Activation Report: De Soto National Memorial (US-0772) — April 20, 2026
- 2 min reading time
Mode: FT8 (Digital) · Band: 20m · Radio: Xiegu X6200 · Contacts: 59 · Park: US-0772
A new park in the log — De Soto National Memorial, POTA reference US-0772, on the banks of the Manatee River in Bradenton. 59 QSOs on 20 meters, a multi-hour TikTok Live with co-host Brandon KQ4PMD, and 71 degrees with the wind absolutely not cooperating.
The park
De Soto National Memorial sits where the Manatee River meets Tampa Bay, commemorating the 1539 landing of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto — one of the first large European expeditions into what is now the southeastern United States. The park covers roughly 26 acres and tells a complicated story honestly. De Soto's four-year, 4,000-mile march through ten states was a search for gold that never materialized, and the Indigenous peoples he encountered paid a devastating price for it. The NPS site doesn't shy away from that history, which I appreciated. Admission is free, the coastal trail along the Manatee River is beautiful, and the combination of mangroves, open waterfront, and quiet made it a genuinely good operating environment. Worth having in the rotation.
The reason for the visit
Planned activation. New park, wanted the NPS reference in the log.
The setup
Arrived at 8:30 AM and was on the air by 8:50. Standard field kit — Xiegu X6200 at 5 watts, Raspberry Pi 4 running DigiPi, Android tablet, 18.3ft vertical with 8 radials, and the DIY LiFePO4 battery box. Setup was clean, everything came up without issue. First QSO hit the log at 8:56 AM. Park qualified by 9:21 AM — 10 contacts in under 25 minutes from first transmission.
On the air
Ran FT8 on 20 meters the entire session. Went live on TikTok and stayed live for several hours — one of the longer live sessions I've done. Brandon, KQ4PMD, jumped in as co-host and we had a great time working through the activation together, answering questions from the audience, and just enjoying the morning on the river. The wind off the Manatee was relentless the whole time, but the station stayed solid and contacts rolled in steadily once spotted on the POTA network.
Finished with 59 QSOs — well past the 44-contact Jackpot threshold. Best FT8 contact count I've logged to date.
Would I activate here again?
Yes. Quick drive from St. Pete, free admission, open grounds, and the coastal setting along the Manatee River is a legitimately good operating environment. The history of the park gives you something to think about between contacts.
Full log uploaded to POTA.app. 73 de W4GGJ