Last year, after POTA fever caught me and my XYL Sandra, OE4SLC, I attempted my first activation right near our QTH. Equipped with the JPC-12 antenna and the IC-705 with 10W power, we went out into the park. The setup was initially simple, but still exciting. The battery was an Ermit 18A, and although it initially worked with the 10W, it quickly became clear that QRP is exciting, but a bit difficult to activate effectively. After all, life is too short for QRP, right? 😉 The yield was ok, but I knew there could be more!
Switching to the Yaesu FT-891
So I decided to switch to the Yaesu FT-891. This transceiver is almost a standard for many POTA activators, and for good reason: With its 100W power, the FT-891 immediately achieved the desired success. The first attempts were a complete success and activating it became much more fun. I was able to get to a lot of stations and it felt a lot less like “QRP.” A real highlight!
First activation at Gösselsdorfer See
Over Pentecost, when we were visiting Gösselsdorf, we had the opportunity to be the first activator of Lake Gösselsdorf. Our accommodation was in Gösselsdorf, so we quickly packed our equipment and drove out to the lake. The setup was as usual: JPC-12, FT-891, Ermit 18A battery and 100W power. But after about an hour the battery was empty – a quick reminder that the 18A doesn’t last forever. But hey, the park was activated and we could take a little break.
However, when I touched the antenna on the coil, I had a little surprise: the coil was so hot that I almost burned my fingers! Luckily it was a minor shock and we were still able to complete the activation successfully. After this experience, I decided to reduce the power to 50W for the next activations. What can I say? The difference was almost unnoticeable, but the battery lasted significantly longer. The endurance of the 18A battery was now acceptable in operation at many stations, with around 3 hours of operating time.
The solution: a larger battery
Over time, I realized that I needed a larger battery for longer activations. So I decided on the Heremit 50A battery. This has proven to be very reliable and ensures that POTA activations can remain operational for significantly longer. Now it’s much easier to stay in the park for long periods of time without having to constantly think about the battery. The 50A brings a noticeable improvement and gives me the freedom to work without haste and activate the park in peace.
Our equipment:
- Transceiver: Yaesu FT-891
- Antennas: JPC-12, Yaesu ATAS-120A, Spiderbeam GRP mast (12m), Diamond mobile antenna for 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m
- Batteries: Ermit 12A, Ermit 18A, Ermit 50A
- Accessories: Heil BM-17 headset, microphone (original Yaesu), magnetic antennas, magnetic plates from Diamond for the car
With this equipment we are well equipped and ready for any activation – whether rain or shine. It’s great to see our equipment grow and evolve with each activation.
POTA Activations:
- AT-0296 Burgenland Mariazellerweg State Trail
- AT-0299 St. Mary’s Trail M05 State Trail
- AT-0299 Directly on the OE-HA border in Schattendorf
There are many other parks and trails we want to activate, and we look forward to continuing to travel with our equipment and experience many more POTA first activations. Our passion for POTA grows with every radio message and every new activation that we experience together.
Final greetings
It’s always a pleasure to share these experiences with you, and we hope that our experiences might inspire other radio amateurs to embark on their own POTA adventures. If you hear us at one of our next activations, don’t hesitate to do a quick QSO with us – we’re always happy to welcome new stations!
See you soon and 73 from Sandra OE4SLC and Ewald OE4ENU