Parks on the Air Parks on the Air - now in England This scheme started out from an ARRL event to activate all the National Parks in the USA, during a year. So many Radio Amateurs became involved that following the year there was a high level of interest in working from National Parks. As a result Parks on the Air was born. In some ways it is similar very to SOTA (summits on the Air), with parks being a lot more accessible, and with Parks on the Air (POTA) you can, I understand, work from a motor vehicle. POTAs main website is at https://parksontheair.com/ everything you might expect is there, however there is currently very little information on what is happening from a point of view of England, this I am sure will be resolved by Andy 2E0UAW who is the English Administrator. Scotland and Wales being separate, so there are at least a couple of Job opportunities. As with SOTA you have activators and chasers (hunters in POTA terms), you are required to make at least 10 QSOs in any mode you like, however as you would expect you can not use a land based repeater, however, you can make contact via a satellite (this could be useful if you park you are operating is down in a valley). You can’t just operate any old park it has to be on the POTA database, and this in England mainly applies to National Parks, Country Parks, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) like the Lincolnshire wolds for example. The English Location details can be found at https://stats.parksontheair.com/reports/park-info-select.php?entity=England Parks on the Air, as you would expect has a facebook site and there is some activity on twitter, surprisingly they also use slack and once you have registered on the POTA site you can get details on how to join the slack channels. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/august/parks-on-the-air.htm
Not seen any links I have seen although it does not bother me as much as the very old hams, being only 75 the flag of Great Britain is being flown with what the landed gentry call Disrespect against the Crown, or when flown this way a signal of distress To deliberately fly the flag incorrectly is I think still classed as a crime Any one else see that
Parks on the air, windmills on the air, flora and fauna, and endless special (non) events. What's next: brothels on the air? Is this what ham radio has come to? I guess, yes. All these silly non-events represent the inability of many contemporary hams to engage in what hamming was meant to be: rag-chewing and making friends via radio. I see little of this in "5-9-good luck-qrz". What a waste of time and electricity. 73, Bob HB9ASQ
PS, lets not forget IOTA.... NA-026 "ISLANDS ON THE AIR" over here in Long Island, New York, USA Bottom line OM: Comes down to "different strokes for different folks" ---- (and the saying goes) "5/9, thank you very much, good luck in the contest, QRZ!!!!!!!"
If you don't like it then don't participate. It beats sitting at your mic discussing your latest ailment or surgery...
yes i have heard that too, true that... I may activate BJs or Costco........... LOLOLOL HAHA.... toooo funny!!!!!!! tnx steve.......... another PS, oops, i forgot LOTA = Lighthouses On The Air - is going International/Global now.......... (gotta love it) (Montauk Lighthouse, LI, NY, USA) Que music ---- "and the beat goes on" sonny&cher
i agree with some of the guys above in that they make up a contest for everything one can think of. few hams anymore know how rag chew. i think contest are nonesense anyway.i don’t need somebody to validate what coutries or areas i have contacted.if i need to do that for someone i can show them my logbook.as for qso,the problem is with the poor band conditions now these big contest jam them up and you find a parking place.these contests have gotten out of hand both in number and content.73’s doug ka3nbs
Really? If you can point out to me where "what hamming is meant to be" has been decreed, I would be interested to see it. I have my own views, but I don't treat them as universal law.