QRP Bust In Alaska: Ham Radio

I was on a time crunch so I decided to grab the QRP bag and activate the National Historic Iditarod Trail POTA park K-4570 close to my house. It was a beautiful 76 degree summer day with a slight breeze blowing. I didn’t get the park activated but what a day to be out playing radio. Thanks for watching! 73
For more information on Parks On The Air please visit www.parksontheair.com
#hamradio #qrp #POTA
Gear used
Lab 599 TX 500
3 ah Bioenno battery
Buddistick pro deluxe antenna
Rig expert
Camera Gear
Nikon Z30
GoPro Hero 11
DJI wireless mic

[@rabbit6914]

Not a "failed" activation, even if not a "successful" one. Made three contacts over a long distance with low power. Beautiful park. Thanks for showing it to us.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

You are absolutely correct! Thanks for watching! 73

[@peterwei]

The scenery is magnificent. What a beautiful part of the world and the best way to appreciate why doing POTA is great.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

It sure is! Thanks for watching! 73

[@nivid01]

A small hiking table and stool is a necessity in my view!!!!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

I was thinking about doing that. Thanks for watching! 73

[@haroldskinner1783]

Jeramy beautiful scenery, QRP can be challenging, but that is part of the fun.. Thanks for sharing, keep having fun.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you! Yes definitely can be challenging but that’s what makes it all worth it! Thanks for watching! 73

[@DK5ONV]

Just the Landscape alone is a Piece of Paradise

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you!

[@mikenorton8709]

Great video and beautiful place to activate. Was going to go out today but the x-class flare slapped all the bands for a bit.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you! Yeah these last few days it seems have been garbage. Thanks for watching and good luck on your activation! 73

[@VA7BC]

Awesome location. QRP rocks -- nice contacts with amazingly low power from a remote part of the continent.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you and thanks for watching! 73

[@WilliamParmley]

Looks like a success to me! Thanks for taking us along!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

It was definitely a success, thanks for watching!

[@MikeN2MAK]

That lookout is amazing. Thanks for the video. I'm sure at least 3 people are very grateful for you being out there.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you my friend! As I am grateful for their calls! 73

[@joeg7849]

Excellent views and content. I'll be operating this summer in AK and your video tells me what to expect. Thanks.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you! Yeah it’s a little different here propagation wise. Thanks for watching! 73

[@ve2zdx]

1:24 “I hope someday this will be a POTA park” I feel this. Go the the pota map for Montreal, Canada. You’ll see many parks grouped together, all parks that are hard to activate from because they are turistic areas. And the parks that are actually possible to use for radio are not pota parks.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Find the POTA admin for Canada and send them all the information on the park to see if it can be added. I’ll send our Alaska admin as well for this park. Thanks for watching! 73

[@hamradioqrp-k0klb]

Great video showing the challenges of QRP and the rewards (you got three).. and Ummm, you are in ALASKA!!, lol… Heck, I figure if I get one good call, it’s a success to me. Thanks for sharing your adventures and the fun entertainment!! k0klb

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you my friend! 73

[@KU9L]

Very beautiful Jeremy! If you ever 6se a carbon fiber fishing pole to support a HB vertical, you will find out like me that wrapping the wire around the mast on the way down will greatly tune the antenna lower in frequency, lol.i spent father's day learning this lesson, lol. Cheers, Davey - KU9L

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Sweet thanks! I do have a SOTA beam I could try. Thanks for the tip and for watching! 73

[@KU9L]

@@KL7ECoutdoors I remember working Alaska in 1987 with QRPp 1-watt from my Heathkit HW-9 through a 3-ele Yagi mounted at 50 feet, it was the thrill of my WAS QRP. I sure wish they had POTA back then, I would not have had a 25 year activity delay. When I was first a Novice 44 years ago I remember the feeling of being somebody, lol! Cheers, Davey - KU9L

[@KrypticPatriot]

Great Video, thanks for sharing!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you! Thanks for watching! 73

[@MichaelLaferriere]

There is no such thing as a bad day in a park. Especially one with a view like that. You did better than I would have. That scenery would have been too much of a distraction! :-) Also the bands havent been the best lately. I have spun the dial (as a hunter) on several bands that have had POTA activators on them and havent heard a peep. Somedays its good, somedays its bad. QRP is fine and with the 3 contacts, you know your setup was working. I like the setup ease of that buddipole. Also, even if you dont get your 10 contacts, I believe they still count in other ways, especially for the hunters. One thing I might suggest is carrying your setup in a 5 gallon Yeti Bucket, Home Depot or Lowes barrel. Turn it over when you to your place you have either a chair or a small table. Got that idea from watching Hobo Shoestring on KZbin. I believe he used to be a ham at one time. Having something to sit on will make the time go by easier. 73 - KC1OCA

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

You are absolutely correct! The number of contacts really doesn’t bother me. Like you said just being out soaking in that beautiful landscape is enough! I meant to bring a hiking chair but forgot haha. I like the idea of a bucked though. Thanks for watching! 73

[@747TheCaptain]

qrp definitely humbles you lol. but being out in nature and doing what you enjoy doing is what really matters. POTA ON!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Your are absolutely correct my friend! Thanks for watching, 73

[@TG9AJR]

Thank you very much for sharing your activities on this videos, they are very nice, good job. Look forward one of this days to copy and work you on the bands. All the best fron Guatemala 🇬🇹 73 good DX de Juan TG9AJR

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you for the kind words and for watching! 73 Juan

[@TG9AJR]

@@KL7ECoutdoors Thank You 73 from TG9AJR

[@al7jkjohn288]

73 Jeremy, Awesome video !!!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you my friend! 73

[@GMT_400]

That location looks awesome! Great video. You have to keep in mind the low radiation resistance of the short loaded verticals even though most of the time its all propagation only a small amount of the power is actually radiating. The three contacts you made QRP SSB is fantastic. I like working with the short loaded antennas too. 73.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thanks and thanks for watching! 73

[@kikodv1ksantos936]

Better luck next time. Keep moving forward! Yeah buddipole might be an advantage since its flatlands and the moisture on the ground would help! Goodluck! DV1K 73

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you and thanks for watching! 73 my friend!

[@timaustin577]

Cool :-)

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you!

[@tlcoucke]

I surprised myself and used a lot of QRP when I lived near Anchor Point. It does work, but aurora is pretty important to pay attention to. It helped a lot if the A index was below 15 as well. The scenery is half of the enjoyment.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Absolutely! I agree 100%. Thanks for watching my friend, 73

[@oldsoldier181]

Dont give up on QRP. I have been doing it a while. I have good days, and bad days. The bands arent really playing well currently. But, that too shall pass. As to using a different antenna: well, that MAY make a difference, depending on which one. Something that is kinda directional could make a better contact, if pointed in the right direction. The problem with QRP is, unfortunately, you can hear them fine, but sometimes, 5w is just too little to make the jump. I now have 2 field radios: a g90 and a x6100. If I cannot activate on the 6100, I will use the g90 and a whopping 20W. It does make a difference when xmitting!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

I won’t ever give up on QRP, it’s just to much fun! Thank you for the comment and your feedback. Thanks for watching my friend! 73

[@mikeroberge5488]

Qrp is like fishing. If you went fishing and got your limit every time out, Fishing would not be fun at all. Qrp is challenging like fishing. Keep up the hard work. Like the vids.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

I couldn’t agree more! The challenge is what makes it worth it. Thanks for watching! 73

[@prepperdan]

Space weather was pretty bad the last two days. Those solar flares hurt the bands

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Most definitely! Thanks for watching! 73

[@TangoOscarMikeN3WS]

Good effort. Great view and great filming. With QRP every compromise reduces your effectiveness. I got to do some testing with a buddistick and it just didn't work for me. It might have done better with a 1/4 wave whip, but I'm not sure that would work well with that tripod, but others have. I've been playing with a 213 inch whip on a ground spike with 4 short radials. It's been working well, no loading coil needed for 20m. I look forward to your next QRP outing.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thanks! Yeah I’m not to big of a fan of loading coils myself. I do have a WRC 213” whip I could try. For me here having a higher feedpoint definitely works out better. Do you know of a compact 213” whip? I would definitely give that a try. Thanks for watching! 73

[@TangoOscarMikeN3WS]

@@KL7ECoutdoors WRC updated there 213 inch whip. It is what I got. It's a 23 inches collapsed. They double crimped it to make it more robust. Mike N2MAK did a video on it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXOap5SjZsunask

[@ncphotos]

Great video! de W2CSI

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you and thanks for watching! 73

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

That’s what keeps me hesitant about QRP. I don’t like to fail, in anything. Just got to try again. Although, I am slowing moving to smaller radios with max 20W. At least I used the G90 once recently. 73!

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

You have to try it! It’s a lot of fun, even though sometimes this happens. It’s well worth it, it’s like going from a big boat to a jet ski haha, hang on and have fun! Thanks for watching my friend, 73!

[@kennethblackwell1137]

I heard folks trying to get you. 😮🎉😮🎉

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Yeah I couldn’t hear much of anybody. Thanks for watching! 73

[@Aramalas]

Yesterday wasn’t ideal for QRP as it turns out. I did some FT8 and barely got out beyond Washington and Japan.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

You did better than I did my friend!

[@MangoMike316]

😎👍👍👍😎

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you!

[@dienadel30]

But what a view !!! Great Stuff from KC3VPY hope to hear ya on the air ! I wonder have tried an pota activation via JS8call ? Made for weak signals but also more interactive than FT8 I think its a great "expansion" of FT8 my noise floor at home is always around s7 to 8 until I go out into nature so voice rarely an option while at home for me.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thank you! I have not used JS8call while activating. I’ve used it to spot myself. You make a good point, I’ll have to try that one day. Thanks for watching! 73

[@KMondy]

Ha! 76° is hot uh? I thought that you're from the south. 73.

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Haha, Yes but I’ve been in Alaska for 8 years now. I guess I’m acclimated now. But the sun does hit different at the high latitude! Thanks for watching, 73

[@CubanFireball81]

Let me know when you are back out and I will hop on to try and hunt -AL9G Juneau, AK

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Thanks and thanks for watching! 73

[@CubanFireball81]

@@KL7ECoutdoors Of course, great content.

[@ae4xo]

what arent you driving a sled to the trail ? lol

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Haha that would of been great! 73

[@Only_Hams]

I tried to contact you, couldn't hear you once here in Ohio unfortunately 😞

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

Bummer! Hopefully next time! Thanks for watching! 73

[@Only_Hams]

@@KL7ECoutdoors thanks for activating.

[@jhopkins213]

Let's be honest, 20m during daylight is garbage. Why not try 10m or 15m?

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

20 meters is the go to band in Alaska. Doesn’t matter daylight or not. It’s what’s stable most of the time. Problem is, not that 20 meters was bad, but I didn’t give it enough time. Alaska propagation is like no other. I’ve been successful with 15 and 10 meters but 10 is very rare here. Thanks for watching and commenting my friend! 73

[@jhopkins213]

@@KL7ECoutdoors I'll have to come up to Alaska and see for myself then! I guess I hadn't considered geographic location as a factor in propagation. In the midwest (where I am) 20m during the day is nothing but S9 noise. Alaska is definitely on my travel "bucket list". Nice try at activating though! I'm sure those guys were thrilled to have you in their logs. Gorgeous location too. 73

[@KL7ECoutdoors]

@@jhopkins213 yeah you should definitely come up! It’s a beautiful state no doubt. 73 my friend!