Tootfinder

Opt-in global Mastodon full text search. Join the index!

@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-11-09 22:26:59

I have colorized my dual-operator CW #POTA script and turned it into a cheat sheet with an example on the reverse side, centered so you can print it duplex and cut it out if you like.

Screen shot of colorized script for dual-operator CW pota, same as the PDF and ODT linked from the main post. Text is:

Dual-Operator CW POTA Cheat Sheet
CQ POTA DE CALL1 ES CALL2
THEIRCALL
THEIRCALL DE CALL1 [TU/GREETING] UR RST STATE BK
BK [GREETING] RST STATE BK
BK THEIRCALL DE CALL2 [TU/GREETING] UR RST STATE BK
BK [GREETING] RST STATE BK
BK TU STATE 73/72 DE CALL1 ES CALL2 EE
EE
@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-11-08 20:18:22

Doing a dual operator CW #POTA activation QRP now from US-6888 with Brantley K4CBW — hunt us now for double credit on 15m 21.030.5 🤞
"CQ POTA DE KZ4LY ES K4CBW" and we'll both give you an RST and a park!

@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-11-09 04:48:10

In my #HamRadio #POTA adventure today, I got my inverted-V linked dipole caught in twigs today and it died. The silicon wire winds easily around a tight radius, which is nice for putting it on the winder, but also winds around twigs easily, and that fine wire breaks easily. Easier than…

Screen capture of FreeCAD design for a new wire antenna winder
@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-12-09 04:04:54

I made a #HamRadio antenna that I really like, and wanted to share the design and process so others can do it too. It's a carefully-tuned linked dipole that is light and has served me well for #POTA activations. It's now in its second iteration and so far I'm very happy with it.

@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-12-07 00:07:53

I packed for #POTA before heading out to do the weekly grocery shopping, even though it was only 40°F / 4.5°C with low clouds. I decided it was too cold to sit in the helinox chair without insulation, so I drove past US-3867 and went to US-2755 Umstead State Park instead, where I could sit at a picnic table. I took a floor mat out of my car to sit on. As it was, it was cold enough that I co…

Map covering most of the continental United States, showing 33 QSOs across 18 US states, ON Canada, and PR, all using only 5W on the 20m band.
Picnic table set up for POTA with KX3, PA2, my own single-paddle key, and a tablet on a stand with a keyboard.
Pictures of trees with almost invisible mast, RG316 coax, and 26AWG black wire that I know is there but can't see even though I know where to look. the mast is leaning against a branch instead of being guyed.
Linked dipole stowed for transport. Black wire is wrapped in a figure eight on each side, with bright yellow thin elastic cord at the end of each wire. A coil of RG316 coax is underneath it, and some of the elastic cord is wrapped around the coil and winder to stow.
@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-11-01 22:31:21

Today's #HamRadio #POTA (Parks On The Air) adventure. Absolutely gorgeous, couldn't-be-better fall weather on a Saturday, so that it was a little surprising that we found parking space and that all the picnic tables were empty. Used my spiderbeam push-up mast to hold my inverted-v link…

Map of my 5W POTA activation. Probably mostly right, but the contact marked as AZ was actually IL.
@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-11-23 15:46:42

To replace my lightweight linked dipole antenna for #POTA I am iterating on a #FreeCAD design for a winder that works with wire that shouldn't be bent sharply around the edges of a more typical winder.
This design allows either figure-eight or circular winding with a minimum repea…

As described in text, with FT82 toroid
As described in text, with FT114 toroid
@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-12-23 01:56:58

My #HamRadio #POTA fun today was activating US-1904 Myakka River State Park on 20m and 17m, with 5W CW, on my new edition o…

@mcdanlj@social.makerforums.info
2025-10-19 22:28:33

Today's SYP (Support Your Parks) #HamRadio #POTA #QRP CW adventure had limited time, so I wasn't sure I'd actually stay for 10 QSOs. But then I discovered that park

Lines showing conversations ("QSOs") over morse code ("CW") from Chapel Hill, NC to ten other ham radio operators; nine in the eastern US and one in Canada, on the 20 meter ham band, using only 5 watts of power.

The endpoints of the lines illustrate "skip" — there were multiple stations closer to me that I just couldn't hear and they couldn't hear me. The signal had to hit the ionosphere at a sufficiently oblique angle to be reflected or refracted back down to another ham's antenna, so all the…