Admin

Sign up right here https://pota.app/#/signup  simple as that.  They give you a couple of choices of how you can log in – I use my amazon account, you do you.

Read The Rules

This part’s important, not because I’m a tee-total rule follower, but because the things that make the game playable and make the game fun are in the rules.  Click this link and read https://docs.pota.app/ Most of the questions you’ll have, now or later, are addressed in the rules.  In this collection of pages, you can find a ton of resources, tips, and tricks to make your experience more enjoyable.  You’re going to have questions and the answers are likely right on these pages.

Visit The Spots Page

Right here https://pota.app/#/  This is the list of who’s out in the parks right now and is how hunters find activators.  You’ll use this page to do your hunting, and you’ll want to be seen on this page when you’re activating – so you can be found.  Each line or tile shows the activators callsign, park, state or province, frequency, and mode. 

Hunt

The spots page list is filterable and sortable.  If I’m hunting CW on 20m or maybe 15 on SSB, I can filter the list by those criteria.  I can sort by frequency and start at the bottom of the band, roll my VFO up the band – hunting spots in order as I go.  Again, you do you.

Listen and confirm two things:

1. Is this the activator I see on the spots page?  Listen to a few QSOs and make sure before you jump in.  RF propagation is funny like that.  Voices on the other side of the world can sound next door and vice versa.  Listen first and know who you’re answering.

2. How are they running their activation?  Again, listen.  Different activators have different objectives and run things differently.  Some are friendly and chatty while others are more contest-like, getting and wanting only the bare contact info.  Listen and read the room.   

Importantly, be patient.  No pileup last forever.  If you can’t get through, take a deep breath, and wait a bit.  Maybe move on to another park and come back later.  No one is ignoring you.  They want you in their log.  And remember, it’s a game.  There’s nothing here worth lowering your good name into the mud with the pigs.  As an activator, the only hunters I’ve ever ignored were the jerks.

However, accept this isn’t a rag chew.  The POTA QSOs are abbreviated and brief, even the chatty ones.  On SSB, it’s probably not the best time to ask about rig and weather.  On CW, a simple TU 73 works better than QSL QSL FB OM TU FER CALL ES GL 73 SK UR4CAL DE KA5TXN

Activate

Hunting is good, clean fun – the game doesn’t work without hunters.  But… If you’re here to develop, test, and evolve your portable operating expertise, you need to get out and activate.  It’s where the rubber meets the road … or where butt meets park bench.

Plan and prepare.  Activating is so much more fun if you have the tools and time to enjoy it.  Plan for location and weather – bring clothing, water, snacks, and antennas suitable for the environment.   Over time, you’ll evolve a load out that works best for where you’re activating.

Be courteous.  Hunters aren’t just voices or beeps created for your activation, they’re humans who are trying to have an enjoyable experience. On side band say good morning and thank you, and in CW send it – GM and TU.

Slow down and enunciate.  On side band, slow enough to feel awkward is about right.  On CW, try and match the speed of the op who’s coming back to your CQ.

I know we’re supposed to “answer a CQ at the speed it’s sent”, and “they have no business answering a QC faster than they can copy”, but let’s work that to the logical end.  Let’s say they can’t copy at 25 WPM so they don’t answer.  Where’s that leave your activation?  What’s that say to new operators?  What’s that say about you? 

CU AGN ES 73,

KA5TXN Mark
DitWit