Spooky Season Update: Fall Projects and POTA Adventures
Happy Halloween, radio friends! With the end of October here, and the atmosphere brimming with the excitement of Halloween, it’s a perfect time to share some updates on my radio adventures and projects from the past few months. From local Parks on the Air (POTA) activations to some substantial home and mobile upgrades, there’s been plenty going on to keep me busy and inspired!
Parks on the Air (POTA): Chasing My Kilo Goal
As always, Parks on the Air has been my go-to for getting away from it all, setting up in nature, and making QSOs. My current goal has been working toward a Kilo at US-3323 Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area, which would be my second one overall. There’s nothing like settling into a spot in the park, putting up an antenna, and making a few contacts while surrounded by the calm of nature.
Every park activation is a reminder of why I love the POTA program. It’s a break from the daily hustle, and the thrill of logging contacts from a beautiful outdoor location just doesn’t get old.
South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club: Summer and Fall POTA Meetups
One of the highlights of the past few months has been our club's POTA Support Your Parks weekends. The South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club has been wonderfully active this season, with a lively Discord where everyone shares ideas, projects, and advice on special builds. The camaraderie and knowledge-sharing has been fantastic, and our club meetups are the best way to put it all into practice.
This summer, I finally activated US-1487 Belle Isle State Park, a Detroit landmark with deep personal significance. Growing up, Belle Isle was a central part of my childhood, so activating it was a big bucket list item. The event turnout was great, with plenty of club members and even family joining in to explore the island's famous aquarium and giant slide.
For the Fall POTA event, we chose US-3322 Pickney State Recreation Area. The weather was ideal—70 degrees with clear skies—showing off the lake and fall foliage in full splendor. I couldn’t have asked for a better October day. Park meetups like these make for wonderful family days too, giving a chance to mix radio with some local exploration and relaxation.
Home and Mobile Gear Upgrades
This fall, I took on two big projects to improve my setup both at home and on the go.
DX Commander Signature 9 Multiband Vertical at the Home QTH
First up, I installed a DX Commander Signature 9 multiband vertical antenna at my home QTH. Living in a neighborhood with HOA restrictions made this antenna an ideal choice. It’s guyless, sits discreetly in my backyard corner, and came with all the essentials in the kit. Setup was straightforward, and I’m already seeing impressive performance, sometimes even outdoing my previous end-fed half-wave.
ATAS 120A Antenna on the Jeep
The second project was building out my mobile HF setup with a Yaesu ATAS 120A antenna on my Jeep. A club friend recommended it, and it’s popular among mobile operators, so I was eager to give it a try. Installation was a bit of a puzzle, with the Jeep JKU’s fiberglass body, but after some problem-solving, I mounted it on the rear gate with a Diamond DMN-K400S lip mount.
Grounding was the real challenge here; I ended up running a bonding strap to a frame bolt using the trunk drain plug. This grounding brought my SWR from 3 down to 1.5 on 20 meters—a huge improvement! Next up, I’d like to install an FT-891 under the passenger seat with my 2m and 70cm radio and possibly add a LiFePO4 battery to power everything independently from the Jeep's battery, giving me longer activation time in parks.
POTA on the Road: A Desert Adventure in Arizona
Each year, my friends and I pick an away game to watch our Detroit Lions, and I take advantage of the trip to activate some new parks in another state. This time, we went to Phoenix, Arizona, and I had a full day dedicated to radio. I managed to explore three breathtaking parks with landscapes straight out of a dream, from desert expanses to towering mountain backdrops.
The parks were incredible and allowed me to log some long-distance park-to-park contacts. A memorable QSO was with a station in Alaska, a rare contact from Michigan but more accessible in the wide-open desert!
Activated Parks:
US-4428 Coconino National Forest
US-4432 Tonto National Forest
US-1061 Lost Dutchman State Park
Wrapping Up
These past months have been packed with memorable moments and productive projects. From the calm of local POTA activations to the adrenaline of out-of-state activations, it’s all reinforced how much I value this hobby. Being able to connect with others, work on my technical skills, and enjoy the outdoors—there’s no better combo!
Now that the spooky season is coming to an end, I’m already looking forward to the next adventures. Thanks for reading, and as always, 73!
