talked with many people and handed out over a dozen QSL cards. Talked with 2 hams who were visiting the park. Talked with about 20 Amish folks who had come from Thorpe for the day. Larry WA9TT
This was the first time I activated a park. Even though I heard more parks at each location activated, they did not hear me. Parks contacted at LPSF: MRSP, RBSP, HBSP on 80M.
I also had fun talking to non-park participants from New Jersey to the state of Washington.
The weather was perfect and I’m already looking forward to next year.
Thank you for such a fun event. Cherri
Loren Jentz, N9ENR helped me set up, but did not operate. We had a 40 m dipole made by Loren, stretched between two trees. We also had a Cushcraft AV3 (10/15/20 m vertical).
I borrowed a battery and solar panel setup from Dave Schank, KA9WXN. The inverter I had to power the laptop was very noisy, so turned it off when operating. I could just barely hear Larry WA9TT calling from Rib Mountain on 40 m, but could not work him. I could not find another WIPOTA park to save my life! We used the club call sign of W9FRG.
Some other club members chose Richard Bong State Recreation Area, but then ended up not being able to attend. I would have preferred a park closer to Cedarburg, as this was a hour’s drive. Also, had I known they allowed off-road motorcycles and ATV’s, I would have asked to use our Honda generator. It would have been much quieter motorcycles and ATV’s.
I’m not a big HF person, so I didn’t make many contacts. Overall, I did have fun. The weather was cool, which helped keep the mosquitoes at bay, until we torn down close to sundown. I’m not sure which park we will be at next year, but hope to have the coronavirus under control and have more club members participate. After we got home, I realized I forgot to take a picture of the park sign. Tom KC9ONY
1st time activating a State Park. I did not hear any other WI State Parks or anyone working a State Park all day long. Clarence N9XIM