In 2006, I started participating in the Virginia QSO Party, an annual contest that allows operators from all over Virginia to work from each county with the goal of Working All counties in Virginia. Over the years, I have worked every county in Virginia. I love helping others in this contest, and each year, I take my station out on the road to local counties in the Northern Neck of Virginia such as Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland, Northumberland, King William, and King & Queen. I set up my station and call for stations to make contact with me so they could log that county. I have also participated in portable operations at local county farmers’ markets and set up in parks for the Parks on the Air program, which is now my favorite. Initially, I transported my gear in an open trailer with my HF antenna mounted to it and eventually moved to a closed trailer with a built-in desk to hold all the station gear, with antennas mounted to the trailer. I’m now on my second trailer, a 6×12 closed trailer. When operating, I use marine batteries, which are kept charged with solar panels or by plugging them in with an electric trickle charger. On bad days, I charge them using an electric outlet or a generator at home. I plan to include details of my future operations on my blog, so stay tuned for updates! I will also include pictures shortly.
