Us-1418 on John Flinchbaugh KD3EE

US-1418: 2025-10-30

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I ran out to Sam Lewis, US-1418, to activate when the rain stopped.

I took a few minutes to setup my normal EFHW running North-South to operate more to the East and West, though I did get a contact to Colombia.

I operated mostly low-power FT8, 1-4W, but mostly 2W. I chased and got 1 CW contact before it started getting cold and dark.

setup

antenna north-south

tiny s-biner

key and radio

US-1418

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When activating US-1418, Sam Lewis, I accidentally split the activation across 0000 UTC. Fortunately, I still got enough for the second day. I found some of my chokes broken, so swapped cable around a bit. I threw the 40M EFHW into a tree, and got 12 contacts, on FT8, on 15M and 40M.

setup

sunset

POTA US-1418: 2025-03-29

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I setup at US-1418 for an activation. I tried to setup the 40m EFHW in a nearly vertical configuration, but my throw wasn’t high enough, so I went for a vertical 25-foot Rybakov instead. I used my 4:1 balun.

I got my activation working 10M and 15M FT8.

picnic table

antenna transformer

woods

US-1418: 2025-01-18

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I activated US-1418 one nice afternoon with the GRA-1900T on 40m. I was getting desperate, so tried vertical and horizontal orientations. I wonder if I was a bit too close to the metal pavilion.

horizontal

vertial

computer and radio

POTA US-1418

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I headed back to US-1418, Sam Lewis to tried a quick activation on my way to my parents’ house, but I got sidetracked. KN3A, Scott, was already there, so I chatted with him for a few minutes, and then setup my station on the other side of the park. I used my GRA-1900T for a quick setup on 20m. I saw Scott hunting up the band with his big, very local, signal, and then set out to do some FT8. The band was busy, but then just shut off nearing 1900UTC.

I heard about a storm coming from the local repeaters. I tried a bit on 15m, but decided to pack up as I heard more thunder. I only got a few contacts, since I didn’t give myself near enough time.

US-1418

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

At Sam Lewis, US-1418 I tried setting up down near the low playground on the corner near the road. There were no trees with good spots. All the viable branches were very high, and I couldn’t quite get a line over them.

I resorted to an inverted-v supported by fishing pole in the middle at 9ft or so. I operated mostly FT8 on 15m, 20m, and 40m, and I did a little SSB on 40m. I got Canada, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, etc.

Setup at Sam Lewis

Two Parks in One Day

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

US-1356 Pinchot

I setup at a pavillion far away from everyone else, so as not to burden anyone wondering what I was doing. Putting up the 20m-long EFHW, I got the socket and throw line stuck in a tree. I had to cut it loose.

I tried 10m for 2 FT8 contacts, but that’s all the further I could stretch that band. The rest of my contacts came on FT8 40m, and one P2P SSB contact on 40m before I packed up.

US-1418 Sam Lewis

At the second park, I operated mostly 20m with the GRA-1900 coil and whip. I was struggling to get that to the right settings, so I finally just extended it and hit the tuner on the radio.

I accidentally crossed the 0000UTC mark into the next day, which means it’s a new activation. I scrambled to try to complete the new day, but fell short.

Sunset at Sam Lewis