Amateur Radio Has Never Been More Affordable — So Why Do Some Things Seem So Expensive?

by Thomas (K4SWL) When I meet a newly minted amateur radio operator, I often start by telling them, "You couldn't be entering our community at a better time!" And I really mean that. We have incredible support communities, both in person and online. Amateur radio has become far more accessible than it once was. And the cost of getting on the air has dropped dramatically.

qrper.com

Hunting Fossils and POTA Contacts on Cocklawburn Beach in Beautiful Northumberland

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Monday, June 29, 2026, my family and I decided to spend the afternoon out on the coast. One of our favorite things to do whenever we're near the sea is hunt for fossils. Back home on North Carolina's coast, one of my daughters especially loves searching for seashells. But here along the Berwickshire and Northumberland coastline, England and Scotland offer something completely different: an incredible abundance of fossils waiting to be discovered.

qrper.com

KK6IK: Summer Mornings, Iced Coffee & QRP

By Scott Nacey (KK6IK) JULY 2026 Recently I’ve heard people asking what they can do with an Elecraft KH1 when traveling. Is it too small? Does the 45-inch whip really work? Maybe the KX2 is a better radio to bring? I asked the same questions as I prepared for my annual summer visit to Rhode Island. I had decided to carry just my KX2 as it seemed the perfect travel radio, but at the last minute, I threw my KH1 into my backpack too.

qrper.com

A Wet POTA Experiment: Hunting, Calling CQ, and Changing Modes

by Mark KB2PIZ I have always wondered about how long I should stick with a given band/mode when activating a park. Should I keep calling CQ when things dry up, shift frequencies, or shift modes? What is the most efficient way to make contacts? One of my grandkids suggested I ask ChatGPT! That was a new one for me, asking a computer what I should do.

qrper.com

Travelogue: Walking the England-Scotland Border for a QRP POTA Activation

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, June 27, 2026, I woke up knowing we had a full day planned. My family wanted to go into Berwick-upon-Tweed to check out some activities happening in town. Afterwards, we were thinking about driving up to Siccar Point, where I had activated only a week or so earlier, so we could show my daughters this remarkable place—especially one of my daughters, who is studying geology at uni.

qrper.com

DF7CW: Field Testing the IC-705 and SOTAmāt in Märkische Schweiz (DE-0083) Before a Swedish Trail Adventure

by Nils (DF7CW) Hi, Thomas and the QRPer community! Nils (DF7CW) here from Berlin, Germany. I’ve been a licensed ham since February 2026, and frankly, watching the YouTube videos of DR OM K4SWL was the reason I immediately fell in love with QRP CW. If you look closely at my gear, you’ll spot my "CW ONLY" patch—I do not use any other modes at all!

qrper.com

Roman History, a Family Day Out, and a CW ATNO: A Travelogue & POTA Activation in Melrose, Scotland

by Thomas (K4SWL) One of the greatest joys of spending an extended period of time in southeastern Scotland this summer has been the opportunity to explore places we might have otherwise overlooked. Better yet, many of those family outings have also provided opportunities to fit in a Parks on the Air activation. On Thursday, June 25, 2026, we decided to spend the afternoon in the picturesque Borders town of Melrose, about 45–50 minutes from our cottage in Foulden.

qrper.com

DB4REB: I Almost Stayed Home… Then I Worked West Malaysia with 8 Watts

by Ralf (DB4REB) There are days when getting on the air feels effortless. And then there are days like this one. The forecast promised 30°C (86°F), a steady 20 km/h breeze, and gusts approaching 40 km/h. I couldn't decide whether I even wanted to go out, let alone which park to activate. For a while, staying home seemed like the better idea.

qrper.com

KV4AN: Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge Activation

By Steven Krumm (KV4AN) Lake Guntersville State Park (US-1044) is an Alabama State Park located in Marshall County in Northeast Alabama. It is situated on the largest lake (Lake Guntersville) in Alabama along the Tennessee River. The 6,000-acre park offers an 18-hole golf course, fishing center, boat rentals, beaches, picnic and day use areas, zipline, hiking and biking trails, bird watching, camping, and several dining and lodging options (more on this later).

qrper.com

Boundary Bay POTA: A CW Friendship, the PERformer Antenna, and a Custom Paddle

by Scott (VA3EKR) 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).

qrper.com

Along the East Lothian Coast: A Barns Ness POTA Adventure & Travelogue

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, after completing an activation at Berwick Castle and Castle Vale Historic Site (GB-6732), I returned to our cottage to find my wife and daughters ready for another excursion. We had been given several recommendations for places to visit along the Berwickshire/East Lothian coast, and one destination kept coming up: Barns Ness Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (GB-1356)

qrper.com

The best laid plans don’t always work out

As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! by Vince (VE6LK) This story encompasses the motto of Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. National Parks. You get a vision in your head of majesty and gorgeous views when you think of this term, no matter where you are on the planet. I'm so very blessed to have five within a 5-hour drive from home.

qrper.com

KB2PIZ: A Driftless Forest Activation at Tapley Woods

by Mark (KB2PIZ) On the drive to Chicago from Dubuque, Iowa, the kids wanted to stop and ride horses! The stables were 7 minutes from the Tapley Woods State Natural Area (US-12374), right off Route 20. The POTA gods were smiling at me again! For this activation, I did a lot of preparation. I posted the schedule on the POTA activations page, looked at Google Earth, and figured out where to point the low end of the Chameleon LEFS 40 (southwest), and I even checked propagation to see what the conditions would be.

qrper.com

Park Bench POTA with the Elecraft AX4: A Beautiful Morning at Castle Vale Historic Site

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, my family and I planned to spend the day exploring the Dunbar area of eastern Scotland, with the hope of fitting in a Parks on the Air activation that afternoon (at least, I hoped to fit in an activation!). That morning, though, I realized that if I got up early enough, I could probably squeeze in another activation before we left.

qrper.com

The fourth try is the charm!

As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! by Vince (VE6LK) Not everything in life is accomplished on a first attempt. In my case, this activation took four attempts. Attempt one was at the same time I did this activation, the second was on a warm day a few weeks later.

qrper.com

W2TEF: A POTAcycle Rove

by Todd (W2TEF) Last week, I went from NJ to NC to meet my son and ride back together on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. He was attending a conference in Raleigh, riding his “new” Honda ST1100 touring motorcycle with 100k miles on the odometer. I would be riding my Kawasaki KLR650, a small single-cylinder cycle whose engine is often described as “agricultural.” Because it is slow, relatively inexpensive, and accessible to the home mechanic, I like to say it’s a QRP motorcycle.

qrper.com

KB2PIZ: A Detour to the Mines of Spain – Field Radio Between Chaperone Duties

by Mark (KB2PIZ) My job took me to Dubuque, Iowa, for a week. I was with three high school kids, a chaperone, and a teacher to play in the Billiards Education Foundation’s Junior National tournament in Dubuque, Iowa. The kids had a break in their tournament schedule and wanted to see Crystal Lake Cave. Crystal Lake Cave is 2 miles from the…

qrper.com

WD9GCO: Paul & Sher & Lego & Eric & POTA and Other Four-Letter Words

by Paul (WD9GCO) Allow me to set the scene. This happened a few years back: Sheri: “I’ve started watching the ‘Lego Masters’ show. Do you want to watch it with me?” Me: “Sure, why not. I’ve been a Lego kid since the early 60’s.” And so began my wife’s descent into a particular madness that involves tiny little Danish plastic bricks, something not too far distant from a particular madness that includes all sorts of gizmos to push electrons out into the atmosphere and try to bring others down.

qrper.com

The New KM4CFT Mini Mic Kit

Many thanks to Jonathan (KM4CFT), who writes: I am pleased to announce the release of the new KM4CFT Mini Microphone, which is of similar size to the popular K6ARK mini mic found on printables. The use of a PCB has greatly simplified the assembly process, allowing people to assemble it in minutes. I have also added a switch that allows for compatibility between the Elecraft KX2/3 radios and the QMX/trusdx/pebble HF.

qrper.com

CQ from Lindisfarne: A Holy Island POTA Activation & Travelogue

by Thomas (K4SWL/M5SWL) On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, my wife, daughters, and I took the advice of just about everyone we'd met since arriving in the Borderlands: "You have to visit Holy Island." Officially known as Lindisfarne, Holy Island sits just off the Northumberland coast, only about a 30-minute drive from the cottage where we've been staying. Getting there, however, takes a little planning.

qrper.com

VA3EKR: Algonquin 2026 Trip — SOTA, POTA, and Field Day!

by Scott (VA3EKR) A three-day radio outing in the Algonquin area, June 26–28, 2026: three SOTA summit activations, ARRL Field Day with club station VE3QCW, and two POTA park activations. Below is a picture of the outside of our cabin at Wolf Den Nature Retreat, a nice cabin that had all the amenities, and was a great home base for the activities in and around Algonquin Park.

qrper.com

G7LFC: Activating Jubilee Tower Historic Site (GB-3261)

by Derek (G7LFC) Living in the North West of England, I am surrounded by great places to visit and operate amateur radio. We’re also blessed with a good number of POTA locations to activate, so I often don’t have to travel far. My latest activation was in the Forest of Bowland, an area of outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire, about an hour’s drive away.

qrper.com

A Father’s Day & Birthday POTA Activation at Flagstaff Park (GB-4364)

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Sunday, June 21, 2026, I woke to one of those beautiful mornings that makes you want to spend every possible minute outdoors. While much of Europe was already experiencing a heat wave, we were fortunate in the Berwick-upon-Tweed area to have very pleasant conditions.  It was perfect weather for a POTA activation. That morning also happened to be doubly special for me.

qrper.com

VU3GLJ: A Thoughtfully Equipped QRP Field Backpack

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.

qrper.com

EI3LH: The Joy of a “Failed” Activation

Before we get to Ian's excellent post, a quick note from Thomas: I've been editing a number of my recent field activation videos, and one thing I've heard myself say over and over is, "I long ago gave up the idea of the concept of a failed activation." Band conditions over the past few weeks have been some of the most unpredictable I've experienced in quite a while.

qrper.com

Siccar Point: A POTA Activation at the Birthplace of Deep Time

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, June 20, 2026, my wife and I decided to spend the day exploring one of the most remarkable places along Scotland's southeastern coastline: Siccar Point. The Siccar Point Site of Significant Scientific Interest (GB-1358) is tucked away in the Scottish Borders overlooking the North Sea. I'd been eyeing this park for a couple of days. Looking at satellite imagery on Google Maps, I had a feeling it would make for a spectacular activation.

qrper.com

VA1ASP’s Canada Day POTA Marathon: Ten Parks in One UTC Day

by Sarah Aspen (VA1ASP) I'm Sarah Aspen, VA1ASP. To celebrate Canada Day, I thought it would be fun to try to do POTA activations of 5 National Historic Sites. When I woke up early, the sun was just over the horizon, and the weather promised to be amazing. I got up early and rode my bike to the Prince of Whales Tower in Point Pleasant Park, a 2-for-1 deal near my home, and then I doubled back home to receive my grocery delivery.

qrper.com

WB5DYG: When Portable is All Ya’ Got!

by Ron Parks (WB5DYG) June 25, 2026 A few months ago, my family and I began the process of relocating from San Tan Valley, Arizona to a new home in Tennessee. Quite a process, and my station had to get packed up early for the realtors who simply do not appreciate the beauty of ham radio! Two weeks ago, we made it to our beautiful new home in Lenoir City, TN, on an acre of land with no HOA.

qrper.com

The New Elecraft AX4: First-Ever POTA Activation on the Beautiful Berwickshire Coast!

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Friday, June 19, 2026, I woke to overcast skies but otherwise beautiful weather. The temperature was absolutely perfect—especially considering that much of continental Europe was about to be hit by a significant heat wave. Scotland, thankfully, managed to avoid the worst of it. Later that morning, my wife, daughters, and I planned a day trip to Alnwick, Northumberland.

qrper.com

KK4Z: A Sea to Summit POTA Rove

Many thanks to Scott (KK4Z) who shares the following post from his blog KK4Z.com: by Scott (KK4Z)  It started with an 11-hour drive. It actually started before that.  I had a wish to operate from Cape Hatteras.  During my EmComm years, each season, I would track hurricanes and create my own predictions.  Cape Hatteras, because of its location, appeared to be a hurricane magnet.

qrper.com