Cliff's Notes on Amateur Radio

In this episode of the POTA Hunter Series, I sit down with Jeff Franklin, N3FMC (“Ford Motor Company”), a familiar voice that many Parks on the Air activators recognize instantly.

Jeff shares the story of how his fascination with radio began in early childhood after seeing his father’s pager and wondering how wireless communication worked. That curiosity quickly turned into experimentation with CB radios, homemade antennas, and eventually a full introduction to amateur radio.

We talk about Jeff’s early days in the hobby, including learning Morse code with the help of an Elmer, building Heathkit gear, experimenting with packet radio using a Commodore 64, and working with the ARRL in Washington, D.C. during the early efforts to protect amateur radio operators from restrictive zoning regulations.

Jeff also explains how he stepped away from the hobby for roughly 25 years while building a career and raising a family, only to rediscover amateur radio again recently. After returning, he quickly became a highly active POTA hunter, regularly working activators across multiple bands throughout the day from his home station near Philadelphia.

Jeff also shares practical advice about dealing with malicious interference, respecting band plans, and keeping the focus on what amateur radio is supposed to be about.

Fun, learning, experimentation, and connecting with great people.

Resources Mentioned:

Video explaining call stacking and how to manage pileups using the PoLo app: https://youtu.be/hgAhKK9rxs8?si=fYTbm32LPe76bIJ-

Starlink Mini Referral Link: https://starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-2708487-54905-74

The Considerate POTA Operators Frequency Guide: Click Here

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: [email protected]
Call sign: KQ4UUR
73 and many blessings

My Other Podcasts

Podcast Answer Man - https://podcastanswerman.com

The Cliff Ravenscraft Show - https://thecliffravenscraftshow.com

Find the rest of my shows here: https://www.cliffravenscraft.com/podcast

In my series called POTA Hunters, I sit down with the voices I hear in nearly every activation to get to know the people behind those familiar call signs.

In this second episode, we meet Kevin “KEGMan” Giebel (W0KEG), one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic hunters in the Parks on the Air community. Though Kevin has only been licensed for about a year and a half, his passion and presence on the bands make him one of the most recognizable voices in POTA.

Highlights

Hear how Kevin got started in amateur radio and the story behind his unforgettable “KEGMan” nickname.

Learn how he’s achieved over 34,000 Hunter QSOs across 6,545 parks, despite activating only five times himself.

Discover his setup, equipment, and his trick for making consistent contacts.

Get a peek into his club’s upcoming special event activation at Split Rock Lighthouse for the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald. They will be activating under the call WØJH for the “Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald Special Event” November 7 thru 10, 2025

Enjoy stories about friendship, the joy of hunting, and the spirit of community that makes POTA so meaningful.

Fun POTA Stats for Kevin

Parks Activated: 5

Parks Hunted: 6,545+

Hunter QSOs: 34,000+

Mentions in This Episode

Starlink Mini Portable Internet — Get one free month of service when you use my referral link. Perfect for activators who want reliable internet anywhere with an open sky. (Affiliate Link Here)

HamRadioPrep.com — Use coupon code KQ4UUR to save on your exam prep course. It’s the program I used to earn a perfect score on both my Technician and General exams.

About the Series

POTA Hunters is a series of episodes from the Cliff’s Notes on Amateur Radio podcast, where I connect with some of the most familiar and respected voices in the Parks on the Air community. Each conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people who make this hobby so vibrant.

This episode contains my first conversation in a new series called POTA Hunters, where I sit down with the voices I hear in nearly every activation to get to know the people behind those familiar call signs.

Today, we meet AL7KC Mike Sambuco.

When I first got into Parks on the Air (POTA), I quickly noticed the awards page, especially the one for hunting all U.S. states. Because I was doing frequent activations and hunting park-to-park contacts, those boxes began filling in pretty fast. But one of the hardest to get, right up there with Hawaii, was Alaska.

Then one day, I heard Mike Sambuco (AL7KC) activating a park in Alaska. I can still remember how excited I was when I realized he could hear me and the QSO was confirmed.

Ever since that first contact, Mike has hunted me down in countless activations. I’ll never forget the time he followed me across five different bands during one outing. Even today, I’m always listening for his call sign to break through the pileup , though the band conditions between Kentucky and Alaska don’t always make it easy. Still, every time I hear “AL7KC” come through, it’s a thrill.

Mike’s profile on the POTA site speaks volumes:

125 successful activations

64 parks activated

Over 4,800 QSOs from those parks

And an incredible 26,000+ Hunter QSOs

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Mike first got interested in radio back in the early 1970s, starting with simple walkie-talkies on CB Channel 14. From there, his curiosity grew into a lifelong passion that has taken him from Ohio to Korea, and eventually to Alaska, where he’s been operating since 1988 under his current call sign, AL7KC.

Mike’s story is full of history, humility, and heart, the kind of story that reminds us why we all fell in love with radio in the first place.

My Ambitious POTA Goal: Activate 25 Parks in Two Days (THIS WEEKEND!)

Since earning my General License in September 2024, I’ve completely fallen in love with Parks On The Air (POTA).

One of the goals I set for myself early on was to activate every park in my home state of Kentucky, which has 183 recognized eligible POTA parks.

To track my progress, I exported the full Kentucky park database and created a custom Google My Maps visualization that updates as I go. You can view the live version of my map here:

👉 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1VYmkWvF20huEIWebIo5fn7g8pJleOJQ&usp=sharing

Red pins = Parks I’ve already activated

Blue pins = Parks I still have left to activate

Yellow pins = The parks I’m planning to activate this weekend

Purple pins = Two bonus parks just across the border in West Virginia

Over the past year, I’ve already activated 33 of Kentucky’s 183 parks. This hobby has taken me to so many beautiful and historic places that I may never have visited otherwise. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my amateur radio journey so far.

This weekend, Saturday, October 25th, and Sunday, October 26th, I’m attempting something ambitious:

Activate 26 parks in two days.

To accomplish this, I’ve mapped the entire route, calculated travel times between each location, and planned for roughly 20 minutes per successful activation before moving on to the next park.

👉 CLICK HERE TO SEE MY SPREADSHEET

I’ll be operating with my Yaesu FT-891 at 100 watts, paired with my ATAS-120a mobile HF antenna mounted on the car. My plan is to log at least 15 QSOs per park before packing up and heading to the next one.

If you’d like to follow along or help make this happen, add my call sign KQ4UUR to your HamAlert so you’ll know when I’m spotted in a new park. Quick contacts will help me reach all 25 parks before the weekend is over.

Now for the part I’m most excited about…

Up to this point, my POTA travels have been a solo adventure. But this time, my wife Stephanie and our dog Leo are joining me! We’ll be “road tripping” through scenic parts of Kentucky right as the autumn colors start to show and staying overnight in West Virginia on Saturday.

Stephanie has always been incredibly supportive of my amateur radio hobby, even though she’s never been personally interested in operating. But the idea of a fall road trip together (with Leo, of course) turned this challenge into what will be a fun and memorable shared adventure.

And who knows, you might even hear Stephanie on the air! I told her that if I get stuck making contacts, a female voice calling CQ would almost certainly help. Since I’ll be right there with her at the radio, she can legally operate as a third-party operator using my call sign KQ4UUR. So if you hear her calling “CQ Parks On The Air,” be sure to say hello!

If you notice us spotted in a park and then gone ten minutes later, just know it means we hit our 15 QSOs and had to move on quickly to stay on schedule.

I’d love your help in making this marathon activation weekend a success. Please share this with anyone who might enjoy following along or making contact with us.

See you on the air!

Cliff (KQ4UUR)