I have started hosting a monthly “Coffee and POTA” event in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is held on the last Saturday of the month at 10am. Check this page for the upcoming dates and park locations.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me using my call sign @arrl.net.

All are welcome, if you believe all are welcome!

## Upcoming Dates

CANCELED
April 26th, 2025: Saturday at 10:00
US-1596 Seneca Creek State Park
Quail Ridge picnic area (map)

May 31st, 2025: Saturday at 10:00
US-1596 Seneca Creek State Park
Quail Ridge picnic area (map)

## About POTA

Parks on the Air or POTA, is an activity where operators set up portable stations in parks to make contacts with other operators all over the world. The operators in the park are called activators, and the operators calling the activators are called hunters.

The goal of the activity is to make at least 10 contacts in the park. This is “activating the park”. POTA is not a contest. It is low stress. The rules are pretty lax in comparison to contesting. Overall, I find POTA to be a pretty chill time, and it is a good excuse for me to get out of my basement and get outside.

## How to participate

If you are new to amateur radio, you can use this opportunity to learn how to operate on HF. You don’t even need a license to get on the air. It is legal for you to get on the air with my callsign with my supervision.

If you’re new to POTA you can use my callsign to help activate the park. If you want to get credit for activating the park, you will need an account on the POTA site. You can follow their Getting Started guide to learn how to do that. Their docs are a little intimidating. Don’t worry. I can help you learn the ropes of making and logging contacts.

If you’re a seasoned activator, feel free to take the mic and activate the park with my radio. I can take logging duty, or you can log your own contacts. Up to you.

Don’t want to get on the air? That’s fine too. Just come, drink some coffee, and geek out about radio with everyone. I hope to see you in the park!

NOTE: This is not an official Parks on the Air® event.