I had the Monday and Tuesday off from work, as an extended July 4th. Unfortunately both my daughter and wife had to work, and we also have some animals that are in need of constant medical attention, so this was going to have to be a solo trip.
I have long been fascinated by the coastline near Long Point, but until this point I had only seen it in pictures and maps. I wanted to camp overnight, and do two activations from Long point, and book-end it with a POTA activation both before and after.
I booked at the last moment, and so there was only one site available, despite being on a Monday. I looked at a few online pictures of the site, and noticed it had trees, so I was hopeful. It was also near the beach. Site 335.
I left around 9:30 in the morning, and I was planning for about a 2 hour drive. The plan was to activate Turkey Point Provincial Park (CA-0417) at around 11:00, then have a nice lunch at 13:00, and drive to Long Point (CA-0279) for the 14:00 arrival-time check-in.
Arriving at Turkey Point, the staff were very helpful and, because I had a reservation for another provincial park later that afternoon, they did not charge me an admission fee. I drove to a picnic table that was right next to some trees, and had an easy setup.
I used a Packtenna Random Wire that has a 9:1 transformer neatly packaged onto the winder.
The bands were moderately active, and it did not take me long to activate on 20m CW with the KX2. 17 QSOs in about an hour. I brought a 30AH battery to allow me to operate for a long time, however in retrospect, I believe that the internal charger for the KX2 never engaged. I had a full charge on the KX2 beforehand, so I suspect that all three activations were done on its internal battery! I ended it on a fitting note with a park-to-park with Jim in Nebraska (WBØRLJ).
Date | Time | Call | State | Band | Mode | Park |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025/07/07 | 15:52 | KO4USA | GA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 15:53 | K2UPD | NY | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 15:54 | NAØF | MN | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 15:55 | KA5TXN | TX | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 15:57 | W3YJ | PA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 15:59 | AA5XA | AR | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:00 | KO4ALY | AL | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:03 | W5KEB | AR | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:05 | KB3A | AL | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:06 | KM4QNA | AL | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:14 | KG4NXT | VA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:21 | KAØLDG | ND | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 16:33 | KE2BKW | PA | 40m | CW | US-8734 |
2025/07/07 | 16:39 | W9MET | FL | 20m | CW | US-3605 |
2025/07/07 | 16:42 | AB9CA | IL | 20m | CW | US-4104 |
2025/07/07 | 16:50 | K1ATL | NH | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 17:02 | WBØRLJ | NE | 20m | CW | US-4010 |
Following the activation I went to the Tipsy Pirate that had a nice outside deck overlooking the water.
I had a nice vegi-burrito and fries and an afternoon cocktail.
I arrived at Long Point and found the site. It was even nicer than I had hoped! It was perfect for POTA, it was fairly quiet, and close to the lake.
My plan was to activate in the early afternoon while the UV was at its worse, under the shade of the campsite trees, and then check out the lake, and have some supper.
I worked the bands until about 17:30, and then went for a short walk to the beach. It was not very crowded, and the water was a very pleasant 22°C.
I read for a while and just enjoyed the sound of the waves.
Here's a shot from the campsite looking at the dunes at the beach.
I continued to work 20m on CW while having supper, and the activation bridged both UTC days.
In the morning I woke up super early (just before 6:00) so I had an early breakfast and
worked 40m.
Here's a map of the QSOs over both UTC days.
I was
I did get a busted call, S4SP, which POLO said was South Africa, but QRZ pulls up nothing. This call was terribly difficult for me to decypher as the dit- and dah-lengths were almost the same, and despite getting several repeats, it was a broken call.
Date | Time | Call | State | Band | Mode | Park |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025/07/07 | 19:47 | K5LE | OK | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 19:48 | VE7KDU | BC | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 19:53 | KB9S | WI | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:02 | MØMHJ | England | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:02 | N4DH | NC | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:05 | AF1US | TN | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:08 | WØEAR | WI | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:10 | KA5PMV | OK | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:13 | K1BZ | ME | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:16 | OE3KAB | Austria | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 20:33 | W1WDH | GA | 20m | CW | US-2195 |
2025/07/07 | 22:41 | N7KM | UT | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 22:43 | W7CVI | WA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 22:45 | AA5UZ | LA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 22:47 | KØVK | CO | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 22:51 | PA4WA | Netherlands | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 22:54 | N9FAL | ID | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:00 | K7SPS | ID | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:02 | KI1H | FL | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:21 | K5GRZ | TX | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:23 | N5URL | NM | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:28 | N3CZ | NC | 20m | CW | US-3378 |
2025/07/07 | 23:29 | WD5EEI | TX | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/07 | 23:37 | KE7CR | ID | 20m | CW | US-11531 |
2025/07/07 | 23:39 | KCØZSP | CA | 20m | CW | US-1201 |
2025/07/07 | 23:50 | K5KJ | TX | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:04 | N7MEB | UT | 20m | CW | US-5950 |
2025/07/08 | 00:08 | KA5TBK | TX | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:16 | KE8WIC | WV | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:17 | AC9VC | IL | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:19 | N2MK | TX | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:21 | WB2MQQ | NY | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:22 | KØBXB | WI | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:27 | N3MK | VA | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:28 | WG8Y | NC | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:29 | W8CFH | MI | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:31 | N4KPT | TN | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:36 | KE8PAG | MI | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:39 | N4DR | MD | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:40 | AD8HK | OH | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:42 | W8CFH | MI | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 00:55 | AB9CA | IL | 4m | CW | US-4104 |
2025/07/08 | 01:01 | K2L | SC | 30m | CW | US-3873 |
2025/07/08 | 10:47 | K8CN | NH | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 10:51 | KC4HCH | AL | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 10:53 | WU1G | ME | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 10:57 | NL5Y | AK | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:04 | KI6PXV | CA | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:23 | NA1N | MD | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:26 | N4MIO | NC | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:31 | K7SPS | ID | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:34 | W4FOA | GA | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:37 | NNØTE | MN | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:37 | WI5D | MO | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:39 | N1CGP | ME | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:48 | N2PX | NC | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:48 | WØDOS | MO | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:52 | KF9R | IN | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:54 | W1KX | ME | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 11:59 | WA4PGM | VA | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 12:11 | S4SP | BUSTED CALL | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 12:11 | W4MY | NC | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 12:11 | NN9K | IL | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 12:15 | KN4XP | NC | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 12:15 | NC4PO | NC | 40m | CW |
After a couple of hours of working 40m, I packed up, and set off for Port Burwell Provincial Park (CA-0348).
I think I was entitled to not have to pay for the park, but I paid anyway, and decided to get a trip mascot that I would gift to my daughter in lieu of sharing the trip with me. A character by the name of Sully, a skunk.
I set up under a tree in the parking lot. I did a quick hike to see if there were better spots, but it mostly was just campsites, and a few trails. The trails had so many mosquitos that I decided to not venture into the woods too far.
I worked both 20m and 40m, but I found the bands to be not as good as the previous day. Still enjoyable though.
Date | Time | Call | State | Band | Mode | Park |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025/07/08 | 14:54 | W4MY | NC | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 14:55 | NE1D | MA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 14:55 | W4SK | TN | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 14:57 | N4MQV | TN | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:00 | KE2AEQ | NY | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:03 | N1XV | NJ | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:06 | K1WNT | CT | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:24 | KØHNL | MA | 20m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:31 | WA3TVH | PA | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:34 | AK9A | WI | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:40 | WB2FUV | NY | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:42 | W2JJW | NJ | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:46 | WA2FBN | NY | 40m | CW | |
2025/07/08 | 15:47 | W4KRN | VA | 40m | CW |
After about an hour, I went into town and had some lunch at a place called ``Straiko's on the Lake''. I had a great Buddha Bowl that was not too expensive.
Next to the restaurant was a Canadian Submarine, that gave tours! If I had not been obligated to be back home, I would have tried it out. The tickets were not cheap, almost $30.00, but curiousity would have gotten the best of me I expect. Another time!
At this point it was time to get home for a change of clothes, and a shower to get rid of the Deet!