Fireside CW POTA Activation at Monte Sano State Park

Picture this: a serene evening, a crackling campfire, and the soothing rhythm of Morse Code cutting through the brisk air. Welcome to our latest POTA (Parks on the Air) adventure at the beautiful Monte Sano State Park! We decided to cap off a delightful day of exploration with a fireside session, and trust us, it was a blast!

As we sat by the fire, ready to wave our radio wands, we realized we were not just battling the elements but also a mighty opponent: the dreaded noise monster, QRM. But fret not, because even that pesky QRM wasn't going to stop us or the West Coast from having a CW field party!

West Coast Signals and Noise Monsters Galore

The stars aligned, and the West Coast was alive and buzzing. Despite the QRM monster giving us its worst, stations from places as far as British Columbia and Washington answered our call, making our evening magical. With operators patiently copying through the crackling chorus of background noise, we slowly but surely exchanged messages across the air.

With the trusty ICOM 7300 ensuring smooth operations, and the Xtenna EFHW antenna doing all the heavy lifting, we managed to confirm contacts despite the noise. It's not every day you get to connect, quite literally, across thousands of miles while sitting in a cozy loveseat by a campfire!

The fun of POTA and CW lies in moments like these—where the challenges only make the successes even sweeter, and where every dot and dash feels like a dance step in perfect rhythm with nature.

Thank you for joining us in our fireside CW rendezvous. As the night settles, we look forward to sharing more adventures and hope you'll be there to wave back just as enthusiastically.

Until next time.....

73 Michael N4FFF and Becky N4BKY