Andy, Thank You for all of your efforts with CARA POTA activations this year. Your efforts are already paying off, some CARA members have activated parks on their own.

Expanding on Andy's comment... "This sets POTA apart from field day."

I'll add... Right! POTA is not like field day or any other event that CARA takes part in. Operators are not dragging around hundreds of pounds of gear, spending hours setting up radios, power supplies or big antenna systems, operating for hours.

In fact, POTA is quite the opposite! Many POTA operators carry every thing they need in a small school back pack. Simple wire antennas take only minutes to set up for use with battery powered radios. This light weight gear nakes it very easy to pull into a park with a cup of coffee, set up, call CQ and make a dozen contacts before the coffee cup is empty. Often POTA operators like Andy often stop in to a park on their way home from work or while out running an errand. It's really that simple.

Don't be afraid to pick up the mic and put a call out. Here are some tips....

1) Call CQ with your call sign...

Say "CQ POTA, CQ Parks on the Air, KB3WFV" (use your call sign)

2) Answer the stations calling......

Pick one of the stations that will call. If you hear the whole contact, great answer them. Don't worry if you don't, You can call for the station with the letter Z or A ir what ever letter you heard. They will come back with their whole call.

3) Pass along the appropriate exchange information, such as the park number as required.

4) Log the contact.

Either in your favorite device using an app or on a plain sheet of paper with a pencil or pen, remember those? Write down the call sign of the station you contacted and any other information required to be a valid contact.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE! and IT'S FUN!

Hints...... If you speak softly or really fast, then the stations answering you will do the same, if you speak slowly then the answering stations will mimic you. Speak ckearly, at a pace that you can comprehend when spoken to you. This will nake it easier to understandd the call signs in the pile ups.

Tune around the bands and find a POTA station on the air. Listen along for a while, hear how that station calls CQ, listen to how they answer calling stations, how they speak the exchange and then how they move on to the next contact. After a bit of listening you will notice the pattern and suddenly realize... Hey! That's easy!

So, stop by to see Andy. But don't just watch him have all the fun. Grab the mic and GET ON THE AIR!

Brian
KB3WFV