Activation Report: Sawgrass Lake Park (US-6700) — May 21, 2026
- 4 min reading time
Mode: FT8 · Band: 20m · Radio: Xiegu X6200 · Power: 5W · QSOs: 11
Home park. Still delivers.
Overnight rain left everything wet. Sawgrass opens at 7:00 AM and the benches were soaked through — brought a small tarp to cover the seat before setting up. Arrived at 7:30 AM, antenna up and tuned by 7:39 AM, on the air at 7:46 AM. Sixteen minutes from parking lot to first CQ.
The Noise
A crackling noise in the radio throughout the activation traced back to a nearby power station. It was present across the whole session — consistent, not intermittent. Didn't kill the activation but worth noting as a recurring factor at this location depending on operating position. Something to account for in future setups here.
Caption: SWR 1.024 on 20m — as clean as it gets
On the Air
First QSO — KM5LY in Mississippi — at 7:49 AM. Propagation was running hard to the north and northeast from the jump. The bulk of the contacts landed in the Midwest and South — Louisiana, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma. Nothing local, nothing in Florida or nearby states — the band simply wasn't bending that direction this morning.
The standout contact was VP2MAA out of Montserrat in the Caribbean — FK86 — at 8:02 AM. Five watts to the Caribbean on a humid Florida morning. That's the kind of contact that makes the 16-minute setup worth it regardless of the total count.
Caption: PSKReporter at 7:57 AM — 20m was open wide, just not running south
Went live on TikTok during the activation and had a few viewers along for the session. Last QSO — KD5QJQ in Oklahoma — at 9:21 AM. Packed up immediately after.
Caption: W5P in Louisiana — one of the last contacts of the morning
Activation Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Activation # | 24 |
| Park | Sawgrass Lake Park |
| Park Ref | US-6700 |
| Date | May 21, 2026 |
| Arrived | 7:30 AM |
| On Air | 7:46 AM |
| First Contact | KM5LY — 7:49 AM |
| Notable DX | VP2MAA — Montserrat (FK86) — 8:02 AM |
| Last Contact | KD5QJQ — 9:21 AM |
| Total QSOs | 11 |
| Power | 5W |
| Band | 20m FT8 |
| Radio | Xiegu X6200 |
| Antenna | Radioddity HF-010 |
| SWR | 1.024 |
| Weather | Overcast, 80°F, E winds 13–16 mph, high humidity — overnight rain |
All-Time POTA Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Activations | 24 |
| Unique Parks | 13 |
| Total QSOs | 621 |
| Best Activation | 75 QSOs — Skyway Fishing Pier (US-1916) |
Full log uploaded to pota.app. Photos and video from the activation on TikTok @grumpagrinch. New to POTA or FT8? My book FT8 for the First Time is available on Amazon Kindle and paperback. Join the conversation on the Tava One Discord.