One amateur radio operator's journal for radio field operations, antenna builds, and radio related projects. Writing is learning. I share my journey with you here. My amateur radio call sign is W1YTQ.
POTA Kilo Award at Minute Man National Park In late November, I earned my Kilo Award at Minute Man National Park (US-0745) . To earn a POTA Kilo Award, an activator must make 1,000 or more contacts at a single POTA location. Minute Man Park is about a 15-minute drive from my home. It was the site of my first ever POTA activation my first CW only POTA activation and more . Minute Man’s Moods and…
Building the Cricket 40 CW QRP Transceiver Last night (October, 2025) I finished building the Cricket 40 CW QRP Transceiver , a radio kit offered by the “Four State QRP Group.” I began building this kit back in May 2025. It sat on my shelf half-built for many months, and I finally completed it. I’m fairly new to kit building but not a complete novice. The Cricket was a great next step on my…
Jamboree on the Air and Support Your Parks Weekend The third weekend of October is always a busy one for amateur radio. We had Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) 2025 as well as “Support your Parks Weekend” for Parks on the Air (POTA). Jamboree on the Air Jamboree-on-the-Air , or JOTA, is the largest Scouting event in the world. It is held annually the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur…
My KH1 and Some Speaker Wire On Saturday, October 4th, 2025, I activated Alewife Brook State Reserve (US-8399) using my KH1 transceiver and a speaker wire antenna. I got the idea from Thomas Witherspoon, K4SWL. He used the same setup in his article, Elecraft KH1 + Speaker Wire = Pileup Madness on Bakers Mountain! . I cut a 28.5-foot length of speaker wire, just like Thomas did. I connected it to…
POTA with Friends (2025 Edition) This past Sunday (September 28, 2025) I was able to get out with friends and enjoy a Parks on the Air activation at Delaney Wildlife Management Area (US-11589) with local amateur radio friends. Delaney abutts several towns in the area - we set up near the boat landing at Delaney Pond. As you can see we had a beautiful Fall day activation. Radio conditions were…
Back to Peddocks Island This past weekend, September 13 and 14, 2025, I camped in Peddocks Island with my son’s Scout Troop, Troop 119, Lexington. Our Peddocks Island trip is always a lot of fun and a great way to kick off our Scouting year. We begin in Charlestown shipyard and cruise through Boston Harbor south to Hingham Bay. I brought along radio equipment to enjoy some radio operations with…
Three POTA Parks in Maine This labor day weekend (2025) I went up to Stockton Springs, Maine where my father lives for a visit. There are a lot of POTA sites nearby. It was pretty easy for me to make quick trips for radio fun between visits. Here’s a map of the contacts I made doing three POTA activations in Maine. Each of the parks I visited were within a 15 minute drive of my dad’s place. I used…
Philmont Scout Ranch, Summer of 2025 In July of 2025, our crew took on the 12-12 Rugged trek, a 60-mile journey through the mountains and history of Philmont Scout Ranch. Starting at Zastrow Trailhead, we trained with our Ranger before heading deep into the backcountry. Along the way, we experienced a balance of challenging hikes, rich program activities, and unforgettable scenery. Here are some…
Field Day 2025 with the Penn Wireless Association This past weekend, June 28th and 29th, was Amateur Radio Field Day. A big weekend for our hobby. On Field Day, radio clubs and operators set up in public spaces to practice emergency operations and share our radio hobby with the public. That weekend I was traveling to visit my in-laws in Eastern Pennsylvania so was not able to participate in field…