DD5LP/P – August 10th 2026 – Activation of POTA DE-1058 Lech zwischen Hirshau & Landsberg, DE-0968 Romantischestraße NHT, DE-0791 Lech Erlebnisweg NHT, DE-0663 Lechpark Pössinger Au Nature Recreation Area.

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Preparation:

Having activated this POTA “4-fer” park back in June, I looked around for a closer point to the car park, to reduce the time to get there as I wished to to test out the vertical array, rather than just the 1/4 wave vertical which I used last time. In the future I plan to include this 4-fer in a group of activations to enable 10 park activations in one day. The closer the activation site is to the car park, the less time needed.

Preparation for an activation using the planned equipment is very easy, I simply pick up the small rucksack with everything in it and leave home. In this case early enough to be able to catch the 20 metre long path propagation to Australia. Despite radio conditions being less than perfect on Sunday, this activation was planned for Monday morning, the 10th of August 2026.

The Activation

POTA DE-1058, 0968, 0791 & 0663

Rising at 6 am, following a rain storm did not bode well for this activation. This, of course, meant the tracks down to the park where I wanted to operate from would be slippery. I arrived at the car park at about 7:15 am local time and set off down to the new POTA 4-fer spot, that I had found looking at the satellite picture from Google Maps. When I got there, however, what I had expected to be a grassy, scrubby area turned out to be a field full of thistles! I had to look for somewhere else and eventually found a better location about 15-20 minutes later. During the whole time I operated, there were occasional rainy periods but nothing heavy and as I packed up to walk back to the car park, the sun came out, and the temps started to rise. Later in the day it was 38.7°C at home.

For the activation, I used the little G106 radio (5W) and my parasitic vertical array pointing west – it worked well again and the only time consuming part is laying out two sets of 8 radial wires – one set for the driven element and the other for the reflector.

As you will see from the log, one contact was made into Australia although I heard several more, some quite strong. So radio conditions turned out to not be as bad as was predicted (which is often the case). All other contacts were around Europe.

Photos:

  • Field of dreams? NO – field of thistles!
  • Along the path to the second site & the River Lech
  • Along the path to the second site & the River Lech
  • The view around the site.
  • The view around the site.
  • The view around the site.
  • The view around the site.
  • Antenna
  • Station.

DE-1058 / DE-0968 / DE-0791 / DE-0663

Equipment taken:

  • Xiegu G-106 radio.
  • “Red Slug” ground mounted quarter-wave vertical.
  • 5.6m reflector element to make up a two element parasitic array.
  • 2Ah Eremit LifePO4 battery.
  • Lightweight headphones.
  • Smartphone for spotting.

Contacts Map

LOG:

Conclusions:

The fact that what I expected to be an open grassy area, turned out to be a field of thistles and hence making it unusable, was a surprise. For what I had hoped to be a quick to access location, was not to be, however the second location, when approached over other tracks than I took, may still be an acceptable option for the future ten parks in a day attempt.

The equipment worked perfectly and underlines that this choice of small five watt radio and vertical array is the best equipment combination to take to Cyprus with me.

73 ’til the next activation!