Today marked my ninth activation of Medicine Bow National Forest (POTA Park US-4403) over the past two years. This place never gets old—quiet surroundings, good elevation, and reliable propagation make it a go-to spot on the map.

I split the activation into two sessions, one before brunch and one after. In the morning, I logged 15 confirmed FT8 contacts, which was more than enough for a valid activation. But the bands were still open, so after brunch I got back on the air and worked a few more.

For this activation, I used my Xiegu G90 running 10 watts, along with my homemade 20m linked dipole. I mounted the antenna using a 27-foot fiberglass push-up pole, which gave me a great center height and helped keep the dipole up in the clear. The setup worked beautifully, especially with FT8 doing its usual magic.

The highlight of the day was a solid contact with Japan—a rare catch for me, especially on QRP power. That kind of DX always makes packing in and setting up worth the effort.

All in all, it was another memorable day at US-4403. Great scenery, a smooth setup, and some fun contacts made for a perfect POTA outing.

73 and thanks to everyone who made contact today!
—Robert