Amateur radio has always been about more than simply making contacts. For me, it is about the thrill of working DX, discovering new places, chasing new goals, and connecting with radio operators around the world.
Some of my favourite operating experiences have taken place far from the comfort of my home station. I love setting up a portable station at a beach, neighbourhood park, wildlife area, nature reserve, historical site, or almost anywhere that offers a great location to get on the air.
I am passionate about hunting and activating references through programs such as Parks on the Air, World Wide Flora & Fauna, Lakes & Lagoons on the Air, and Islands on the Air. I also enjoy chasing new DXCC entities, islands, regions, activators, and anything else that makes amateur radio exciting.
That passion is what inspired me to create ParkWatch.
Why I Built ParkWatch
As a serious park hunter, I often found myself sorting through long lists of spots while trying to identify the contacts that actually mattered to me.
- Was the activator operating from a park I had never worked before?
- Was the station located in a DXCC entity I still needed?
- Was it a new WWFF, POTA, LLOTA, or IOTA reference?
- Was it an activator, region, country, or award opportunity I had been searching for?
The information was available, but finding the right contacts often took too much time and attention. I wanted a tool that could help me focus immediately on the stations, locations, and goals that mattered most.
ParkWatch was built to do exactly that. It brings multiple amateur radio programs together in one easy-to-use application, helping hunters identify needed parks, references, locations, entities, and activators without wasting valuable time sorting through endless spots.
A Bigger World Beyond One Program
I am not committed to just one amateur radio program. As I often say…
There is a big, wide world outside Parks on the Air.
POTA is an incredible program and has introduced thousands of operators to portable amateur radio, but it is only one part of a much larger hobby. Around the world, operators are activating wildlife areas, islands, lakes, lagoons, historical locations, summits, and countless other fascinating places.
My vision for ParkWatch is to help introduce POTA hunters and activators to that larger world. By bringing programs such as POTA, WWFF, LLOTA, and IOTA together, ParkWatch encourages operators to explore new awards, chase new references, work new countries, and discover more of what amateur radio has to offer.
Helping You Reach Your Goals
Every amateur radio operator has different goals. You may be chasing new parks, working toward awards, hunting DXCC entities, following favourite activators, or simply trying to make your limited time on the air more productive.
ParkWatch gives you the tools to stay focused on those goals. Instead of searching through every available spot, you can concentrate on the contacts that move you closer to your next milestone.
ParkWatch was built by a park hunter, for park hunters—and it continues to grow based on real operating experience and feedback from the amateur radio community.
— Stuart, VE9CF