Clint Sprott W9AV has operated a lot of ham radio since getting his ticket, and a Hallicrafters, while a teenager in the early 50's. Now in retirement, Clint is able to devote even more time to the hobby that led him to a career teaching and authoring books about plasma physics and chaos theory. He's hunted more parks, by a large margin, then any other Parks on the Air participant - a stunning 10833 unique parks. Clint also enjoys planning and executing successful ARRL Field Day operations as he is now doing with the newly imagined Parks on the Air Plaque Event (June 3-4 2023). Join our conversation to learn more about Clint, his specific plans to operate SO3R portable in the competitive POTA Plaque Event, and why he thinks it might someday overtake ARRL Field Day in popularity.
Fascinating, I have been hunted by Clint a few times doing POTA but I had no idea I was talking to a distinguished professor of physics!
Sure, a Parks On The Air (or WWFF) park activation is ALWAYS going to be more fun on the air than ARRL Field Day. It's exciting to have thousands of park hunters out there looking for you when there are only a hundred or so park activators on a weekend. Even fewer on a weekday. Compare that to Field Day with thousands of stations trying to work, well, thousands of other stations. You're not a desirable target any more. No one cares if they work you or the next guy up the band that's a little louder. But lots of people see Field Day as a chance to hang out with friends they may only see once a year, eat some good food, drink cold coffee, an excuse to stay up all night on the radio and get a bunch of mosquito bites. A POTA / WWFF activation for a few hours is a blast, but not the same thing Glenn AE0Q
Good to hear about the experience of a fellow Ham. I just did not find FT8 interesting to me, it was like watching paint dry, I would rather work .....C W mode and use the computer between my ears, silly me I am odd I guess
