What changed
Parks, summits and portable operating — edited Aug 31, 2026 by Unknown editor
This is the first recorded version, so every line is shown as added. Note: Imported from content/wiki
+
Portable operating has become one of the biggest growth areas in the hobby. You take a small radio,
+
a battery and a wire to a park or a mountain, and the contacts come to you.
+
+
In depth: [Parks on the Air](/wiki/operating/parks-and-summits/pota) ·
+
[Summits on the Air](/wiki/operating/parks-and-summits/sota) ·
+
[other on-the-air programs](/wiki/operating/parks-and-summits/other-programs) ·
+
[the awards these programs issue](/wiki/contests-and-awards/pota-and-sota-awards)
+
+
## The two big programs
+
+
**POTA** — thousands of registered parks in the US. Operate from one and you are an **activator**;
+
work someone who is, and you are a **hunter**. Ten contacts makes a valid activation.
+
+
**SOTA** — the same idea with an elevation and self-powered-ascent requirement: no vehicle power,
+
gear carried in, points scaled by summit height. Physically harder, and the VHF/UHF and QRP results
+
from a summit are remarkable.
+
+
## A workable portable kit
+
+
- QRP or 20 W transceiver (5–20 watts is plenty)
+
- LiFePO4 battery, 3–6 Ah
+
- A wire antenna: [end-fed half-wave](/wiki/station/antennas/end-fed-and-loops), linked dipole, or a
+
vertical with a few radials
+
- A fibreglass mast or a throw line for a tree
+
- Paper log and pencil — they never run out of battery
+
- Coax, adapters, and a spare of whatever failed last time
+
+
## Operating notes
+
+
- Announce ("spot") yourself so hunters find you.
+
- Keep exchanges short when a pileup builds; long ragchews can wait for the quiet part of the
+
activation.
+
- Check whether the site needs a permit, and never leave anything in a tree.
+
+
## Why it is good for new operators
+
+
It removes the two biggest barriers at home — antenna restrictions and noise. A $200 station in a
+
park regularly outperforms a $3,000 station in a townhouse.