One of the most enjoyable aspects of ham radio, at least for me, is POTA.
Whether you are hunting or activating, this activity has something for everyone.
You can sit at home and hunt POTA activators and earn awards you didn’t even know existed. That’s right! There are awards you can earn, just by making contact with activators (ham radio operators who go to recognized State or National Parks or trails and operate from there). The Parks On The Air website, https://pota.app lists these locations and provide locator pins to show roughly where they are.
If you want to activate a park, register on the POTA website and read through the rules and documentation. Then add an activation (let folks know when/where you’re going to be and when). When you get setup in the park, spot yourself, or if you don’t have cell coverage, ask the first contact to spot you so hunters will know you’re active and where to find you. Activators are responsible for maintaining and submitting their logs to POTA for credit.
If you want to hunt a POTA activator, check the website for the most current activiations. You can filter by band, mode, location, etc. Spin the dial and good luck!
Hunters do not need to submit anything to POTA. They do not even need to log the contacts, unless that is your normal process. Personally, I log ALL contacts. The activator handles turning in the logs to POTA. You get credit based on their submitted logs. You too can register on the POTA website and receive awards, just by being a hunter.
Since there are so many locations in the US and abroad, the opportunities are endless.
So, go activate a park! Let your kids, family, friends join you and try their hand at it (using your callsign, under your control). One person can call CQ and another can log. Depending on the band conditions, you could find yourself easily working a pile up. After so many contacts, have the person calling and the person logging switch positions. Have FUN! and Get On The Air!!!