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...
Category: POTA
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...
KB2PIZ: Pairing the SGC 2020 and CHA LEFS 4010 at Fort Boggy State Park
by Mark (KB2PIZ) After the snowstorm on the 26th of January, my work took me up the road to...
Two Marks POTA at W. Goodrich Jones State Park!
by Mark (KB2PIZ) Every year, when I go to Houston for a conference, I manage to squeeze in an...
Heavy 40 Meter Morning Pileups from a Quiet North Carolina State Forest
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday morning, January 14, I decided to squeeze in another Parks on the Air activation...
Pairing the KX2 & AX1 for a Quickie Activation at Falls Lake State Recreational Area
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, I was in Raleigh, North Carolina for the week, trying to...
Trying to Choose Between the Elecraft KH1 or Elecraft KX2? Here Are Some Questions You Should Ask Yourself.
By Thomas (K4SWL) One of the question I’m asked often by readers—especially those looking for a highly capable, do-it-all...
Keeping My CW Fist Warm
My old, arthritic fingers aren’t what they used to be, especially when sending CW in colder weather. I’ve tried...
KB2PIZ: Greenhalgh Trail BLM — A Lightly Activated POTA Site
by Mark (KB2PIZ) After finishing one of the most amazing, serendipitous activations in Jerome State Historical Park, our journey...
A Snapshot of U.S. POTA Sites, Activators, and Activations
We often read that POTA is the “fastest-growing activity in U.S. amateur radio.” I’ve said it, too. Several times....
Hidden Woodsmen M55 Haversack & FT-818 Field Kit Test: POTA at William B. Umstead State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) Earlier this month, my wife and I dropped our daughters off at their universities to start...
KI5OEB: Two POTA Activations with the Xiegu G90
by James (KI5OEB) It has been a few months since I have written about my adventures. I acquired a...
A Coastal Finale: Pedestrian Mobile POTA at Fort Fisher State Historic Site!
by Thomas (K4SWL) You might recall that during my recent field reports, I was on the coast of North...