Given a long weekend, what better thing to do but camp and get on a radio? I selected Shawnee State Fishing Lake near Topeka, KS since it is open year-round like Nebo. Winter field day in January was chilly, but fairly nice, but this trip really tested the gear. High winds the first day and snow the second into the third.
This trip I was able to make the highest number of contacts since starting POTA, with over 150 in a day, plus several ‘Park to Park’ contacts where contact is made with other people at POTA parks. I am getting more efficient at copying/logging, but I also had help from my son who joined me for this trip.
Getting out of the park would have been tough in a regular vehicle, there are some steep inclines and I had to put the truck in 4WD. Once I did, it easily got through the mud and snow.
When the weather gets warmer, I do want to detail the DX Commander antenna while making some improvements to it. It managed the high winds well and, as always, got good reach on the air. I also want to detail some work on the M37, bearing maintenance, brakes, and cooling system as I service those items for 2022. I also need to find some way of adapting or making an antenna for the truck itself on VHF Amateur radio that looks similar to the military antenna on it now.