In Pursuit of a Kilo
Yeah, I know. That title sounds bad. What I’m talking about is finally making one thousand contacts at French...
Category: QRP
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...
Crowded Day in the Park
I tend to avoid activating my local parks on weekends. In this area, parks can get pretty busy in...
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,...
A Soggy Memorial Day Activation
The weather has really put a damper on this holiday weekend. Today was no exception. Nevertheless, I had a...
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...
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...
Got It Made in the Shade
We’re in the middle of our first heatwave of the year here in southeastern Pennsylvania. This isn’t my favorite...
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...
Persistance is Futile (Sometimes)
Yesterday was the perfect day to be out operating in a park, so I headed over to Valley Forge...
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...
Heading to Dayton Hamvention and Four Days in May!
Good morning, QRPers! As you’re reading this post, Tuesday morning, I’m already on the road heading to Dayton Hamvention...
Roadside POTA Twofer: Testing DB4REB’s KH1 Angled Pressure Paddles!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, I visited my buddy Vlado in South Asheville and, on the...
QRP in the Spirit of POTA at Marugame Castle
by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) Golden week in Japan is a 5 or so-day stretch of holidays to give the hard-working...
Testing DB4REB’s Clever KH1 Accessories on the Blue Ridge Parkway
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, April 6, 2026, my wife was meeting some friends at a café in Black...
VHF/UHF Lift and a First CW SOTA: EI3LH’s Marconi Day Milestones
Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: Marconi Day: A Day of...
POTA with Friends: Zach’s First CW Activation, New Gear, and Tough Bands!
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Friday, April 10, 2026, my friends Zach (AI4ZD) and his daughter Maggie (KR4FTN) were in...
K3ES: Activating the Allegheny National Wild & Scenic River
by Brian (K3ES) If I had Looked, I would not have Tried! I was puttering around the house on...
Johnston Mill State Nature Preserve (US-3859) – A Pedestrian Mobile Slog with a Surprise Finish!
by Thomas (K4SWL) Yesterday—Friday, May 1, 2026—my wife and I had a full day in the Raleigh–Durham area of...
Visitors, Geese, and a Busted Activation
This was supposed to be a post about how I made a bazillion POTA/WWFF contacts in an hour. Yeah,...