Parks on the Air (POTA)

What is Parks on the Air?

Parks on the Air (POTA) is an international amateur radio program that encourages portable operation from national, state, and local parks. It began as part of the ARRL’s National Parks on the Air event in 2016 and has since grown into a worldwide movement connecting radio operators with the great outdoors.

Participants earn points and awards by either activating parks (operating portable from within a park boundary) or hunting those activations from home or elsewhere. Each contact helps promote outdoor recreation, emergency preparedness, and on-the-air activity.

W4TRC and POTA

Members of the Kingsport Amateur Radio Club (W4TRC) actively participate in Parks on the Air as both Activators and Hunters.
Our club regularly organizes group outings to nearby parks where members set up portable antennas and operate in the field. These events are casual, educational, and open to everyone — you do not have to be a club member or even have your license yet to join us and learn!

If you’ve ever wanted to see how ham radio works outside the shack, a POTA activation is a great place to start.

How a POTA Activation Works

• Choose a park – Activations must take place from an officially listed POTA location. You can browse all eligible parks on pota.app.
• Set up your station – Bring your radio, antenna, power source, and logging method. Many operators use battery or solar power.
• Make contacts – You need at least 10 unique QSOs (contacts) for a valid activation. Any amateur band or mode is allowed — voice, CW, digital, or satellite — but terrestrial repeaters do not count.
• Log and upload – Once complete, logs are submitted through the POTA system for verification and credit.

Why Get Involved?

Parks on the Air is a fun, low-pressure way to:

• Practice portable and emergency operating skills
• Experiment with antennas and field setups
• Introduce newcomers to amateur radio
• Enjoy the outdoors while making contacts across the country (and beyond!)

Every activation is different — you might be running 5 watts QRP one weekend or setting up a club station with multiple bands the next.

Join Us in the Field

The W4TRC club announces group activations through our Events page and Facebook page. We often operate from local favorites such as:

• Warriors’ Path State Park
• Bays Mountain Park
• Natural Tunnel State Park
• And other nearby POTA-registered sites in Tennessee and Virginia

Everyone is welcome to come operate, log, or simply observe!

Learn More

• 🌐 Official Site: parksontheair.com
• 📍 Live Spots & Map: pota.app
• 🎙️ W4TRC POTA Coordinator: Rick Curtis (W4BXL)
  – Contact Rick or any club officer if you’d like to plan or join a future activation.

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