Mark your calendars, the autumn edition of Support Your Parks Weekend, an official Parks on the Air (POTA) event, is coming up on the weekend of October 17-18, 2026
This quarterly event (held in winter, spring, summer, and autumn) encourages radio operators to get outside, head into parks, and make radio contacts from those locations.
What Is POTA “Support Your Parks” Weekend?
POTA’s mission is to blend amateur radio with outdoor activity, promoting both radio experimentation and public awareness of parks and green spaces. During Support Your Parks Weekend, operators are encouraged to:
- Become activators — go into a park and set up your station,
- Or be hunters — stay home (or on the move) and make contacts with operators who are in parks.
For many, participating as a hunter is the easiest way to join in, you simply try to reach as many active park stations as possible. But for those who enjoy combining radio with fieldwork, being an activator is a rewarding experience.
Why Participate?
- Experience the Outdoors
It’s a chance to take your radio gear out of the shack and into scenic locations. You will enjoy fresh air, natural surroundings, and a different operating environment. - Promote Parks and Conservation
Part of the goal is to highlight public parks and raise awareness of their value. By making contacts from these spaces, operators are celebrating parks and their role in communities. - Build Radio Skills
Outdoor setups force you to solve problems, power, antennas, propagation, often with limited resources. It’s an excellent testbed for improvisation and field technique. - Connect with the Radio Community
You might meet others in person or over the air, especially other activators or hunters looking for new contacts. It is a social event for the amateur radio community. - Earn Recognition
Many POTA participants track their activations or hunting logs. Completing special events or making certain numbers of contacts may help in awards and recognition within the POTA network.
Tips for a Successful Weekend
- Plan your park: Choose a suitable public park that allows amateur radio activities and supports safe access.
- Check licensing/regulations: Make sure you comply with local rules for operating in parks.
- Pack smart: Bring a portable rig, battery power, antennas (wire, vertical, portable mast), coax, ground stakes, and basic tools.
- Scout your spot: Arrive early to survey terrain, find clear antenna locations, and avoid obstructions.
- Log carefully: Accurate logging is especially important in event weekends, track callsigns, times, frequencies, and modes.
Make even one QSO during the weekend and you earn the seasonal certificate (Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn). Those awards are issued automatically after logs are processed. The same contacts also count toward your normal POTA awards. The same 10 QSO park qualification barrier applies, just a more coordinated weekend, with even more stations on the air, and a seasonal certificate for taking part.
Support Your Parks Weekend — Autumn 2026 is a wonderful opportunity for amateur radio operators to get into nature, exercise their radio skills, champion public parks, and enjoy community engagement. Whether you’re a seasoned activator or you would prefer hunting from home, there’s a role for you. Mark the weekend of October 17-18, 2026 on your calendar and get your gear ready.
John M7JCZ
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