On May 21, 2026, I completed my first successful Parks on the Air (POTA) activation from US-4011 Chalco Hills State Recreation Area in Nebraska.

For this activation, I operated portable using my Xiegu G90 along with a telescoping mast and end-fed wire antenna setup. I used FT8 digital mode for the activation and operated from the park for about 45 minutes.

What I Learned

This activation was a huge milestone in my amateur radio journey. It was rewarding to finally combine portable operating, antenna setup, FT8, logging, and POTA spotting into a successful field activation. I’m looking forward to doing many more activations in the future and experimenting with additional bands and operating modes.