pota Archives

Multi-Headed Mobility: Why the CaHR Hydra is the Ultimate Field Antenna Hub

November 3, 2026

One feed point, three whip positions, and an optional 4:1 backpack. Here is how the CaHR Hydra replaces a bag full of antenna mounts, and what I have learned running two of them.

Why Ham Radio Matters: A Hobby, a Lifeline, and a Century of Proof

October 13, 2026

Why ham radio still matters: the hobby, what it does for you, your family, and your town, and a century of times it kept people alive when everything else failed.

Operating POTA on a Family Vacation Without Making It a Whole Thing

October 3, 2026

A 20-minute activation squeezed into a family trip beats a full setup that eats the whole afternoon.

My POTA Radio History: Five Radios, One Lesson About Carrying Less

September 6, 2026

From an AnyTone 578 in an Armoloq cage, through a G90, an FT-891, and an FT-857D, to landing on the FTX-1 Optima. Here’s the actual radio history behind my current POTA setup, and why I kept swapping until it matched my shack.

Field Day vs POTA vs SOTA: What’s the Difference and Which to Try First

August 30, 2026

Part of our Getting On The Air guide. These three activities all get lumped together as portable operating, but they have genuinely different formats, goals, and time commitments, and knowing the differences helps you pick the right starting point. ARRL Field Day: One Big Annual Event Field Day happens once a year, the fourth full…

FT-891 vs FTX-1 Field vs G90: Which Portable HF Radio Wins for POTA

August 4, 2026

Part of our Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts guide. I get some version of this question constantly: which of my three portable-friendly HF radios should someone actually buy for POTA. I own all three, I use all three in the field, and the honest answer is that they’re not really competing…

Pairing the FTX-1 with the Spooltenna Ultra for Portable HF

July 28, 2026

Why the Spooltenna Ultra is my default antenna for the FTX-1 in the field, and how I actually deploy and tune the pairing.

Setting Up the FTX-1 for POTA: A Portable Field Kit Walkthrough

July 28, 2026

What actually goes into my FTX-1 POTA kit, from the radio and antenna down to the small stuff that saves an activation.

Running the FTX-1 QRP vs Full Power in the Field: When to Choose Which

July 28, 2026

How I actually decide between QRP and full power on the FTX-1 in the field, based on band conditions, kit weight, and what I’m trying to accomplish.

My First POTA Activation: What I Wish I Knew Beforehand

July 14, 2026

I had the gear, I had the callsign, and I still made almost every rookie mistake possible on my first Parks on the Air activation. Here is what I would tell myself beforehand.

Field Safety: Weather, Wildlife, and Working Alone on POTA and SOTA Activations

July 4, 2026

Most POTA and SOTA activations go fine. The ones that do not usually involve weather, terrain, or being alone somewhere nobody knows to look for you. Here is how to actually plan around that.

Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts

June 13, 2026

The full roadmap for operating on QSO Journey, covering HF bands, propagation, digital voice and data modes, contesting, and portable operating.

Tag: pota

Multi-Headed Mobility: Why the CaHR Hydra is the Ultimate Field Antenna Hub

Why Ham Radio Matters: A Hobby, a Lifeline, and a Century of Proof

Operating POTA on a Family Vacation Without Making It a Whole Thing

My POTA Radio History: Five Radios, One Lesson About Carrying Less

Field Day vs POTA vs SOTA: What’s the Difference and Which to Try First

FT-891 vs FTX-1 Field vs G90: Which Portable HF Radio Wins for POTA

Pairing the FTX-1 with the Spooltenna Ultra for Portable HF

Setting Up the FTX-1 for POTA: A Portable Field Kit Walkthrough

Running the FTX-1 QRP vs Full Power in the Field: When to Choose Which

My First POTA Activation: What I Wish I Knew Beforehand

Field Safety: Weather, Wildlife, and Working Alone on POTA and SOTA Activations

Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts

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