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For Release 9:00 am February 22, 2023

Parks on the Air (POTA) Announces New Annual Event

The new Parks on the Air Plaque Event is scheduled for the weekend of June 3-4, 2023

Severna Park, Maryland— February 22, 2023 — Parks on the Air announces the creation of a new event called the Parks on the Air Plaque Event. The Event is now separate from the popular Support Your Parks Event Weekend and provides a point structure for amateur radio operator recognition in a number of award categories.

“We have consistently been asked to create an opportunity for our activators and hunters to participate in a competitive event. The Parks on the Air Plaque Event is our answer to those requests while also allowing us to maintain the relaxed nature of the Support Your Parks Weekend,” said Jason Johnston, President and Founder of Parks on the Air. “This is another exciting step forward for our activators and hunters around the globe.”

Positive Impact on Operators

Parks on the Air will designate the first weekend in June to be the Parks on the Air Plaque Event. Operators will have 48 hours from 0000 UTC June 3rd to 2359 UTC June 4th to contact as many stations as possible on the amateur radio bands as a Parks on the Air hunter and/or Parks on the Air activator. Hunters and activators will be recognized for their overall scores in several categories. There is also a special award for Rookies. “Our volunteer development team has done a remarkable job in creating the necessary scoring mechanisms in our standard logging process” said Dave Daniel, WI9Q. “As long as you are a registered Parks on the Air participant, our regular logging process will handle all of the award calculations.”

The Parks on the Air Event Rules and Award Categories

The Parks on the Air Event Rules and Award Categories document is available for immediately download at www.parksontheair.com. Participants are encouraged to review these documents thoroughly to understand the new event. — Founded in 2018, Parks on the Air is a worldwide program that encourages portable amateur radio operation in eligible National and State/Provincial Parks. The program has grown exponentially since its inception and is often credited for reinvigorating interest in amateur radio. Parks on the Air had over 32,000 registered participants in 2022.

For more information:

Matt Heere mattheere@hotmail.com

For more information about Parks on the Air: www.parksontheair.com

PARKS ON THE AIR PLAQUE EVENT 2023

RULES & RESOURCES

OVERVIEW

The Parks on the Air Plaque Event encourages individual amateur radio operators and amateur radio clubs to visit eligible parks and make contacts with other amateur radio operators. The event recognizes high-performing activators and hunters in various categories with plaques based on their activity during the event.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of The Parks on the Air Plaque Event is to contact as many stations as possible on the amateur radio bands as a Parks on the Air hunter and/or Parks on the Air activator.

ELIGIBILITY

The Parks on the Air Plaque Event is open to all licensed amateur radio operators Only POTA.app registered users are eligible to be awarded plaques.

  • An “activator” is a licensed amateur radio operator who operates within a park that is listed on the Parks on the Air designated park list and who contacts other licensed amateur radio operators.
  • A “hunter” is a licensed amateur radio operator who contacts an activator at a park that is listed on the Parks on the Air designated park list. The term “chaser” is sometimes used synonymously.
  • A “club” must have its own account at POTA.app. Clubs must have contacts made by at least 3 different club member amateur radio operators during the Parks on the Air Plaque Event to qualify.

    DATES

The 48-hour Parks on the Air Plaque Event 2023 begins at 0000 UTC June 3rd and runs through 2359 UTC June 4th 2023.

BANDS AND MODES

Any amateur radio band is allowed except for the WARC bands of 60M, 30M, 17M, and 12M. Any mode is allowed. (See Parks on the Air guidelines for additional information.)

SCORING

A standard Parks on the Air contact counts as one (1) point towards each applicable award category.

A contact within a multiple reference park (“N-fer” park) will count ONLY as a single contact and single park. There are no multipliers for the Parks on the Air Plaque Event.

EVENT LOGGING

Activator Logs are due by 2359 UTC on June 18, 2023. Logs must be submitted following the standard Parks on the Air log submission guidelines.

Hunters do not submit logs to Parks on the Air.

Club logs are due by 2359 UTC on June 18, 2023. Club logs must be submitted under the proper club account and each contact must have both a station (the club) and operator (the individual making the contact) recorded in the log, per standard ADIF convention.

AWARDS

Parks on the Air Plaque Event participants can earn premium award plaques. The plaques are of black piano-finish wood with laser engraved textured black aluminum plates

DISPUTES

There is a one-week period from when the results are posted on the Parks on the Air website(s) to dispute results. Disputes must follow the standard process for reporting rule violations.

PARKS ON THE AIR PLAQUE EVENT 2023

AWARD CATEGORIES

Activator Categories

  • MOST CONTACTS ALL MODES - Issued to the activator making the largest number of contacts across all modes.

  • MOST VOICE CONTACTS - Issued to the activator making the largest number of voice contacts.

  • MOST CW CONTACTS – “JOE EVERHART N2CX MEMORIAL AWARD” - Issued to the activator making the largest number of CW contacts.

  • MOST DIGITAL CONTACTS - Issued to the activator making the largest number of digital contacts.

  • MOST ROOKIE CONTACTS - Issued to the Rookie activator making the largest of number contacts in any mode. A Rookie is an operator who made their first POTA contact within one year prior to the event.

  • ROVER - MOST UNIQUE PARKS - Issued to the activator who activates the largest number of unique park references.

  • DX REGION 1 - Issued to the activator who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, from parks located in IARU Region 1.

  • DX REGION 2 - Issued to the activator who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, from parks located in IARU Region 2, but outside of the conterminous 48 United States.

  • DX REGION 3 - Issued to the activator who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, from parks located in IARU Region 3.

  • CLUB - Issued to the club that makes the most contacts, in any mode, as activators.

Hunter Categories

  • MOST CONTACTS ALL MODES - Issued to the hunter making the largest number of contacts in any mode.

  • MOST VOICE CONTACTS - Issued to the hunter making the largest number of voicecontacts.

  • MOST CW CONTACTS - Issued to the hunter making the largest number of CW contacts.

  • MOST DIGITAL CONTACTS - Issued to the hunter making the largest number of digital contacts.

  • MOST ROOKIE CONTACTS - Issued to the rookie hunter making the largest number contacts in any mode. A Rookie is an operator who made their first POTA contact within one year prior to the event.

  • HUNTER - MOST UNIQUE PARKS - Issued to the hunter who contacts the largest number of unique park references.

  • DX REGION 1 - Issued to the hunter who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, with activators within eligible parks located in IARU Region 1.

  • DX REGION 2 - Issued to the hunter who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, with activators within eligible parks located in IARU Region 2, but outside of the conterminous 48 United States.

  • DX REGION 3 - Issued to the hunter who makes the largest number of contacts, in any mode, with activators within eligible parks located in IARU Region 3.

Page last modified: Oct 6 2023.