Squam Lake Adventure

by Jim Cluett, W1PID

 

It was an all-day radio excursion to Moon Island

on New Hampshire's Squam Lake... and what a day!

The scenery was sparkling, the mountains beyond

were crystal clear and the sky was the deepest

blue I'd seen all year. Combine that with a QSO with

Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, and a contact with

Japan... and you've got a formula for QRP adventure

heaven.

 

Bill Noyce, AB1AV and I hadn't been on a radio

outing together since we canoed the Merrimack

River last summer. As mid-September approached,

we knew our options were disappearing quickly. So

we agreed on a day and met mid-morning in the

tiny town of Holderness on the shores of Squam

Lake, the famed site of the movie "On Golden Pond."

 

Bill manoveurs his homemade canoe out of Piper Cove

 

We launched from the Squam Lake Association at

Piper Cover. The group is dedicated to preserving

the lake environment, habitat, shores and water

quality. They also own a couple of islands used

by members and visitors for camping and

swimming. We were headed to Moon Island,

a spot about 45 minutes paddle North and

East of Piper Cove.

 

It was a perfect day for a canoe outing

 

 

We marvelled at the quiet of the lake. There were no

power boats, no highway sounds... only the distant

call of the lake's resident loons broke the silence. We

soaked up the warm sunshine and sparkling vistas as

we headed toward the shores of Moon Island.

 

 

For most of the day there were no other visitors

 

Moon Island is roughly 30 acres. There are only two

buildings... a caretaker's cabin and an outhouse. There

are three campsites. We had the the entire place to

ourselves until late in the afternoon when some

campers arrived. As soon as we landed, we scouted

around to choose an operating site. We quickly found

one at the far West of the island.

 

I convinced Bill that we ought to start with my simple

30 foot wire vertical straight over a tree branch. I'd

been working Europe every afternoon I used it. We

set it up quickly and started making QSOs on 20 meters.

I was running an ATS-2 by KD1JV and Bill was using the

ATS-3A.

 

First we worked Minnesota, then Georgia, finally we

heard a French station and worked him easily. But

then there was a lull and the band remained quiet,

so I had lunch. Afterwards I heard VY0/KH0PR.

He seemed pretty strong, but he couldn't hear me.

I tried several times. "Bill," I said. "Maybe it's time to

try your W3EDP."

 

So we switched antennas. Bill put up the the 85 foot

wire as an L. Up 20 feet and over 65... with a 17

foot counterpoise. "The VY0 doesn't seem as strong,"

lamented Bill. But I could see Bill working the paddles.

Soon the silly grin on his face told the story. Bill had

worked Baffin Island with a chunk of wire and 4 watts!"

We were ecstatic.

 

 

The view from our operating position

 

We took turns using the antenna. The band was pretty

squirrely. Very few stations and generally quiet. During

my shift I was completely startled by a Japanese

station suddenly calling CQ out of nowhere. "A JA!" I

nearly yelled as I sent my call. "I got him!" JA7BXS

in Miyagi. His name was Takar and I couldn't have

been more startled or pleased.

 

A thrill working JA7BXS

 

Before packing up we worked a few more stateside

stations, but we couldn't duplicate the thrill of our

earlier contacts. We carried our gear back to the

canoe and sat on the dock for a few minutes

eating some local pears my wife had packed.

 

As we sat there... a most unexpected sound

erupted nearby. A large group of loons (I counted

14) began their haunting, warbling chorus.

Usually we hear one or two calling back and forth

across the lake in the evening. But this was something else.

All of them were engaged in a raucus seranade as they

glided through the channel that separates Moon Island

from Bowman Island. It was an unforgettable end

to a glorious adventure.

 

-end-

 

 

 

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