Parks on the Air (POTA): A Guide to Portable Radio Adventure

Parks on the Air, POTA is growing in popularity and enables people to get outside their radio shacks and operate from a portable location: it provides a framework to encourage more portable amateur radio operation.

What is Amateur Radio includes:
What is Amateur Radio HF DXing Portable operation Operating POTA Building your equipment

Within amateur radio, there is a distinct thrill that comes from leaving the comfort of a home station and heading into the wild.

While the hobby has always had a "portable" component, nothing has revolutionized it quite like movements like Parks on the Air, POTA (and also Summits on the Air, SOTA).

Since its explosion in popularity, POTA has transformed from a niche activity into a global phenomenon that connects nature lovers with technology. It is a program that rewards exploration, technical ingenuity, and—most importantly—the simple joy of making a radio contact from a beautiful location. Whether you are a "Hunter" looking for rare parks from your living room or an "Activator" setting up an antenna in a national forest, POTA offers something for every radio amateur.

What is POTA?

The Parks on the Air activity is overseen by a non-profit organization that facilitates a continuous, "on-air" event where amateur radio operators set up temporary stations in designated public lands.

These include national parks, state parks, wildlife preserves, and even some historical trails.

The program is built on two primary roles:

Activators: These are the radio operators who pack up their gear, travel to a registered park, and set up a station. Their goal is to make at least **10 successful contacts (QSOs)** to "validate" the park for the day.
Hunters: These are operators (who can be anywhere—home, mobile, or even another park) who try to contact the Activator.

What makes POTA unique is its inclusivity. Unlike traditional "contesting," POTA is not a high-pressure race. It is a community-driven activity where the "Golden Rule" applies: be helpful, be polite, and have fun.

Getting Started: The Rules of the Game

POTA has a few straightforward rules that ensure the program remains fair and environmentally conscious.

Location Matters: To activate a park, both the operator and all of their equipment (radio, battery, antenna) must be within the legal boundary of the designated park.
The 10 QSO Threshold: To get credit for a "Successful Activation," you must log 10 contacts during a single UTC day. If you don't reach 10, you still get credit for the contacts, but the "Activation" award for that park won't trigger.
Public Access: You must stay on public property. Trespassing on private land to reach a park boundary is a strict no-go.
No Repeater Usage: All contacts must be "simplex" or via satellite. Using local FM repeaters does not count toward POTA credit, as the program emphasizes the skill of point-to-point communication.

Essential Gear for a POTA Activation

One of the beauties of POTA is that you don’t need a specialized "portable" radio to start. If you can power your home rig with a battery and get an antenna into a tree, you’re ready.

However, most seasoned activators lean toward specific types of gear.

• 1. The Radio (The Rig)

The transmitter receiver / transceiver is in many ways the focus of any radio station. There are many radios, both commercially made and also home built that can be used.

QRP Radios (Low Power): Radios like the **Icom IC-705** or the Elecraft KX2 are favorites because they are tiny and sip battery power. But don't forget you can built your own CW rigs very easily, and there are also some good portable rigs from the Chinese manufacturers.
100W Portable Radios: The Yaesu FT-891 is arguably the "King of POTA." It provides the power of a base station in a chassis small enough to fit in a backpack, helping you punch through noise when propagation is tough. But there are many other types including those from major manufacturers and many of the up and coming Chinese manufacturers including Xiegu.

• 2. The Power Source

Modern LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries have changed the game. They are roughly 1/3 the weight of traditional lead-acid batteries and maintain a steady voltage until they are nearly empty. A 10Ah to 20Ah battery is usually plenty for a full afternoon of 100W operating.

• 3. The Antenna

In POTA and in fact any portable operation, the antenna is crucial to success. There are a few options that can be considered for this:

End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW): Extremely popular because it only requires one support (like a tree limb) and is very easy to deploy.
Vertical Whips For parks with no trees (or "beach activations"), a telescopic vertical can be an excellent choice. There are several types that offer excellent performance, but can be easily carried in a compact format.

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Step-by-Step: Your First Activation

When planning any portable activity beyond just taking a handheld somewhere, its worth spending a little time preparing, so you don't forget anything.

Phase 1: Planning

Check the POTA.app** website to find a suitable park - possibly one near by. Look for the park’s unique designator (e.g., K-1234 in the USA or G-0056 in the UK, etc).

It is then best to check the "Scheduled Activations" page to see if anyone else is already there, though multiple people can activate the same park simultaneously!

Phase 2: Setting Up

Once at the park, find a spot that is safe and doesn't interfere with other park users - consider noise, and also what might be thought of as unsightly antennas.

Deploy your antenna, connect your battery, and tune your radio.

Pro Tip: Always check your SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) before you start transmitting to ensure your antenna is tuned and you won't damage your radio.

Phase 3: The Activation

It is always best to follow best procedure, for example, find a clear frequency and askif the frequency in use. If clear then it's full speed ahead.

Put out a CQ call, possibly of the format: "CQ Parks on the Air, CQ POTA, this is [Your Call Sign] activating K-1234. Standing by."

Once you get a response, the exchange is simple. You just need their Call Sign and a Signal Report.

Most POTA operators will also give their State or Province, or possibly their location to give a quick idea of where they are located.

Phase 4: Logging and Uploading

Logging is crucial. Many use apps like HAMRS, which is designed specifically for POTA and automatically fills in park details.

After your trip, you export an ADIF file and upload it to the POTA website. As an activator, your upload gives credit to every Hunter you spoke to—you are the "record of truth" for those contacts!