A lesson in site selection - The many forms of QRM

POTA activators and indeed all ham operators have to contend with QRM, some malicious and most benign. However, not all QRM is on the airwaves. Today, I activated Milliken State Harbor K-6823. Now, this is a POTA entity in the city of Detroit and on the riverfront. I have always observed the riverfront from near and afar and mostly enjoyed the huge Ore freighters traversing the Detroit River.  I picked what I thought was a quiet spot away from the picnic shelters with a view of the river. I settled in for an enjoyable POTA activation

Shady spot under the tree at Milliken State Harbor

Today, however, summer was in full swing. The park was crowded. Kids were squealing and generally having a good time! About 15 minutes into the activation, loud music emanated from a picnic area about 50 yards away drowning out my puny speaker on my KX-3. Time to pull the headphones out and keep the noise at bay! But that was not all. There were speedboats and jet-skis that started to ply on the river and raised such a racket that I could not hear anything even with the headphones. What started as an idyllic setting transformed completely within the space of minutes. I had to carefully time my CQs and ask for calls multiple times. I worked both CW and SSB that day and some of the hunters got a little testy while some of them dropped off when I asked for the calls multiple times! I hope hunters sometimes get to see the less than ideal conditions the activators may be under.

Well QRM also takes other forms. Curious people who want to know what you're doing is another source. I usually am very friendly and pause the activation to give them a quick overview. However, some of them want to linger around and strike an extended conversation, I have to politely inform them that I am in the midst of an activation and would be glad to talk to them at length at the end of the activation.

I have also have had kids who wanted to either untie or uproot my antenna anchors!  All of this in addition to the QRM on the air. 

Hang tight fellow activators!