Preparation:

This was another short activation, planned to coincide with taking my wife to the thermal Spa in Bad Worishöfen. Looking at the maps, I found a location where this POTA trail followed a small country road before disappearing off across the fields again. As you will see in the photos, I parked near where the trail leaves the road, and a sign indicates the trail’s direction.

As usual, the equipment was set up in the back seat of the car, and the three-magnet antenna base was put on the roof of the car the day before the activation, so that I could start my activation as soon as I got on-site as some friends in the UK and in Australia promised to listen for me, despite that the expected start time of 08:30 UTC (10:30 local) was somewhat late for 20 metres long path propagation.

The Activation

POTA DE-0963

The day started cold, so I was glad I had planned a PLOTA (activation from the car), but within 45 minutes of operating, I had to open the car windows as it was getting hot! I started on 20 metres but, as expected, the band had closed perhaps 30 minutes earlier for DX. I was, however, able to work both Dave G4AKC – bicycle mobile and Mike M9MMM portable on 20 metres between QSB dips in their signals. Most of my contacts were on 20 metres; however, when I saw there were some POTA activators on 40 metres, I switched over there, where I worked Mike again, as well as ON8ON/P who was activating a brand new POTA park in Belgium. With variable radio conditions, getting the needed 10 contacts to qualify the trail took time. I managed it, including three P2P contacts and had time to pack everything tidily away before going to pick up my wife.

The smartphone problem that I had on my previous (Bunker) activation did not occur again, as I found the issue, which was that the protector glass on the phone had cracked, and so it was putting pressure where I was not pressing. Removing the protective glass stopped the problem, but I have to be very careful not to drop the phone until I can fit a new protective glass.

Photos: