Ham Radio at Lincoln's Springfield Home POTA K-0841

Feel Free to Leave a Tip and Buy Me a Coffee: www.buymeacoff...
Follow me over on Twitter: / wq9f_ham_radio
Find me and other great Hams hanging out over at the TOADS Discord Server: / discord
While on a short weekend trip, I couldn't say no to setting up at a POTA less than a 1/4 mile away from my Hotel! It just so happens that the POTA site is Lincoln's Home National Historic Site in downtown Springfield, Illinois. Park K-0841. The National Park Service employees and Park Service police are very friendly and were totally cool with setting up my G90 and Buddistick Pro antenna right in the middle of the site. If you are planning an activation of K-0841 be aware that the parking lot is a pay parking lot, you will need some sort of self standing antenna, such as the Buddistick Pro or Wolf River Coils antenna, and be ready for some high noise levels. Unlike many parks where you get to experience operating with a s0-s1 noise level, this is right in the middle of a city and my noise on 40 meters was in the s7-s9 range.
While there you can visit many of the buildings including Abraham Lincoln's actual home as well as the visitors center.
Equipment used in this video:
Radio: Xeigu G90
Battery: Bioenno 12ah battery
Antenna: Buddistick Pro
Camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black

[@K0BJJ]

thanks for helping me tour IL Kevin. Great Video .

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

That might be a new video series, WQ9F Tours of Illinois lol 73! -Kevin

[@N4XTL]

Nice activation! That's quite a site, nice that the NPS was so accommodating. The BuddiStick Pro is a very good antenna, but the tripod in the deluxe kit is very flimsy. A proper camera tripod is a huge upgrade to the kit. I carry a Manfrotto in the truck to use with the BuddiStick, it's so quick to set up. Enjoy! 73

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

Thanks for watching, once I asked they were more than accomodating. I've really started to enjoy using the Buddistick pro, I used it this week and hung my bigger backpack from the center of the tripod usijg the eye hook and small cord that came with it, it worked really well even in the wind coming off Lake Michigan. 73! -Kevin

[@WilliamParmley]

Great, thanks. I would have enjoyed seeing your antenna setup.

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

Thanks it was a ton of fun, I recorded a video this week going more indepth with that antenna should have it up soon! Thanks for watching 73, Kevin

[@jtn104]

Good video! I did Lincoln's Home also, the park ranger is easy to get along with and pretty much accommodates most requests. I set up in the same area that you set up at, a table in the center walkway. It was a beautiful day and I got activated runny QRP 10W pretty quickly with one contact at North Pole AK! I was concerned about being intimidated with tourists walking by but it wasn't a problem. 73 kd9van

[@mikemiles3068]

Just saw you hanging with the Dude I thought I come check you out. The Wolf River Coil is one of my favorites, I have one permanently set up in my wife’s flower 🌸 bed 🛌 getting ready another one for my go bag❗️👍73 KV5P

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

Pretty nice that the NPS allowed you to set up the antenna. Did you use anything to try to keep the Buddistick Pro from blowing over? I’ve seen some people use the bag itself as a “weight” hanging underneath it. Nice activation! 73!

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

It comes with a little string with a hook on the end for you to hang the bag and I did but the bag wasn't enough weight when it is empty, but I was a little worried about hanging my backpack from it since the line is pretty thin that they give you. it was pretty cool setting up right in the middle of everything though, I would like to do that one again some day. 73! -Kevin

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

@@WQ9FHamRadio I didn’t think the empty bag would be heavy enough. I might have a similar situation coming up that I need to figure out how to get an antenna in the air with some ham sticks on an island in the middle of a river.

[@VE3WZW]

Very well done 👍🏽 thanks 73 VE3WZW

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

Thanks for watching, it was a lot of fun activating there, a bit different than the normal state park/national forest type of activation. 73! -Kevin

[@timkeller9087]

Second! ;-)