Campfire QSOs: A Radio-Active Evening POTA Activation at Lake Norman State Park!

[@jasonmilldrum]

I love the quietness of 80 meters in the evening, and the fire certainly adds to the ambiance. Thanks!

[@cesargalvan3750]

Great video as usual in your person, I'm in the process of learning CW at CW Academy and I was so happy that today I understood the QRL, you POTA calling and your callsign. That means I'm going in the right direction. Thank you and keep going, hope someday we make a QSO, XE2GRC, Cesar

[@ThomasK4SWL]

WOO HOO! Well done on your CW journey!

[@Bryant_KM6PKQ_]

Your videos have helped me build my CW knowledge. I’ve been LISTENING to your videos for well over a year. I’ve been practicing CW also. Today I’m writing what I can hear. I’ve got a couple of call signs down. Proud of myself. I just kind of had to kick myself because I copied one call sign as N5FYGE. And I could not find that call sign in the data base. So I listened over and over again to you. Then I decided to not copy you and copy the person that was sending to you. That’s when I realized GE was not part of the call sign. It was Good evening. 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️. I felt a little dumb but laughed it off. I’ll keep working on it.

[@pablod6872]

@@Bryant_KM6PKQ_ The only problem with listening to Thomas for code practice is that he's so darn good it's like listening to machine-generated code 😃.

[@ThomasK4SWL]

Ha! Truth is, I make frequent mistakes just as I do when I speak. :) Very kind of you to say, though! :)

[@ThomasK4SWL]

I could write a book about all of the CW I thought I understood but misinterpreted especially at the beginning of my CW journey. Totally normal my friend! Good on you and I know that you're going to be on the air and knocking out those CW contacts with ease in due time. Just be patient and persistent. You've got this! :)

[@Utahforrest]

Watching you run those pileups w/that kx2 on the kneeboard by the fire is quite soothing. I’ve been contemplating a roof top tent! Seems like the ultimate POTA tool! 73

[@ThomasK4SWL]

It's still early days, but I'm loving my rooftop tent so far. It's a bit of an investment, but it's nice to be off the ground and have a comfortable mattress built into the tent. If they weren't so pricey and heavy, I would have considered one of the clamshell designs that open and voila you're done! They can weigh quite a lot, though, and a friend that has one never takes it off his truck because it's such a pain to put on/take off. :) At least the C6 is pretty simple and light weight. Also, it's big enough for me and my wife. The kids have to sleep in a different tent! :)

[@tomgordon140]

Thanks Tom for all the videos ! I'm a Elecraft fan so ordered myself a KH1 !

[@Utahforrest]

The KH1 is my favorite radio. I recently saw their wait time on it is finally down to a week or two! I waited 3-4 months earlier this year. Congratulations.

[@ThomasK4SWL]

Yes, like Forest, the KH1 is one of my favorite radios. I quite literally take it with me anytime I leave the QTH. Opens the door to impromptu radio fun!

[@N5PJ]

Looks like a fireside chat to me…

[@elywalton7147]

Hey OM! Too bad I did not note you were activating LNSP... I live right across from the boat ramp, surrounded by the park and therefore, would have been a chance to check out the ground-wave propagation! 73 😎

[@ThomasK4SWL]

I'm sure I'll be back there later this season!

[@KC2BKM]

well deserved Quiet time!

[@seanfoley7097]

Cozy

[@billcosgrave6232]

Cool!!!!

[@Windmill97]

Thomas, you seem to prefer the Elecraft mini key to the Begali mini key in your videos. Is there a reason?

[@FreddyNietzsche.]

I wondered about that too, when you see the angle of the Elecraft key, at 90% to the radio, it seems like it would be less comfortable than the Begali which can be set at an angle..

[@ThomasK4SWL]

Truth is, I prefer the Begali key by orders of magnitude. Reality is, though, the KXPD2 paddles are super lightweight and compact, so they're simply more convenient to carry with the KX2, thus I end up using them more often.

[@jediosu]

it was so cool to to make contact! at 1:03:00 de AB8SV!

[@ThomasK4SWL]

Thank you for the contact, OM!