My Very First Official Parks on the Air (POTA) Activation.

[@gregmihran8616]

It's always fun to go back in time and see where the POTA legend began his RF journey in the great state of Michigan 😀 73 KJ6ER

[@josempantaleon]

Thanks Mike, I can't believe that I am only now seeing this video. Lol... Nice job and you've inspired me to bring my HQDmax out of retirement and to bring my BF-F8HP when I do my first ever POTA activation. Rock on... 🤘😎👍

[@wild-radio7373]

Right?!?♡♡♡

[@steinertx]

This just came up in my feed. Cool to see a legend do his first activation!

[@kevinokeefe7796]

I just started POTA myself lots of fun That wolf river coil seems to be working well and of course the speaker wire 73

[@KC2BKM]

How far have you come since then!? Kinda Cool to look back. Stuff and people to be thankful for.

[@AD6DMDennis]

MICHIGANGSTER. Good times, Mike. POTA activated in 21 minutes. Thanks for the video!

[@hamradiotube]

Yeah, 21 minutes edited! Prob took about an hour and a half to get the 10 needed. The 40M qso's came in real quick on the Wolf River Coil though. And yes, Michigangster for sure!

[@OM8KT]

Nice video Mike. You can also use the optional Yaesu FH-2 keypad to record as well as to playback recorded calls so to save the radio's button a little bit :). 73, OM8KT

[@KC2BKM]

Where the madness began! "Bang your head! Ham Radio will drive you mad!" Mike was clearly into the Pasties and Leinenkugel beer back then.

[@hamradiotube]

Pasties are delicious, but Leinenkugel is highly over rated.

[@JohnHaworth]

I was just there yesterday....a little colder than when the video was shot..:)

[@GraemeKoch]

Congratulations on your first activation, great video. Gray, VK3PGK

[@TechGearJunkie]

Thanks Mike, always entertaining. I'll be posting my latest in a bit...

[@hamradiotube]

Hopefully your antenna doesn't break this time!

[@TechGearJunkie]

Well, it helps if you actually secure it correctly to begin with. Live and learn!

[@hamradiotube]

Thats the name of the game. I have so much to learn but I learn a little more every time I go out.

[@rftech1608]

Wow the very first POTA activation people where I work enjoy your videos. We are going to set up in our parking lot of our 911 Center and make some contacts for them the want to try this out. I'm working on some new hams here Don DFK

[@hamradiotube]

Thats awesome, glad to hear! Just go to the POTA spotting page and you'll be making contacts in no time hunting all the activators. 73

[@TheSlowpC]

Wondering about that 3d printed tuner mount he had there. Did he upload the plans online somwhere as interested in getting one of those for my AT-100Pro setup.

[@MnGeeky]

At 9:45 you give the guy a signal report of 13, did you mean 31? There was another time you gave someone a "1" on readability even though you could understand them. I was curious if you maybe have your readability and signal strength backwards.

[@jeffmay1024]

I would still like to know how you setup your battery pack on this video. Also the black device in front of the pack.

[@pascalf5pnp310]

Love the MICHIGANGSTER tee shirt !! ha ha ha !!

[@hamradiotube]

Lol thanks!

[@robertjohnson2586]

Another great video!

[@averagejoe6040]

Great Video, Mike.Thanks!

[@n4bc852]

Ham radio with a sense of humor ... I love it! 73 de Dick N4BC

[@gblan]

It's an illusion.

[@vinced.7713]

Wow yeah there I am around 26:16...sorry the QRM here was bad and you dropped in and out. Thanks for the QSO! - N3VMC

[@yoyomansteve]

Going out tomorrow for my first POTA!

[@hamradiotube]

That is awesome to hear!! Good luck, have fun, and take it at your own pace.

[@Aussat]

Cool video Mike, Going to hopefully activate first park in ZL tomorrow (Saturday) it's all up and running over here at last!

[@hamradiotube]

Awesome man, that's so great to hear. Good luck and have fun out there. Don't forget the coax!

[@DanielWiley]

Great Video Mike! Fun Fun!

[@richardfitzwell5708]

So funny to watch this now in 2021...like going back in time and watching Steve Yzerman learning to skate. 73, KN4UNO

[@hamradiotube]

Right, haha?! Little did I know what would become of this.

[@buckeye5704]

Really enjoy watching you work the waves Mike, even if you from TSUN. 73

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks Tim, but what is TSUN?

[@buckeye5704]

@@hamradiotube Buckeyes don't say the "M" word. We say That State Up North.

[@hamradiotube]

@@buckeye5704 Ok gotcha ;). Its MICHIGAN!

[@ethanmooberry5445]

Thanks for posting the video! Where did you guys get the super cool paper logs?

[@evgenj8881]

Отличное видео🏞️🏕️👌👍📻

[@hamradiotube]

Thank you

[@K5YVY]

Another Throw Back... is this where it all began!?

[@hamradiotube]

Yes! This is the official very first K8MRD POTA activation. I am very fortunate to have such great Elmers. Little did Mike and Eric know, but they are the ones that created this monster!

[@kz7zul726]

Hey, great contacts you had there with the speaker wire antenna. So, what antenna analyzer did you use for that?

[@leethompson5274]

I still have to put my batteries together with the BMS I bought, got a 30 amp Bioenno, so that's on the back burner, 73 Lee, WA8QFE

[@nr3rful]

How long do you operate on 95 watts with a small battery ? Also the first contest i heard where there are real reports and not all 5...9's

[@hamradiotube]

Oh several hours easily. I was still 13.03 volts at the end of the day. The most I've used (that I remembered to record) from this battery was 7.492AH and it was still at 13.04V, 3.26 V per cell. You can safely go down to about 2.6V per cell, and the radio would cut off before that. They just run full out until the end, and I'm pretty convinced they are underrated per AH. A little more pricey than the Bioenno batteries but they handle a higher current and go longer. I'm really amazed by it. They are available in 12AH and 15AH versions too. And you can add on to them if you want more than that. Just wire 2 (or more) sets of 4 cells up in series and then connect them parallel. Stewart KB1HQS just made a 40AH battery with 16 of the cells.

[@dheller777]

Will have to try that battery combination out. I have an FT891 and using my 12 volt 12amp/hour lead acid battery I blow the inline fuses on the hot side of the battery wire when I hit about 20-25 watts output. It helps when you do the parks and you can put out more than QRP power for sure. Thanks for sharing. KE0RPU

[@hamradiotube]

Yeah you can't do much with lead acid. These cells can do 100 amps no problem. My BMS is a 30 amp. Not gonna draw even close to that even at 100 watts CW! The cells don't even get warm! They just sit there and take anything you can throw at them. Very stable chemistry too. You don't need to worry about them exploding. I watched a video where a guy charged 1 cell up to 19 volts and then shot it with a crossbow. It just leaked its juices and nothing more. Pretty impressive.

[@BradSnyder1]

Entertaining as always Mike! 73

[@handymandan8494]

Trailer Park Boys reference! Nice video!

[@CKJEntertainmentServ]

hey mike... im just now watching this video. do you remember what antenna setup you used for this video?

[@hamradiotube]

One was a Wolf River Coils, I couldn't tell you what the other one was though.

[@CKJEntertainmentServ]

@@hamradiotube you kept mentioning a speaker wire antenna. im trying to diy these antennas you use. Thanks for bringing another to the dark side!

[@jasonschultz637]

Great video. Really like the logbook page you showed. Is that self-made, or available somewhere? The POTA logs I've seen on FB are horizontal and only have 16 entries per page. Yours looked a lot more efficient...

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks Jason. The log sheet is something Mike came up with. I keep trying to get him to put it on the POTA website but that hasn’t happened. I do have a copy of you want to shoot me an email. I’m good on qrz I can forward it to you.

[@skepticalmechanic]

Just ordered a TIA wolf river…

[@gblan]

I'm pretty new to all this, just have my Tech, working on General and I have a question. K8MRD here makes contact with another station and the other guys horn in on the contact. Is this how it is supposed to work? I don't know the "official rules" but this seems a little disingenuous. If I'm on my radio near other operators but my radio/antenna combo can't make the contact for whatever reason it doesn't seem "fair" that I can run over to someone else's radio and use it to record a contact I did not make. Maybe it's not really all that serious an activity?

[@hamradiotube]

I think you might be thinking too deep on that. It doesn't matter who's radio you are using. The idea is to make contacts. If there are several people around, let them have a go at working the other station. Especially if they are activating a park. That helps out your fellow ham.

[@jdmartin2778]

Great job on getting yer 10..I signed up today on POTA and i'm looking forward to having some fun! BTW that tuner/radio bracket on the 891 at 24:24, is it home-brew or aftermarket? If aftermarket can you or someone post a link as to where they can be found? tnx and I hope to work you soon....JD WA4EE

[@hamradiotube]

Nice on signing up for POTA, you will have a blast. The rails are a home brew that Eric 3D printed.

[@dougdukes1039]

Did Marc have plans for his battery box? I like that.

[@hamradiotube]

I don't think so. I just made one myself and just kinda put it together. It is a nice box though.

[@dougdukes1039]

@@hamradiotube did you do a vid? Hope so

[@hamradiotube]

Doug Dukes I sure did not. There are so many battery box videos on KZbin it’s crazy. I would hold out to see what OH8STN is making though. It’s gonna be sweet.

[@paullinnell]

What antenna?? Did I miss it??

[@stevegoyette4785]

Great Work!!! What did you use as a logbook template?

[@hamradiotube]

Steve Goyette I just logged in my notebook then added them to my logging program on my computer. I have HamLog on my phone but that was doing the recording.

[@stevegoyette4785]

Sorry, I meant the paper logbook you showed with the POTA logo on it. Is that something that can be downloaded and printed?

[@stevegoyette4785]

BTW, really liking your videos. Keep it up!!! I just joined POTA here in Canada (now that Canadian parks are there) so your video was VERY helpful.

[@hamradiotube]

Lood me up on QRZ, send me an email and I'll send you a copy. I think its in the works to get it on the POTA site for download.

[@MnGeeky]

Where did you get those great POTA log sheets? Are they downloadable somewhere?

[@hamradiotube]

I got them from one of the guys I was with. He just so happens to be one of the admins for POTA. I do not think they are available for download but I'll ask him to put them on parksontheair.com next time I see him.

[@skepticalmechanic]

Thanks for your awesome videos!

[@sanjithnair3266]

I really enjoyed your videos. Thank you and waiting for more and more informative videos. TNX De Ve7JAI 73

[@hamradiotube]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@k2cjbradio]

Great activation! Did you spot yourself on the POTA Facebook page? Always helps to kick start your activation. Looking forward to getting back out again soon. 73 de K2CJB

[@hamradiotube]

I didn't spot myself but one of the guys I was with did spot me. Not sure where though. Looking forward to more of your vids too! 73.

[@docpearson]

could you please answer a question for me please. If you are the activator for a park does that mean that no other ham radio operators can use the same park for pota or do you get to hog the airways on that park for pota. and do you activate a park by the internet

[@hamradiotube]

Nope. That just means I'm at the park playing radio. You can do it as a group, as a club, by yourself, in the park and someone else is there at the same time you've never met and are in a different part of the park and you don't even see them. You can't activate the park on the internet. You, your station, and the antenna need to be in the park at the same time. No remote, no operating from private property even if it is inside the park. You can use any band, any mode, just no repeaters except satellites and no JS8 Call. Hope that helps.

[@jeromegrzelak8236]

You might try the vk3ye mic mod 73 kg6mn

[@talloccyclist]

Hi Mike, nice video. I am wondering if you were aware of the other very active parks activity of WWFF / KFF. Not only a stateside activity with several thousand state parks but also international in many DXCC countries. drop a line if you would like more information. 73 / 44 de W6LEN / Jess

[@ki4nbe1]

Great Video, hope to work you from a Ky park soon. 73 de KI4NBE

[@kd8lnl]

I like to know more about building the same battery pack. do you have a link for it ? 73 kd8lnl

[@hamradiotube]

This is the video you want to watch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXuqfKionqyFpc0

[@vinced.7713]

Upload your logs mike :) We have a QSO in there - 73 de N3VMC

[@hamradiotube]

I will. I've been too busy editing this video! Awesome you're on here ;)

[@vinced.7713]

No worries! Awesome video (and videos). I have the same Wolf River setup and it seems to have worked well for you on 40. Hope to work you in the future p2p or elsewhere! 73 Vince

[@hamradiotube]

Update, all logs have been submitted to LOTW, QRZ, and emailed to POTA. Thanks again!

[@hamradiotube]

Yeah that antenna was awesome! I think I'm gonna have to get me one of those.

[@marcinmichigan2772]

Is that tuner bracket for sale ?

[@hamradiotube]

I would not think so. He just made it for himself.

[@talloccyclist]

do you guys ever work CW from your parks ? de W6LEN

[@hamradiotube]

I don't but there are people who do.

[@awesomeinforensics]

Great video, K9LDF

[@juanfgonzalez2039]

What kind of antenna are you useing

[@hamradiotube]

I'm using my 20 meter speaker wire dipole. I forgot to hit record when I was showing that. You can see me using it in my other videos though. Thanks for watching! 73.

[@1958johndeere620]

The viewers already know about 14.313. Armpit of the 20 meter band.

[@hamradiotube]

I had no clue. I know 7.2 is bad but I've never heard anything bad on 20.

[@1958johndeere620]

O ya, one day a constant recording " Your a f ' ing child molester. " Over and over and over. 7.2 is just as bad. 80 meter has their "CB" type area too. Its all over the place and is ridiculous. Wish it would go away. But what does the fcc go after???? The importer of baofeng.

[@jsieb]

Awesome Mike! Keep it up! 73 K8TSG

[@marcinmichigan2772]

what battery is in that box

[@hamradiotube]

marc hutchins he’s using some kind of lifepo4, he tells us in the video and I’m using a different kind of lifepo4.

[@ferrysengun1692]

Very nice Video, respect, 73` from Switzerland HB9FEV

[@williampeacock9473]

Great job on the video. I enjoyed watching you activate the park . I would love to have one of the Wolf River Coils . It does a great job . 73 AE4OY WILLIAM EM-81UF

[@hamradiotube]

Thanks William, they are fantastic antennas for sure. I have 2 now! Maybe Santa will be good to you this year and you'll have one under the tree!

[@Shoey00124]

LOL... ask me about 14.313... he lives down the road from me and is one letter off my callsign.

[@hamradiotube]

They told me a little bit about it when we were out. I've never heard anything bad on 20 meters. 7.200 on the other hand...

[@rogercarltonhunter]

giving a R1 S2 report I would have given a 4 by 4 minimum

[@n8tuwstevenewland933]

N8TUW : you a 59er

[@Scraws]

I wanna do this! I just requested to join the Facebook page. -n8xrv

[@hamradiotube]

Brian Wolf it’s so much more fun than just going to a random location and it gives more incentive for people to come back to your cq I think. No expert am I of course.

[@walnutcreekwoodworksofjack3520]

could hardly hear. Audio TOO low.