After my first POTA activation didn’t go as planned, it became pretty clear that a little preparation would have gone a long way.
If you’re getting ready for your first activation, here’s what I’d recommend based on what actually matters in the field.
If you want to see what happens when you don’t prepare, check out my first POTA activation—things didn’t exactly go according to plan.
What to Know Before Your First POTA Activation
Check Band Conditions Before You Go
Propagation conditions matter, and checking them is as easy as checking your local weather.
There are plenty of tools out there. A couple easy ones to start with:
- https://solar.w5mmw.net/ (simple and easy to read)
- https://www.hamqsl.com/ (you’ve probably seen their widgets on other sites)
Pick the Right Band For the Time of Day
Once you’ve checked conditions, you can put together a simple band plan. No need to overthink this.
During daylight hours, 20 meters is by far the most popular band. In fact, if conditions are great, you might even score the 10 needed contacts without calling CQ just by hunting other parks.
The downside? It can get crowded. Sometimes finding an open frequency is the real challenge. If conditions look good on the higher bands (10–17 meters), switch to whatever your antenna supports and call away.
After dark, 40 meters is often the go-to band, although 20 meters can still work depending on conditions.
80 meters is less common for POTA, mostly because of the antenna size required. That said, loaded antennas can make it more practical. With the right coil, a loaded vertical can still get you on the air effectively.
Choose a Flexible Antenna Setup
If your primary band doesn’t work out, you’ll want a backup plan. That’s where a multi-band antenna really helps.
Popular options include end-fed half-wave antennas that cover multiple bands like 40/20/15/10 meters.
Personally, I’ve been using a 17’ telescoping vertical whip. Fully extended, it works 20 meters. I can work higher bands by collapsing the whip, and lower bands (30, 40, 60, or even 80 meters) by adding a coil.
Bring Reliable Power
If you can, test your setup at home before your first activation. Make sure your battery and radio combo will last as long as you need.
On a good day, you might hit 10 contacts in under 10 minutes, but chances are you’ll want to stay out longer.
I use a 16Ah battery with a Xiegu G90 running 20 watts. I’ve run it for a couple hours in the field, then used it several more hours later without recharging. So far, I haven’t managed to drain it completely.
If you’re still figuring out what gear to start with, check out my guide to the best HAM radios for beginners.
Decide How You’ll Log Contacts
I kept things simple for my first activation and used printed POTA log sheets. After that, I switched to a notebook. Now I use an iPad running HAMRS with a Bluetooth keyboard.
Digital logging saves time since you don’t have to enter everything later, and if you’ve got cell service, apps like HAMRS can pull in operator info automatically when you enter a callsign.
Whatever method you choose, have a backup. Tablets die, apps crash, and laptops break. Paper and pen are still reliable.
Pro tip: If you’re using paper, take a photo of each completed page with your phone. Wind happens.
Plan to Spot Yourself
If you’ve got cell reception, go to the Parks on the Air website and spot yourself.
Most POTA hunters tune directly to spotted frequencies. If they don’t hear anything, they move on quickly.
If you aren’t spotted, most of that crowd will never find you.
If you can’t self-spot, it’s not the end of the world. Eventually someone will hear you and spot you. But doing it yourself makes things much easier.
Don’t Forget the Simple Stuff
You’re going to get thirsty. Bring something to drink.
You’re going to get hungry. Bring snacks. Or go all-in and bring a small camp-stove and cook something.
Bugs will find you, depending on the season. Bring repellant.
If the sun is going to be an issue, bring sunscreen.
What are you going to sit on? If there aren’t picnic tables, bring a chair.
Conclusion
Your first activation probably won’t be perfect—and that’s fine.
But a little preparation can make the difference between a frustrating day and a successful one.
Check the conditions, plan your bands, test your gear, and make sure you’ve got what you need before you leave the house.
Have fun… and don’t forget your coax.
👉 Keep Learning
If you’re just getting started with amateur radio, these guides will help:
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