Basics
Definition
Parks on the Air (POTA) is an amateur radio event where licensed operators take portable equipment to publicly accessible parks, set up a temporary station, and make radio contacts (QSOs) with other hams around the world.
Roles: Activators vs. Hunters
| Activator | Hunter |
|---|---|
| Operators who travel to the park, set up their gear, and transmit from the field. | Operators sitting at home (or at other parks) who try to contact the Activators. |
Spotting
The Spotting Page:
Instead of blindly scanning the radio dial, participants use the POTA Spotting Site
to see who is on the air, what frequencies they are using, and what park they
are in.
Park Designators:
Every participating park in the world is assigned a unique tracking number (e.g., K-0123) based on its regional code.
Scorring & Awards
Activators need to make at least 10 successful contacts in a single day to make a valid "activation". Hunters and Activators log their contacts, which are submitted to the system to earn digital and physical awards for contacting different parks, states, and countries.