FOTA - Friends On The Air Worldwide Community

February 20-2025 update: FOTA was founded in Belgium by OP8L in 2022, Stefaan is no longer active in the sales department of FOTA and is now solely 'having fun' in welcoming visitors, and in planning and organising activations in Ireland, the EU and a 'little further'. We will post some info he has given us on this website, but some of these activities might happen apart from FOTA Ireland, while others will be HAMcations made available to FOTA members.

Enjoy the previews and memories.

For those who made contact. Sunday March 16, we had a successfull activation of Croagh Patrick.

This was a test. The real activation with FOTA and 20+ operators will happen mid May.

www.fota.events has always been the 'in the planning phase' companion website to www.cqqso.eu

We will continue to use this space to announce activations 'under development' and look back at past adventures.

Stefaan, OP8L is planning an autumn combined Faroe Islands and Iceland 'bigger' activation adventure. It would involve 'driving'. Yes, as he has done it before, Norrona return ferry from Denmark. This would be a 14 to 21 days adventure, activating the one and only Faroe Island POTA park, and a few never before activated Iceland POTA parks. This will involve a 'rooftent' Hamcation. More news to follow.

March 10 update on Faroe Island and Iceland activations September 2025.

Stefaan OP8L will be doing a location scouting for the upcoming HAMcation this May.

He will be active with his Belgian OP8L callsign between May 6 and May 18.

He will be active QRP or low power mode from several parks and also full power as a guest operator from local TF OM's their shack

Starting March 2025 - FOTA invites all members to participate in our EU POTA activation tour.

Dates and locations will follow. Kickoff in Auvergne region in France, Chaine des Puys FR-4021,

followed by Lanzarote, Timanfaya National Park ES-0208

FOTA goes POTA. Comes rain or shine, wind or snow,

we are activating all 197 of Ireland's Parks On The Air locations.

Starting September 2024 - With the help of many FOTA members and local Irish operators we will activate on a weekly basis at least one different Irish Park On The Air. Most of these activations will be QRP and in FT8 mode. This is also an open invitation to every Ham radio operator visiting Ireland to join us in paradise's nature and participate/operate in Ireland's outdoor shack.

Visit the EI4POTA Qrz.com webpage for QSO priorities, dates and frequency updates.

All activations/spots will be added on Parks On The Air website. Clublog and LOTW logs will be uploaded the day after every activation. Special 'hunter' QSL cards will be made available through OQRS at a later stage.

September 18-25 2024 SOTA EI/IS-001

Special activation from Ireland's highest peak, Carrauntoohil. POTA IE-0161

We are operating on portable battery systems. FT8 QRP 5 to 10 Watt, SSB 20 to max 40 Watt.

Operating from the summit and from lakeside camp.

During this activation we will try to make as many contacts as possible with FOTA Australia and FOTA Japan

It's been decided! Our first 2025 activation will be ... NEPAL

Hi everybody. Spring 2025 will take us to Mount Everest territory. If you are interested to join us contact us before November 15. Vaccinations will be needed prior to departure. This will be a short trip of 7 days, leaving from EU airport (most likely Milan) and with only a 48 hours activation. The rest of our time will be spent on sightseeing. This activation will be a low key Kathmandu Valley and POTA setup. FTDX-10 units and endfeds, dipoles and verticals.

First time POTA Activations of:

Sagarmatha National Park NP-0001 at NL37LW

Langtang National Park NP-0003 at NL28UF

Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park NP-0004 at NL27QT

DX Féile 2024 Update

Ireland’s DX convention called DX Féile 2024 takes place at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis, Co. Clare on Saturday the 5th of October. It promises to be another excellent event. However, just a few places remain for it, and the organisers advise you to book early as this is expected to be another sell-out event.

Hello 2024 - A message to all members.

2023 has been a very busy year for me personally and for FOTA. Our few EU activations were for all involved a remarkable gathering of same minded HAM operators. Some have now become a very active nucleus in planning the future of FOTA. Our teaser JPEG for the new website under construction gives an idea of what has been happening in the backgound.

It will take several months before we can fully disclose what is being created.

But believe me, we are becoming a very nice community. Meet you on the bands soon. 73, Stefaan OP8L / EI4JVB

Coming Soon: Puffin Island - IO41TU - September

Puffin Island is an Irish Wildbird Conservancy reserve on a small island to the south of Valentia Island near Portmagee, County Kerry and separated from the mainland by a narrow sound. It holds some thousands of pairs of Manx Shearwaters, Storm Petrels and Puffins and smaller numbersof other breeding seabirds.

The island may only be landed up on with the consent of IWC.

Coming Soon: Cliffs Of Moher - IO52GX - October

The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They run for about 14 kilometres (9 miles). At their southern end, they rise 120 metres (390ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head and 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the north, they reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower

ILLW - 2024 - International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend

August 17 and 18.

First time ever activation of Fenit Lighthouse on

Little Samphire Island IO52BG

Pictures on qrz.com EI4FOTA

May - 2024 - EI4FOTA will activate Cape Clear Island IO51GK

Between March 22 and March 24 we will be in Mcgillycuddy's Reeks (Mountain Range).

Weather permitting we will attempt to reach the summit of Ireland's highest peak, Carrauntoohil at 1036 meters altitude.

This will be a QRP activation with Icom IC-705 and ATAS-25 antenna. In SSB we will log all QSO's.

In FT8 we will priority chase DX and secondary alternate between different EU countries.

Nordic FOTA members will also be operating from the Park with EI prefix followed by LA, SM and OH callsigns.

POTA EI-0161 - SOTA EI/IS-001

May - 2024 - EI4FOTA will activate Fastnet Rock Lighthouse IO51EJ

March 15 -18 - 2024 - EI4FOTA will activate Binn Ghuaire.

SOTA IW-039 - POTA EI-0004

February 7 - 2024 - EI4FOTA will attempt to activate Bull Rock!

Off the Cork coast and Dursey Island.

September - 2024 FOTA goes to The Land of The Rising Sun

POTA activation of Mount Fuji JA-0016

Some JARL members will accommodate 40 FOTA members for 10 days for this very special 'Fuji-San' QSO party.

More info on our secure server. 2023 password is still valid.

May 4 - 2024 - EI4FOTA and ON4FOTA honour

International Firefighters' Day

May 2024 - EI4FOTA and EI1K go Maritime Mobile

June 2024 - EJ4FOTA will activate Great Blasket Island

November 11 - 2023 Remembrance Day

EI4FOTA will be guest operators

From Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial

September 2023 - August 2024

Ireland 32 Counties Natural Beauty Activation Tour

We are starting our 32 Ireland counties SOTA, POTA, IOTA, Lighthouse Tour around September 20.

For more info visit EI4FOTA on qrz.com

AUGUST 25 - FOTA - Friends On The Air

Irish DX and Contest Station Coming Soon

We have been very busy over the last year and our 'paradise' FOTA HAMcation DX and Contest Station

is nearing completion. Situated in an idyllic location in County Kerry, amidst beautiful mountain ranges and 4 mile long nearby beaches our EI4FOTA station will be operational autumn 2023.

We will be able to give our 500 members from 34 countries a

Céad Mile Fáilte

(one hundred thousand welcomes)

very soon!

More info on our 32 counties of Ireland Natural Beauty activation tour can be found on qrz.com

Friendly regards, Stefaan

JUNE 4 - Return to Paradise Part 3 - Ireland Islands Tour

We hereby confirm that we will be activating a few Irish Islands between June 20 and July 15.

We have HAM accommodation in Connemara. We start with Inishboffin island.

JULY 4 update - Activating Connemara National park

POTA EI-0004 on July 8 and 9

MAY 20 - ID9/OP8L Stromboli Island/Volcano

We now finished the activation of POTA I-0289 Stromboli Island/Volcano with 482 QSO and 47 DXCC.

MAY 25-26-27 activation of Egadi islands

May 28-29 activation of Ustica island.

In coperation with IIA, Italian Islands Award.

MAY 17 - ID9/OP8L Stromboli Island/Volcano

First attempt to make QSO's from volcano was interrupted by volcanic activity. We will make second and third attempt on Friday May 19 and Saturday May 20, weather permitting. 73, Stefaan

MAY 2- MAY 31

A Quick post to confirm we have arrived and it's happening.

May 4 to May 10

Starting with ETNA at the Silvestri Crater at 1800 meter followed by a summit activation.

May 15 to May 20 - Stromboli ... first from the beach and then as high as possible towards the eruptions!

Logging on QRZ.com IT9/OP8L - ID9/OP8L - I8/OP8L

Above are pictures from ETNA at the Silvestri Crater at 1800 meter.

Below are pictures from 3000 meter activation @ -3

MAY 20 - MAY 26

We will activate POTA I-1539 Favignana Natura 2000

IOTA EU-054 Egadi Islands

MARCH 26 - APRIL 16

The return to paradise!

After last year's success with the activation of Skellig Island

we are returning to Ireland for the activation of a few islands and summits. Tune in to hear us form the top of Croagh Patrick!

73, OP8L and the other team members of FOTA.

MAY 1 - MAY 30

FOTA Goes Volcanoes !

Activation of Vesuvius, Etna and Stromboli volcanoes.

QRP ! Icom IC-705 and ATAS-25 Mobile vertical antenna.

Not only OP8L but multiple operators will be active.

COMING SOON

Our International Friends On The Air Magazine

about DXpeditions, SOTA, POTA and IOTA and the perfect companion to our FOTA LIVE Guest Videomeetings.

2023 will be a very ACTIVE year, 73 OP8L

STEM - World Heritage Sites

Between April 2023 and November 2024 FOTA - Friends On The Air will be visiting all EU countries and organising special activations in/around UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This in cooperation with local authorities, radio operators and STEM schools. We will combine POTA (Parks On The Air) outdoor activities with cultural heritage and promoting new ways of communications to students within the EU.

All schools can contact us on fota@cqqso.eu

We are now in the planning stages of this project.

This website will be redesigned soon.

Friendly regards,

Stefaan, OP8L

December 12 - 16 - Activating Parks On The Air - ON-0521

Multiple Days, Multiple Operators - Multiple Bands