Anyway I only made 14 contacts in about an hour and a half which I know is not enough to count as a valid activation so I didnt even get to log it. Got on 40m and called CQ POTA for a while and got a few hunters coming back but then the frequency got busy and I kind of lost confidence and just started S&P which was probably the wrong move. I think my main problem was not having a real system, like I just showed up with gear and hoped for the road.

Anyone have tips for making those first 10 contacts faster? And is there a good way to spot yourself if youre solo and dont have cell service at the park? I saw something about the POTA app but wasnt sure if it works offline or needs data.

Set up my KX2 with a random wire antenna strung up between two trees, nothing fancy. Got on 40 meters around 2pm local and started calling CQ POTA. First like 20 minutes absolutely nothing and I was starting to think I was doing something wrong or maybe my signal was just garbage. Then all of a sudden I got a reply from a station in Ohio and after that it just kind of opened up a little. Ended up with 12 contacts over about an hour and a half which I know is enough to count as a valid activation technically but I was hoping for more.

I think part of my problem was I didn't spot myself on the POTA website before I started which I learned about after the fact. Also I had the wrong park reference number in my head the whole time, had to go back and look it up later when I was logging. Pretty sure I told at least two stations the wrong number which is embarrassing. Anyway still counts I think since I can correct it in the log? Anyone else mess up the reference on their first one?

But i do have some questions for people who do this regularly. First, does the logging really need to be done on ADIF import to the POTA website or is there another way? I was using paper log in the field and then transcribed everything when i got home. Also i noticed some activators call CQ POTA and some just call regular CQ and mention pota in their exchange, is one more standard than the other? Dont want to be doing it wrong. And last thing — do hunters actually get credit for contacts even if the activator doesnt upload their log right away? one of the hunters i worked told me i was his third park of the day which was cool but made me wonder how that all gets reconciled.

Sorry for the rambling post, just still kind of buzzing from the whole experience and want to make sure im doing everything right going forward

Anyway my main worry is just not getting enough contacts. I know you need 10 to count as a valid activation and im a little nervous about that. Do i need to self-spot on the POTA website or does someone else usually do that? And is there a specific way to call CQ for POTA or do people just do normal CQ calls? Sorry if these are dumb questions, just want to make sure i dont show up and stand in the woods for 3 hours with zero contacts lol.

the part that got me was just managing the flow of contacts. i kept forgetting to send the park reference in my exchanges and a couple hunters were asking me to repeat it. also had one guy who just would not stop transmitting over everyone else to get his contact in, not sure if thats normal or if i just attracted that one guy. ended up with 22 QSOs which i know isnt a lot but i was happy with it for a first time out. definitely going back to try for a higher count next time. anyone have tips for staying organized when the pile gets going?

here's the thing though — i only got 11 contacts. i know you need 10 to make an activation count but two of those were kind of sketchy, like i wasnt sure if the logging software actually saved them right because my tablet was acting weird in the cold. so i manually wrote them down in a notebook too just in case. uploaded the ADIF when i got home and it showed 11 confirmed contacts in the log so i guess it worked out.

my question is, does the activation still count if some of the signal reports were pretty rough? i had one guy come back to me like four times before he got my callsign and park reference right. and is there anything i should do differently for next time setup-wise, especially for getting spotted on the POTA network faster? i didnt really figure out the self-spotting thing until like 40 minutes in which probably cost me some contacts early on.

ended up with 32 QSOs in about an hour and a half which i know is enough to count but it felt like pulling teeth at times. i was running 10 watts SSB on 40m with my KX2 and a linked dipole i threw up between two trees maybe 20 feet up. conditions werent amazing but workable.

my questions are kind of all over the place — first, is there a good way to spot yourself if youre operating alone and dont have cell service? i was lucky my phone had a weak signal but it kept dropping. also i noticed a few times i had a pileup of like 3 or 4 callers and i completely lost track of partials, is that just something that gets easier with time or is there a trick to it. and one more thing, a few hunters called me with their full callsign and then just waited silently, like they didnt say their signal report or anything, is that normal for POTA exchanges or did i do something wrong by just giving them a 59 and moving on

got set up in about 20 minutes which felt pretty good, found a picnic table with a decent view, no trees exactly where i wanted them but i made it work with a trekking pole on one end. started calling CQ POTA on 40m around 10am local and... nothing. like genuinely nothing for almost 10 minutes which felt like forever. i started wondering if my antenna was even radiating.

eventually spotted myself on pota.app and then things picked up fast, had a little pileup going for a bit which was a shock honestly. ended up with 14 contacts before my battery started worrying me and i called it. i know you need 10 to count as a valid activation so i was relieved but man it was close. the logging app on my phone kept freezing too which didnt help my nerves.

is 14 contacts on one band in like an hour and a half considered pretty normal for a first time? felt like i left a lot on the table but also felt awesome. already thinking about the next one.

ended up with 10 contacts in about 35 minutes which i know qualifies the activation but i feel like i left a lot on the table. i had a couple guys come back to me that i just couldnt pull out of the noise and i think i made a few logging errors in my paper log that i had to go back and guess at when i was entering everything into the POTA website later. also completely forgot to try and work any of the other activators that were out that day for a P2P which someone told me counts double or something like that.

anyway just wanted to share, planning to go back out next month and hopefully do better. any tips for managing a pile when youre running QRP? i felt like i was just barely keeping up

My main worry is just not making enough contacts — I know you only need 10 for a valid activation but what if nobody hears me or I cant figure out where to spot myself. I set up an account on pota.app last week and did a test spot from home just to make sure it worked. Also not sure whether to start on 40 or try 20 first, ill probably get there around 10am local time so propagation should be decent on both I think.

Any tips from folks whove done a bunch of these would be great. Not nervous exactly just... you know how it is before you do something new.

got there around 9am, found a picnic table kind of off by itself, set up in maybe 20 minutes which honestly surprised me. strung the wire up in an inverted L off a tree branch using a throw weight. conditions were pretty decent on 20m and i ended up with 23 QSOs in about an hour and a half which i know is well over the 10 minimum so the park is activated. logged everything on paper and then transferred to ADIF later for the upload.

couple questions though — when you're self-spotting on the POTA app, do you need to do that before you start calling CQ or can you do it anytime? i spotted myself after like 15 minutes and the rate picked up a lot but not sure if thats normal. also does it matter what frequency you pick or is there kind of an understood range people stick to for POTA on 20m? i was just finding a clear spot and didn't know if i was doing it wrong.

Bringing my KX3 and a 40m EFHW that I've used in the backyard a few times, should be fine I think. Planning to hit 40m and maybe try 20m if conditions look good. My question is mostly around the logging — do I really need to self spot on the POTA app or will people just find me on the RBN? And how strict are they about the 10 contact minimum, like what happens if I only get 8 and have to leave?

Also not sure how early to post on the activator schedule thing. I've seen some activations pop up the morning of, some a few days before. Does it matter much for a relatively rare park?

i know i need 10 QSOs to make it count but honestly im more nervous about the logging than the radio part. been using HAMRS on my phone which seems pretty straightforward but ive never done it in the field under pressure. do i need to upload to POTA.app the same day or is there a grace period? also not sure if i should spot myself or just hope people find me on the cluster. first time caller here so go easy on me lol

got my 10 contacts in about 40 minutes which felt like forever at the time but people on reddit said thats pretty normal for a first activation without being spotted. speaking of which i did eventually spot myself on the POTA app and after that it was basically a pile up, worked like 35 stations in the next 20 minutes which was wild. couple guys were hunters i guess trying to get the park confirmed.

my questions are pretty basic i think -- do i need to log differently for POTA vs a regular log, like does the park reference go somewhere specific in the adif export? and also is there a rule about how long you have to actually be in the park, i had to leave kind of abruptly because of family stuff and im not sure if i needed to stay longer after getting the 10. also want to try 20m next time, any tips for park to park contacts?

took me almost 20 minutes just to get set up because i forgot how awkward it is doing everything on a picnic table with wind and the coax kept sliding off. but once i started calling CQ POTA on 40m i was honestly surprised how fast people came back, like within maybe 30 seconds i had my first contact. ended up with 23 QSOs in about an hour which i know isnt a huge pile but it was enough to activate and i was pretty happy.

the thing nobody told me though is how much the hunters appreciate a slow careful operator. had one guy who must have been mobile because he was super hard to copy and we went back and forth like 4 times and i was worried i was holding up the frequency but people were patient. anyway im already planning my next one, thinking about trying SSB next time since i did this one all CW. anybody have tips for picking a good frequency when you get to the park? i always second guess myself on that part.

brought my FT-891 and a random wire up in a tree, ran about 25 watts and honestly the pile wasnt huge but i got my 10 contacts in maybe 35 minutes which felt pretty good for a first time. had one guy who kept calling over everyone else and it was hard to pull calls out but i managed. logged on paper and transferred to ADIF later which was kind of a pain.

my questions — is there a faster way to do the logging in the field? i saw someone mention using an app but i dont know which ones people actually use. also when i uploaded to the POTA website it said the park reference was pending, is that normal or did i do something wrong with the K-number? i used the one from the POTA.app website so i think it was right but now im second guessing myself.

also for anyone whos done a bunch of these — is 40m usually the go-to band or should i have been trying 20m too? i stuck to 40 the whole time because i know it pretty well.

first off i forgot my counterpoise at home. just completely left it on my workbench. so my end-fed was basically just flopped on the ground and my noise floor was awful, i was running my KX2 and it kept throwing up the SWR protection every few minutes. i ended up just wrapping some wire around a stick and clipping it to the bnc adapter which honestly worked better than nothing but i was still struggling.

second problem was i spotted myself on POTA.app and then immediately had like 12 people call me at once and i panicked and forgot how to do anything. i mean i know how to run a pileup from hunting but being on the other end of it for the first time your brain just goes blank. eventually settled down after like the 6th QSO and got into a rhythm.

ended up with 22 contacts over about 90 minutes on 20m SSB, which counts as a valid activation so i'll take it. already planning the next one with a proper parts list this time. anyone else remember their first activation being kind of a mess?

brought my ft-891 and a random wire i threw together, ran it up a tree with a throw line. took me probably 45 minutes to get set up which i know is embarassing but whatever, first time. got on 40m around 10am local and logged my first QSO within like 3 minutes which i did not expect at all. ended up with 23 contacts in about an hour and a half, enough to count as a valid activation.

few things i learned the hard way -- upload your activation to the POTA website before you leave the park if you can, or at least log your park reference number correctly because i almost put the wrong one in. also hunters are FAST, like i called CQ POTA once and had a small pileup within a minute. wasnt ready for that honestly.

anyway if anyones been on the fence about trying it, just go. you dont need fancy gear, my setup was pretty basic and it worked fine.

i brought my IC-705 and a end-fed halfwave wire antenna i just threw up in a tree, ran it off a 5ah lipo battery and honestly the whole thing fit in a small backpack which still amazes me. set up on a picnic table near the parking lot. within about 20 minutes on 20m SSB i had my 10 contacts and ended up with 23 total before i packed up, couple of them were park to park which i didnt even realize was a thing until someone called me and said they were also activating a park in ohio

my tip for anyone nervous about their first one -- just spot yourself on the POTA website or the app and the hunters will find you almost immediately. i wasnt sure anyone would even be listening but the frequency got busy fast. also bring more water than you think you need, i was out there longer than planned because i was having too much fun

my plan is to bring my KX2 and a 20m end fed, throw it up in a tree if i can find a good branch, and just try to get the 10 contacts. i know thats the minimum but honestly im just hoping to make it through without completely blanking on exchange info or forgetting to log something. ive been practicing with HAMRS on my phone so hopefully that works out.

any last minute tips from people who have done a bunch of these? im mostly worried about finding a frequency thats not already in use and whether i should self spot or wait for someone to spot me. i know i can use POTA.app to self spot but i wasnt sure if thats considered bad form for a first timer or something

got 12 QSOs in about 40 minutes which i know is just barely over the minimum but honestly i was pretty happy with it for a first time out. most of the contacts were on 40m SSB, tried 20 but conditions werent great or maybe my signal was just weak, not totally sure which. one guy gave me a 57 which felt pretty good

anyway my questions are — when you're logging in the field do most people just use paper and transcribe later or is there an app people use? i was doing paper and it was fine but a bit messy. also is there a way to announce you're going out ahead of time so hunters know to look for you? i saw something about spotting but im not sure how that works exactly when youre the one activating

got my 10 contacts in about 35 minutes on 40m which honestly surprised me, i expected to be sitting there forever calling CQ. a few of the contacts were hunters who clearly knew what they were doing and gave me signal reports super fast and moved on, which was great. one guy stuck around and chatted for a few minutes which was nice too.

my questions are -- do i need to spot myself on the POTA website before i start operating or can i just start calling CQ and hope people find me? i spotted myself but it was kind of awkward fumbling with my phone while trying to set up. also is there a standard way people announce their park reference during the call, like do you say it every transmission or just when someone asks? i was saying "activating K-2345" every single CQ which felt like a lot but wasnt sure what the practice is.

also wondering if 40m is the go-to band or if people have better luck on other bands depending on time of day. i want to do another one next month and just want to get a little smoother at it.

managed to get 12 contacts in about an hour and a half which i know isnt amazing but it counted as a valid activation so im pretty happy. mostly 40m with a couple on 20m. the hardest part honestly wasnt the radio stuff it was figuring out where to set up — the park has a lot of trees but also a lot of people walking by asking what im doing which i actually didnt mind, turned into some nice conversations about ham radio.

my question is about spotting yourself on the POTA app. i was using it but i felt like i was getting spotted and then the pile kind of died down fast, maybe 10-15 minutes after i posted? is that normal or was i doing something wrong. also does anyone have tips for getting more hunters to find you, like is there a better time of day or something. im on HF general class if that matters.

set up near a picnic table, got the antenna up in a tree using a throw line (took me like 20 minutes and three attempts lol) and just started calling. honestly expected it to be a slow painful slog but i had 12 contacts in about 25 minutes and then it kind of dried up. ended up with 19 total over maybe an hour and a half which i think counts as a valid activation? the 10 contact minimum thing is what i remember reading.

anyway my questions - is there a good way to spot yourself if you dont have cell service? i was lucky and had one bar of LTE but it was barely working. also noticed a few times someone would call me and id only catch part of their callsign, is it normal to just ask for a repeat or do most people move on if they have to say it twice? and one more thing - whats the deal with P2P contacts, i saw that mentioned somewhere but couldnt find a clear explanation of what makes them special beyond just both operators being in a park at the same time.

brought my KX2 and a 40m end fed halfwave just thrown up between two trees with a telescoping pole in the middle, nothing fancy. got there around 10am and it took me maybe 20 minutes to get set up which felt like forever at the time. spotted myself on the POTA app and the pile up was... not what i expected. like actually had to slow down and work people one at a time for almost 45 minutes straight. ended up with 34 QSOs which is way more than the 10 you need to count it as a valid activation.

the only thing that went wrong is i forgot to bring a pen that actually worked lol, had to use a piece of charcoal from an old fire pit to scribble callsigns in my log which was a disaster to decipher later. got most of them uploaded to POTA.app though.

anyone else do their first activation recently? also curious if people think 40m is usually enough or should i be running 20m too, i felt like i was leaving contacts on the table