EI3LH: CW for Pop Pickers! Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: The (not really) mysterious world of Morse Code training vinyl records. Re-re-wind my selecta! by Ian (EI3LH) Before t’Internet, 1’s and 0’s and all the other digital gubbins we’re so used to consuming our media via these days, there was the humble vinyl record. Yes okay there was 8 track, reel to reel, Tefifon, wax cylinders and shoes.

EI3LH: CW for Pop Pickers!

Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: The (not really) mysterious world of Morse Code training vinyl records. Re-re-wind my selecta! by Ian (EI3LH) Before t’Internet, 1’s and 0’s and all the other digital gubbins we’re…

Why are my POTA & SOTA activations often so short? I received the following question from a reader recently, and I thought it deserved a proper reply here—especially since I get some version of this question a few times every year. Thomas, you mentioned it in one of your videos but I can’t find the answer. Why are you always in such a hurry to get finished? The joy of working POTA, I would think, is enjoying making the contacts—not rushing to get 10 and go home.

Why are my POTA & SOTA activations often so short?

I received the following question from a reader recently, and I thought it deserved a proper reply here—especially since I get some version of this question a few times every year. Thomas, you mentioned it in one of your videos but I can’t find…

KK6IK: Norwegian Coastal POTA In Trondheim By Scott Nacey (LA/KK6IK) April 14, 2026 How often do you get to do a POTA Activation from a 17th-century Norwegian fort? Marybeth and I arrived in Trondheim, Norway after enjoying a three day cruise on the ship Kong Herald, a Hurtegruten line mail ship. We cruised down the gorgeous Norwegian coast, north to south, visiting small towns and taking in the spectacular scenery along the way.

KK6IK: Norwegian Coastal POTA In Trondheim

By Scott Nacey (LA/KK6IK) April 14, 2026 How often do you get to do a POTA Activation from a 17th-century Norwegian fort? Marybeth and I arrived in Trondheim, Norway after enjoying a three day cruise on the ship Kong Herald, a Hurtegruten line mail ship.…

“Up Here, a Ham Radio Hiking Vignette from Colorado” Many thanks to Dean (K2JB) for sharing the following video featuring our friend Steve (WG0AT) on our local SOTA discussion group.  I love everything about this video and its message. Steve is a true force of nature! Click here to view on YouTube.

“Up Here, a Ham Radio Hiking Vignette from Colorado”

Many thanks to Dean (K2JB) for sharing the following video featuring our friend Steve (WG0AT) on our local SOTA discussion group.  I love everything about this video and its message. Steve is a true force of nature! Click here to view on YouTube.

Low-Impact QRP: Pairing the G106 and Just OK Mini at Bennett Place State Historic Site by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, my wife and I drove into Durham, North Carolina with a few ideas in mind for the day. Our first stop was a very large thrift/charity store. While I don’t mind browsing for a bit, I tend to reach my limit fairly quickly—so I did what any reasonable radio operator would do: I checked the…

Low-Impact QRP: Pairing the G106 and Just OK Mini at Bennett Place State Historic Site

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, my wife and I drove into Durham, North Carolina with a few ideas in mind for the day. Our first stop was a very large thrift/charity store. While I don’t mind…

4 Hours, 7 Contacts: When POTA Doesn’t Go as Planned (Kochi Castle, Japan) by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) My wife had a 5-hour meeting in Kochi, Japan. I was fully supportive! I had 5 hours to explore Kochi Castle Park, do some shopping, spend some money freely, and enjoy the vibe that Kochi has including Kochi Castle. A little historical information about Kochi Castle: The site of Kochi Castle used to be occupied by a fort with a watchtower and mud ramparts, called Otakasaka Castle.

4 Hours, 7 Contacts: When POTA Doesn’t Go as Planned (Kochi Castle, Japan)

by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) My wife had a 5-hour meeting in Kochi, Japan. I was fully supportive! I had 5 hours to explore Kochi Castle Park, do some shopping, spend some money freely, and enjoy the vibe that Kochi has…

A stubborn activation at the Folk Art Center: Challenging conditions, a compromise setup, and a surprising finish by Thomas (K4SWL) Yesterday afternoon (April 16, 2026), after wrapping up a few appointments in town, I decided to make a quick stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378) at the Folk Art Center for a casual POTA activation. There were two motivations behind this outing. First, my buddy Eric (WD4RIF) was activating a park in Tennessee and struggling to reach the required 10 contacts needed to validate his activation.

A stubborn activation at the Folk Art Center: Challenging conditions, a compromise setup, and a surprising finish

by Thomas (K4SWL) Yesterday afternoon (April 16, 2026), after wrapping up a few appointments in town, I decided to make a quick stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway (US-3378) at the Folk…

JW/KK6IK: A QRP Mini DXPedition to the High Arctic Svalbard, Norway (78°12′ N 15°37′ E) By Scott Nacey, (JW/KK6IK) I just returned from an unforgettable mini DXpedition to Svalbard — the northernmost inhabited town on Spitsbergen — where I operated from what may well be the world’s northernmost ham shack. Operating from one of the rarest locations on the airwaves was an adventure from start to finish. In this article I’ll share the travel story, why I chose the gear I did, and the on-air results and lessons learned for other operators planning extreme-latitude operations.

JW/KK6IK: A QRP Mini DXPedition to the High Arctic Svalbard, Norway (78°12′ N 15°37′ E)

By Scott Nacey, (JW/KK6IK) I just returned from an unforgettable mini DXpedition to Svalbard — the northernmost inhabited town on Spitsbergen — where I operated from what may well be the world’s northernmost…

My First Pebble HF Activation: One Watt, iPhone-Powered POTA!

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, my daughter Geneva (K4TLI) and I made our way to Zebulon Vance Birthplace (US-6856) for a Parks on the Air activation. It had been a while since I’d visited this site, and it turned out to…

Artwork from my amazing daughter, Geneva (K4TLI):

Introducing the QRPup Cup: A Small Way to Celebrate “Ham’s Best Friend” (and Support a Student!) Many of you will remember our sweet Hazel. Losing her last year to cancer was incredibly difficult (and still is)—not just for our family, but, as I was deeply touched to discover, for many of you in this community as well. Hazel had a way of connecting with people, even through photos and field reports. She was a very special companion.

Introducing the QRPup Cup: A Small Way to Celebrate “Ham’s Best Friend” (and Support a Student!)

Many of you will remember our sweet Hazel. Losing her last year to cancer was incredibly difficult (and still is)—not just for our family, but, as I was deeply touched to discover, for many of you in…

A Spring Sunday in Japan: Cemeteries, Cherry Blossoms, and POTA by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) April 5, 2026, started out as a normal Sunday morning. Do a load of laundry, vacuum, and make the rounds to the cemeteries to pay respects to my wife’s ancestors. This tradition is a large part of Japanese culture: visiting the cemetery, giving flowers, and chatting/praying to all the ancestors in the grave (ohaka). Since we are not here in Japan for more than 7 months, we make the cemetery rounds once a week while we are here.

A Spring Sunday in Japan: Cemeteries, Cherry Blossoms, and POTA

by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) April 5, 2026, started out as a normal Sunday morning. Do a load of laundry, vacuum, and make the rounds to the cemeteries to pay respects to my wife’s ancestors. This tradition is a large part of Japanese…

Just Two QSOs Short: A Fun Activation at Ritsurin Park (JP-2051) by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) My wife had a dentist appointment at 4:00 PM. That gave us all afternoon to go to the park and see the cherry blossoms. Ritsurin Park is our go-to park in the city of Takamatsu and one of the prettiest gardens in all of Japan. Particularly right now, as the cherry blossoms are in season. My wife wanted to walk around, and that gave me about an hour to play radio.

Just Two QSOs Short: A Fun Activation at Ritsurin Park (JP-2051)

by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) My wife had a dentist appointment at 4:00 PM. That gave us all afternoon to go to the park and see the cherry blossoms. Ritsurin Park is our go-to park in the city of Takamatsu and one of the prettiest gardens…

Texas Go Kit Challenge and KI5OEB’s Tactical EMP Trashcan! by James (KI5OEB) I was invited to attend the Texas Go Kit Challenge this year by one of the organizers of the event. I was in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex for a different reason completely, but that afforded me the chance to attend the event at Doubletree Park in Highland Village. The Go Kit Challenge was started so the organizers could gather amateurs who had a common like for portable operations.

Texas Go Kit Challenge and KI5OEB’s Tactical EMP Trashcan!

by James (KI5OEB) I was invited to attend the Texas Go Kit Challenge this year by one of the organizers of the event. I was in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex for a different reason completely, but that afforded me the chance to attend the…

Radio Therapy in a Pollen Haze: Pairing the K2 and MC-750 at Umstead State Park (US-2755) by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, March 23, 2026, I made a short pilgrimage to William B. Umstead State Park (US-2755) for a roughly one-hour activation. That morning, my wife was deep into spreadsheets working on some financial tasks. I’ll admit—I was glazing over. So I asked if I could sneak away for a bit of radio therapy. She readily agreed.

Radio Therapy in a Pollen Haze: Pairing the K2 and MC-750 at Umstead State Park (US-2755)

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, March 23, 2026, I made a short pilgrimage to William B. Umstead State Park (US-2755) for a roughly one-hour activation. That morning, my wife was deep into spreadsheets working on…

Putting Europe on the Air: A KX2, an Eurail Pass, and Ten First-Ever POTA Activations By Richard (KE4WLE) March 2026 I didn't originally plan this as a POTA trip. I was accepted to speak at a cybersecurity conference in Brussels, and somewhere between accepting the invitation and booking the flights, I started looking at the POTA map of Europe. Specifically, I started looking at all the green dots — those parks with zero activations. And here were a lot of them.

Putting Europe on the Air: A KX2, an Eurail Pass, and Ten First-Ever POTA Activations

By Richard (KE4WLE) March 2026 I didn't originally plan this as a POTA trip. I was accepted to speak at a cybersecurity conference in Brussels, and somewhere between accepting the invitation and booking the…

Impromptu Activation: Fighting rough propagation with the KX2 AX3 combo! by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, March 22, 2026, I spent the day driving and enjoying time in Greensboro with my wife and daughter. After dropping off our daughter at college, my wife and I made our way back toward the Raleigh area, where we were staying for a few days. On the drive back, I called my daughter in Raleigh to arrange a time to pick her up for dinner.

Impromptu Activation: Fighting rough propagation with the KX2 AX3 combo!

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, March 22, 2026, I spent the day driving and enjoying time in Greensboro with my wife and daughter. After dropping off our daughter at college, my wife and I made our way back toward the Raleigh…

Cherry Blossoms and POTA at Kimbuchi Forest Park (JP-1649) by Mark (Mark KBKZ/JJ5GVY) The first week in April is truly a magical time in Japan. The weather is warm, it is too early for humidity and mosquitoes, and plum and cherry trees are blooming. My wife had lunch with a friend, and I rode my bike to the hardware store to get some stuff for the garden. When she came home, we drove to Kimbuchi Forest Park to have a picnic under the cherry trees.

Cherry Blossoms and POTA at Kimbuchi Forest Park (JP-1649)

by Mark (Mark KBKZ/JJ5GVY) The first week in April is truly a magical time in Japan. The weather is warm, it is too early for humidity and mosquitoes, and plum and cherry trees are blooming. My wife had lunch with a friend, and I rode my…

The N6ARA RetroRig! (And POTA Platinum!) It's April 1, 2026, and my friend Ara (N6ARA) has once again outdone himself. Click here to watch on YouTube. While you're at it, check out the new POTA Platinum! Wow! Pay to turn your back yard into a POTA entity? Take my money!

The N6ARA RetroRig! (And POTA Platinum!)

It's April 1, 2026, and my friend Ara (N6ARA) has once again outdone himself. Click here to watch on YouTube. While you're at it, check out the new POTA Platinum! Wow! Pay to turn your back yard into a POTA entity? Take my money!

A K1 Shakedown at William B. Umstead State Park & Meet-Up with KJ3FF by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, March 21, 2025, my wife and I were in Raleigh visiting our daughters. That morning, both of them had projects to finish for their classes, so I took the opportunity—of course!—to head out for a quick park activation. When I woke up, I assumed we’d all be heading out together early to explore Raleigh, so I hadn’t planned a POTA activation at all.

A K1 Shakedown at William B. Umstead State Park & Meet-Up with KJ3FF

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, March 21, 2025, my wife and I were in Raleigh visiting our daughters. That morning, both of them had projects to finish for their classes, so I took the opportunity—of course!—to head out for a…

Spring, Planning, and Looking Ahead to FDIM and Hamvention Spring has definitely sprung here in North Carolina. While temperatures have been all over the map—swinging between summertime warmth and winter chill over the past couple of weeks—it’s been beautiful overall. I’m trying to take every opportunity I can to get outside, play radio, and enjoy the great outdoors, despite a fairly hectic schedule. This morning, I found myself thinking through everything coming up over the next few months—and there’s quite a lot on the calendar.

Spring, Planning, and Looking Ahead to FDIM and Hamvention

Spring has definitely sprung here in North Carolina. While temperatures have been all over the map—swinging between summertime warmth and winter chill over the past couple of weeks—it’s been beautiful overall. I’m trying to take every…

Dusting Off the POTA20: QRP DX Despite Poor Propagation at Clemmons Educational State Forest by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, March 15, 2026, I was in the Raleigh area with my family, spending time with my daughters during their spring break. That afternoon, my wife and daughters had plans together, so I decided to nip out and fit in a quick park activation. I chose Clemmons Educational State Forest (US-4853) since I hadn’t activated from there in a while.

Dusting Off the POTA20: QRP DX Despite Poor Propagation at Clemmons Educational State Forest

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, March 15, 2026, I was in the Raleigh area with my family, spending time with my daughters during their spring break. That afternoon, my wife and daughters had plans together,…

SOTA on the Hill Where the Buffalo Roam by Vince (VE6LK) As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! ? The last few months have been super busy around the house, and I've had few opportunities to get out and play radio. Needless to say, I was twitching and started a plan to get out. The twitching feeling was exacerbated by Mother Nature playing with the outdoor temperature -normal for this time of year- where one day it's snowing and for the next three days the temperatures hit 20C.

SOTA on the Hill Where the Buffalo Roam

by Vince (VE6LK) As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! ? The last few months have been super busy around the house, and I've had few opportunities to get out and play radio. Needless to say, I…

USB-C for the Elecraft KX2: A Simple Upgrade That Changes Everything by Vince (VE6LK) Warning: This post contains no RF but, if you are a KX2 owner, may involve your wallet. You've been warned 🙂 As one does, when surfing the internet, one clicks on links. Recently I clicked on a link (from Lynovation's website) and ended up on G7UFO's most fine web shop. And that's when I learned about the KXUSBC2 charging board for the Elecraft KX2.

USB-C for the Elecraft KX2: A Simple Upgrade That Changes Everything

by Vince (VE6LK) Warning: This post contains no RF but, if you are a KX2 owner, may involve your wallet. You've been warned 🙂 As one does, when surfing the internet, one clicks on links. Recently I clicked on a link (from…

Pebble HF: An Ultra-Affordable QRP Radio Kit with Big Potential! Yesterday, Mike and Becky of the Ham Radio Duo on YouTube introduced a new product they’ve been quietly developing behind the scenes for quite some time: the Pebble HF. In short, it’s an incredibly affordable radio kit—one that almost anyone can build and, importantly, almost anyone can afford. A Community-Driven Project The Pebble HF was born out of passion from…

Pebble HF: An Ultra-Affordable QRP Radio Kit with Big Potential!

Yesterday, Mike and Becky of the Ham Radio Duo on YouTube introduced a new product they’ve been quietly developing behind the scenes for quite some time: the Pebble HF. In short, it’s an incredibly affordable radio kit—one that…

Testing New KM4CFT KX1 Paddles and a Compact Stash Pack Kit at Umstead by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, March 14, 2026, our family planned to spend the afternoon in Durham, North Carolina—walking downtown, exploring a few shops, and grabbing dinner. I was especially looking forward to it. Between 2004-2008, I used to travel to Durham frequently for work with a nonprofit based downtown, and I hadn’t really been back in quite some time. By all accounts, a lot has changed.

Testing New KM4CFT KX1 Paddles and a Compact Stash Pack Kit at Umstead

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, March 14, 2026, our family planned to spend the afternoon in Durham, North Carolina—walking downtown, exploring a few shops, and grabbing dinner. I was especially looking forward to it. Between…

KI5OEB: My Third Outing with the Xiegu G90 by James (KI5OEB) This is the account of the third time out using the Xiegu G90 to hunt and activate a park. I went to Drummond Flats Wildlife Management Area (US-7687) again mainly because it is close to home and it is compatible with my testing new things. This, after the previous outings, was a very deliberate activation with goals that were attainable as opposed to impromptu POTA, which I usually do.

KI5OEB: My Third Outing with the Xiegu G90

by James (KI5OEB) This is the account of the third time out using the Xiegu G90 to hunt and activate a park. I went to Drummond Flats Wildlife Management Area (US-7687) again mainly because it is close to home and it is compatible with my testing new…

Mark Activates Kimbuchi Forest Prefectural Park by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) One of the things that we have to do every time we come back to Japan is to open our house, do a deep clean, and clean up the yard. Hours later, with two sick trees removed, we finished! My reward for all this work was my wife sitting there quietly while I activated a park! I had already activated the park near us, so I decided to drive a little further to Kimbuchi Forest Prefectural Park (JP-1649).

Mark Activates Kimbuchi Forest Prefectural Park

by Mark (JJ5GVY/KB2PIZ) One of the things that we have to do every time we come back to Japan is to open our house, do a deep clean, and clean up the yard. Hours later, with two sick trees removed, we finished! My reward for all this work was my wife…

QRP DX?! Testing the “Just OK Mini” Antenna with Just One Watt by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, February 25, 2025, I had a busy day ahead of me. Most of the morning was spent cleaning out the shed next to our house. I packed up what was probably four months’ worth of recycling along with a fair amount of trash that needed to be hauled to our county transfer station. You see, although we could pay for regular garbage pickup, we live in the middle of nowhere and have a very active population of black bears.

QRP DX?! Testing the “Just OK Mini” Antenna with Just One Watt

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, February 25, 2025, I had a busy day ahead of me. Most of the morning was spent cleaning out the shed next to our house. I packed up what was probably four months’ worth of recycling along with a fair…

POTA and SOTA: Why I still log to paper by Thomas (K4SWL) Many thanks to Marc (KE2MT), who reached out on my YouTube channel with a question about logging. Marc noted that he used to log contacts on paper when he first started learning CW because writing down callsigns helped him copy them accurately. But over time, he shifted to logging on his phone using the Polo Ham 2k app.

POTA and SOTA: Why I still log to paper

by Thomas (K4SWL) Many thanks to Marc (KE2MT), who reached out on my YouTube channel with a question about logging. Marc noted that he used to log contacts on paper when he first started learning CW because writing down callsigns helped him copy them…