TAT Video update: AR-OK-NM

Arkansas

Heavy rains made for muddy riding through a beautiful state. I managed a quick activation (US-4425) just before the rain started but the high winds preceding the rain made the audio from the activation's recording unsuitable for posting to YouTube.

Thanks all, for the contacts.

Lunch was at the cafe in Oark where I met a great group of people who invited me to join them at their table. Everyone was from somewhere else and the conversation was all about travel. 

I saw more wildlife in Arkansas than in the previous three states combined, mostly deer but also two coyote. 

The set-up of my moto-POTA kit from Davy Crockett SP

A few folks have asked about what I'm using on the road, particularly in regard to the antenna and how it is mounted.

I'm currently taking a day off the ride to wait out the heavy rains due here in central Arkansas which gave me time to put a short video together. 

Back on the sure-to-be-muddy Trail tomorrow. 

 

Directly on YouTube 

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TAT update: Tupelo MS

Two days on the TAT now and making a fast progression west - not due to any skillful or fast riding on my part, it's all due to the fact that the TAT from Tennessee eastward is mostly paved roads. County roads make up most of the TAT in these eastern states and, while beautifully scenic, they are not what comes to mind when the word "trail" is used.

That changes tomorrow. From here on out, "trail" means unpaved.

I expect to reach Arkansas tomorrow and the ride will be along the Mississippi Delta. Cotton and corn will present themselves in abundance.

I'm postponing buying new tires for the bike until early Colorado. The originals seem to still have life in them so I passed right on by Lake Hill Motors in Corinth MS today.

3 June

 

TAT/QRP will begin on the morning of 3 June, starting near Chatsworth GA.

It's impossible to predict with any reliability how much radio'ing I'll be doing (and when) since weather and POTA proximity to the TAT are big factors.

But the TAT passes directly through, and immediately adjacent to, many parks along the way and I'll try to make use of that when possible.

Radio gear will be that shown in the photo. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to post my intended activations to the POTA website so that the RBN will spot me when I call CQ.

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A graphical look at the main advantage of the KX2USBC2

I've now gone through six charge/discharge cycles of my KX2's internal battery using the new KXUSBC2 to charge it and I've used different sources and USB-C cables for each charge.

Regardless of the charging voltage used, the KX2 battery gets a complete charge, whether the charging source was 5V or 15V.

Contrast that with different source voltages when used with Elecraft's KXIBC2 internal charger: