The Explosive Growth of Parks On The Air: Meet the Founder W3AAX

What you might find even more interesting is the mere mention of WWFF, KFF or any reference to anything with FF will earn you a very terse and pointed message from POTA reminding you that continuing to mention either of those programs will earn you expulsion from POTA.

 

That sounds like it would be a great subject of an interview.

 

That's true. And here in Australia we also have VKFF which is very popular.

My look at WWFF.

 

POTA is great way to connect with other Hams, and it elevates the hobby to a new level, the video is informative, and worth watching.W6FRD.

 

Hi Dave, I don't want to answer for POTA but I'll do my best from what I've understood. POTA has focused only on National and State parks as a criteria to narrow their early operational focus. It also is my understanding that there is a moratorium on adding any new US parks while they focus on (1.) "cleaning up" the data on their existing recognized US parks and (2.) move aggressively to expand worldwide. It's my sense that there will be a time when POTA will recognize additional US parks but, with their volunteer structure and current goals, that time is not now. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will step in with a better answer! Thanks for watching the video and posing the question.

 

Hi Fernando, Thanks for watching the video interview. I appreciate your comments.

 

Hi John, Thanks for watching and commenting. I'll look for you from future activations!

 

HI John, thanks for your comments and thanks for hunting! I'm intrigued by your QRZ page....UK Amateur Radio Station of the Air Ambulance. Looks like an interesting story there!

 

yes it is a very interesting story

 

Great interview Jason well said. Keep it going pota for life

 

Thanks for watching, Luis. I'm also impressed with your 298 activations to-date! Well done.

 

I'm for anything that gets folks into the great outdoors. Combining ham radio with outdoor activities is a real plus. Have cut back on my almost daily hikes but still spend 4 or 5 weeks camping each season and radio is a daily part of that activity.

Would be curious to know how much of the popularity of outdoor operating is the result of antenna restrictions at the operator's home QTH?

 

POTA has been outstanding for ham radio! As a result of this program alone, here are my un-scientific observations all of which have had a positive impact on ham radio:

1. A renewed interest in CW. Several times a week on the POTA Facebook page there are people asking about the best way to learn CW. In addition to this, I (as a phone / CW activator) have personally seen a big increase in CW activity. No, CW isn't dying like some pessimists decry, its growing quite rapidly and well in the POTA world.

2. Has redirected our thinking away from the comfort of our shacks in our homes to developing a "shack" at a park. Which gives rise to many go-boxes and portable antennas being built. This in turn naturally develops emergency and often times off-grid power systems.

3. Greatly increased usage of our valuable bands - remember what the old adage says? "Use it or loose it". Well they are definitely being used now!

So that is all I can think of so early in the morning with not enough coffee in me.

73's and POTA on!!

 

I camp 5-7 times a year, mostly in the winter, and always take my KX2 and an HT. Some of those trips include SOTA or POTA, other times the radio is just a thing to do while sitting around the campfire.

Antenna restrictions and general RF pollution at home certainly don't encourage me to operate here, but I'd still be more interested in portable ops than sitting at home even if I could erect the perfect station and have an S0 noise floor. Designing, building, and deploying a station is the fun part. The contacts just validate my work. SOTA and POTA simply fit into my lifestyle and other hobbies. I've lost count of the number of SOTA/POTA sites that I've been visiting for years in the pursuit of other activities.

I think portable operations will ultimately make better radio operators because they'll have to resolve issues on the fly regularly that might only happen once or twice to a shack-bound ham.

Chris

 

I like what you said and I should add that the WWFF activity also echos it. Being 100% CW I have also noticed an increase in the CW activity in both programs. I often visit the POTA CW page and encourage / mentor the newer operators in the art of CW. WWFF has a lot of CW activity. Several of us can be found hunting the VKFF (Australian) park activators. There is a huge amount of WWFF activity on 10, 12, 17 and 20 meters now that the solar cycle is picking up. When I activate it is not uncommon to have a pile up of European WWFF park hunters. Yes, CW is very much alive and well within both, POTA and WWFF.