I've been getting into QRP recently, and with a typhoon expected in the coming days, I decided to go out and set up another antenna before the storm. I brought my PebbleHF radio, along with lithium iron phosphate batteries, and chose a short feedline. With GP, I quickly headed out.
My first stop was at Jiangnan Mountain Scenic Area.CN-1107). As I got closer, I could hear the distant rumble of thunder. Looking up, I saw dark clouds gathering on the east and a bright sun in the west. After assessing the situation, I determined that it wouldn't rain, so I quickly set up my equipment. It was around 3:00 PM, and the propagation was good; I managed to make contact with 11 QSOs before packing up and moving on to the next location.
After riding for about half an hour, I arrived at the northern part of the city from the southern part, and I reached the Zhenjiang Three Mountains Scenic Area.CN-1434). The San Shan Park includes the Jinshan, JiaoShan, and Beigu Shan scenic areas, as well as the Binjiang Scenic Belt. I chose a location within the Binjiang Scenic Belt, so my commute home won't be too long.
As soon as I set up my stall in the designated location, I was immediately greeted by several older gentlemen and ladies in the area. What do you do? The San Shan Park is close to the city center, so there are many elderly people who come here to play. Fortunately, the older generation is quite cultured and understands this hobby. Therefore, they didn't ultimately send me away as a spy. 。
A small incident: Just as I had set up the antenna, it suddenly started to rain with a lot of debris. I quickly put some important items back in my bag, but then it stopped raining.
I started making contacts around 5:00 PM. At this time, the propagation seemed to suddenly get worse, and I wasn't picking up any new stations after a few attempts. After making 5 QSOs, I hit a wall. In the group chat, I saw that BH3XZT was also outside, operating as POTA.（CN-0002）However, I didn't see any activity on the frequency. After a while of being idle, the propagation seemed to improve slightly, so I quickly made some QSOs, and eventually managed to complete 11 QSOs successfully.
The entire trip, from leaving to returning home, took about 4 hours. Subtracting the travel time, I only spent an hour in each park. Being able to activate two parks with such a low power level (calculated to be around 3W of RF) is quite satisfying. As the saying goes, QRP is like going fishing and accidentally breaking off a branch. If you don't cast a spot, it's essentially like fishing without bait. Being able to connect to a radio station is very exciting.
Summary of Experience: In summer, ensure proper sun protection and promptly cool down equipment. For machines without a built-in antenna, bring your own antenna. The battery power must be sufficient; otherwise, it will be difficult to operate at QRPP or lower power levels. Avoid using excessively short feed lines and minimize the use of connectors. If operating in dry conditions, consider adding some water.
Appendix: Previous failed POTA (due to incorrect battery)
Park, radio waves, and Ashaya
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