I love when I can group a Parks on the Air rove into a theme. These themes often easily translate into a story which makes a video, though finding that hook can be difficult. Sometimes it’s easy and other times it takes a bit of work. This week’s video is lumped into the easy category.
My rove of the Menominee River State Rec Area (POTA US-3319) came together pretty easily. The recreation area spans about 17 miles of the 115 mile river that borders Wisconsin and Michigan in northeast Wisconsin. The rec area had three units, which were all considered Parks on the Air entities, and each unit was encompassed in the larger state recreation area. What made things interesting is that the recreation area and the units within are shared and managed by both Michigan and Wisconsin. This made for a bit of an administrative jumble, but offered more opportunities for activation spots within the park.
The final result is this: Exploring SECRET POTA parks: Wisconsin’s Menominee River! Video link: https://youtu.be/A-fckQkImBc
So, what’s the big secret? These parks are relatively remote. But then again, most parks in far northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan are remote. I camped at nearby Governor Thompson State Park and still had to drive an hour to get to them. Was it worth the drive? You bet! The scenery was awesome and a good number of people logged a seldom activated park. It’s things like that which make POTA so much fun.
Researching POTA sites
Some people make it their mission to activate every eligible park within a state. I, on the other hand, am slowly ticking them away. I’ve down about a 1/3 of the Wisconsin POTA sites and adding a couple more each time we go out and explore. My goal, as I activate a new site, is to make a video about it in hopes that it gives other activators insight on a particular location or site within the POTA entity.
And that background material can be invaluable. If you are working on roves, and limited on time to spend at a park, knowing what to expect is important. Seeing images of an activation site and getting tips on the best spot to set up aids in your success.
In my research on a site, I’ve asked other activators of their preferred location to setup, and other activators have messaged me on where’s the best spot to go. Since this Menominee River rove had very few people hit it before, I had to rely of some of my tried an true research methods.
First, I look at the maps of the location available from the department of natural resources. This will give me an indication of parking areas and suitable locations. I will cross reference them with google satellite view to get an idea of what the parking area looks like. Sometimes I’m really lucky and get a street view image of the view, which is absolutely invaluable. Many times I’ve ruled out a site because parking was problematic.
Next, I want to know if cell service is available so I will check the potential locations with a coverage map from my cell provider. While cell service isn’t necessary, being able to spot myself is a luxury that I appreciate. From my experience, you should downgrade the estimates one level from what the map says. For example, if the site has 5Guc coverage, expect 5g. If it is 5g, then it is most likely LTE in real life. If it says LTE or partner service, expect a marginal signal good enough for texting.
Finally, I assemble my resources. I print out copies of the DNR maps, circle the parking areas and write down the park numbers. I will pin the locations on google maps so I can navigate to the site. And I carry a copy of the DeLorme Gazetteer as my backup map. You should never go out roving without a paper map backup; especially if you are in a remote area.
Finishing Up
This weekend will be our last camping trip of the season. Sometimes we can squeak one into November, but next month’s schedule is pretty busy with other activities, so the camper will get packed away. You’ll find me at Blue Mounds State Park, US-1441. It’s a popular park, as POTA goes, but a great late season destination. This weekend is also CQ Worldwide SSB. I won’t be playing in CQWW but the activity on the bands will make things challenging. I’m guessing there will be quite a bit of operating on phone on the WARC bands and digital in other places.
I hope to get you in the log
Michael
KB9VBR
Recent Comments