Don't forget to wear POTA orange. Here is a good example why: https://youtu.be/yezliT__xvk
#pota
I made a #HamRadio antenna that I really like, and wanted to share the design and process so others can do it too. It's a carefully-tuned linked dipole that is light and has served me well for #POTA activations. It's now in its second iteration and so far I'm very happy with it.
I haven't seen many antennas that use bullet/banana plugs for links, and I haven't seen any that use heat shrink and cord to create unstressed link points that wrap nicely. Someone must have done it, but I haven't seen it yet. This avoids the mess of alligator clips, and it's so tidy that I can cover all the bands from 6m to 40m without any mess stowing or deploying it.
- I use it for QRP, but it will support 100W "barefoot" because it's resonant.
- I tuned mine for CW, but you can tune it for near the top of each band, and add little stubs to extend it down to lower parts of that band to work lower parts of the phone space or all the way down to CW.
- I've added options for different (or no) choke and different connectors.
The coldest winter I ever spent in San Francisco
After many months of practicing I did my first ever CW POTA activation today at US-1352. 16 contacts in about 30 minutes and only one busted call (now fixed). Thanks to all the #pota hunters for patiently working me!
Here's this weekend's radio haul! Got 37 SSB contacts! I'm so happy with not having to touch digital. It's always so much more fun this way. Digital is great for when the bands are meh, but I always prefer voice.
#hamRadio #amateurRadio #SSB #10m #10meter #10meters #12m #12meter #12meters #POTA
Love my truSDX! now I need to find some POTA time.. Noghtshift schedule has me trapped into sleeping thru the days, guess ill need to aim for 40 & 80M at night. #truSDX #POTA #AMATEURRADIO #HRO #HAMRADIO
I've been out doing some POTA this weekend using a KN4YB bug, and also a WB9CYY bug emulator. Its been fun, and it is doable. But I can't help but feel that POTA needs good clean code, and I need a lot more practise in the field to feel happy with what I'm sending. As always, more practise required.
I packed for #POTA before heading out to do the weekly grocery shopping, even though it was only 40°F / 4.5°C with low clouds. I decided it was too cold to sit in the helinox chair without insulation, so I drove past US-3867 and went to US-2755 Umstead State Park instead, where I could sit at a picnic table. I took a floor mat out of my car to sit on. As it was, it was cold enough that I couldn't feel my fingers well and was shivering, so I apologize to everyone who had to put up with my shaky fist.
I used both my new improved linked inverted-V dipole and my new POTA33H mast for the first time. I hoisted the winder and leaned the mast against a branch, then pulled the legs out with the links set for 20m, and tied them to other nearby trees. No guy lines needed.
I warmed up by hunting 7 P2P QSOs, then started calling CQ. The pileups were some of the deepest I've had. I only once pulled a call sign out of the pileup on the first listening. I did have the problem where folks called back whose prefixes I hadn't asked for. (Pretty sure I've heard what I was listening for but not what was actually sent and accidentally done that to others plenty often.) I had one QSO where two people responded in every over, but their fists were different enough that I could pull the one whose call sign I had actually sent. I guess I'll find out who gives me credit but isn't in my log... 😀
I did respond to a SOTA op by accident when I was trying to work POTA, so I guess I need to sign up for SOTA too and upload a log!
The power of 5W CW continues to amaze me.
After a while, I was just done with the cold, for which I had not adequately prepared. I still had a deep pileup waiting but just had to call QRT.
Heute war ich zusammen mit Menschen vom LA1K Club in Trondheim auf dem #SOTA Gipfel LA/ST-174 mit Skiern und Schneeschuhen. Die Bedingungen auf 20m waren echt super, so dass es Pileup gab. Leider gab es auch etwas QRM und es war etwas windig und kalt. Wir haben es ca 1,5 Stunden ausgehalten, bevor wir mit dem letzten Sonnenlicht um 14:30 wieder runter sind. Es wurden zusammen ca. 30 Kontakte über ganz Europa verteilt. Einige waren mit den #draussenfunker.
Uploaded video for the Smallest National Park Historic Site activation. #POTA #CW #MorseCode #AmateurRadio
I just activated Smallest National Park Historic Site US-11837. Log upload soon. #cw #qrp @lnrprecision #MTR3B #POTA #WWFF
Another sub freezing #hamradio #amateurradio #cw #morsecode #qrpradio #hw8 #pota #parksontheair activation
Ich war heute trotz Schietwetter mit dem FT-891 draußen unterwegs und habe eine #POTA Aktivierung gemacht. Jetzt liegt mein ganzes Zeug zum Trocknen ausgebreitet hier auf dem Fussboden. 🤭
Today (Saturday) 10:00 to probably 14:00 UTC is the annual decentralized #draussenfunker Glühwein-#pota event in multiple parks all across Germany. Groups from the community meet up in parks for joint POTA activations, mulled wine, seasonal snacks and conversations.
In #Hamburg we are meeting in #DE0262 Hammer-Park.
If you ever want to experience a reverse pileup, try to reach us on 20m or 40m SSB. Other bands/modes depending on conditions and mood.
More details at: https://draussenfunker.de/aktivitaeten/2025-12-06-Gluehweinpota.html
A Cold day doing doing #AmateurRadio #HamRAdio #MorseCode CW #POTA #parksontheair is BETTER than NO Day doing POTA Parks on the Air.
#SOTA JA/KN-032 was a tricky one! But I made it in the end. 10 QSOs to activate #POTA JP-1290 too! #hamradio
California QSO party results are out and I’m happy with my rankings for 2025. I was “Single Op Low power Mobile” and operated in a #pota park (Carrizo plain) the whole time. For single op POTA challenge I was ranked 2 of 16 and will receive this beanie. For San Luis Obispo county I was also ranked 2 of 6. For mobile stations I was 3 of 5. Full results over on cqp.org #HamRadio [raw scoring for the curious 272 CW, 84 PH, 50 mults for 49,200 points]
Crocheting a new pair of fingerless gloves for Winter #HamonaBike #AmateurRadio #HamRadio #MorseCode CW #POTA #parksontheair activations.
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