My first FAILURE at POTA was Today

 

How I felt after FAIL

Oh man, it was brutal.  So about 11AM I looked at the weather and it was a nice 73 degrees, with about 80% humidity...no rain in the forecast, but I could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distance.  We got about 20 minutes of sprinkles and then it was gone.  If you have ever lived in the midwest then you know a thunderstorm or a tornado can pop up just about any time in June and July....they pop up, dump rain for 20 minutes, and then they are gone.  That's how it went today. 

No need to fear!  

So before heading out to Atterbury FIsh and Wildlife Area I checked the propagation conditions and found them to be somewhat depressed, but I had worked station in worse conditions so I decided to head out and do an activation.  To remind everyone, a POTA activation only needs 10 contacts.  Well I got five. 

Here's the deal: 

1. Propagation conditions were iffy

2. It was 83F in the shade

3. It was 90% humidity

4. It was the last day of Field Day

5. I was running 8 watts CW to the Eagle One antenna
6. Forgot hat

First thing I did when I arrived at Mink Meadow, was to setup my table and chair in the shade of a gigantic walnut tree.  Good thinking on my part, I was pretty happy with that decision...for now.  The sky was overcast and there wasn't any really direct sun to speak of.  I got the antenna setup, and strung out the feedline with a couple radials, and by then I was drenched in sweat...time for bottle of water number one. 

Once I was setup I turned on the KX2 and tuned around looking for a place to operate. Did I mention that the ARRL Field Day contest (YES IT IS A CONTEST) was in the last throes of being when I got on the air at 1:35PM EDT. 

I started out on 20m, 14062.00 Khz to be exact and called CQ POTA for 15 minutes...not a single taker.  So I went to the POTA spotting page and tried to work a few of those guys, I managed one Park to Park contact in Oregon, on 15m. Considering I was running 8 watts and he gave me a 589 report I was delighted.  I ended up working 2 more Field Day operators (They count as contacts) when something hit me in the head.  I figured it was a piece of tree or something since I was setup right under it...nope.  I reached up and my hand found a GOB of little green caterpillars wriggling in my hair.  Perhaps baby bag worms, not sure...but they were green and they were wiggling like there was no tomorrow.  Did not have the sense to get a picture...I'm sure it would have been priceless. 

14062 Khz - Nothing...but nothing

By this time it was about 2:30PM and I was drenched in sweat, the shade was gone since the clouds left the area.  My KX2 was overheating, my smartphone was overheating, I was overheating, so I decided to surrender to Mother Nature and I packed it up.  It was now 88F according to the thermometer in my SUV...humidity was about 329% by then, I almost needed gills to breathe. 

My last great act of chickening out was after I got everything loaded up, I yanked down on the tailgate to close it, without remembering my head was in the way.  I hit my head hard enough with the tailgate to see stars and almost cried for my mommy.  I hurt. I cussed. I stomped around. Had to sit there for about 5 minutes before I started the SUV and headed home. 

Story over?  Oh no.  As I pulled onto SR 252 a local police officer pulled out of his hiding place and followed me for about 15 miles.  I was doing nothing wrong but it was a bit unnerving.  Happy to report we parted ways, and no citations were given. 

Better luck to me next time...and yes I am filing my POTA log with five contacts so the other guys at least get credit for the contact. 

73 de KB9BVN