A Quick Update from the UK
by Thomas (K4SWL/MM5SWL) I’ve received several emails asking how things are going here in the UK, so I thought...
Category: News
Pop-Up Thunderstorm Forces a Mid-Activation Change of Plans!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, I made my way to the Zebulon Vance Historic Birthplace (US-6856)...
EI3LH: An Irish Island IOTA Adventure!
Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: Boats, birding, classic cars, fountain...
Summer in the UK: Please Put These Callsigns in Your HamAlert!
by Thomas (K4SWL) I will be spending much of the summer in the United Kingdom, and I plan to...
HRWB Post-Hamvention: Borrowed Gear, Good Friends, and a Brilliant Activation
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, May 18, 2026, I was still in Dayton, Ohio following Hamvention. I was there...
W7LDT: A Wyoming POTA Six-Fer!
by Larry (W7LDT) Background I have been a ham for over 26 years. Nothing has boosted my ham radio...
Help Ian (EI3LH) Activate Two Rare Irish POTA Islands VHF/UHF on Sunday
by Thomas (K4SWL) QRPer contributor Ian (EI3LH) will be attempting an ambitious island activation this Sunday (June 14, 2026),...
Three Bikes & Three Hams: Playing Hooky from Hamvention!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On May 17, 2026, Eric (WD8RIF), Len (W8VQ), and I decided to play hooky from Hamvention...
EI3LH: Sweets For My Sweet, POTA for My Honey!
Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: Pouring Some Sugar On GB-3235,...
From NPOTA to POTA: En Route to Dayton and Making New Friends from Down Under
by Thomas (K4SWL) Picking up where I left off after the last field report, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026,...
Tippecanoe and POTA Too (or, A Tale Of Two Activations)
by Paul (WD9GCO) Hi. I’m new around here. My name is Paul, and I’m a POTAholic. This...
Ten Years Later! A Three-Fer at Tar Hollow with Eric (WD8RIF)
by Thomas (K4SWL) On the morning of Wednesday, May 13, 2026, I was in Athens, Ohio, at the QTH...
Don’t Worry… You’re Doing Fine
by Thomas (K4SWL) As you might imagine, I’m at the receiving end of a lot of emails and messages...
Lake Alma State Park by Brompton: A Hamvention Week Warm-Up POTA Activation With Friends
by Thomas (K4SWL) Tuesday, May 12, 2026, was a long but wonderful day—and the perfect prelude to a week...
EI3LH: Sibling CW POTA Rivalry!
Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: Two Elecraft Siblings Fight...
BOGO Sale on the Bioenno 12V 3Ah LiFePO4 Battery Pack
Many thanks to Bob (WB4SON), who notes that Bioenno has a BOGO (buy one, get one free) sale on...
Morning POTA: Just Enough Radio Before a Road Trip!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On the morning of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, I had my bags packed and ready to...
Robbed by UTC Day at Kozai Nishichiku Kowan Ryokuchi (JP-2046)
by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) I was robbed! But I will tell you about that in a bit! Tuesday, May 19,...
Morning POTA: Taking the Argonaut VI Out for Fresh Air
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, May 1, 2026, my wife and I had plans to spend part of the...
WD8RIF’s 2026 FDIM and Hamvention Photos
Every year, Eric (WD8RIF) and I make the drive to Dayton Hamvention together and, as you’ll see in a...
Looking Back at FDIM and Hamvention 2026
by Thomas (K4SWL) It just so happens that two of the biggest and most meaningful gatherings in our amateur...
Appalachian Trail Magic and a Trailside POTA Activation!
by Thomas (K4SWL) In March, our friend Emily set out on an incredible six-month adventure: thru-hiking the entire Appalachian...
A Jury-Rigged Antenna Saves the Activation at Kinrin Park (JP-1653)
by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) The weather is getting more summer-like here in Takamatsu. That means hot and humid and rain...
Elecraft Introduces the New AX4 Portable Antenna & BL3 Balun
Elecraft has just introduced two new products that will likely attract the attention of many POTA activators and portable...
Back to Ritsurin Park for a Successful Activation!
by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) I reported on my fun non-activation of a non-POTA park the other day. My success rate...