I would like to properly log pota contacts, plus this can also apply to mobile contacts. when, from my QTH, i have a POTA QSO, the POTA station is often out of their state, QTH, and grid square. Is there any way that I can properly log the contact so that it will actually show the POTA activator their location and grid?
Each park has a K-#### go to the POTA map and search for that Park number. Here's an example of Park K-1755 Don Robertson Park in MO https://pota.app/#/park/K-1755
How can a hunter use that info when logging a QSO? It should be up to the activator to log using POTA state, grid etc.
Some people keep track of the park numbers they work, some logging programs track them (ACLog by N3FPJ does). If the park activator uploads logs to LoTW it is easy to make a new location for each park and that will have the state, county and 6 digit grid square. Glenn AE0Q
From ParksOnTheAir.com, click POTA SPOTS. That will launch pota.app. This will show every activation that has been spotted at that time. You can filter by mode and band, among others. For each displayed activation, you can click a link that will give you complete information about the park, including grid square. I use pota.app to go directly to an activation. On scratch paper, I write down the call and the park reference. Then I attempt a contact. If I'm successful, I write the information in my paper log. If, after several calls from my modest station, I have not made a contact, I go to the next activation. The reason I write the call and park reference on scratch paper is that the pota.app refreshes every 15 seconds, so the station I'm attempting to work usually scrolls off the screen. I'm in the process of learning ADIF Master, so that I can enter my paper logs and submit them to LoTW, etc. ADIF Master does not offer Pota-specific fields, so those will have to added manually.
I find using the HAMRS app with the POTA Spots tab, eliminates the need for the scratch paper. Clicking "copy" on a spot will load park, mode, band, freq, and grid automatically. I use HAMRS for all of my POTA logging. Here is an example of a copied spot populated into the log...
