N1JUR Guest Speaker Series • Presentation Resources

Tiles on the Air

Turn every trip into a radio adventure. Use this page to revisit the presentation, plan your first activation, and keep a handy reference for your next outing.

Get the field guide Plan your first activation

Presented by Eric Pfeifer, N1JUR

Keep these handy

Your presentation resources

Take-home field reference

Your practical companion for activation styles, first steps, scoring reminders, advanced portable tips, and field logging.

Open the field reference PDF

Ready to explore? Visit the official Tiles on the Air website for the interactive map, current program rules, and activation submission tools.

Start here

What is a tile?

Every location sits inside a six-character Maidenhead subsquare, or “tile.” Tiles on the Air combines amateur radio contacts with outdoor activity, giving you another reason to take your station out and explore.

You do not need a designated park to get started. Choose a location where you have permission to operate, with safe access and enough room for your station.

Standard / foot-powered

Walk, hike, bike, paddle, or ruck. Activity distance and radio contacts form the core of Standard scoring, with eligible bonuses adding to the experience.

Mobile operating

Operate in the separate mobile category. Mobile scoring uses contacts and applicable flat bonuses, without foot-distance scoring.

Stack with POTA or SOTA

A qualifying park or summit also sits inside a tile. One outing can support multiple programs when you meet each program’s requirements and submit to each separately.

Chase or work tile-to-tile

Work activators as a chaser, or arrange a contact between concurrent activators in different tiles. Eligible tile-to-tile contacts can earn a multiplier.

From idea to first log

Your first activation in six steps

  1. Find your tile. Use the official interactive map. Check access, parking, antenna space, and any site restrictions.
  2. Choose your approach. Decide whether you will operate portable, on foot, by bicycle, by paddle, or mobile.
  3. Pack a familiar station. Bring your radio, antenna, battery, a way to confirm your location, and a backup logging method.
  4. Make and record contacts. Log callsigns, UTC date and time, band, and mode. Self-spot when connectivity allows.
  5. Submit your activation. Export your ADIF log, submit it on the Tiles website, and review the calculated score.
  6. Submit to other programs separately. If you are stacking with POTA or SOTA, confirm their location and contact requirements before submitting.

Before you pack up

Capture what you’ll need later

Keep these details in your log or field notes so you can complete your submission when you get home.

  • Contact callsigns
  • UTC date and time
  • Frequency or band
  • Operating mode
  • Signal reports
  • Six-character tile
  • GPS or location notes
  • Distance and ascent
  • Pack weight, if claiming it
  • Evidence for claimed bonuses
  • Other program references
  • Saved log and backup

Record the details relevant to your activation and the bonuses you plan to claim.

Build on the basics

Make more of your next outing

How do scoring and bonuses work?

Standard scoring combines activity distance and contact count. Eligible activities can introduce multipliers, percentage adjustments, or flat points.

The presentation’s field guide covers elevation gain, carried pack weight, QRP, winter activity, pets and kids, first-tile activations, RF messaging, and tile-to-tile contacts.

These bonuses do not all apply to the same base number. Check the current definitions on the official Tiles website and review the calculated score when you submit.

What should experienced portable operators try?
  • Plan a route through adjacent tiles, noting grid boundaries and UTC date changes.
  • Run a deliberate QRP experiment with different bands, modes, or antenna choices.
  • Keep GPS tracks and pack-weight notes to support your claims.
  • Explore qualifying RF-only Winlink, acknowledged APRS messaging, or VarAC gateway email.
  • Coordinate a tile-to-tile contact and record both locations and the contact time.
  • Review your achievements, chaser logs, leaderboard position, and collectible Sticky Tiles after uploading.
Can the same outing count for POTA or SOTA?

Yes, when your location and operation qualify under each program’s rules. Keep a well-structured log and submit separately to each program.

Contact eligibility can differ. The field reference specifically notes that terrestrial repeater contacts permitted by Tiles do not qualify for POTA credit.

Where should I go after the presentation?

Start with the take-home field reference, then explore the map and current rules on the official Tiles website.

For more N1JUR content and presentation resources, visit N1JUR.com.

Your next step: Pick one easy-access tile, pack a familiar radio, and plan a simple outing. You can build on the experience from there.

This page supports the N1JUR club presentation. Program rules, eligibility, bonus definitions, and upload requirements can change. Confirm current details with Tiles on the Air before operating.