I just started activating this year so its still a blast for me. I have several parks within 30 minutes drive from home. I am just having fun being outdoors and testing new equipment. 73 from KM3STU
That was me a year ago. Activation #1, some 400 later looking for new challenges. One of the reasons I co-activate WWFF now and look at ways to work Australia and not Kentucky :-)
POTA is getting very popular, with this comes undesirable users that take the fun out of it. There are days that a POTA activation borders on CB radio of the past. Wait for the activator to call CQ, say your call sign one time, and don’t jump on top of a QSO. These are a few things we can all do to keep it becoming chaotic and keep the fun in it. I believe activators can get burned out trying to juggle poor hunters. Stay safe.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s great to see fellow POTA enthusiasts advocating for a positive experience. Let’s all do our part to support our activators and foster a fun environment.
I'm not bored yet at all, and still like doing parks I've already done. Today, I'm doing a 2 hour drive going west and will be activating 5 parks clustered together that I've not done yet. You are definitely correct that finding new parks for me is now at a minimum of 2 hours of drive time. I've done all of them close by. I've been doing this a year now and I have over 200 activations and over 100 unique parks. Hopefully, the pure fun will be here a year from now!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It's inspiring to see your enthusiasm and dedication to activating so many parks. Here's to many more successful activations!
I'm not that familiar with the rules, but are city parks on the list of possible activations? Do they count? There are a lot of city parks that would definitely add to the totals.
@@marcinmichigan2772 Maybe they should be on the list then? That would keep the program going for awhile longer. I know Islands on the Air has this issue with hundreds of US islands not counting, making their program unnecessarily restrictive, so much so a US Islands Award was developed separate from IOTA. Sometimes we hams tend to be our own worst enemy.
POTA is a bureaucracy...you need to navigate it carefully. I see it every day in my local dealings. I don't know why they can't open it up wide to every park on public lands. Someone smarter than me has made that decision not too.
Thank you for sharing your journey! Family comes first, and I admire your commitment to caring for your parents. Looking forward to seeing you back in the POTA community when the time is right!
I think it happens when activating becomes a means to an end. In other words, when they activate to get the awards or numbers rather than activating because it's enjoyable to be outside and enjoyable to be on the air. There are also various external factors... work, family, health, etc.
My goal for 2025 is new parks that I can make a great video on and special events like the WWFF Winter Chill or Support Your Parks. No longer activating without a specific reason now.
Oh man that's a bummer of a thought... I upgraded to general specifically because of POTA. My first CQ on HF was POTA and the main reason (well one of the main reasons) I wanted to get into HF. I guess the main-main reason is I like to go to the national forests for solo overland-type-trips and thought radio might be something to do when I got there (and also a backup communications capability). I'm lucky in that I have 2 parks US-10635 and US-1189 that are only 25 minutes from the house so pretty easy to get to. I only started this last April so I’m fairly new and “early” into the program (and achievements/certificates). So there are more “milestones” I still have to achieve. I imagine if it was $100 in gas just to get to a park and back that could get old (and expensive). Honestly if I got bored with POTA then I probably wouldn’t even turn on a radio. My home is NOT a good RF environment for radio with the noise so I don’t even have a station setup. I just keep everything in my truck. You definitely brought up an interesting question and I hadn’t even considering “what if I get bored with this”. KN6YOJ
I just started in June of 2023, but still really enjoying POTA. I have done over 170 Activations in the year & 1/2. For me, to help keep my interest, I am always trying new things, new antennas, new ways to deploy the antenna, etc. I have a small TH-cam channel where I focus on Portable Ops, which adds to my interest. I have only Activated 10 parks, but that is OK, where I am not getting bored visiting the same parks. I am #1 at one park & #2 at another, along with being top 5 in a few others. That’s another challenge keeping my position at the park which helps keep me motivated. But most of all, just getting out with nature & trying my luck with just a radio, battery, antenna & coax is motivating to me. I find that I do better with POTA than in my home shack with better antennas & and amp. I’m not ready to quit yet!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's inspiring to see someone so dedicated to POTA. Your enthusiasm and innovative approach are sure to motivate others in the community. Keep up the fantastic work!
The biggest problem for me is POTA’s approach to parks. Any assistance from local authorities renders a park ineligible. Many state parks in Alabama are state-local partnerships so the parks around me will never be POTA parks. My proximity to state parks is limited to Florida and Georgia, which requires time off from work and driving (gas, etc as you mentioned). I mostly hunt as that’s the only real way for me to participate.
POTA need to loosen up and avoid the bureaucracy they claim doesn't exist, when it actually does. Why can't the park in my neighbourhood be a POTA park, what is stopping it. I don't get the restrictions on federal or provincial (state), doesn't make sense to me.
It’s easy for me to keep things fresh and new as I’m almost always activating new parks, or cool new places within a park. You hit the nail on the head, Stuart. Find ways to add variety. I’ll bet you end up spending some time away and then eventually come back to POTA on occasion. Just not at the frequency you do it now.
For me, it's just the time commitment. As I'm still a working-stiff, I have to fit activations in between the job, family, church, chores, etc. Usually, there isn't time for me to head out, and do multiple activations in a week. I'm lucky to do one every 2-3 months. Even then, I usually have to take time off of work to do it. Maybe when I retire, it might be different. But, I'm an infrequent activator.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s important to hear from those who juggle so many responsibilities. Your dedication to even fitting in those rare activations is truly inspiring!
I have plenty of parks, fuel is not a major issue, but the YF & I are well past 70. It's getting hard to feel up to it!. Saying this, I have invested into better mobile antennas, a couple of easily transported rigs, built magnetic loops for 80m through 6m and waiting on tyevwarmer WX to return . We run out of daylight here by 1715 local and have to break down & leave 30 minutes after sunset... Anne is WB1GVL, but seldom operates, but she enjoys rjding along. No problem there. I am trying to convince her to try FT4/FT8 to get around her hearing problems. IDK... The boredom issue is a big thing. Try more bands/modes/??? Maybe an SSTV activation? Satellite?? Lots of possibilities out there... 73, Keith, WB2VUO in Amherst, NY
@@donmurphy3916: Not really. I built them from a number of sources, TH-cam, magazine articles, blog posts. I should gather the sources up & save them in a folder. I'll try to get something together soon... de WB2VUO
Boredom and burn-out, I think. I'm a top activator for US-0016. I'm in that park almost every day, but only average about 1-2 activations per month. It's more accurate to say that I go through spurts where I activate several days a week and then nothing at all. Before I know it, it's been months since my last activation. I don't activate over contest weekends since I don't like crowds and my mobile signal is not great for "competing" for signals. I do try to combine several park activations into my Virginia QSO Party efforts since I'm already trying to make QSOs. I try to activate new parks if I travel. 👍
I definitely slow down anytime there's a bunch of yahoos out in the woods with rifles looking to shoot deer. Not the best time to be out in these places. There's also something about activating in winter, it's not the cold but I hate working with coax and the struggle to keep the connectors dry and free of moisture when there's snow on the ground. It also gets stiff after sitting out in the cold. Radials are just not fun to deal with in these conditions either. When it warms up, same deal- got my gold activator by activating the 30 closest parks to me and it's going to take a serious drive to go to a new place. I'll still get out but not as much as I once did. I got semi competent at CW and that breathed new life into my POTA as it got me out there doing a new skill but that novelty wore off eventually as well. Spare time and money aren't things I have in abundance. POTA would be fun in retirement, if that ever happens.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s always insightful to hear how others navigate the challenges of POTA. Your journey and tips will definitely inspire fellow activators!
@@KC1PSK Have fun...The RAC winter contest is Dec 28, and the WWFF Winter Chill is also this weekend. I will be out on the 29th since I will be contesting the 28th
It is certainly a valid set of reasons. The part of the lack of new parks to activate locally comes down to a finite amount of wild life areas, state parks, trails, etc that qualify for inclusion in the POTA program. It's the same for SOTA. If you still enjoy activating a park, there is no reason you can't use the same local park(s) regularly. I get that boredom can set doing the same thing over and over again. Perhaps it's time to take a break from activating parks and switch to hunting the activators.
If I have time to travel to a different POTA park I will do it. But for me if I have to travel somewhere for work or leisure I will always check and see if there is going to be a POTA park on the way or nearby I will stop. Quitting I don’t think so, I don’t have a shack at home all my ham radio activities are out in the field and it’s always exciting to me to get a cool DX contact that keeps me going! 73!!!
I’ve been doing POTA for a couple of years. I recently finished activating all Delaware parks (88). There are still some nearby parks in PA and ann to activate. There are still many more bands to activate on in parks near me. Overall, I enjoy being outdoors and in a park so i’m not quitting any time soon, though some recent surgery has slowed me down temporarily
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It’s inspiring to see your dedication to POTA and the outdoors. Wishing you a speedy recovery, and may your future activations be as successful as your Delaware adventure!
No new stations, especially in CW. There are about 200 active hunters and that's all. Way more people in SSB. So even though CW goes further there are less stations in CW portion of the bands. I am getting waaaay more DX stations in SSB for this reason. More DX, more contacts, more QSL for SSB contacts. See you in the contest! P.S. I am not going to quit POTA anytime soon as I don't have a station at home.
Your points are spot on. Hunters don’t mind if you go to a local park once in a while so we can say hi ! I hope to activate a few times next year. I want to test my portable setup. Hope to hear you.
I really appreciate your support! It’s encouraging to know that there are passionate activators like you out there. I hope your testing goes smoothly next year!
I've been doing activations since 2021 with 2023 being my most active. I've been running out of parks within a reasonable drive from me but recently some more references have been added in NM where I live. I have been using FT8 almost exclusively since 2022 so I cannot speak to the pileup burnout that you talked about. This year, because of time constraints and distances, I have had fewer activations. I don't think I would just quit doing POTA altogether, but my focus would change. I have recently bought a tiny QRP radio and I want to use my ebike to carry me and my gear to a closer reference for more activations. Maybe try some CW too. What has dropped more for me is my POTA hunting from home. Still loving my activation activity though. 73 de K5MGK
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It’s inspiring to see how you’re embracing new challenges and finding ways to keep the POTA spirit alive. Wishing you many successful activations ahead!
There are three things I see impacting POTA negatively right now: 1) Lack of growth in activatable parks. I get that in the states focusing on federal and state entities is a good start, but local jurisdictions may not play nice with these rules. For example, some cities/counties have 100/200/300+ acre parks (with camping) that are not included in the program. And, even with the rules today there are many preserves and other facilities not included. 2) Lack of local clubs using the program to regularly (sometime more than once a month) getting together. This is a great elmer opportunity, but old leadership fails to see benefit. 3) QRM or intentional jamming of activators. This is becoming a real problem where "old guys" use their 1500W to stomp out a 20W activator using their G90. This is societal issue and one that cannot be fixed here. Shoot, one of the parks I regularly activate becomes a problem because yahoos choose to park next to the one occupied picnic shelter and blast music limiting my ability to use SSB. I don't know if there is a solution, but I see why people slip away. For me, it tends to be an added activity, not the primary purpose for being at an activatable park. It may be hiking, picnicking, camping, or visiting the local museum, but rarely the primary purpose.
POTA is a bureaucracy....I agree lets open it up to all parks, why federal and provincial (states) parks only? Lets open it up and have fun. To avoid QRMers, I never ID with POTA, that name nevers comes out of my mouth when I am out at a park. I always use CQ DX or CQ the band I am on. I am just one of the other guys chasing DX and not doing POTA. POTA and WWFF are just tools for me to work more DX stations.
@@outnaboot Do the same sometimes. Find that I hunt while in a park more than calling CQ. Regarding parks, I do think there should be limits. For example, every neighborhood park with the purpose of hoops, baseball, or playground probably shouldn't be POTA sites. However, sites with historical significance or equating to a state/provincial/federal park should be included. Best example I can think of is a local park here that has the history and size. It's 350+ acres, sits next to a major university in the state capital, and interconnects with a semi-large greenway system. This park and greenway should be options for POTA activation. But, as they are county (greenway) and city (park) funded, they cannot be included.
Lives change, hobbies come-and-go, POTA shine diminishes, boredom, etc. If you truly enjoy POTA, the cost of fuel would generally not be the determining factor. I LOVE road cycling and I purchase a new $20K bike every 2 or 3 years. My wife would have to kill me in order to stop this insanity. If I loved POTA as much, I'd buy a new car every few years if I needed to. Thank you for your videos!
I made a concerted effort to do more activations this year. So far I have 60’ish for 2024. I am still under 100 total I think. However, I’m only out for an hour or so. 20 - 35 contacts (cw) is good enough for me. I only operate outside away from my truck because I feel like that aspect is pertinent to the program. I rarely look at my POTA page, so I have no idea what my stats look like. I don’t want it to turn into a sport/competition for me. I just want to have fun. So I keep it simple and fun. Who knows? Maybe someday I will get tired of it, but I feel like that might be a long time from now if ever.
Thank you for sharing your approach! It’s refreshing to see someone prioritize enjoyment over competition. Your mindset is inspiring for both new and experienced activators alike!
It's totally understandable why you would stop doing POTA. Being in Nova Scotia I get it. I don't get out portable very much, I won't go somewhere far away just to do an activation. I like to set up and do portable activations in close places just to get out sometimes. I like to do a couple places on the university campus I work on here in Halifax, and I have done a park here in town where I live in Windsor NS. I don't specifically do POTA yet just portable activations so I don't have to meet a "quota" 😉 If I make one or two contacts I'm happy having set up and listened around the band I set up for.
You guys in NS are better off than us in NB. The province still has small picnic area parks that are provincial. NB solds theirs off...dumb ass move if you ask me
I personally don’t plan on quitting POTA. Yes the gas prices are restricting my travel to local parks and I’m not going more than an hour out from home now. I’ll rotate between the parks on occasion now. If I’m heading somewhere for a reason, I’ll take my gear with me to notch up another new park to get it in the book.
I don't have time to activate with my work schedule especially during the winter so I mostly hunt. I'm also learning cw so I would like to activate a park with CW once I get more comfortable That said I think the net bullies discourage people to activate
Activating for the sake of activating to keep up with others expectation is just plain dumb. Also, I do my outings different and never have a problem with net bullies...why? Because I don't call CQ POTA, I am just a ham calling CQ CX and CA the band I am on. Thanks for a new video idea!
POTA is still fun, but they need to expand the gamut of parks that have POTA numbers.... We have several large city and county parks that are not in POTA and should be. Contesting in general outside of POTA I find boring after a while. We need to keep pioneering new and fresh things to do.
I agree...National and Provincial (state) parks is just stupid...open it up and lets have a lot more fun. But I am just a nobody with the POTA execs :-) POTA I think is a 501.c corporation in the US and have a level of bureaucracy to navigate through, such a shame...
I learned for myself if you go at something too hard and too often it gets boring. I go out from time to time but only for 40 or 50 contacts. As far as parks go there are 30+ parks with in less than hour so I'm lucky that way. But we also use the opportunity to hike, picnic etc. As for gas.. well that's an issue for many but again I mix it with other trips and ration it out! I really enjoy your videos, but once a week may be easier? Hang in there and ease back a little perhaps?
Thank you for sharing your experience! Weather can definitely be a huge factor. Your input is valuable and helps us understand the challenges faced by activators.
As a new operator, it looks boring to me but I haven't done it yet so maybe I'm wrong. Then again I don't do repetitive tasks very well without losing interest.
I’m not interested in organized competition or other jumping through hoops activities. I’d rather talk a little and burn solder a lot. Thinking about getting some old tube equipment and cleaning and repairing it .
I just started activating this year so its still a blast for me. I have several parks within 30 minutes drive from home. I am just having fun being outdoors and testing new equipment. 73 from KM3STU
That was me a year ago. Activation #1, some 400 later looking for new challenges. One of the reasons I co-activate WWFF now and look at ways to work Australia and not Kentucky :-)
POTA is getting very popular, with this comes undesirable users that take the fun out of it. There are days that a POTA activation borders on CB radio of the past. Wait for the activator to call CQ, say your call sign one time, and don’t jump on top of a QSO. These are a few things we can all do to keep it becoming chaotic and keep the fun in it. I believe activators can get burned out trying to juggle poor hunters. Stay safe.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s great to see fellow POTA enthusiasts advocating for a positive experience. Let’s all do our part to support our activators and foster a fun environment.
I'm not bored yet at all, and still like doing parks I've already done. Today, I'm doing a 2 hour drive going west and will be activating 5 parks clustered together that I've not done yet. You are definitely correct that finding new parks for me is now at a minimum of 2 hours of drive time. I've done all of them close by. I've been doing this a year now and I have over 200 activations and over 100 unique parks. Hopefully, the pure fun will be here a year from now!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It's inspiring to see your enthusiasm and dedication to activating so many parks. Here's to many more successful activations!
I'm not that familiar with the rules, but are city parks on the list of possible activations? Do they count? There are a lot of city parks that would definitely add to the totals.
no they are not on the list, they do not count
@@marcinmichigan2772 Maybe they should be on the list then? That would keep the program going for awhile longer. I know Islands on the Air has this issue with hundreds of US islands not counting, making their program unnecessarily restrictive, so much so a US Islands Award was developed separate from IOTA. Sometimes we hams tend to be our own worst enemy.
POTA is a bureaucracy...you need to navigate it carefully. I see it every day in my local dealings. I don't know why they can't open it up wide to every park on public lands. Someone smarter than me has made that decision not too.
Haven't quit - only started in '23, but I've had to pause for a while because we're both taking care of parents.
Thank you for sharing your journey! Family comes first, and I admire your commitment to caring for your parents. Looking forward to seeing you back in the POTA community when the time is right!
I think it happens when activating becomes a means to an end. In other words, when they activate to get the awards or numbers rather than activating because it's enjoyable to be outside and enjoyable to be on the air. There are also various external factors... work, family, health, etc.
My goal for 2025 is new parks that I can make a great video on and special events like the WWFF Winter Chill or Support Your Parks. No longer activating without a specific reason now.
Oh man that's a bummer of a thought... I upgraded to general specifically because of POTA. My first CQ on HF was POTA and the main reason (well one of the main reasons) I wanted to get into HF. I guess the main-main reason is I like to go to the national forests for solo overland-type-trips and thought radio might be something to do when I got there (and also a backup communications capability). I'm lucky in that I have 2 parks US-10635 and US-1189 that are only 25 minutes from the house so pretty easy to get to. I only started this last April so I’m fairly new and “early” into the program (and achievements/certificates). So there are more “milestones” I still have to achieve. I imagine if it was $100 in gas just to get to a park and back that could get old (and expensive). Honestly if I got bored with POTA then I probably wouldn’t even turn on a radio. My home is NOT a good RF environment for radio with the noise so I don’t even have a station setup. I just keep everything in my truck. You definitely brought up an interesting question and I hadn’t even considering “what if I get bored with this”. KN6YOJ
I just started in June of 2023, but still really enjoying POTA. I have done over 170 Activations in the year & 1/2. For me, to help keep my interest, I am always trying new things, new antennas, new ways to deploy the antenna, etc. I have a small TH-cam channel where I focus on Portable Ops, which adds to my interest. I have only Activated 10 parks, but that is OK, where I am not getting bored visiting the same parks. I am #1 at one park & #2 at another, along with being top 5 in a few others. That’s another challenge keeping my position at the park which helps keep me motivated. But most of all, just getting out with nature & trying my luck with just a radio, battery, antenna & coax is motivating to me. I find that I do better with POTA than in my home shack with better antennas & and amp. I’m not ready to quit yet!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It's inspiring to see someone so dedicated to POTA. Your enthusiasm and innovative approach are sure to motivate others in the community. Keep up the fantastic work!
The biggest problem for me is POTA’s approach to parks. Any assistance from local authorities renders a park ineligible. Many state parks in Alabama are state-local partnerships so the parks around me will never be POTA parks. My proximity to state parks is limited to Florida and Georgia, which requires time off from work and driving (gas, etc as you mentioned). I mostly hunt as that’s the only real way for me to participate.
POTA need to loosen up and avoid the bureaucracy they claim doesn't exist, when it actually does. Why can't the park in my neighbourhood be a POTA park, what is stopping it. I don't get the restrictions on federal or provincial (state), doesn't make sense to me.
It’s easy for me to keep things fresh and new as I’m almost always activating new parks, or cool new places within a park. You hit the nail on the head, Stuart. Find ways to add variety. I’ll bet you end up spending some time away and then eventually come back to POTA on occasion. Just not at the frequency you do it now.
@@TravelinHam that is for sure, 2025 will focus on new places and new things. DX still drives the passion for POTA. Always gotta keep it fresh.
For me, it's just the time commitment. As I'm still a working-stiff, I have to fit activations in between the job, family, church, chores, etc. Usually, there isn't time for me to head out, and do multiple activations in a week. I'm lucky to do one every 2-3 months. Even then, I usually have to take time off of work to do it. Maybe when I retire, it might be different. But, I'm an infrequent activator.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s important to hear from those who juggle so many responsibilities. Your dedication to even fitting in those rare activations is truly inspiring!
I have plenty of parks, fuel is not a major issue, but the YF & I are well past 70. It's getting hard to feel up to it!. Saying this, I have invested into better mobile antennas, a couple of easily transported rigs, built magnetic loops for 80m through 6m and waiting on tyevwarmer WX to return . We run out of daylight here by 1715 local and have to break down & leave 30 minutes after sunset...
Anne is WB1GVL, but seldom operates, but she enjoys rjding along. No problem there. I am trying to convince her to try FT4/FT8 to get around her hearing problems. IDK... The boredom issue is a big thing. Try more bands/modes/??? Maybe an SSTV activation? Satellite?? Lots of possibilities out there...
73, Keith, WB2VUO in Amherst, NY
We are also in our 70's and would like to know more about your Magnetic loops? Is there a link you can share?
@@donmurphy3916: Not really. I built them from a number of sources, TH-cam, magazine articles, blog posts. I should gather the sources up & save them in a folder. I'll try to get something together soon... de WB2VUO
Boredom and burn-out, I think. I'm a top activator for US-0016. I'm in that park almost every day, but only average about 1-2 activations per month. It's more accurate to say that I go through spurts where I activate several days a week and then nothing at all. Before I know it, it's been months since my last activation. I don't activate over contest weekends since I don't like crowds and my mobile signal is not great for "competing" for signals. I do try to combine several park activations into my Virginia QSO Party efforts since I'm already trying to make QSOs. I try to activate new parks if I travel. 👍
Thanks for sharing
I definitely slow down anytime there's a bunch of yahoos out in the woods with rifles looking to shoot deer. Not the best time to be out in these places. There's also something about activating in winter, it's not the cold but I hate working with coax and the struggle to keep the connectors dry and free of moisture when there's snow on the ground. It also gets stiff after sitting out in the cold. Radials are just not fun to deal with in these conditions either. When it warms up, same deal- got my gold activator by activating the 30 closest parks to me and it's going to take a serious drive to go to a new place. I'll still get out but not as much as I once did. I got semi competent at CW and that breathed new life into my POTA as it got me out there doing a new skill but that novelty wore off eventually as well. Spare time and money aren't things I have in abundance. POTA would be fun in retirement, if that ever happens.
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s always insightful to hear how others navigate the challenges of POTA. Your journey and tips will definitely inspire fellow activators!
I am lucky US-7544 a mile away from my house. I am still having fun. I do more FT8 activations lately though.
FT8 Rocks...but I love FT4 more since it is so much faster than FT8
@@outnaboot I will try it this weekend. :)
@@KC1PSK Have fun...The RAC winter contest is Dec 28, and the WWFF Winter Chill is also this weekend. I will be out on the 29th since I will be contesting the 28th
It is certainly a valid set of reasons. The part of the lack of new parks to activate locally comes down to a finite amount of wild life areas, state parks, trails, etc that qualify for inclusion in the POTA program. It's the same for SOTA. If you still enjoy activating a park, there is no reason you can't use the same local park(s) regularly. I get that boredom can set doing the same thing over and over again. Perhaps it's time to take a break from activating parks and switch to hunting the activators.
@@bwillan been doing that a lot myself and focusing on activating parks that I can video and tell a story around it.
If I have time to travel to a different POTA park I will do it. But for me if I have to travel somewhere for work or leisure I will always check and see if there is going to be a POTA park on the way or nearby I will stop. Quitting I don’t think so, I don’t have a shack at home all my ham radio activities are out in the field and it’s always exciting to me to get a cool DX contact that keeps me going! 73!!!
@@Ammed_KN6STX DX fuels the passion for sure
I’ve been doing POTA for a couple of years. I recently finished activating all Delaware parks (88).
There are still some nearby parks in PA and ann to activate.
There are still many more bands to activate on in parks near me.
Overall, I enjoy being outdoors and in a park so i’m not quitting any time soon, though some recent surgery has slowed me down temporarily
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It’s inspiring to see your dedication to POTA and the outdoors. Wishing you a speedy recovery, and may your future activations be as successful as your Delaware adventure!
No new stations, especially in CW. There are about 200 active hunters and that's all. Way more people in SSB. So even though CW goes further there are less stations in CW portion of the bands. I am getting waaaay more DX stations in SSB for this reason. More DX, more contacts, more QSL for SSB contacts.
See you in the contest!
P.S. I am not going to quit POTA anytime soon as I don't have a station at home.
Neither am I, looking for new ways to challenge myself
Your points are spot on. Hunters don’t mind if you go to a local park once in a while so we can say hi ! I hope to activate a few times next year. I want to test my portable setup. Hope to hear you.
I really appreciate your support! It’s encouraging to know that there are passionate activators like you out there. I hope your testing goes smoothly next year!
Spent most of my heavy trucking career on moble HF so now I am totally fine building my Florida and sitting at my station....
Just need to have a couple of stiff drinks when the 14247 net is on :-)
I don't think people decide to quite. Rather the novelty wears off, and other things come along. Sometimes they are readio related. Sometimes not.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's interesting to see how hobbies evolve and change, and your perspective adds depth to the conversation.
I've been doing activations since 2021 with 2023 being my most active. I've been running out of parks within a reasonable drive from me but recently some more references have been added in NM where I live. I have been using FT8 almost exclusively since 2022 so I cannot speak to the pileup burnout that you talked about. This year, because of time constraints and distances, I have had fewer activations. I don't think I would just quit doing POTA altogether, but my focus would change. I have recently bought a tiny QRP radio and I want to use my ebike to carry me and my gear to a closer reference for more activations. Maybe try some CW too. What has dropped more for me is my POTA hunting from home. Still loving my activation activity though. 73 de K5MGK
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! It’s inspiring to see how you’re embracing new challenges and finding ways to keep the POTA spirit alive. Wishing you many successful activations ahead!
There are three things I see impacting POTA negatively right now:
1) Lack of growth in activatable parks. I get that in the states focusing on federal and state entities is a good start, but local jurisdictions may not play nice with these rules. For example, some cities/counties have 100/200/300+ acre parks (with camping) that are not included in the program. And, even with the rules today there are many preserves and other facilities not included.
2) Lack of local clubs using the program to regularly (sometime more than once a month) getting together. This is a great elmer opportunity, but old leadership fails to see benefit.
3) QRM or intentional jamming of activators. This is becoming a real problem where "old guys" use their 1500W to stomp out a 20W activator using their G90. This is societal issue and one that cannot be fixed here. Shoot, one of the parks I regularly activate becomes a problem because yahoos choose to park next to the one occupied picnic shelter and blast music limiting my ability to use SSB.
I don't know if there is a solution, but I see why people slip away. For me, it tends to be an added activity, not the primary purpose for being at an activatable park. It may be hiking, picnicking, camping, or visiting the local museum, but rarely the primary purpose.
POTA is a bureaucracy....I agree lets open it up to all parks, why federal and provincial (states) parks only? Lets open it up and have fun. To avoid QRMers, I never ID with POTA, that name nevers comes out of my mouth when I am out at a park. I always use CQ DX or CQ the band I am on. I am just one of the other guys chasing DX and not doing POTA. POTA and WWFF are just tools for me to work more DX stations.
@@outnaboot Do the same sometimes. Find that I hunt while in a park more than calling CQ.
Regarding parks, I do think there should be limits. For example, every neighborhood park with the purpose of hoops, baseball, or playground probably shouldn't be POTA sites. However, sites with historical significance or equating to a state/provincial/federal park should be included. Best example I can think of is a local park here that has the history and size. It's 350+ acres, sits next to a major university in the state capital, and interconnects with a semi-large greenway system. This park and greenway should be options for POTA activation. But, as they are county (greenway) and city (park) funded, they cannot be included.
@ I agree, yes not the community park with baseball fields but a city park with trails and picnic areas, why not?
Lives change, hobbies come-and-go, POTA shine diminishes, boredom, etc. If you truly enjoy POTA, the cost of fuel would generally not be the determining factor. I LOVE road cycling and I purchase a new $20K bike every 2 or 3 years. My wife would have to kill me in order to stop this insanity. If I loved POTA as much, I'd buy a new car every few years if I needed to. Thank you for your videos!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I appreciate your perspective on hobbies and passion. It's always inspiring to hear from fellow enthusiasts!
My closest new park is over 3 hours away now in georgia
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's always interesting to hear about the challenges fellow activators face in different regions.
I made a concerted effort to do more activations this year. So far I have 60’ish for 2024. I am still under 100 total I think.
However, I’m only out for an hour or so. 20 - 35 contacts (cw) is good enough for me. I only operate outside away from my truck because I feel like that aspect is pertinent to the program. I rarely look at my POTA page, so I have no idea what my stats look like. I don’t want it to turn into a sport/competition for me. I just want to have fun. So I keep it simple and fun.
Who knows? Maybe someday I will get tired of it, but I feel like that might be a long time from now if ever.
Thank you for sharing your approach! It’s refreshing to see someone prioritize enjoyment over competition. Your mindset is inspiring for both new and experienced activators alike!
It's totally understandable why you would stop doing POTA. Being in Nova Scotia I get it. I don't get out portable very much, I won't go somewhere far away just to do an activation. I like to set up and do portable activations in close places just to get out sometimes. I like to do a couple places on the university campus I work on here in Halifax, and I have done a park here in town where I live in Windsor NS. I don't specifically do POTA yet just portable activations so I don't have to meet a "quota" 😉 If I make one or two contacts I'm happy having set up and listened around the band I set up for.
You guys in NS are better off than us in NB. The province still has small picnic area parks that are provincial. NB solds theirs off...dumb ass move if you ask me
I personally don’t plan on quitting POTA. Yes the gas prices are restricting my travel to local parks and I’m not going more than an hour out from home now. I’ll rotate between the parks on occasion now. If I’m heading somewhere for a reason, I’ll take my gear with me to notch up another new park to get it in the book.
Thank you for sharing your plans! It’s great to see your dedication to POTA, and I appreciate your commitment to making the most of your local parks!
I don't have time to activate with my work schedule especially during the winter so I mostly hunt. I'm also learning cw so I would like to activate a park with CW once I get more comfortable
That said I think the net bullies discourage people to activate
Activating for the sake of activating to keep up with others expectation is just plain dumb. Also, I do my outings different and never have a problem with net bullies...why? Because I don't call CQ POTA, I am just a ham calling CQ CX and CA the band I am on. Thanks for a new video idea!
POTA is still fun, but they need to expand the gamut of parks that have POTA numbers.... We have several large city and county parks that are not in POTA and should be. Contesting in general outside of POTA I find boring after a while. We need to keep pioneering new and fresh things to do.
I agree...National and Provincial (state) parks is just stupid...open it up and lets have a lot more fun. But I am just a nobody with the POTA execs :-) POTA I think is a 501.c corporation in the US and have a level of bureaucracy to navigate through, such a shame...
I learned for myself if you go at something too hard and too often it gets boring. I go out from time to time but only for 40 or 50 contacts. As far as parks go there are 30+ parks with in less than hour so I'm lucky that way. But we also use the opportunity to hike, picnic etc. As for gas.. well that's an issue for many but again I mix it with other trips and ration it out! I really enjoy your videos, but once a week may be easier? Hang in there and ease back a little perhaps?
It's good to hear you're still enjoying POTA in your own way!
I quit because of the weather. It's cold outside, and a lot of parks are inaccessible.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Weather can definitely be a huge factor. Your input is valuable and helps us understand the challenges faced by activators.
To anyone out there whenever I hear someone calling from a park I always try and make a contact.
Thank you for your dedication! It's always great to hear from enthusiastic activators like you who keep the spirit alive!
As a new operator, it looks boring to me but I haven't done it yet so maybe I'm wrong. Then again I don't do repetitive tasks very well without losing interest.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It's great to hear from new operators. I hope you give POTA a shot and discover the excitement it can bring!
I’m not interested in organized competition or other jumping through hoops activities. I’d rather talk a little and burn solder a lot. Thinking about getting some old tube equipment and cleaning and repairing it .
I feel the same way, that is why POTA and WWFF are just tools for me to chase DX and have fun with working DX stations.
I agree with being boring....does not interest me at all...That is the great thing about our hobby, something for everyone...
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's great to hear different perspectives on what keeps us engaged in this hobby.
Maybe because the whole. **OTA thing was a fad, and like all fads, people got tired of it and moved on to whatever the "next big thing" is?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! It’s always valuable to hear different viewpoints on the evolution of hobbies and interests.