Located mere miles from the Kennedy Space Flight Center is the Canaveral National Seashore. Both the Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSFC) and the Canaveral National Seashore (CNSS) are on Merritt Island, Florida. CNSS is located on a narrow stretch of land just north of KSFC. There are 13 parking areas that provide pedestrian access to the beach. The habitat on Merritt Island is prime Real Estate for bird watching. There is also plenty of wildlife. Dolphins can often be seen porpoising along the surf.
I decided that this park needed an activation. Before I arrived at CNSS, I made a stop at another POTA park on the island, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (K-0249). I set up operations in a parking lot of a trailhead. I made 48 contacts on CW and SSB with 11 of those contacts in Europe. It’s nice to have European contacts in mid to late morning on 20 and 17 meters. As the sunspot cycle continues to advance it will not be long before 15, 12, and 10 will join the party. Once the activation at K-0249 was done I made my way to CNSS.
There are 13 parking lots at CNSS, but beware! Parking lot #13 (the last one one) is known for nude bathers. Well, not the parking lot itself but the adjacent beach. There are warning signs leading up to parking lot #13. To play it safe I set up in a parking lot far away from “the action”.
I used my go-to equipment: Kenwood TS-480SAT, American Morse Bushwacker Key, Chameleon Hybrid Mini transformer, and a 213″ telescoping whip. I had a total of 130 QSOs with 45 QSOs on CW and 85 on SSB. 17 contacts were to Europe. After the activation I decided to talk a walk up to the beach.
Winter is a great time to visit this beach. Crowds are non-existent. Besides sunbathing and swimming, surf fishing is allowed. I will be coming back to CNSS in a few weeks to activate on the beach. If I can get my radials down near the surf it should make for a good ground.
Radio Free Florida: K4NYM 