POTA on 70cm and 1.25M FM, SSB and FT8

Parks on the Air (POTA) activation in the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor (K-6532) in Western NY on Aug. 5, 2023. This was during the ARRL 222 & Up Contest. I operated FM, SSB and FT8 on 70cm, as well as FM on 1.25m and 2m. This was during the ARRL 222 & Up Contest. Equipment used was the BTECH UV-5x3 tri-band HT with a roll-up J-pole antenna on the SOTABEAMS Carbon 6 mast, ICOM 880H mobile radio with the Ed Fong dual-band roll-up J-pole antenna on the MFJ-1910 33-foot mast, and the ICOM 705 with the Elk dual band log periodic antenna.

[@LB0FI]

Well done!

[@MikeN2MAK]

Thanks!

[@tcort]

Nice to see it demonstrated that an activation can be done with VHF/UHF only. Great video and I love to see the experimentation and trying new things.

[@MikeN2MAK]

Thanks for watching! Contests are a great opportunity to try new things.

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

Nice work Mike! 73!

[@MikeN2MAK]

Thanks, Jeff! It was a trip working 3 different stations at the same time, LOL.

[@GraymanPOTA]

I have been debating 2m/70cm, but most of the parks I regularly frequent are rural. There is a park in the Las Vegas area, that I might run over to give it a try with my HT.

[@MikeN2MAK]

It never hurts to try, especially if you can get a little elevation. There is an active VHF group in WNY where I am. I use the contests, when I know there will be activity, as an opportunity to do VHF and try some new things. Thanks for watching!

[@GraymanPOTA]

@@MikeN2MAK sounds like a good plan.

[@pekwalker]

I have always had the understanding that as long as antenna's are at least a half wave length apart, they should not interfere with each other. 73"s KB3VQT

[@MikeN2MAK]

I think I recall something similar now that you mention that. This was definitely a fun POTA and a good learning experience. Thanks for watching!

[@WR3ND]

I guess it'd probably be bad form to use a repeater while doing this. 😏

[@MikeN2MAK]

LOL. While I'm still fairly new to the VHF contests, I think there's some of scheduling and coordination (like texts or emails), but I don't think it's unreasonable. Ultimately, I'm just glad people are out there active on the bands. Thanks for watching!

[@dcolb121]

Is it possible?? Of COURSE it is.

[@MikeN2MAK]

You bet! Thanks for watching.

[@nine7295]

I thought the title meant you were going to do FT8 and SSB on both 70cm and 1.25m, so i came to see what kind of equipment you had for 1.25m.
And i didn't see any FT8 or SSB on 1.25m in the video.
A little disappointed because of your title.

[@MikeN2MAK]

Ah, I now see how that could be confusing. But a 1.25m transverter to use with my 705 is on my wishlist.