Great to see another fountain pen user! And Kaweco too!

Hello Thomas, FYI I have subscribed to your channel for many years as you have the best POTA videos for me to learn from, thank you! I wanted to let you know that You Tube automatically "unsubscribed" your channel to me for no reason. I re-subscribed so I can get your videos again. Thank you.

You do know you can work from your car and still be ok for pota? just thinking if you have a big dash you could set up inside out of wind chill. Obviously for sota that isnt allowed. 72 Thomas thanks for the video. Your MTR3B V4 Currahee seemed to work well 👍

Do you ever get people who ask What are you doing there mr. spy?

2 questions for you 1. Your saying on 5 watts you can talk to people more than 100km away? 2. Where do you get your battery packs? Awesome videos btw.

Fountain pen is great. I've been practicing copy using your videos. It's real world and fun.

What does it mean to spot yourself? Is this like a Hotspot?

I always have used fountain pens and always will . Love them, so I vote you keep using one.

Thanks Thomas, pretty fast 1 watt activation

I will be in Cashier NC the 12-16 I hope to activate while I am there

With this performance, was your counterpoise pointed toward, away from, or perpendicular to where you had you had your most contacts?

I couldn’t agree more. That’s the cutest little key I’ve ever seen. I want

It's kind of a weird thing about getting used to the temperature. It's been down below zero recently where I live, but now it's up in the upper 30s and I can walk around without a jacket. But in the fall I'd have a heavy jacket at this temperature. I'm still not going to take my gloves off and try and send CW for more than a couple minutes though

I enjoyed the uncut video. Newly licensed and mic shy; I think CW is a good pathway to go get into the hobby side of radio and looking for a place to start.

I have the UMPP Academy, and its pretty good. I haven't tried the UMPP-1, but the creator thinks the Academy is better, or at least that's my understanding.

Warm at 39 degrees??? Ouch that's too cold. It's 73 here in KH6.

I have to try QRPp more often - fun!

It's such fun being here watching you, while hunkered down on a wet, dark, dreary afternoon in SE Pennsultucky! You're using my favorite POTA rig setup, too ! de W3WJ.

I love reading reviews of the AX1. It's either worse than a dummy load or a great antenna, there seems to be no inbetween. I've had great success with it on my IC-705 with a little capacitance hat to fix the SWR on a radio without a tuner. When you don't have a lot of time or space to setup a larger antenna it can easily get the job done, especially on CW. 73s!

Hello Thomas! well once again I missed you on this one. but the joy is I get to view it here! and see what I missed. that was a fantastic 1 watt activation. It never ceases to amaze me what that little rig and whip antenna can do. Have no fear I'll get into you're log soon for sure thanks for sharing and 72! de Ellis WA1RKS!

Hello Thomas, love your videos. We used to live in Ashville about the time of college. Can you use a blacker lead in your pencil? Art supply and. Hobby stores carry a variety of leads. Btw I learn a lot from your videos. I haven't been able to work you yet though. POTA on

Dang nabbit Thomas! You know I'm a gear junkie. I love that key, don't need it, own plenty. And I've considered buying the Lowe case, but for now, my kit has everything tucked away in the Elecraft case. Nice and tiddy, great video! de W7UDT ID sk ee

👍👍👍👍

Thanks again my friend for the video. You may have done it before but I can't recall if you have shown how you set up the camera for your operator's view. Where does the tripod go? Do you use one? I don't think I've seen any better setup on other videos.

Nice pen - it does help make the log more readable. On the WITR pads maybe a softer pencil would improve things, although part of the problem is the shiny paper. If you're concerned about leaking, you could always go full-nerd and get a pocket protector. 🤓

Recently came across (and subscribed) to your channel. I really like your content as it's something I'm interested in getting in to. I also find it kinda funny that your videos are similar to The Lockpicking Lawyer, only the tools and your hands are shown in the videos!

Awesome as usual, 72

Thanks Thomas! I appreciate the time you take to film this and to use your equipment… I had never considered the KX2 before, and as I travel a bunch and want to activate while out on the road, I’m gonna get a KX2 and copy the majority of your gear choices… compact and to the point. I know you are a CW guy, and maybe you have a video I missed, but have you done SSB and/or digital with the Kx2? Thanks and 73!

Hi Thomas. I got one of these keys, last year. I have to say I find the quality as brilliant so much so it is my main go-to key 😀 As always, thanks for the video.

Hello Thomas. Thanks for sahring your radio adventures. I enjoy them very much since I'm learning CW. 73

qrper.com/2025/01/super-portable-pota-one-watt-one-tiny-key-big-fun/?swcfpc=1 Click the link above to read full details about this activation, including all equipment links, at QRPer.com.

I found you after the Helene event in an interview with Josh KI6NAZ. Love your videos! KQ4YTR

Do not call me a good person!!! Lol

1:13:35 Heated steering wheel is one of those things that doesn't seem like it would matter much, but makes a big difference comfort wise when you drive an EV (especially here up north) Wife's EV has it and mine doesn't I'm not one for collecting radios just to collect them, but this one seems kinda hard to pass up since I usually go out with an EFWH

I've downloaded manuals into my iPhone. I also made several cheatsheets, or QCards which include band plans, stored keyer memories, morse code chart, FCC license #, various protocols, watering holes, prosigns, anything I may need in the field. As the saying goes: A sharp pencil is better than a dull memory!

It's really ironic you made this video the day before Helene hit Western North Carolina and wrecked havoc in your area. Sounds like you were expecting some bad weather, but not a once in a lifetime storm. After 4 months, hope recovery is progressing as best as possible....On a lighter note, my MRT3b LCD is one of my top 3 radios...wonderful piece of electronics. This video shows how well it performs.

I have a permanent mark on my EFHW that I can roll the end up to to get 30m.

Hey Thomas! Love your videos and great to see you activating Ft Macon. I’m originally from Bristol TN, just over the mountain from you, but moved to Eastern NC near Swansboro a little over a year ago. Love to go over to Atlantic Beach and Ft Macon when I can. Next time you’re in our area, check out Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro. Great place to activate. 73’s - Brad (K4BSH)

This is why I want to learn CW; for years and years of calling CQ on SSB and getting a station here, a station there. And always dreaming of a pile up 3 W and you have so many stations calling it’s incredible!

Hi Tom Hope you and the family are well! I have a question...I am physically, visually and hearing disabled. Last fall I bought a KX-2 and an AX-2 but haven't managed to get it on the air. I watched your comparison on the MC-750 and the M-Pas 2. Here's my question...considering the weather here in NW VT (last summer our high temp was 102F, the lowest was -29F ànd the highest and wind is a speed was 98 mph)....my property is shielded by tall trees on three sides but not is only 101feet above sea level. Do you think an MC-750 in my front yard would survive 24/7/365? In a week or so I plan to order an Icon 7100 for my H2 (with the 100 watt amp) to be able to take road trip activations. Let me know what you think about using an MC-750 as a permanent instlation. 73 Joe Krone WA2SPL Alburgh VT 802-238-6264

Great video. Called cq on cw for the first time last weekend during the vhf contest which was an absolute fail..couldn’t decode real time. I’m making progress with instant character recognition. This video assisted with that. I love the no edit videos. If I ever make my own this is what they will be.

I found this site that just plays the alphabet in Morse code. I adjust the speed via YTube so it is a bit faster to be around 30 wpm and just listen and glance at it when I do not recognize a letter. But A few time when the missy is not there I let it play while I sleep! one day, one day I will understand it enough to make an activation. 🙂 Do you know about Stadler mechanical pen? The Mars micro has been my go to pen on our sailboats for decades. Well worth every penny. Cheers, a.

That was a lot of fun. I have so much to learn! Excellent video! I find I can easily spend an hour+ with you, and that is not the case for all YTube channels! What is the Canadian connection? . I am glad I caught this video as I was wondering what Coax to get. It is going to be ABR (with your code!). The question is ABR316 with or without ferrites (5 ferrites now). I am also thinking of getting the 25Ft long one, as I do not care to carry a counterpoise (or atu) if I can avoid it. As for Antennas, I appreciate your earlier suggestions but, I would like to avoid a kit at this point, I have enough on my plate without chasing "building" mistakes(!). . I am now down to 4 possibilities: Flatlander reel EFHW K4QCD dually EFH/EFR-W Xtenna EFHW CHA LEFS 8010 (Darn expensive! But apparently does all the bands) Did you review this one? I could not find it. . All this for my QMS 60-15 radio. The entire kit is now about three times the price of the actual radio! As usual any comments, suggestions are appreciated. Cheers, a.

Love the park 😍 ❤️

I’ve been watching your vids for a long time. It has really inspired me to stay at it with CW. Keep up the great work! 73’s de W5SON

Wow, cool QSO at 24 mins in! I had no idea the KX2 could do that.

Another very enjoyable video! You did very well with that pile up! One question, you sounded to be very close to an airfield with some interesting sounding prop liners overhead!!

Great videos. I went and did my first activation over a year ago as if I had been doing it for years from watching your activations. One thing that changed with a change in mics is that to hear your voice, the whole house hears the CW. This has been going on for a while. Can you lower the CW level? Thanks.