I happened across a live stream by Walt, Coastal Waves & Wire posing the topic of what POTA will mean to the solar minimum.  The talked slipped into is POTA a contest and should it be allowed on the non-contesting 30, 17, and 12 meter bands.  It wound me up a little bit.

His correlation to the solar minimum asks what happens to available band space when the whole POTA posse gets crammed into the diminished band-space of solar minimum?

I don’t know what will happen during the solar minimum, but I know what I want.  I want to go to a park and play radio for a few hours and I’ll figure it out when I get there.  But I empathize with Walt’s misgivings. 20m can get truly packed on WW DX contest weekend.  To me, I’d rather just stay home.  Except for CW.  Like Jello, there’s always room for CW.  

The conversation questioned if POTA should be allowed on the contest-free WRC bands.  Well this smacks with a litigious feel and in that case, we need to define contest and see if POTA fits in that mold.

What defines a contest?  Establishment – an established start, an established end, established  QSO protocol, established rules with penalties, and formally declared winners.  This isn’t POTA – there’s no start or stop, no protocol beyond what law requires, no penalties, and no winners.  Any achievement is solely internal and is as personal as timing how long it takes you to get out the door for work in the morning.

Aside from ruining Ham Radio, what’s POTA done?  Beats me.  I can suppose based on my own experiences, that it’s kept folks in radio.  It drove me to learn digital modes and CW.  I’ve played POTA for my entire ham career – all three whopping years of it.  That’s 342 activations from 116 different parks, in 12 states.  I’d bet there’s more hams who play POTA every single weekend than who ragchew every weekend.  I’m here for the parks game and were it not for Parks On The Air, I’d have moved on to a cheaper hobby – like collecting vintage aircraft.

Here’s what we do know:  In business, revenue feeds innovation.  All things considered, I think we have to associate many of the new models we’ve seen, new accessories, and new company startups with this increased volume of buyers playing POTA.  Personally, I’m pretty sure my purchases alone could’ve started a new business venture for someone.

Finally, I’ve never heard a complaint on the air.  I’ve rubbed up against nets and gave way.  I’ve had Tommy Tuner sit on my head and blow his horn and have probably done the same at some point.  But that’s radio and that’s the point.  POTA is radio.  And it’s radio for people and equipment who wouldn’t be here without it.

What do you think?

As always,
TNX ES 73
KA5TXN
DitWit

P.S.  Nothing inspires courage like not having to face a knuckle sandwich so opinions flow hot and free online.  Good on Walt for picking a hot topic.