According to the meteorologist on our local news, the second half of January typically is our coldest winter period in Northern Wisconsin. We see an average high of 23 and a low of 7 degree Fahrenheit. While most of the country is seeing colder than average temperatures, so far this season we’ve been tracking pretty close to normal. This is a far cry for the last couple years which have been warmer than normal.
While the cold may stop some people from going out and doing park activations, winter doesn’t have to be a stop to them. Here’s a little practical advice to keep you operating all year.
But first, a little bit about this’s week’s video, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/uUgL-5eQMZc
Between the holiday’s Joe and I took off to rove several parks in the Central Wisconsin. Joe is from the Montello area, so of course he wanted to share some of his exploits from his younger days, including the story of the escaped hippo. While is sounds incredulous, his uncle and cousins have really built a name in the exotic game industry and operate a popular game farm near Neshkoro and an exotic petting zoo in Wisconsin Dells. That’s only half the story in the video and we had a great time just BSing and hitting a few parks. The video is long but totally worth the watch.
Now back to my article.
Dress for the weather. A familiar Scandinavian phrase is “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing.” The best winter clothing uses a three-part system: light inner or base layer, medium weight middle layer, and a heavier outer layer. This layering technique can be adjusted for temperature and will trap body heat between layers and help keep cold air out. It also can help regulate body temperature so you don’t get overheated. Wear synthetic or wicking natural fibers like wool for the inner layers to keep moisture away from your skin. As they say in the Boy Scouts “cotton kills.”
Get yourself a good pair gloves. I’ve been using these insulated work gloves by Milwaukee tools. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Large-Red-Latex-Level-1-Cut-Resistant-Insulated-Winter-Dipped-Work-Gloves-48-22-8912 They have a good level of dexterity and will protect your fingers from the cold while working with antenna systems.
Expedite your antenna setups. In the winter I seldom am using wire antennas and throw lines. These take too much time to set up and tossing line into trees is harder when you are wearing a heavy jacket. Instead, I focus on vertical antennas, like the 17 foot whip and magic carpet, or my favorite winter antenna, the Hamstick. Both I can have on the air in a few minutes and require little adjustment and tuning.
Work from inside your car. While I am setting up my antennas and rig, I will let the vehicle engine run to keep the car nice and toasty. When I am ready to get on the air, I will shut off the engine. Even if the air temperature is 10 degrees, I can usually last for about an hour before I get chilly and need to warm up the car again.
Be prepared for the unexpected. During the winter I carry extra blankets, hand warmers, snow scoop, battery booster pack, etc, just in case my car gets disabled or stuck out in the cold. It may take a while for help to get to you if you are out in the wild and your car won’t start, so be prepared for those contingencies.
Winter parks on the air activating can be a lot of fun and with a little preparation and common sense, you can be warm and comfortable doing it. What’s your favorite cold weather POTA tip, let me know in the comments below.
I hope to hear you on the air
Michael
KB9VBR
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