Parks on the Air recognizes your dedication with awards available to Activators and Hunters:
To get yours, just Login and go to My Stats and Awards Issued. Click on the award link to download it. We are currently adding more awards that are not available there yet, so that you can download them at any time. All awards are available for all countries/DX!
- Activators are those amateurs who operate portable from within Parks on the Air (POTA) designated parks.
- Hunters are those amateurs who make contact with Activators who are operating portable from within Parks on the Air (POTA) designated parks
There are several categories based on number of parks, geographic area, and so on. Click on each category to jump down the page and read more details: Standard Awards | Advanced Awards | Geographic Awards | Special Awards
Awards were designed by Kathryn Johnston.
Standard Awards
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Activators
- Bronze Award: work from 10 different reference areas.
- Silver Award: work from 20 different reference areas.
- Gold Award: work from 30 different reference areas.
- Platinum Award: work from 40 different reference areas.
- Diamond Award: work from 50 different reference areas.
- Sapphire Award: work from 75 different reference areas.
Hunters
- Bronze Award: work 10 different reference areas.
- Silver Award: work 20 different reference areas.
- Gold Award: work 30 different reference areas.
- Platinum Award: work 40 different reference areas.
- Diamond Award: work 50 different reference areas.
- Sapphire Award: work 75 different reference areas.
DX Awards:
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Awards for contacting unique DX entities. These are in increments of 5, and go up to the 340 available DX entities. We currently have around 130 in our POTA system, and are adding more and more every month!
Advanced Awards
Unique References Awards
(Concept by W3AAX, Jason Johnston. Based off of the endangered plants and animals list.)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Activators and Hunters
- Arizona Agave Award: work/activate from 100 different reference areas.
- Enrubio Award: work/activate from 200 different reference areas.
- Ouachita Mountain Goldenrod Award: work/activate from 300 different reference areas.
- Stenogyne Kanehoana Award: work/activate from 400 different reference areas.
- Howell’s Spectacular Thelypody Award: work/activate from 500 different reference areas.
- Texas Wild Rice Award: work/activate from 600 different reference areas
- Wiggin’s Acalypha Award: work/activate from 700 different reference areas.
- Georgia Aster Award: work/activate from 800 different reference areas.
- Rafflesia Flower Award: work/activate from 900 different reference areas.
- Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Award: work/activate from 1000 different reference areas.
- Echinacea Paradoxa Award: work/activate from 1500 different reference areas.
- Glandularia Tampensis Award: work/activate from 2000 different reference areas.
- Heliconia Angusta Award: work/actvate from 2500 different reference areas.
- Argyroxiphium Sandwicense Award: work/activate from 3000 different reference areas.
- Acacia Koaia Award: work/activate from 3500 different reference areas.
- Kokia Drynarioides Award: work/activate from 4000 different reference areas.
- Acampe Longifolia Award: work/activate from 4500 different reference areas.
- Virginia Big Eared Bat Award: work/activate from 5000 different reference areas.
- Tipton Kangaroo Rat Award: work/activate from 5500 different reference areas.
- Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Award: work/activate from 6000 different reference areas.
- Red Wolf Award: work/activate from 6500 different reference areas.
- Pronghorn Antelope Award: work/activate from 7000 different reference areas.
- Ocelot Award: work/activate from 7500 different reference areas.
- African Forest Elephant Award: work/activate from 8000 different reference areas.
- Amur Leopard Award: work/activate from 8500 different reference areas.
- Black Rhino Award: work/activate from 9000 different reference areas.
- Bornean Orangutan Award: work/activate from 9500 different reference areas.
- Cross River Gorilla Award: work/activate from 10000 different reference areas.
POTA Rover Awards
(Insprired by South African operator, ZS6BNE, Eddie Leighton [RaDAR] )
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
POTA Rover is a series of awards for activating certain numbers of unique parks in a single UTC day:
- Rover Warthog – Activating 5 references in a single UTC day
- Rover Rhino – Activating 10 references in a single UTC day
- Rover Cheetah – Activating 15 references in a single UTC day
- Rover Ostrich – Activating 20 references in a single UTC day
- Rover Leopard – Activating 25 references in a single UTC day
- Rover Lion – Activating 30 references in a single UTC day
You can earn these awards multiple times, so get out there and have fun roving!
Early Shift/Late Shift Awards
(Original concept by K0ATZ, Brian Martin)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Early Shift is the 6-hour period beginning at 02:00 UTC, +/- 1 hour for each 15 degrees of longitude that the park pin is offset from 0 degrees. For parks that cross multiple locations, the administrative reference unit (State, Province, etc.) pin is used instead, based on your activation location. Observance of time zones and daylight savings will make the exact local time vary from location to location. See Shifts Map for reference. The exact time for a given park can be viewed on the park details page for the park of interest, or can be calculated as (rounded to the nearest hour): 2 – (longitude of pin / 15) = UTC start of early shift.
Late Shift is the 8-hour period beginning at 18:00 UTC, +/- 1 hour for each 15 degrees of longitude that the park pin is offset from 0 degrees. For parks that cross multiple locations, the administrative reference unit (State, Province, etc.) pin is used instead, based on your activation location. Observance of time zones and daylight savings will make the exact local time vary from location to location. See Shifts Map for reference. The exact time for a given park can be viewed on the park details page for the park of interest, or can be calculated as (rounded to the nearest hour): 18 – (longitude of pin / 15) = UTC start of late shift.
Geographic Awards:
All States/Provinces/Prefectures etc. Awards:
- Having hunted or activated all 50 states (or for other countries/DX too!)
Worked all References Awards:
(Concept by W3AAX, Jason Johnston)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
- Having worked all of the available reference areas in a particular state or territory. District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are also available! These are also available for ALL countries/DX too. Please let us know at help@parksontheair.com if you need further assistance.
Repeat Offender Awards:
(Concept by KB3ZUK, Jeff Dahn)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Single Park – Tier One
- If activated 20 times as an activator, or you’ve had 20 QSOs as a hunter, you qualify for the Oasis Award.
- 40 x = Fox Den Award
- 60 x = Bear Cave Award
- 80 x = Fishing Hole Award
- 100 x = Eagle’s Nest Award
The entire process can go ad infinitum – starting with the first tier being 20, 40, 60, 80, 100… Then you could get your “Tier Two Oasis Award” at 120 activations/QSOs from the same park, etc., and the tags for the tiers can keep increasing.
Multi-Park Program –
Announcement – I had an idea since the XYL finished up the Tier II Repeat Offender awards (see the awards page for details). POTA is not a contest of course, it’s a special event, but some like to treat it as such, and that’s fine too.
Whoever can qualify for the awards (each set going from Parks Supporter and up) first can send me their photo of their activation, or shack as a hunter, and it will become fixed to the award forever. The photo in the picture now is just a place holder.
If someone would rather not that qualifies first, I will offer it to the next one, and so on…
If someone already has been given a chance to appear on an award, I will give the next person that qualifies a chance. The last type though, Master Explorer/Master Sportsperson, are open to everyone.
73 W3AAX
If you complete the 100x = Eagle’s Nest Award for…
- 5 Parks – Activator/Hunter = Parks Supporter endorsement.
**KC3RW – Ray Wright is the first Parks Supporter (Hunter)/K9ZIE – Ryan McKenzie is the first Parks Supporter (Activator)** - 10 Parks – Activator = Roamer – Hunter = Stalker
**N3ARS – Greg Neil is the first Stalker (Hunter)/KB3WAV – Kerri Wright is the first Roamer (Activator)** - 15 Parks – Activator = Traveler – Hunter = Prowler
**No Activator yet… VE3THR – Tom Muzzin is the first Prowler (Hunter)** - 20 Parks – Activator = Navigator – Hunter = Trapper
**No Activator yet… N4BUN – David Clopton is the first Trapper (Hunter)** - 25 Parks – Activator = Master Explorer – Hunter = Master Sportsperson.
**No Activator yet… KN4VKX, KN4VKY and KN4VKZ – Andrew, and his sons Blake and Ryan Pearson were the first Master Sportsperson(s) (Hunter)**
Operator to Operator Awards:
(Concept by VE3ZN, Curt Bowles)
Sample award (click to enlarge):
Having QSOs as a hunter with an activator. In increments of 50, starting with a base of 50.
Park to Park Awards:
(Concept by W3AAX, Jason Johnston)
Sample award (click to enlarge):
Having QSOs as an activator with another activator. In increments of 25, starting with a base of 25.
Special Awards:
Support Your Parks Event Awards:
(Concept by W3AAX, Jason Johnston)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Having activated or hunted any POTA entity between the weekend announced…
Outstanding Operator Awards:
(Concept by N9ARK, Michael Hicks)
Sample award (click to enlarge):
This award is only by nomination from another operator, for showing good character and representing the best example of what a POTA operator should be. To nominate someone, please send a publishable essay with informtation other than just being nice, or active, to help@parksontheair.com.
Six Meter (6 Pack) Awards:
(Concept by KG8P, Tom Jenkins)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
For activators you need 10 contacts on 6m. You can also make contacts on other bands as part of the activation – so, 10 contacts on 6m from 6 different entities.
For hunters, you will need at least one QSO from 6 different entities.
James F. LaPorta N1CC Awards:
(Concept and Design Help by KG8P, Tom Jenkins)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Having QSOs from ten different Parks on the Air entities on ten different bands, as a hunter or activator.
Kilo Award:
(Concept by N5PHT, Gary Stone)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
Award for Activators only. 1000 QSOs from the same Parks on the Air entity.
New Year Awards:
(Concept by ND9E, Scott Young)
Sample awards (click to enlarge):
There will be one for 2023 as well. These will be automated, and available for download, as well as previous years too!