I last did POTA Activations in March (although I’ve kept hunting since then). With the coming of spring, the parks started getting full of people, cars, electrical noise, etc. Not something I wanted to be doing during a COVID resurgence. However, it’s fall now, and people aren’t out and about as much, so it’s time to start POTA Activations again.
My first activation was at park K-0001, which is Acadia National Park up in Bar Harbor Maine. My family was vacationing at a house we rented, so it was a perfect time to activate park #1. We discovered that the park had put a $6 toll in place, with advanced reservations required to summit (3 years ago you could just drive up anytime). No matter, fun was had by all, and I successfully activated the park.
Acadia National Park from Cadillac Mountain Summit – my view out my car window.
Back in Rhode Island, the bug had taken hold. So yesterday I headed out to two new parks (for me): K-5482, which is Wickaboxet State Forest, and K-6990, Nicholas Farm Wildlife Management area. Both of these parks are in the west-central part of the state, almost in CT. Both are nothing more than trees with a few trails. Both parks were successfully activated.
My 16 AH LiFePO4 battery was used for all three activations, each of which lasted about 45 minutes and produced a couple dozen contacts. After the 3rd activation, I recharged the battery, and it accepted 7.6 AH. I continue to feel that a 12 to 16 AH LiFePO4 battery is adequate for all but the most long-winded activations. I no longer take my 30 or 60 AH battery with me, and I may shift over to a 12 AH battery at some point.
A sign marks a small trail head at Wickaboxet State Forest
Things were even more spartan at Nicholas Farm Wildlife Management Area. A small dirt pull-off next to a winding dirt road had a tiny “State Management Area” sign on it.
