Having done a number of quite successful activations using the “/T” setup for POTA, it was time to try out the “/P” setup. This consists of a Yaesu FT-817ND, a 20Ah 12VDC battery, an end fed half wave dipole for 40M and PoLo for logging on my phone.
The Galtee Castle National Forest is nestled in the southern foothills of the Galtee mountains on the border between Co. Limerick and Tiperrary. It’s a lovely spot, only a short detour of the M8 motorway between Cork and Dublin. I was fortunate with the weather but the propagation conditions were not good. Patience and persistence on the part of the kind souls who worked me however, meant the activation was delivered and I also worked my first ever POTA contacts on 40M. I was delighted with how the new EFHW antenna worked. I’d only made it the day before and hadn’t been able to tune it up or test it at home. Once I’d finished operating, I took a bit of time to tune it up properly, so it’s ready for the next outing.
