by Thomas (K4SWL)
On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, my wife and I were in Durham, North Carolina, visiting a few places for the day. Earlier that morning, I had already activated Bennett Place State Historic Site using my Xiegu G106 and my Just OK Mini antenna—a really fun activation.
That afternoon, we had just enough time to squeeze in one more short activation before meeting our daughter for dinner in Raleigh. I had already picked the spot: Duke Homestead State Historic Site (US-6838)—a park I’d been wanting to visit for a few months.
We drove over to Duke Homestead, which is very close to downtown Durham, and the grounds were beautiful. The site has quite a bit of open space, and as soon as we pulled into the parking area, I noticed a large section with picnic tables that looked ideal for Parks on the Air. I also saw plenty of people walking across the road and onto the grounds—walking dogs, taking strolls, and simply enjoying the space. It’s obviously a well-loved gathering place for the community, and it looked like the grounds were open pretty much all the time.
My wife decided to tour the grounds while I set up for the activation. The plan was simple: I’d get on the air, make my contacts, then track her down and do a quick tour myself before we had to head to Raleigh.
Keeping it simple
To keep things easy, I grabbed my Elecraft KX2 and Elecraft AX1 combo from my LowePro CS60 hard-sided case and walked over to one of the picnic tables.
Setup was quick because this is a combination I’ve used so many times before. I opened the logbook, found a clear frequency on 20 meters, pressed the ATU button for a quick match, and I was off to the races.
Gear
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Radio
Antenna
- Elecraft AX1with 3D-printed Bipod (clip and knob by K6ARK and bipod legs by KE8PTX)
Pack/Case
- GoRuck GR1 USA (21L)
- HEROCLIP Carabiner Clip (attached to my backpack)
- LowePro CS60 Hard Side Case
Logging
Camera/Audio Gear
- DJI OSMO 4 action camera with Joby Telepod Sport Tripod
On The Air
As soon as I started calling CQ POTA and spotted myself, the park hunters started calling back.
I ended up logging a total of 15 contacts in just 14 minutes—quick and easy.
Honestly, I probably would have stayed on the air a little longer, but after that 15th contact there was a brief lull where no one was calling.
I took that as my cue to go QRT so I could meet back up with my wife and spend a little time exploring the site.
QSO Map
Here’s what this five-watt activation looked like when plotted out on a QSO Map. Click on the map image to enlarge.
Activation Video
Here’s my real-time, real-life video of the entire activation. As with all of my videos, I don’t edit out any parts of the on-air activation time. In addition, I have YouTube monetization turned off, although that doesn’t stop them from inserting ads before and after my videos.
Note that Patreon supporters can watch and even download this video 100% ad-free through Vimeo on my Patreon page:
Click here to view on YouTube.
The museum and the history
After packing up the radio and camera gear and putting everything back in the car, I walked into the visitor center and met up with my wife. We spent some time in the small museum, which tells the story of the Duke family and the role tobacco played in North Carolina’s history.
It’s impossible to separate tobacco from the story of North Carolina. For generations, it shaped the economy, communities, and livelihoods across the state. Preserving that history matters—not because it should be celebrated uncritically, but because understanding it helps us better understand where we came from.
That history, of course, includes both progress and deep harm. Tobacco wealth was closely tied to systems of exploitation, including slavery, harsh labor conditions, and later the well-known health consequences tied to tobacco use itself. I appreciated that the museum presents this history as something complex—something that brought prosperity for some while carrying very real human costs for others. It’s important history, and I’m glad it’s being preserved with that context in mind.
The grounds
After the museum, we walked the grounds, which were expansive and really beautiful. I’ve included a few photos below of some of the original buildings from the old homestead and the tobacco barn.
Just like when we arrived, there were people all around enjoying the pleasant weather and the park itself.
I’m looking forward to going back and activating Duke Homestead again—next time with a little more time to really explore.
This site gets activated a lot, and it makes sense. It’s so close to Durham, Hillsborough, and Raleigh that it’s a very convenient POTA stop.
As with all State Historic Sites, I try not to put any spikes in the ground—or even toss lines into trees—until I know from the staff that it’s allowed. Most historic sites don’t want stakes in the ground, and while some will allow lines in trees, it’s always best to ask first.
That’s one of the great things about the setup I used here: it requires none of that. It’s simple, effective, and very low impact—perfect for places like this.
Thank you!
Thank you for joining me during this short activation!
I hope you enjoyed the field report and my activation video as much as I enjoyed creating them!
Of course, I’d also like to send a special thanks to those of you who have been supporting the site and channel through Patreon, and the Coffee Fund. While not a requirement, as my content will always be free, I really appreciate the support.
As I mentioned before, the Patreon platform connected to Vimeo makes it possible for me to share videos that are not only 100% ad-free but also downloadable for offline viewing. The Vimeo account also serves as a third backup for my video files.
Thanks for spending part of your day with me!
Spread a little kindness wherever you go in the world!
Cheers & 72,
Thomas (K4SWL)
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