Testing New KM4CFT KX1 Paddles and a Compact Stash Pack Kit at Umstead
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, March 14, 2026, our family planned to spend the afternoon in Durham, North Carolina—walking...
Category: POTA
KI5OEB: My Third Outing with the Xiegu G90
by James (KI5OEB) This is the account of the third time out using the Xiegu G90 to hunt and...
Mark Activates Kimbuchi Forest Prefectural Park
by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) One of the things that we have to do every time we come back to Japan...
QRP DX?! Testing the “Just OK Mini” Antenna with Just One Watt
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, February 25, 2025, I had a busy day ahead of me. Most of the...
POTA and SOTA: Why I still log to paper
by Thomas (K4SWL) Many thanks to Marc (KE2MT), who reached out on my YouTube channel with a question about...
A Simple Portable Vertical for 20M-15M
This is one of those antenna projects that started with: “I wonder if…” Designed with my Elecraft KH1 in...
A Short but Memorable POTA Activation at the Charlotte Hawkins Brown State Historic Site
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, I drove from Raleigh to the Greensboro area of North Carolina...
KV4AN: Winter POTA at Tishomingo State Park
By Steven Krumm (KV4AN) Tishomingo State Park (US-2552) is a Mississippi State Park in the foothills of the Appalachian...
Packing My EDC Haversack: A Quick KH1/AX3 POTA Activation at William B. Umstead State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, I left the condo around midday with my daughters and dropped...
W8TMI: POTA and SOTA Adventures in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
by Tim Johnson (W8TMI) It doesn’t take much to convince me to cross the Mackinac Bridge from Michigan’s Lower...
Forty Meter Fun by the River
While out in central Pennsylvania over the weekend visiting family, I headed out early on a chilly Saturday morning...
Coffee-Fueled 40-Meter Pileup Insanity: POTA with the Penntek TR-25 and a 40M EFHW
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, February 16, 2026, my wife and I were in Raleigh, NC, and that morning...
Second Edition of VHF, Summits, and More
Big news — I’m proud to announce that the Second Edition of my book VHF, Summits, and More is...
W8TMI: SOTA & POTA in the Bay Area with the Travel-Friendly Elecraft KH1
by Tim (W8TMI) I have been meaning to get to this write up for some time. Around Christmas 2024,...
A New Year’s Day Comedy of Errors POTA Activation on the Blue Ridge Parkway
by Thomas (K4SWL) Let’s do a little time travel back to New Year’s Day. I’m a bit behind in...
Oops! Operator Error!
I was out and about on a rainy and foggy Friday morning. Since I was in the vicinity, I...
N7CQR: Winter POTA Roving the Washington Coast and Puget Sound
Many thanks to Dan (N7CQR) who shares the following field report: Washington POTA Rove by Dan (N7CQR) After Thanksgiving...
KB2PIZ: Activating Jamaica Bay Wildlife State Wildlife Area (US-8082)
by Mark (KB2PIZ) The day started out as a normal, busy day with housework. Nothing special until my wife...
Coming Out of a Slump
I’ve been in a bit of a ham radio slump lately. It had been nearly three weeks since my...
Philip’s 2026 Field Radio Survey from the Facebook POTA group
Many thanks to Philip (KA4KOE) who writes: Tom As you recall, I held a survey on the official Facebook...
The Perfect Afternoon: Coffee, CW, and 0.1 Watts at William B. Umstead State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Friday, January 16, 2026, after a morning of running errands around Raleigh, my wife and...
Field Radio Kit Extras: What Do You Pack?
This morning, I was repacking my main field radio backpack and taking a close look at what I carry....
Does POTA’s Selection of U.S. Park Entities Shortchange Urban Hams?
Administrators Say They Will Not Include Local-Area Parks On a regular Saturday-morning Zoom meeting of hams a few months...
Does POTA’s Selection of U.S. Park Entities Shortchange Urban Hams?
Administrators Say They Will Not Include Local-Area Parks On a regular Saturday-morning Zoom meeting of hams a few months...
Checking Off a Bucket-List Park: Pedestrian Mobile at the North Carolina State Capitol!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Thursday, January 15, 2026, I finally set aside time to activate a park that had...