020 - My First POTA Activation of 2026, and a Surprise All States Award

It’s been a while since I last released an episode of Cliff’s Notes on Amateur Radio, and in this episode, I share exactly why that is, what’s been happening in my world, and what finally brought me back behind the microphone.

Over the past several months, amateur radio took a back seat. Work was intense, winter was cold, and my focus was deeply anchored in other creative and professional commitments. I hadn’t been activating parks, I hadn’t been on the local repeaters much, and radio simply paused for me. That pause wasn’t intentional, but it was real.

What changed was an email.

Actually, two emails.

I start by reading a message from Pete (K6TRK), who shared an incredible story about discovering this podcast, binge-listening on a long drive, and then having his second-ever POTA contact be someone he had just heard on this show. Stories like that remind me why I started documenting this journey in the first place.

Then I read an email from Rick (K8DOJ) that landed at exactly the right moment. His words didn’t just encourage me to record another episode. They sent me out the door. Because of that email, I went out and completed my first Parks on the Air activation of 2026, my first since November of last year.

That activation turned into one of those days that reminds you why you love radio. One hundred thirty contacts. Familiar voices. New connections. And right at the end, a contact with Hawaii that pushed me over the line for the All States Hunter award, even if I still feel like North Dakota has my name on it.

I also share some practical notes from the activation, including my experience using a new headset with the Yaesu FT-891, how it performed in the field, and why hands-free operating made such a difference during the activation.

From there, the episode widens out.

I talk openly about my podcasting life as a whole, the shows I currently produce, and why amateur radio fits into my life differently than it did when I first got licensed. I reflect on the tension between passion, distraction, creativity, and focus, and how seasons of life naturally shift what gets attention.

I also respond directly to a question Rick raised. Why was I drawn to amateur radio in the first place?

Yes, I love the technology. Yes, I love learning new skills. But at the core, radio gives me another place to connect with people. To encourage. To serve. To remind someone on the other end of the signal that there’s a real human being there, not just another call sign in the log.

I close the episode with a simple invitation. If this podcast matters to you, if you enjoy following this journey, or if you have a story of your own to share, send me an email. More often than not, those messages are the very thing that brings me back on the air and back to the mic.

Thanks for listening, and as always, I encourage you to take everything you do in amateur radio, and in life, to the next level.

Email me anytime: cliff@cliffravenscraft.com
Call sign: KQ4UUR
73 and many blessings