One of my very favorite things about the hobby is when you get to finally meet a fellow operator that you know via a QSO, but have not met in real life. I have had many hours of shared CW practice with Dmitry at The Long Island CW Club, where we both are instructors and students (I think you never stop being a student of CW as there is always room for improvement).
Dmitry was very generous in inviting both my friend Rob and me to join him on an activation at his favorite POTA park. The pin placement for the map is a little misleading, in that Boundary Bay is a large area, and the park where we activated is along the river delta. The tide was out, and you could really walk a long way out before hitting water.
At the entrance to the park, there was a sign with information. I didn’t see any tide charts, but I imagine you’ll need to check the tides before setting up your rig to avoid any surprises!
Below is a photo of Dmitry, and in the background you can see the mountains of the North Shore in Vancouver. The river delta stretched a long way out and gave great views! The weather was nice and sunny, but the delta had a strong wind, requiring the vertical antenna to be guyed. Dmitry had all this ready to go with his setup, and it worked great in the heavy wind.
Dmitry signed up for a specialty call sign, VB7F, that was in celebration of the FIFA World Cup. One of the venues of FIFA was Vancouver, and traffic in the downtown was shut down so that fans could celebrate.
It is always fun to see how other people organize their activations — I always adopt strategies that seem to work particularly well. I made special note of this lovely table that collapsed to a very small size, but was a great surface to work from!
The first thing was to set up Dmitry’s vertical antenna.
(Details about Dmitry’s antenna are given in the section below.)
Dmitry set up his Yaesu FT-891, and we were ready to get on the air. We took turns getting a few calls, changing the operator callsign between turns. I had never operated as a special-event station before, so that was something new and fun!
I tried to do the scenic view some justice, and took this panoramic shot. I assume that the brackish water of the Fraser River at this point close to the Pacific Ocean can only help propagation!
The calls were all over the United States, so the antenna was working really well!
Date
Time
Call
State
Band
Mode
2026/07/04
22:41
N7Y
AZ
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:42
KO6A
CA
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:43
W6UW
CA
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:44
NT6E
CA
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:45
WA6QYS
CA
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:46
N7DEY
NV
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:47
KFØND
IA
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:48
WB8IZM
MI
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:49
VE7CTN
BC
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:50
WB5N
TX
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:51
N7WFO
MT
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:52
KG2MM
FL
40m
CW
2026/07/04
22:53
W4TRA
NC
40m
CW
After the activation, we went to get some nice food at Sharkey’s Seafood Bar & Grille in Ladner, BC. The food was great and was right by the river.
Dmitry also designed this lovely key, and even personalized it for me! It’s great, with a leg strap that holds a key plate firmly attached to your leg, and magnetically holds the key. It’s a lovely design, and I look forward to using it in the field. He describes the paddle below.
The POTA PERformer
by Dmitry Sevostiyanov, VA7DVO
Parks on the Air, or POTA, is by far my favorite part of the amateur radio hobby. I enjoy operating portable from beautiful parks and forests, and I am always looking for compact, high-performing antennas that can be deployed quickly and easily.
Many thanks to Bharath M. Palavalli (VU3GLJ), who shares the following post, originally published on his website:
Preparing a backpack for field operations
by Bharath (VU3GLJ)
I’ve been talking about field operations and a backpack preference for all radio equipment since I’ve started documenting my journey. I’ve finally managed to start putting things together for such an operation for myself.
Figure 1: Backpack v1
And as always, here is the TLDR; version:
What is in the bag
Objective(s) I had for the operation
Field site and the challenges
Learnings from the testing
Next steps before I head out
Criteria for the go bag!
Backpack, not more than 20L, and I should be able to carry it on hikes/treks
Flight-safe, as I can then carry it with me on different trips
Self-contained
Needs to be QRP!
Back-ups for radios and antennas
Single man deployment
What is in the bag?
Without much ado, here is my current version of the bag:
Table 1: Current set of components in the go bag for testing!
This power bank is flight-safe and supports PD 3.0, QC 3.0, PPS, and VOOC protocols. And 5V-3A, 9V-2.22A, 12V-1.67A were the important features for me, as that is what my radios need.
The idea was to test this backpack version I had assembled for myself and the different components I was carrying,
Powering the radios with the power bank and the USB-C to DC power cable.
Home-brewed vertical coil: This is based on SA2CLC’s design and something I wanted to carry when I go to the field as a back-up antenna.
Cables for the QMX with iPhone (specifically the data cables) for FT8 operation: QMX is a joy to operate, so I wanted to test if the cables and “camera adaptor” will work with the iPhone that has a Lightning connector only.
SSB mic for the QMX/zBitx: Based on K6ARK’s design, I home-brewed two different SSB mics for the QMX and zBitx.
V2 of the software for the zBitx (both versions of the OS, JJ’s and the version released by Farhan): I flashed two versions of the OS on the zBitx on two different SD cards so I can test them in the field.
QRPickle functionality: Given that QRPickle was out in the wild, I thought I must give it a spin.
In addition, I wanted to check if it is easy to deploy this easily in the field.
Where was I?
I hadn’t really chosen the field site based on radio requirements; this was meant to be a weekend getaway of sorts where I happened to carry this bag. I was at MK81fm, which was bang in the middle of three possible sites for activating parks, IN-0041, IN-0085, and IN-0086. This did mean that I could have hiked over to one of the parks on one of the days or attempted a 2-fer in a couple of areas. Exciting times! The beautiful little place we did end up at was bang in the middle of a tea estate, was a fair distance away from humanity, and the right choice for a holiday. However, it was possibly the worst possible place for any radio activity! One portion had tea bushes, and no way to get an EFHW antenna up (I could try the vertical right? We’ll get to it shortly.) with the trees. There was small tight cluster of living areas and not much vertical support around.
Powering the radios with the power bank and the USB-C to DC power cable.
What worked: As you can see from the video, I was able to use the radio (individually) with the power bank.
What didn’t work: Powering two devices from the power bank didn’t work as the voltage automatically dropped to 5V instead of the required 9V and 12V.
Home-brewed vertical coil
The current manner in which I had configured the coil and the POTA20 mast I had significant help from my XYL. Here is a picture of the coil and the mast together, anchored on a tree:
Figure 2: 3D-printed vertical coil by SA2CLC with the Gigaparts POTA20 anchored to a dried/chopped tree stump.
What worked: I seemed to have put the parts together! We didn’t have a blow-out.
What didn’t work:
Pretty much everything else!
As I said, I needed help to actually fix the mast onto the tree stump. This was mainly because there wasn’t a place where I could actually put up a vertical without any obstructions or open enough space.
POTA20 is carbonfibre and not fibreglass. So it is definitely not a good candidate for hoisting up a vertical radiating element.
Given that I wasn’t able to actually use the vertical, I wasn’t able to actually calibrate the coil well.
While I was flummoxed with the readings, VU3JIM said that it is probably the tree that is causing the weird SWR readings (he wasn’t aware about my mast!), and that is when I realized the mast was the problem.
I checked the connectivity of all the solder joints when I came back as well to check if that was an issue too.
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!
by Vince (VE6LK)
It’s my last POTA activation before flying back to Alberta, in fact, it’s the morning of. As usual, I’m up before everyone else, so I snuck out to squeeze in one more activation. For this activation, it’s a half-kilometre from where I’m staying, and I have about half an hour of spare time.
Photo Credit: Google Street View 2025. The steel gates are now permanently closed, but inside the property lines.
I had just picked up a breakfast sandwich and was driving to my planned location when HamAlert told me that my buddy N2MAK was on 7209 for a “quick activation”. I hurried my setup at the expense of not shooting video, but I was unable to make the 175km trip on 40m as the band was already on daytime hours and we were in each other’s skip zone.
Look closely and you’ll see my sloper running from the top of the left-hand stone gate and up to the tip of my mast. Instead of using my snowbrush as a support as with prior activations this week, a rather large piece of deadfall held the near end of my wire.The rock served well as my “desk”Not bad for 10 watts and 20 minutes
After not getting Mike on 40m, I switched over to 20m as the local time was a few hours after sunrise, and I was hoping for a little bit of Europe. Sadly, that wasn’t to be the case.
Rapid fading was the real challenge, with a few callers dropping off almost immediately after calling, but coming back to me a few minutes later. Another challenge was my proximity to the roadside and the noise of vehicles driving past. Some callers did not move the S-meter (despite the pre-amp on) and some were rattling the internal speaker. Lastly, with temperatures of 4 °C at 65% humidity and a wind that had short gusts, it was the second time in this trip that I was cranky that I hadn’t packed gloves.
Having a time limit definitely adds an element of challenge to things! Give it a try – you may be surprised at how much you like it. And, in this case, half a kilometre away with a half hour to spare most certainly did equal a whole activation!
72, 73 and dit dit,
…Vince
First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website. And if you have some spare cash, check out his online store.
As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things!
by Vince (VE6LK)
Over the years, I’ve learned to carry less when doing portable operations. It was only three and one-half years ago that Malen VE6VID said to me, “You are carrying too much gear,” when he looked at the 60 pounds of kit I used to carry for drive-up POTA and compared it to his 3-pound SOTA kit. He gave me my first taste of QRP with his KX2 during my first SOTA outing, a simple walk-up. Soon afterward, I acquired a KX3, sold off my 35′ military push-up mast, and started embracing the world of lightweight gear.
Making my kit significantly lighter is an approach that’s served me well. You’ve seen me write about measuring your Kit Mass Index, thinning my kit for backcountry mountain e-biking, and air travel. I used to carry two HF radios, batteries, antennas, and such, but now I’m more likely to have a basic kit along with a spare battery, a few various pieces of feedline, and a second antenna. And getting away from my “two is one and one is none” mentality means I’m being selective about what I bring, depending upon the situation at hand and the type of operating I’ll be doing. I will still bring enough gear to require a crew of roadies if I’m doing Emcomm or RallySport comms, but other than that, I will bring gear to match my planned purpose. And this approach fits perfectly into my “build your go-kit for a purpose” talk that I delivered at the 2025 Hamvention.
And thus, on my May trip to Southern Ontario to visit family, I carried a relatively small set of gear when compared to what I used to hump about:
I will also work with whatever is at hand like the snowbrush, in whatever vehicle I have with me.
50W Spark Plug Gear transformer + VFComms RSE Line makes it easy-peasy to tie off the wire on the end of the snowbrush.
On this trip, it’s a basic brush, not fancy and not very long. Fortunately, the rental SUV holds the brush perfectly when placed under the rear wiper blade. I used this setup at all of my activations this trip to hold up the near end of the antenna, and with the far end sloped upwards to 20′.
at Spencer Gorge Conservation Areaat Devil’s Punch Bowl Conservation Area
In cases like this, operating is simply done out of the trunk of the vehicle. I’m not there so very long that I need an ergonomic assessment of my working conditions <grin>, so it will work for the hour or so I’m making contacts.
Feedline comes in over the hatch on the left side, and there is always a common mode current choke in the line appropriate to the type of antenna I’m using.
Closing thoughts
Challenge yourself
Critically analyze the gear in your kit
Be resourceful
Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.
Use what is at hand
And, most of all, have fun with your portable operating!
72, 73 and dit dit,
…Vince
First introduced to the magic of radio by a family member in 1969, Vince has been active in the hobby since 2002. He is an Accredited examiner in Canada and the USA, operates on almost all of the modes, and is continually working on making his CW proficiency suck less. He participates in public service events around Western Canada and is active on the air while glamping, mobile, at home or doing a POTA activation. You can hear him on the Ham Radio Workbench podcast, follow him on Twitter @VE6LK, check out his YouTube channel, and view the projects and articles on his website. And if you have some spare cash, check out his online store.
Many thanks to Brian, K2BRZ, who recently reached out via email with a few questions about doing one-bag travel with a field radio.
This is a deep rabbit hole for me because it combines two things I absolutely love geeking out over: packing and radio.
I’ve been traveling with radios on flights since around the year 2000, about three years after I was first licensed. Back then, I traveled extensively throughout Europe for the corporation I worked for, and I almost always carried my Yaesu FT-817 (non-ND version!) with me. At the time, it was one of the smallest and most compact QRP radios on the market, and it made a perfect travel companion.
These days, we have so many more options—smaller radios, better battery solutions, and far better travel bags designed specifically around one-bag travel.
So let’s dig into it.
A little about my travel philosophy
When I’m traveling alone by air, I almost always travel with one bag unless I absolutely have to transport gear to a destination or bring gear back. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I checked baggage.
I also genuinely enjoy the challenge of using the smallest bag possible for longer trips. I’ve even done week-long trips using only a personal carry-on—the smallest size many low-cost airlines allow.
This is how I packed for a conference and one week in Philadelphia. All of this fit in my Tom Bihn Stowaway personal; carry-on.
There are definitely compromises when you do this, but there’s also something really satisfying about using the minimal amount of gear for the maximum amount of travel. It feels liberating.
All of my “luggage” for one week of travel.
Especially for business travel, I dislike checked luggage. In the past, I’ve had checked bags miss connections, disappear temporarily, or require delivery after I arrived at my destination. That creates unnecessary friction and adds stress I simply don’t want.
With one-bag travel, everything stays with me. I move faster, travel lighter, and worry less. No waiting for bags to appear (or not!) at a luggage carousel. That’s been my approach for the better part of the last 26 years.
Now, when you add radio gear into the mix, there are a few more considerations, but honestly, don’t overthink it too much. As long as your radio fits in your bag, your battery is compliant, and you make things easy for airport security, you’re probably going to be just fine.
That said, I do think there are some best practices worth discussing.
First: Radio selection
If you’re doing true one-bag travel, you’re carrying a backpack, duffel, or small carry-on case, and your radio is going inside it. By definition, this usually means you’re not taking a full-size 100-watt radio.
Even if you do choose a higher-power radio, it needs to be very compact, because it’s sharing space with your clothing, toiletries, laptop, etc. And if your trip involves a lot of walking—trains, airports, city travel, or hiking—the extra weight of a 100W radio matters.
My advice is simple: take the smallest radio you own that still gives you the operating experience you want.
These days, I try to limit myself to radios no larger than my Elecraft KX2. The KX2 isn’t the smallest radio I own, but it’s an excellent travel-sized portable rig, it’s easy to protect in a bag, and it gives me a tremendous amount of flexibility.
I also travel with my Elecraft KH1, Elecraft KX1, Mountain Topper radios, the QMX, my TR-35, and several other compact field radios, so there’s certainly no shortage of choices.
But your destination matters a lot, because that determines your antenna strategy just as much as your radio choice.
Your destination determines your antenna
Plaines d’Abraham, Quebec City, Québec
If I’m traveling to Europe, for example, I worry much less about bringing a complicated antenna system because I know I’ll probably be activating urban parks, and I know the density of amateur radio operators within my propagation footprint—from 40 meters up through 20 meters—is going to be very high. Continue reading One-Bag Travel with a Field Radio: My Practical Guide for Flying Light→
Many thanks to Marc (KE2MT), who reached out on my YouTube channel with a question about logging.
Marc noted that he used to log contacts on paper when he first started learning CW because writing down callsigns helped him copy them accurately. But over time, he shifted to logging on his phone using the Polo Ham 2k app. He explained that it automatically records the time, frequency, and other details, lets him export logs directly for POTA, SOTA, and LoTW uploads, and even helps catch callsign errors by looking up operator information.
In short, like many, he finds it a real time-saver—and asked why I still prefer logging on paper.
It’s a fair question.
I realized that although I’ve mentioned this in videos and have written about paper logging on QRPer before, I’ve never really answered it directly in one place. Since I’m asked about this regularly, I thought I’d share my expanded reply here so I can point people to it in the future.
Why I Log to Paper
The answer actually has a bit of nuance.
When I first started doing POTA in earnest in 2020—and began producing activation videos that same year—my main goal (and still is) was to make those videos useful for people learning CW. I wanted viewers to be able to copy along in real time during a real QSO. Because of that, I logged contacts on paper where viewers could see the callsigns as I wrote them in the log. I still try to show the logbook in each video, although lighting and camera angles don’t always cooperate.
At one point, I experimented with logging electronically during activations. I modified my N3FJP logging software on a Microsoft Surface Go so I could export my logs afterward in a format that could be uploaded for Parks on the Air. Keep in mind: in the early days of POTA.app, activators actually emailed their logs to regional coordinators, who then uploaded them manually on your behalf.
My Microsoft Surface Go tablet
SOTA was a bit different because it already supported self-uploads, but I still had to tweak ADIF files in a text editor to make everything work properly.
Eventually, apps like HAMRS appeared, making it easy to log from a phone. For a while, I tried doing both: logging on paper for the video while also logging to my iPhone off-camera.
In practice, though, that turned out to be awkward. During a typical POTA exchange, there’s just enough time to log entries comfortably—doing it twice meant I was constantly fumbling between paper and phone. It made it harder to stay focused on the QSO itself.
Back home, of course, electronic logs were incredibly convenient. Export the ADIF file, send it in, and you’re done.
The form is designed specifically for POTA activations, so once you set the date, park number, band, and mode, entering contacts is incredibly quick. You simply increment the time for each QSO and add the callsign. It even verifies callsigns against existing POTA accounts, which helps catch transcription errors.
Before this system existed, correcting mistakes could be a bit of a hassle. If I mis-logged a callsign, I had to email a coordinator with a corrected file attached so they could delete the incorrect entries and upload new ones. The coordinators were volunteers, and I always felt bad asking them to fix my mistakes.
Once the manual entry form was introduced, the whole process became much simpler. That’s when I stopped double-logging on my phone during activations.
Analog Time
One thing you’ll notice in my activations is that I mostly use my phone just for photos or to check the POTA spots page. Otherwise, I leave it alone.
That’s intentional.
Logging on paper allows me to stay fully in the moment. Each QSO becomes a simple rhythm: listen, send, log, repeat. Writing the callsign down feels natural and keeps me focused on the exchange rather than on a screen or keyboard.
Could I log on to a laptop or tablet? Absolutely—and I often do during long operating sessions like Field Day or Ham Radio Workbench on the Air.
My HRWBOTA 2025 Setup
But for the typical short activation, pen and paper simply feel better to me. It also fits nicely with the style of my videos—I imagine the viewer sitting across the picnic table copying the contacts right along with me.
Polo Ham 2k
That said, I’m definitely not opposed to logging apps.
It works beautifully both online and offline, and I completely understand why many operators prefer it.
A Few Practical Advantages of Paper
My logs aren’t “neat” but it’s easy for me to look at them and remember trying to work partial calls and I also note things like the radio and antenna used.
There’s also a practical side to paper logs.
They’re durable.
I never worry about my phone freezing, running out of battery, or taking an accidental tumble off a cliff. And after each activation, I take photos of my log sheets so they’re backed up to the cloud immediately.
Some readers have even been experimenting with using OCR or AI tools to convert handwritten logs into ADIF files automatically. That’s something I may explore in the future—assuming my handwriting passes the test!
In the End…
For me, it really comes down to enjoyment.
Logging on paper keeps my activations simple and lets me stay focused on the moment—on the radio, the environment around me, and the conversation happening in Morse code.
Yes, it means I have to transcribe the log later into the POTA entry form.
But for the kind of activations I usually do, that small bit of extra work is well worth it.
I realize this is probably a longer and more nuanced answer than Marc expected—but you know me… I do enjoy a good rabbit hole!
In the comments, I’d love to hear from you: How do you log in the field?
Over the past few months, I’ve received a steady stream of emails and comments that have all landed in the same place in my mind: just how much the field radio space has changed, especially in the last five or six years.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that field operating may be the fastest-growing and most dynamic segment of amateur radio over the past decade. It has also been a catalyst for an incredible amount of innovation, accessibility, and community support–so much so that I genuinely believe there’s never been a better time to get started with field radio.
What follows is not an exhaustive list. It’s simply a snapshot of what’s been on my mind lately as I reflect on how different things feel compared to 2016–and even compared to just 5-6 years ago. I’m certain I’m missing things, so I hope you’ll add your own observations in the comments.
Field-Portable Radios: From Afterthought to Center Stage
Ten years ago, field-portable radios felt like a niche within a niche. I remember speaking with marketing staff from major manufacturers at Hamvention prior to the 2016 National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) event, and several told me there simply wasn’t much interest in QRP or truly portable radios. The focus was squarely on shack-based stations, radios you might occasionally take to the field, or contest-grade rigs.
Then came National Parks on the Air in 2016, and everything shifted. Manufacturers suddenly saw just how much energy and excitement existed around field operating. Elecraft–one of the larger manufacturers who’ve always invested in the field radio space–couldn’t have timed the introduction of the KX2 (at Hamvention 2016) any better. At the time, there were very few new field-portable radios coming from major manufacturers, though small builders like LNR Precision were already innovating.
FTX-1 Field on display at Hamvention 2025
Fast-forward to today and the landscape looks completely different. Icom introduced the IC-705 in 2020, Yaesu followed, last year, with the FT-X1 Field, and several other manufacturers—large and small—now treat field portability as a serious design priority. What once felt like a fringe market is now firmly established.
Affordable QRP SSB
One major innovation has been the availability of sub-$300 QRP SSB radios. Years ago, running low-power SSB at this price point usually meant buying a used, full-size radio and adapting it for field use. Today, there are multiple SSB-capable radios available for under $300—and even under $200.
The (tr)uSDX even has a built-in microphone.
Radios like the (tr)uSDX and the QRP Labs QMX show up regularly in field reports, and for good reason. Xiegu’s G106, a multi-band, multi-mode radio priced just over $200, is another example. It’s not the best radio I own, but it works–and it works on a very small battery. I often run mine on a modest 3-amp LiFePO₄ pack and have used it successfully on both SSB and CW.
The G106 even has a simple spectrum display!
When I was first licensed in 1997, I paid over $700 for a used Icom IC-735. I loved it, but it was heavy, power-hungry, and only marginally field-portable. If today’s affordable, compact radios had existed back then, I honestly wouldn’t have known what to do with myself!
The CW Renaissance
I’ve said it before here on QRPer, and I still believe it: we’re living through a CW renaissance. The number of people learning Morse code and getting on the air continues to amaze me.
If you want proof, look no further than organizations like the Long Island CW Club. What was once a group of a couple of hundred members has grown into a community of over 7,000 (I believe that’s the number I heard at HamX-correct me if I’m wrong), complete with online classes, mentoring, and an incredibly supportive culture. Similar growth can be seen across CW Ops, CW Innovations, and many, many other groups.
At least once a week, I receive emails from readers celebrating their very first CW contact or their first CW activation.
One new CW op recently told me that they once supported removing CW requirements, believing it to be a dead and unnecessary mode. Now–in their words–they are happily eating a bit of humble pie! I’d argue the CW community today may be larger than it’s ever been, outside of the very earliest days of amateur radio.
Spotting Innovation
When I began activating POTA in 2019, spotting was a real concern, especially for SSB operators in areas without mobile phone access. If I wasn’t sure there would be mobile phone coverage, I relied on friends listening on a predetermined frequency, at a predetermined time, ready to spot me manually.
In remote parts of western North Carolina, there were activations where I never got spotted at all and couldn’t complete the activation. That frustration was one of the main reasons I leaned heavily into CW in 2020. Being able to use the Reverse Beacon Network felt like a superpower.
Today, off-grid spotting options have exploded. Tools like SOTAmat have been transformative for SSB operators, allowing activators to spot themselves using audio-generated digital signals and a simple smartphone app–no satellite subscription required.
On that note, Elecraft announced this week new KH1 firmware support for SOTAmat via the SOTACAT dongle, opening the door to fully automated spotting from a handheld radio. Crazy!
The Rise of Cottage-Industry Manufacturers
Tufteln, for example, makes a wide array of field op accessories, including magnetically attachable custom faceplate protectors.
One of my favorite developments has been the growth of small, operator-led businesses in the field radio space.
Antennas, packs, pouches, cables, dongles…you name it. Many of the accessories I rely on today come from passionate individuals who saw a need and decided to build something better.
Spooltenna is a husband/wife team that started only one year ago and now their products are being used across the planet!
These small companies inject innovation and energy into the hobby, and I firmly believe they make the entire field radio ecosystem stronger.
Logging innovations
Many of you know I still log on paper when filming field activation videos. I like being present in the moment, and paper logs are easy for viewers to follow. When I’m not filming, though, apps like PoLo have completely changed the game for me.
In the early days of POTA, logging meant paper or a laptop/tablet in the field, ADIF files formatted and exported correctly at home, emails to coordinators with attached files, and sometimes a full day’s wait for validation. Today, we can upload our own logs directly (side note: at least SOTA activators were able to do this much earlier on), use web-based loggers, and even generate multiple logs automatically for joint activations via apps like PoLo. The difference is staggering and entirely for the better.
The POTA Community Explosion
While Parks on the Air isn’t the first field activity–WWFF and SOTA, among others, paved the way–it’s hard to overstate POTA’s impact over the past six years. It made field operating approachable, flexible, and welcoming.
A POTA activation in May 2019: note that I adapted some of WD8RIF’s bespoke log sheets for my own purposes!
When I started activating in 2019, many parks were ATNOs, and getting ten contacts could be genuinely stressful. I relied on a small core group of dedicated hunters who saved my bacon more times than I can count. To “get our ten” we activators tended to work the same hunter on multiple modes and bands.
I still remember the POTA gathering at Hamvention 2019: about 40 or 45 of us under a pop-up tent outdoors? Fast-forward to last year, and POTA events filled Hamvention’s large indoor forum spaces (three different forums were POTA-focused, if I recall correctly).
Yesterday? I logged ten contacts in the first eight minutes of my activation. In those early days of POTA? That was the stuff of wild dreams!
Field Radio on YouTube
When I started my YouTube channel in earnest in 2020, there were relatively few channels focused primarily on field radio and POTA. Today, YouTube is chock-full of them. The enthusiasm is contagious, and while the sheer volume can be overwhelming for newcomers, I see this as an overwhelmingly positive development.
Final Thoughts
These are just a few of the changes that come to mind, but I know there’s much more to the story.
How have you seen the field radio space change over the past five, seven, or ten years? Please share your thoughts in the comments. I’m really looking forward to reading them!
When we plotted our trip to Canada this year, I mentally set a goal for myself: to get better at Adaptive Urban Park Activating (AUPA).
Yeah, I just made that initiative up. Don’t laugh (too hard).
Let me explain…
Back home in North Carolina—and really, most of the parks I travel to in the eastern half of the U.S.—are large state and national parks. When I set up my field radio gear, I typically have a vast area with many choice sites to choose from. It’s easy to disappear into the void, and park staff have no issue with the antennas I deploy.
That said, I also activate quite a few small state historic sites, but in each case, I know the park staff and they know me. I always ask for permission before activating and describe the antenna I plan to deploy. We’ve built relationships over time, and they allow me to activate with essentially no restrictions. I can deploy wire antennas, verticals, loops—whatever I choose.
But the truth is, I have two conflicting interests when I’m in a park.
First, I enjoy being a public and (hopefully) positive impression of the amateur radio community when I’m approached by park guests and staff. POTA gives me an excuse to talk about the importance—and fun—of amateur radio. Since Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, I’ve seen even more interest from locals who stop to ask what I’m doing because they heard that amateur radio played an important role in emergency communications during the aftermath.
That said, in general, I try to be as low-impact and inconspicuous as possible when operating in public spaces. I don’t want my antennas to be trip hazards or interfere with others’ enjoyment of the park. And if I’m being honest, I’m naturally introverted—I like to disappear and be left alone.
The balance I try to strike is deploying gear in a way that doesn’t interfere with others, while also not worrying too much if someone notices my setup. If I’m not bothering anyone but I’m visible enough to serve as a sort of radio ambassador, that’s the best of both worlds, right?
Right!
Adaptive Urban Park Activating
Which brings us back to this philosophy I made up five minutes ago…
When I packed for our trip to Canada, I knew most of the parks I’d be activating in and around Québec City would either be urban parks or national wildlife refuges. In both cases, I aim for field setups that are low-impact, sensitive to surroundings, and unlikely to attract negative attention.
I also had to pack compact and light—we maxed out our Subaru for this multi-week trip. So I brought my usual assortment of wire antennas (end-fed half-waves and random wires) and my self-supporting, low-impact verticals: the Elecraft AX1 and the new AX3.
I left behind the Chelegance MC-750, the Radioddity HF-009, and the Chameleon MPAS Lite self-supporting verticals.
The POTA20 mast
I did bring my POTA20 Explorer carbon fiber pole, which easily fits in my backpack. While the POTA20 Explorer mast is pretty conspicuous when deployed—no way around that, especially if I’m not backed up against a wooded area—I paired it with very short 4:1 and 9:1 EFRW antennas that are super easy to deploy, giving me a stealthier self-supporting vertical option.
In a sense, I chose my lightest, stealthiest antenna options.
When I feel comfortable hanging a wire in an urban park, I do it in a low-impact way: keeping the wire, throw line, and counterpoise all within view and away from high-traffic areas. I keep the footprint as small as possible.
The Propagation Factor
Of course, all of this depends on propagation…
In these urban activations, I’ve placed more emphasis on compromised antennas—either my 4-foot AX1 and AX3 verticals or 17-foot end-feds. And I knew before leaving that propagation’s been spotty these past few weeks (months?). I expected I’d need more time to activate parks with these setups.
Indeed, the first park I activated in Canada was Fort Wellington National Historic Site (here’s a link to the field report). That day, a festival brought a lot of foot traffic to the park, so I went very low-impact—not just out of respect for the historic site, but also the crowds.
I set up my KX2 and AX1, unsure if I’d manage to activate at all. Fortunately, I did.
Over the next few weeks, you’ll see a common thread in my Canadian field reports: stealth and the challenge of becoming a better, more adaptive urban activator. It’s been great practice.
A Few New Tools
I’ve also added some new tools to my kit.
My friend and mad-scientist 3D-print designer, Mike (KE8PTX), made clamp and strap mounts for the new Elecraft AX3 vertical in addition to a new KH1 knee board.
These have made it ridiculously easy to deploy that antenna pretty much anywhere. So far, I’ve mounted it to a park bench (you’ll see this in an upcoming field report) and clamped it to a picnic table in gusty winds.
In many of the Québec City parks I’ve activated, I rarely see staff—there’s no one to ask for permission. So if I’m using an AX1 or AX3 on a table, I feel like I’m having less impact than the average family picnic. If a park employee were to approach me, I’d like to think there’d be no grounds for complaint.
CW + Earphones = Super Stealthy
I’ve also been using earphones a lot more than usual. I actually enjoy using earphones for activations, but I typically rely on my speaker instead because, frankly, it makes for quicker and easier activation video setups.
But when you’re doing a CW activation with earphones, you’re super stealthy—no sound, no fuss. This is one major benefit of CW over voice modes: we can send without speaking out loud.
For this reason, I’ve been recording my audio directly from the radio for activation videos when I’m in an urban park setting.
To be clear, I actually think the sound of CW can be pleasant and even intriguing to many people. But I can’t assume everyone feels the same way—especially in urban parks, where visitors are often trying to escape noise. A quiet, discreet setup just feels more respectful in that context.
What About You?
The KH1 in Pedestrian Mobile mode is a very low-impact way to do urban POTA.
Do you activate urban parks or low-profile sites where you aim to remain low-impact? What’s your default setup?
I’d love to hear how you approach this—especially if you’re working with limited space, increased visibility, or extra constraints.
You’ll see more on this topic in my upcoming videos.
Besides radio, one thing I love to geek out about is bags, pouches, backpacks—and more specifically—how and what I pack.
In fact, some of my favorite YouTube videos are those where the host shows how they pack for, say, summer travels in Asia, a one-week business trip to Helsinki, or what’s in their Everyday Carry (EDC).
Although this is one of my favorite types of videos, I don’t make enough of them about my own philosophy of packing: what I take, how I pack it, and how it all works in the field.
My Canada Backpack
If you’ve been watching my videos for long, you’ve probably noticed that one of my favorite field backpacks is the one with a Canadian flag on the front:
It’s a 21L GoRuck GR1 USA. I’ve owned this backpack for the better part of a decade and use it for both field radio and travel. I’ve many other backpacks, but this one is just the right size for almost any of my radio adventures. It also meets the “personal carry-on” size restrictions for even low-cost carriers (at least, at the time of posting). I’ve packed this—with radio—for a week of air travel. I’ve also taken this pack on numerous SOTA hikes.
I have other backpacks I love, but this one strikes the right balance of being big enough without being too big. The main compartment is boxy, somewhat structured, and fits some of my longest field kit items: my Joby Tripod with action camera attached, hiking sticks, Helinox Chair, and carbon fiber telescoping mast.
Ready for Any Activation
While here in Canada, I’ll be activating parks I’ve never visited before, so I need to be prepared for just about any situation. I’m also activating a lot of urban parks in and around Québec City.
When I packed for this trip, I assumed that some of the parks wouldn’t have picnic tables—and some might not even have available park benches. That’s why I pack a collapsible hiking chair and folding knee board. With those, all I need is a flat spot on the ground and I can operate comfortably and complete an activation.
Somewhat Modular
In my pack, there are core items I don’t take out, like my:
Helinox Chair and Ground Sheet
Folding Knee Board
POTA20 Explorer Mast
Logging Pad and Pencil
Throw Line and Weight
A few antenna options
A LiPo battery and USB charger
Garmin InReach
Headlamp
Camera and Audio recording Gear
First Aid, Sunscreen, Nitrile Gloves (for picking up rubbish), etc.
I do, however, rotate the radio kit inside.
My KX2 Field Kit
For example, in this video, I feature my venerable Elecraft KX2 kit (see photos above).
My MTR-3B Kit
But I can take that one out and replace it with either my Elecraft KH1, CFT1, or MTR-3B field kits.
My KH1 Kit
They are all packed in small Pelican cases that easily fit in the center of my backpack.
Weight
When fully loaded, my backpack isn’t exactly lightweight. Besides all of my radio gear, I’m usually packing a bottle of water too. I haven’t weighed it, but it’s relatively heavy. That’s not an issue for POTA since I’m rarely walking more than 10 minutes (and often just 2 minutes) to find a site to set up.
For SOTA outings or hikes that are an hour or more, I shed any items I know I won’t need. That frees up space for more water and lightens the overall load.
For example, on SOTA hikes I plan to only take my Elecraft KH1 transceiver and a few accessories. That means I can leave behind cable assemblies, extra keys and key base, POTA20 mast, ground spike, and throw line and weight. (The KH1 kit includes a minimalist throw line/weight if needed.) It significantly reduces the pack weight.
In fact, I brought a second, smaller backpack for times when I want to go very minimalist with the KH1 or MTR-3B. Both have fully self-contained field kits in individual Pelican cases. This smaller backpack is perfect when I’m with family—say, spending the day in Vieux Québec visiting museums, shops, restaurants, and one or two urban parks where I can squeeze in activations.
Extras
Note that there are a few extras always in my car that I didn’t include in the video because they typically stay there: my portable table, HT, and a 2-liter water bladder.
Also, a bedroll that we use for family picnics. All of these items work for both field radio, family picnics, and lounging on the shores of the mighty St-Lawrence.
All of these items get heavy use since our family spends so much time outdoors.
Video
In the video tour of my field radio backpack from this trip to Canada, I take you through each individual item I packed. Below, you’ll find links to each item (when available), in the order they appear in the video.
This video didn’t take long to shoot because, as you know, I don’t edit my videos—they are what they are.
Putting together all of the links and video chapters, however, takes a long time. I do plan to make a video of my other, more minimalist backpack and my new Red Oxx Gator EDC bag I’m using for all of my extra supplies.
My Red Oxx Gator EDC Bag
I’d love to hear your comments about your own field packs—and I especially enjoy your Field Radio Kit posts for our Field Radio Kit Gallery!
Thank you
Thanks for reading this post—I hope you enjoyed the “What’s in my pack?” video. I certainly enjoyed the process. It was a fun excuse to nerd out about packing!
Of course, I’d also like to send a special thanks to those of you who have been supporting the site and channel through Patreon, and the Coffee Fund. While not a requirement, as my content will always be free, I really appreciate the support.
Over the past couple of years, I’d been casually watching the used market for a Kenwood TH-D72A handheld. Last summer, I started searching in earnest—I wanted one specifically for portable full-duplex satellite work.
For discontinued gear like this, instead of waiting for one to show up, I’ll often post a “WTB” (Want To Buy) ad on a classifieds site like QTH.com. In the past, I’ve had good luck with this approach.
This time around, I did eventually find a legitimate seller and now have a TH-D72 in my shack. But before that? I had to navigate several scam attempts—five of the six replies I received were from scammers.
And let me tell you: scammers are getting much more convincing.
Although this happened to me last year, in the past couple of months I’ve heard from several readers who’ve lost serious money through online classifieds—sometimes for high-end transceivers.
One story in particular prompted me to finally dust off this post from my drafts folder and finish it.
Please note: this isn’t a comprehensive guide. It’s simply a rundown of the real-world steps I take and the red flags I watch for. As scammers increasingly adopt powerful AI tools and become more sophisticated, I think it’s worth sharing how I approach online swap meets these days.
Rule #1: Assume Every Seller Is a Scammer Until Proven Otherwise
I walk into every transaction—whether I’m buying or selling—with a healthy dose of skepticism. That may sound cynical, but it’s saved me from a lot of headaches.
Scammers can pose as both buyers and sellers. They prey on your sense of trust, often impersonating legitimate hams. QTH.com knows this too; before posting an ad, you must confirm you’ve read their scam policy, which is packed with great advice.
Rule #2: Use QRZ.com to Vet Callsigns and Email
QRZ.com is the de facto database for amateur radio contact info. You need a QRZ.com account to view someone’s email address. If a person’s callsign profile has no email address listed, that’s a red flag. Scammers often impersonate real hams who don’t list an email—making it nearly impossible to verify their identity directly.
When someone replies to your ad, see how they contacted you. If they use your email from QRZ but don’t also reach out via the classifieds site’s internal classifieds contact form/messaging system (QTH.com or QRZ.com), be cautious. I usually confirm a response by emailing the address listed on QRZ.com directly and saying, “Hey—just confirming this reply came from you.”
Rule #3: If the Price Feels Too Good, It Probably Is
In my case, TH-D72A prices range between $250–$375 depending on condition, included accessories, etc. Some appear for $400+, but those rarely move quickly. The first day I posted my WTB ad, I got three responses: two were priced well below market. All three were scams.
Scammers study the market carefully. They want to offer something just cheap enough to be irresistible—but not so low that you question it. The key is to know your gear’s current market value, both new and used. If it feels like a steal, slow down and verify everything.
Rule #4: Call the Seller (They’ll Usually Be Glad You Did)
I make it a hard rule: I never send money to someone I haven’t spoken with on the phone. This may sound old school, but it works.
What’s more—I’ve never had a legitimate seller refuse a phone call. In fact, those calls usually help build rapport and trust. Most sellers are happy to chat about the gear, how long they’ve had it, what condition it’s in, and why they’re selling.
If someone avoids a phone call or keeps dodging it? That’s a major red flag in my book.
Rule #5: AI Has Made Scammers More Polished Than Ever
Scammers now use AI to clean up their writing, correct grammar, and even simulate a natural tone. The sloppy typos and awkward phrasing we once looked for? Those are becoming less common.
That’s not to say grammar is irrelevant—if a message sounds “off,” trust your instincts. But don’t rely on spelling alone to spot a scam. Assume a message might be AI-assisted and ask deeper questions instead.
Rule #6: Ask for Fresh Photos with Handwritten Details
Scammers often reuse real images from previous listings or scrape them from the web. I’ve had five scam replies with convincing product photos and callsigns printed on paper. But every single one was fake–they used AI or a graphics tool to superimpose a callsign on a what looks like a white sheet of paper.
What I now ask for:
Two photos of the item, from two different angles, with a handwritten note that includes:
The seller’s callsign
Their first name
The full date (month/day/year)
The note must be:
Handwritten on plain paper (no digital overlays or re-used images, no QSL cards because they’re easier to cut and paste into an image)
Placed next to the actual item, not just the box
Clear and visible in the same photo as the item
This request (mostly based on QRZ.com swap meet posting requirements) helps filter out scammers. Why? Because scammers almost certainly don’t have the item in hand—and they definitely can’t easily produce two unique images of the same gear and note from two different angles. This is something easily done by someone taking a photo of the item in front of them (simply reposition your camera for two shots). It’s extremely difficult to do this convincingly with AI.
As of mid-2025, AI-generated images still struggle with replicating specific devices like radios from multiple angles.
Bonus Tip: Compare the photo you receive to manufacturer stock images. If the item looks slightly off in terms of proportions, buttons, or layout, it might be AI-generated.
Here an example of an AI-generated image I requested:
The AI image, at first blush, looks reasonably convincing, but the notepaper is standing up on edge, the handwriting is super neat, and the image has a surreal quality to it—not like a real photo.
Of course, comparing the AI image with the actual Kenwood stock image (see below–taken directly from the Kenwood website) reveals numerous product discrepancies in button layout, display, size, etc.
If a seller pushes back too hard on your photo request or seems annoyed? Consider that a warning sign. If they’re not comfortable with this low-effort verification step, they might not be great to deal with down the line either.
Payment: A Few Extra Best Practices I Follow
Use PayPal “Goods & Services” — never “Friends & Family” unless it’s someone you know personally.
Some sellers request Friends and Family (F&F) because they don’t wan to to pay the PayPal fee. If this is the case, I add 3% to cover the G&S fee if needed.
Avoid Zelle, Venmo, or gift cards unless it’s a local, in-person exchange–say, at a hamfest or convention.
Again, always talk on the phone before sending payment. It’s always a bonus verification if the sellers’ area code matches their QRZ physical location.
In Closing
The online ham classifieds are a great way to find gear—especially discontinued or rare items that don’t often pop-up at local hamfests. But the environment is changing. Scammers are adapting fast, and AI is helping them sound more convincing than ever.
I still love buying and (on rare occasions) selling gear this way—but I walk in carefully. This post isn’t a masterclass in fraud prevention, just a collection of my habits, red flags, and lessons learned. I hope it helps someone else avoid falling for a scam.
If you’ve got tips of your own, feel free to share them with us in the comments section. Let’s keep the community strong and informed.
