This is a really helpful, encouraging and upbeat video about how us hams, new to POTA can save a boatload of headaches! I always seeing authentic JOY for our hobby which truly conveys a spirit of adventure!! Jim, KB4IUD
Another good video, Matt. I activated my first park this week. I am a noob and have only a handful of HF qso’s. Someone was activating in my area (in north Texas) at a park by a lake and he invited me to meet him in the morning. It turns out that he is working on his 3rd kilo. I had a blast. We made 25 contacts in 20 minutes. It was all on 20meters. 40meters was noisy (electrical poles were suspected). Next time I will have to worry about setting up my own equipment and antennas. I first started following you on your Ham Hotline videos. I grew up in northern Minnesota and we were just up on the Iron Range during Christmas. Thanks for the video! All the best, 73 de KI5HXM
@@K0LWC haha, kind of cold in the north to be sitting on a picnic table during the winter. Haha. I think POTA is very much in my future. Sometimes it looks more fun that it really is, but that wasn’t the case with POTA. On a side note, we in rural Texas are finally getting real internet (200/200 on fiber) and so I can entertain getting a SIP phone for Ham Hotline (if that is the correct term). I think it is cool to combine SIP, Radio, and Asterisk all of which are familiar to me from past work experience. All the best, 73 de KI5HXM
You’d want to be on different bands and have a bit of space between the antennas - or have RF filters that attenuate nearby signals from other frequencies.
I have done FT8/FT4, and SSB all at once on a couple activations, most times, my first activation for the day is usually FT8/FT4 and working Satellites at the same time. 73 de N2NWK
This is a really helpful, encouraging and upbeat video about how us hams, new to POTA can save a boatload of headaches! I always seeing authentic JOY for our hobby which truly conveys a spirit of adventure!! Jim, KB4IUD
Another good video, Matt. I activated my first park this week. I am a noob and have only a handful of HF qso’s. Someone was activating in my area (in north Texas) at a park by a lake and he invited me to meet him in the morning. It turns out that he is working on his 3rd kilo. I had a blast. We made 25 contacts in 20 minutes. It was all on 20meters. 40meters was noisy (electrical poles were suspected). Next time I will have to worry about setting up my own equipment and antennas. I first started following you on your Ham Hotline videos. I grew up in northern Minnesota and we were just up on the Iron Range during Christmas. Thanks for the video! All the best, 73 de KI5HXM
That's awesome you're getting out and activating for POTA. It's a lot of fun to do -- just not so much for us here in the Winter time. :)
@@K0LWC haha, kind of cold in the north to be sitting on a picnic table during the winter. Haha. I think POTA is very much in my future. Sometimes it looks more fun that it really is, but that wasn’t the case with POTA. On a side note, we in rural Texas are finally getting real internet (200/200 on fiber) and so I can entertain getting a SIP phone for Ham Hotline (if that is the correct term). I think it is cool to combine SIP, Radio, and Asterisk all of which are familiar to me from past work experience. All the best, 73 de KI5HXM
Very helpful! I’m in Minnesota too, Dale. What parks in MN are you usually at? Also, which park in the Cities has the highest elevation? Thanks!
Enjoying the hunt, gives me a great reason to get on the air. (mic Shy) ..
I'm from Maple Grove MN now living in N Cali also think I worked you Sir on FT8 awhile back K9JFO DE 73
Please talk about logs and the ADIF editors!!
What is the purpose of going to multiple parks in a day/weekend?
There is an award for that I believe.
Is it ok to have more than one ham set up in a park? Any RF interference with that?
You’d want to be on different bands and have a bit of space between the antennas - or have RF filters that attenuate nearby signals from other frequencies.
I have done FT8/FT4, and SSB all at once on a couple activations, most times, my first activation for the day is usually FT8/FT4 and working Satellites at the same time.
73 de N2NWK
What’s an activation
Setting up in a park and transmitting from it is considered an activation.
Do Wildlife Management Areas and State Forests count as “parks?”
Only parks on POTAs directory count. Usually State Forests are included, but check the POTA website map to be sure.