Many thanks to Bharath (VU3GLJ), who kindly shares the following field report, originally published on his ham radio blog: My First POTA by Bharath (VU3GLJ) 31 December 2025 A wonderful way to end the year and a year of many firsts in HAM radio for me. My first POTA was no different – it was […]
Ham Radio Portable Operating Insights: Mapping Resources for POTA
I love activating parks, but even more, I enjoy finding new parks to activate. Picking a park and researching a good operating location is all part of the fun. From my conversations with some of you, I’m quite sure I’m not alone. So, let’s talk a bit about resources which are available to help you […]
United Nations Amateur Radio Club (UNARC), 4U1UN—A Modern Station in a Historic Setting
DX Engineering donates amplifier to make more QSOs possible. *** Well into its 77th year, the United Nations Amateur Radio Club (UNARC) continues to operate from the UN Headquarters in midtown Manhattan—an employee amenity tucked among far more ordinary facilities like a ping-pong table and a basketball court. Yet behind this modest description lies one […]
Vacation POTA: Pedestrian Portable at Carolina Beach State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday morning, December 13, 2025, we had just begun a week-long vacation in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. That morning, we were getting ready to head into Wilmington to visit friends and do a bit of holiday shopping. While we were preparing for the day, I checked in with the family and […]
POTA: QRP or 100W—Which is Better?
If you spend any time hunting Parks on the Air® (POTA) stations or scrolling through activation reports, you’ll notice two very different approaches: the “turn it up to 100 watts and let’s get this done” operator and the “QRP Zen masters” who bring five watts, a wire, plus enough calm and focus to power an […]
Guide to January 2026 Ham Radio Contests—Good Etiquette Edition
Welcome to OnAllBands’ first contesting post of 2026! We’re looking forward to another year of highlighting the very best in amateur radio. Glad you’ve chosen to join us for another fun-filled adventure sending radio signals at the speed of light—186,000 miles per second. There’s a lot of excitement ahead, but we thought now would be […]
W3HN & NI4K: Trying to Enjoy an Ice-Cold, Holiday Six-Pack in the Woods of Pennsylvania
By John Hartzell (W3HN) and Zach Hartzell (NI4K) Every other year, we host our family for Christmas in Pennsylvania, and 2025 was one of those years. Having three hams in the immediate family – W3HN, NI4K, and KB3EEY – leads to amateur radio often making an appearance, both in gifts and activities. Our 2025 Christmas […]
Tips for Young Hams on Making Your First Amateur Radio Contact
“You’ve just earned your Technician license! Now what?” It’s one of the most frequently asked questions in the amateur radio world. Fortunately, there are myriad answers to this question, from “Start studying for your General!” to “Learn CW!” and plenty of other options in between. When I got my Technician license, (technically speaking, when I […]
A Coastal Break and Field Kit Reality Check at Carolina Beach State Park
by Thomas (K4SWL) After my daughters finished their fall term at university, my wife and I picked them up and headed to the coast of North Carolina for a week together before the Christmas holiday season kicked into full gear. We all needed the break. Our plan was simple: slow down, spend time together, and […]
EI3LH’s “Frivolous CW Superproject”
Many thanks to Ian (EI3LH), who shares the following post, originally posted on his blog: My frivolous CW superproject (and how it nearly broke me). by Ian (EI3LH) During the Autumn of 2025, I acquired my first proper vintage transceiver, the much lauded Yaesu FT-290R. It was second-hand and while aesthetically in good shape, the […]