I wanted to share a fun and fulfilling activity I did after work today! I headed up to the beautiful Pali Lookout to spend an hour participating in POTA (Parks on the Air). For those who aren’t familiar, POTA is a ham radio program that encourages operators to set up and operate from designated parks. The goal is to connect with other operators around the world while showcasing the natural beauty of these locations. It’s a fun way to combine the outdoors with amateur radio!
I parked my truck right in the parking area where the slot is, and the wind was absolutely blasting—classic Pali weather! It added an extra challenge to the setup, but with my trusty Icom IC-7300 radio and a Ham Stick antenna for 20 meters, I managed to get on the air.
In just 47 minutes of operating time, I made 21 contacts on phone mode (voice). The experience was even better as I added some new countries to my DXCC (a ham radio award for confirming contacts with at least 100 different countries).
Here are some stats from my activation:
- Log Start: 19-Nov-2024, 03:39 UTC
- Log End: 19-Nov-2024, 04:26 UTC
- Operating Time: 47 minutes
- Total QSOs: 21
- Bands Used: 20 meters
- DXCC Contacted: 7, including South Africa, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and Hawaii
- Grid Fields Covered: 11
- Grid Squares Covered: 15
- Farthest Contact (ODX): ZS5WTF in South Africa, 11,650 miles away!
In addition to the long-distance (DX) contacts, I also made a few local connections on VHF, chatting with friends here on the island.
POTA is such a rewarding experience—it’s a great way to enjoy Hawaii’s stunning scenery while connecting with other radio operators around the globe. If you’re ever curious about ham radio or want to tag along on one of these activations, let me know.
You can check out the exact location I was at on Google Maps: Pali Lookout Location. https://maps.app.goo.gl/K9jzyByUQu59StBP7