The best-laid plans *do* work out, after you pivot a few times
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!...
Category: SOTA
The best laid plans don’t always work out
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!...
VHF for Parks On The Air?
Parks On The Air (POTA) has exploded in popularity, with most of the activity on the HF bands. That...
The fourth try is the charm!
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!...
VA3EKR: Algonquin 2026 Trip — SOTA, POTA, and Field Day!
by Scott (VA3EKR) A three-day radio outing in the Algonquin area, June 26–28, 2026: three SOTA summit activations, ARRL...
A Tour and Review of my Savotta Niukka 20L Radio Backpack
This summer, my family and I are spending several weeks in the United Kingdom, and naturally, I’m fitting in...
Colorado QSO Party
Here is a Press Release concerning the Colorado QSO Party. Like it says below, this is our chance to...
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...
Operating W1AW/0 on Pikes Peak
In 2026, the ARRL is running a program to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States (America250). One...
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...
South Monarch Ridge Photo
In 2024, Joyce/K0JJW and I activated South Monarch Ridge (W0C/SP-058) on the Friday of the Colorado 14er & Mountaintop...
2026 Colorado 14er & Mountaintop Event
During the Colorado 14er & Mountaintop Event, amateur radio operators from around Colorado will be activating Summits On The...
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...
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...
NM3A: Schaefer Head – A Perfect SOTA Outing
by Dan (NM3A) April 22nd, 2026: The weather was perfect! Sunny, 65°F, a light breeze, low humidity, K index...
Why are my POTA & SOTA activations often so short?
I received the following question from a reader recently, and I thought it deserved a proper reply here—especially since...
“Up Here, a Ham Radio Hiking Vignette from Colorado”
Many thanks to Dean (K2JB) for sharing the following video featuring our friend Steve (WG0AT) on our local SOTA...
Three Types of VHF SOTA Contacts
When I talk about doing VHF SOTA activations, people often wonder about what kind of contacts to expect. VHF...
The N6ARA RetroRig! (And POTA Platinum!)
It’s April 1, 2026, and my friend Ara (N6ARA) has once again outdone himself. Click here to watch on...
SOTA on the Hill Where the Buffalo Roam
by Vince (VE6LK) As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn...
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...
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...
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,...
SOTA Challenge: CW/SSB on 2m & 70cm
The SOTA Management Team launched a special challenge for 2026: a distance-based scoring challenge using CW and SSB on...