NH POTA Meetup

Organizing a POTA Meetup always presents unexpected challenges. At Bear Brook State Park, we faced a bride's wedding, harsh Propagation conditions, and the threat of rain. However, we persevered and had a successful Meetup, surrounded by like-minded individuals who share a passion for radio and the outdoors.

Bear Brook State Park boasts a stunning backdrop of lush greenery, a serene pond, and a charming pavilion that resembles a scene from a Walt Whitman painting. It's an idyllic setting for a radio activation, provided that you don't accidentally interrupt a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, due to the impending rain, we had to move up the activation time by an hour, which coincided with the wedding ceremony. Nevertheless, we made the best of the situation and enjoyed our time together.

We’ll imagine as the bride/groom a bunch of guys showing up with tents, backpacks, antennas, and gear and begin erecting large wire antennas (picture BuddieHex)

During the wedding event, we made sure to stay off to the side to avoid disrupting any photos or the occasion. As the newlyweds walked by our small set-up of 3 or 4 stations and an easy up, we congratulated them. While putting together the Hex, we overheard some wedding guests jokingly speculate that we might be communicating with aliens or conducting experiments. I chuckled to myself and continued setting up.

After some time, a few guests approached us and asked about our activity. We happily shared information about the Parks on the Air Program, Ham Radio, and where we were from. They were genuinely interested and we invited them to try it out, even though we didn't have any takers. It was still great to share more about the Ham Radio hobby.

In summary, two of us were able to activate the park with ten contacts on FT8. SSB was challenging for me and I couldn't secure enough to activate the park. Thanks to all that came out to the event (as we had 8 in attendance) and If you're interested in attending a POTA Meetup, check out the POTA website and discord for events in your area. These meetups are an excellent opportunity to learn about portable operations and ask questions. Here are some photos from the event.

Be a POTA Ninja with Ham Alert

I recently shared a video on YouTube regarding the use of Ham Alert and POTA Parks Page to receive automatic notifications when a park is activated. Due to my busy schedule in the past few months, I have found it difficult to keep up with the spotting page, which has made it challenging to chase down the last three states for "Worked All States" - Alaska, Hawaii, and DC. However, I discovered that Ham Alert now allows trigger filters for "multiple lists" of parks, and I created a tutorial video on how to set this up. Furthermore, I have documented the process in a blog post that may be helpful for those interested in using Ham Alert.

Here are the steps for setting up Ham Alert for State Reference Notifications

What you’ll need:

• The list of States you need to complete WAS

• A login for POTA.APP and HamAlert.org

Steps:

1. From the POTA.APP page, go to the Curtain Menu on the left of the site and click Park Lists

2. From the search box, enter the state you want the park list from and select that reference.

3. After viewing the list, click on the right-hand side “download” and select CSV.

4. Once you download the CSV file, open it up in your favorite spreadsheet editor.

5. You will now select all rows in the first column titled “reference,” as these will be all the active parks for that state. You should copy them into your memory.

6. Now open up Ham Alert and click the “+” to create a new trigger.

7. From the trigger window, select the source from the dropdown.

8. Click the dropdown and select POTA from the list of Sources

9. Then click out of the box and click the next trigger and select “POTA Reference list.”

10. Paste all the park references into the box and click outside. It will sort and organize the list with the proper spacing and commas.

11. Next, you choose the action you want to be notified of. Note: This will generate more alerts than you used to be so prepared if you use SMS or email. I prefer using the App option.

12. In the comments field, use a clear and concise description, as the report will be in the details of the notification. You’ll use this reference to determine why you got this Ham Alert.

13. Click save and “rinse, lather, and repeat” with all the other states you need to create triggers for.

Conclusion

This process is a great way to understand how Ham Alert can be the tool to notify you in real-time that a contact is waiting for a QSO.

Attention all Amateur Radio Manufacturers?

So I’ve been processing this lately what if radio manufacturers actually listened to their customers and adopted a more forward design approach in building new radios?

What if they adopted cell phone manufacturers’ lifecycle process? Now before you start in on “well, the Ham Radio Market is small” and “manufacturers need to make money back on the development cycle,” what if they decided to take a page out of the tech industry playbook and iterate on their hardware?

I mean we are seeing a slow adoption of this model - and I mean slow; where new hardware designs from Yaesu (VHF UHF Mobiles) and Icom (705/905) are coming to market.

But why in today’s technology space can’t they just standardize hardware and make the software features the deciding factor instead of just confusing the consumer and making them decide solely on price?

I feel that if you build a platform that leverages current technology and standards (like below)

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• WIFI Bluetooth using open/current standards

• Dual receivers/transmitters

• Touch screen or user-programmable buttons

• Same form factor of the radio base and head

• Standardize the mics, power, and input/output connectors

• Standardize features e.g. APRS, Memories, etc.

You can charge a bit more of a premium as a consumer won’t feel like they are missing out because your software stack can control that price point.

Let me set this example. I’ll leave out the digital side of things for now….

You have Manufacturer X build 2 VHF/UHF mobiles and standardize the body and face configurations. Build in all the standard features, like SD card / Bluetooth / WIFI programming, Make it all mode (SSB, FM, APRS, etc.), and create an OS that is platform standard - like Icom has done for example across all lines.

Then control the digital and software stack. Make that more compatible with 3rd party devices e.g. Bluetooth keyboards, and WIFI syncing, and customers will keep coming back.

With the dawn of SDR software design, this is going to become a requirement. As the next generation of hams are expecting a user experience and be less concerned whether the radio has “x” filtering or is hybrid or het? They aren’t all into the “right to repair” as they have come to grow up where warranties or coverage plans are a fact of life.

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What am I getting at?

We’ll the recent launch of Yaesu’s FTM-500 radio has gotten my “knickers in a twist.”

I was hoping in their attempts to build a new “forward-thinking” radio they would have designed something that wasn’t just a different flavor of their existing radio lines and can I say that they need to fire their marketing team as the “launch of this radio” fell into the category of “borderline vaporware?” Why launch a radio and not get it type accepted in the US before they release it in Japanese markets? Then have your marketing manager play damage control on the rumors?

Their “Big Head” design is targeting what market? Blind or deaf users? As I currently own an FTM 300 and I feel I can easily manage button presses while driving I don’t see any gains to a LARGE knob on the radio. Unless they were thinking “all mode”.

Sidebar…

Can you imagine if this radio came out as a VHF/UHF mobile with SSB/FM/CW/RTTY running 50 watts they would steal a huge market back? As the Icom 9700 is over 1800 street price and is more of a base station radio. Think of being an innovator Yaesu.

Bringing this home…

I am still waiting for Yaesu’s full feature review of this - as the one posted on their official channel made me feel like I was watching a review of the rebranded 400.

I feel that they could have brought a radio to market that was innovative and met an area that was a gap in the hobby but in reality, it’s just a radio that will confuse the market more.

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Raise our Fees!

In the latest QST Editorial (found here), they discuss considering the increase of ARRL Membership. I dive into it a little and share my opinion on the matter.

The ARRL is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to advance the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio. The ARRL funds its operations through membership dues, grants, and other contributions. As an ARRL Member, I firmly believe that a proposed Membership increase is needed to keep up with the additions.

Here is a little background for my visitors who don’t know the ARRL.

The ARRL Headquarters building in Connecticut houses the League's administrative staff, as well as its library collection and museum artifacts. The headquarters also houses the League's editorial team for QST magazine; the publishing office for books such as "The ARRL Handbook" (the most widely used reference guide for Amateur Radio); a production facility that produces printed materials such as certificates or awards; an audiovisual department responsible for making videos about Amateur Radio activities; an IT department that maintains web sites; plus many other departments needed to keep everything running smoothly! They are a business that supports the Ham Radio community and supports us when governments try to restrict our antennas and activities locally.

Representing Hams who are hand-tied by HOA Lobbyists

The opposition to amateur radio is strong and growing. The HOA lobby has been gaining strength, with more than 2,000 registered lobbyists in Washington, DC, alone. This means more people are working against us than those supporting our cause.

The power of these lobbyists cannot be underestimated; they can make or break legislation that affects the future of amateur radio across America. Suppose we want to see positive changes happen in our favor. In that case, we need the ARRL to be financially strong to go to bat and advocate.

The Benefits of ARRL's Fees

The ARRL's fees are used to support their many services and programs. These include:

• Funding for educational programs, including the National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) program and the Youth in Amateur Radio (Youth Ham Radio) initiative.

• Resources for amateur radio operators include a monthly magazine mailed to all members and an online database of radio equipment and antennas.

• Support for amateur radio advocacy efforts, such as working with Congress on legislation affecting our hobby or testifying before state legislatures when they consider bills that could impact hams' ability to operate their stations freely. Which is a big one for those who live in HOA-restricted places.

How ARRL Fees Support Amateur Radio

When I hear folks mention how they feel they aren’t getting the “value” for membership in the ARRL. But here are how some of our fees support Amateur Radio in several ways:

• ARRL's Initiatives: The League's initiatives include developing and implementing programs and services that benefit all amateurs, such as Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) training courses; the annual National Conference on Emergency Communications (NEC); Ham Aid kits for disaster response; and more.

• ARRL Advocacy: Through its Washington Office, the League advocates on behalf of Amateur Radio before Congress and federal agencies to ensure it remains free from unnecessary regulation or restriction by government entities.

• ARRL Commitment: The ARRL has been committed since its founding in 1914 to serving its members through volunteerism, community service, and public information programs designed to promote understanding of Amateur Radio among non-hams who may be interested in learning more about this unique hobby/service opportunity but don't know where or how they can get involved locally with their local club(s).

The Impact of ARRL Fees

The ARRL is a non-profit organization that relies on membership dues and donations to fund its operations. The League has been around for over 100 years and continues to provide valuable services for amateur radio operators across the country.

The benefits of membership are many: Members receive copies of QST magazine every month; they can attend local club meetings or conventions; they have access to online forums where they can ask questions about their equipment or get advice from other hams who've been there before them; members have access to free training courses offered by ARRL Field Organization volunteers. These are only some of the many ways that being an ARRL member helps you get more out of your hobby!

What ARRL Fees Mean for Amateur Radio

The ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio, and it's the organization that supports amateur radio in the US. The ARRL has many roles, including:

• Supporting Amateur Radio by providing training resources and certification programs

• Promoting Amateur Radio through public relations campaigns and outreach efforts

• Providing legal protection for hams who operate on frequencies reserved for them by law.

The Need for ARRL to Increase Fees

The ARRL is the national amateur radio association responsible for many activities that help make Amateur Radio fun. The organization provides training materials, publishes magazines and books about the hobby, sponsors conferences, and conventions, supports local clubs, and more.

These fees are used to pay for things like:

• The magazine QST (Quarterly Communication)

• The website ARRL.org

• National conventions such as Hamvention® or Dayton Hamvention®

• Scholarships for Youth, STEM Support and education (Pioneered by Steve K5ATA), and other projects that fund the advancement of the hobby.

Why am I for the increase?

You may be wondering why the ARRL needs to raise its fees. The answer is simple: it's because of all the benefits of being a member of this organization. As an ARRL member, you get access to a wide range of resources and services that can help you improve your skills as a ham radio operator.

They are our representatives in Congress and our local communities. When they support us, how are we going to help them?

Please let me know what your thoughts are. Do you know if these increases are overdue? Should the ARRL just cut back? Let me know in the comments.

Tips on Activating during Contesting weekends

This post has been an idea I have had bouncing around in my head for a while now. I, as a rule of thumb, try not to activate during a contest weekend.

Before you start rolling your eyes or finger point, I know that, in general terms, it’s not the toughest thing to accomplish.

However, for a relatively new ham working, an “everyday” activation has its challenges. Adding in crowded bands, propagation issues, and technical challenges, elevates the bar quite high.

So I took this time to give it a try during CQ QPX Weekend. I posted the video of the activation below.

But here are my takeaways that hopefully can help you when you should run into this scenario.

When activating during a contest weekend, you should….

• Be patient - Know that going in the bands will be VERY crowded. Trying to find an activation spot will be flanked with contester one and two kilohertz above your frequency, running some power. Knowing this will keep you level-headed and help you decide on a location. Remember, you can use all the bands -even the WARC ones.

• Hunt! - Yes, you can hunt. Most of the contester’s won’t need your park number. You need to know the exchange and work those stations as if they were in your log.

• Be Creative - understand that you may have to use other modes or bands to activate the park. I came up short in activating K-4950, but instead of packing it in, I used 2m FM simplex and called out on 146.52 to get the 2 or 3 contacts I needed. The motto is “Use what you brought” and “Use all the bands you can!”

• FILTERS, FILTERS, FILTERS! - If your radio has filtering ex. DNR, Noise Reduction, Shift and width you, and you can find a relative open frequency. Then use them to filter out the louder stations above or below you and just work stations you can hear clearly. Learning to pull out the “5-watt QRP” station isn’t the time or place. Treat your activation like a contest and work as many “Qs” in the time you’re allotted.

There are many others, but these four are the best suggestions I can offer and helped me get Reed’s Ferry Activated that day.

Remember, POTA is a process, and every activation is a place to learn your equipment and communication skills for the future.

If there are any other tips I may have missed, I’d love to hear them. Please post them in the comments below.