On Saturday, September 7, 2024, members of the ACARA participated in the 17th annual PCARS “Ohio State Parks on the Air” (link), activating Strouds Run State Park at the Bulldog Shelter and operating under the club’s callsign, W8UKE.
Participants:
Bob Curtis, KD8FRQ
Kirk Groeneveld, KC8JRV + wife Sheila
Linsey Groeneveld, KC8KNA
John McCutcheon, N8XWO
Drew McDaniel, W8MHV
Eric McFadden, WD8RIF
Miles McFadden, KD8KNC
Vickie McFadden, KB8MAJ + grandson Archer
Len Touth, W8VQ
The station consisted of the club’s Elecraft K3 transceiver; a power supply provided by Drew McDaniel, W8MHV; the club’s Chameleon EMCOMM III portable wire antenna; and a logging computer and a 2kW inverter-generator provided by Eric McFadden, WD8RIF.
Four members made QSOs. John McCutcheon made the most QSOs, with sixteen. Miles McFadden, KD8KNC, made eight QSOs. Bob Curtis, KD8FRQ, made two QSOs, and Kirk Groeneveld, KC8JRV, made one QSO.
Band conditions seemed rough this year. In fact, no activity whatsoever was heard on the 80m band, and signals on the 40m band were generally weaker than expected and showed signs of fading. This may have been a result of elevated solar numbers leading to absorption of daytime signals on the lower frequencies.
As has become customary, at 5 o’clock those already present were joined by other members and their guests for a potluck.
UPDATE!
OSPOTA 2024 scores have been published and they’re available here in PDF format.
ACARA operating from Strouds Run State Park as W8UKE placed 10th out of 11 entries in class “Multi Op – Single Radio – Low Power – In an Ohio State Park” with 450 points. The winning team in this class, Preble Amateur Radio Association operating as N8XC, earned 14,500 points during their activation of Hueston Woods State Park.