POTA at Dugway Recreation Site – Two Days, Two Activations, and Plenty of Fun
This weekend I had the chance to activate a new-to-me POTA location: the Dugway Recreation Site BLM Management Area, a quiet and scenic spot tucked right alongside the North Platte River. I ended up activating the park twice over two days, and both sessions turned out to be short but satisfying.
Day 1 – FT8 Contact Run
For the first activation, I set up with my Xiegu G90, running 10 watts into a 17-foot telescoping vertical whip mounted on my Little Tarheel II. Conditions weren’t spectacular, but they were good enough for a solid run. In about 30–40 minutes of operating, I logged 18 FT8 contacts.
Not a marathon session by any stretch, but it was enough to get the activation in the log and enjoy some relaxed operating by the water.
Day 2 – Back for More
The next day I returned to the same spot with the same setup. Propagation felt similar, and I again kept the operating time short—another 30–40 minute window. Despite the quick session, I wrapped up with 17 total contacts, again using the G90 at 10 watts and the same 17-foot vertical whip.
A Unique Spot Along the River
One of the best parts of this mini-expedition was simply the location. Dugway Recreation Site is a beautiful stretch of BLM land, peaceful and lightly visited. Operating next to the flowing North Platte River made both activations feel more like a break than a task. Even with the short operating windows, I left both days feeling refreshed and happy with the results.
Final Thoughts
Two activations, two days, low power, a simple vertical antenna—and plenty of fun. I love discovering new parks, and this one was definitely worth the trip. I’ll be back for a longer activation soon.
I activated the Dugway Recreation Site BLM Management Area twice over two days. The first activation on FT yeilded 18 total contacts on my Xiegu g-90 and day 2 got me 17 total contacts also on my Xiegu G90. I used my 17 foot vertical telscoping whip for my antenna. I mounted it on my Little Tarheel II. I was running 10 watts of RF power. I did have too much operating time probably 30 -40 mins per day. I still had fun and got to activate a new to me park in a unique location next to the North Platte River.
