Revolutionary War POTA Special Event
Revolutionary War POTA Special Event - Update May 2026
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ
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Welcome to May! Days are getting longer and warmer (for the most part) and our Revolutionary War Parks on the Air activity is taking shape, with definitive dates and interesting and unique park activations and special event stations planned from August through October. Here are the current line-up and dates : |
GCARC is organizing a New Jersey revolutionary war site POTA event to recognize the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. Over the course of the coming year GCARC is planning to activate several parks in New Jersey that have a direct connection or relationship to the Revolutionary War.
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- July 18, 2026 : POTA Presentation and Prep Meeting. This be at the Clubhouse and will include an introduction to POTA, as well as the planning and organization for the upcoming park activations, including equipment needed, antennas, logistics, and important technical issues and relevant park regulations to consider when doing an activation.
- August 1, 2026 : Historic Hancock House in Hancock’s Bridge, Salem County.
- September 26 and 27, 2026 : Fort Mott in Pennsville, NJ. This will be in conjunction with the park’s annual Historic Soldier’s Weekend sponsored by the Fort Mott Park Association.
- October 2026 : Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest. This will be on a Saturday after our hamfest. We will provide a specific date when it becomes available.
Unfortunately, we will not be activating the Red Bank Battlefield Park. The Gloucester County Parks and Recreation Department appreciated our interest, but they let us know that given the high volume of requests and their inability to accommodate them equitably they do not permit outside groups to host events in County‑owned parks. All events held within the parks are managed solely by County Parks and Recreation staff. While disappointing, we have three great park activations remaining.
Some details regarding each of the parks and our activations :
Hancock House Historic Site
The house was built in 1734 by William & Sarah Hancock, a prominent Salem County Quaker family. It was the scene of a British-led massacre during the American Revolution.
- This is not an official POTA site, but we have been in touch with POTA about either a special POTA park identifier for the day of our activation or possibly having the Hancock House assigned a new permanent park identifier. We will have more about that once we hear back from POTA.
- We have applied for a Special Use Permit for our activation on August 1 and are hoping to hear back on that shortly.
- The staff at the Hancock House are planning special demonstrations and tours in connection with our activation. The Hancock House will be open to the public during our activation and members of the public will be welcome to view our operation and ask questions and learn about ham radio and POTA.
Fort Mott
Fort Mott was designed after the American Civil War as part of a three-fort coastal defense system for the Delaware River. Fort Mott is not a Revolutionary War site, but it is a POTA site and proximate to naval engagements in the Delaware that took place during the Revolution.
Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest
Batsto Village is a historic site in Wharton State Forest in the Pinelands and is known for its beauty and its historical significance. Batsto Iron Works was founded in 1766, and during the Revolutionary War, manufactured supplies for the Continental Army.
Revolutionary War POTA Discord Channel
For more information, check out the Revolutionary War POTA channel in our Club Discord Group (# rev-war-activity). We are posting relevant information about the planning and implementation of our Revolutionary War POTA activity on this channel. If you are not a Discord member, you can sign up at Discord (https://discord.com) Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games. The Club's discord group is at https://discord.gg/rkgfxnKi6e. Sign up and check it out.
If You’re Interested
If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations, you can leave a post on the Revolutionary War POTA Discord channel or contact me directly at stanplans at gmail dot com. We can also connect at an upcoming Club meeting.
I hope that you can participate and I look forward to seeing you at the Club or on our Revolutionary War POTA channel on Discord.
Fort Mott was designed after the American Civil War as part of a three-fort coastal defense system for the Delaware River. Fort Mott is not a Revolutionary War site, but it is a POTA site and proximate to naval engagements in the Delaware that took place during the Revolution.
- We are confirmed for the Historic Soldiers’ Weekend on September 26 and 27. This is a two-day event, and we can operate both days. More information on the Historic Soldier’s Weekend can be found at https://fortmott.org/historic-soldiers-weekend and at https://soldiersweekend.com
- GCARC has been approved for a special event call sign for the Historic Soldiers Weekend. It will be W2M, recognizing Fort Mott.
- We will be operating from one of the bunkers in the park. There is space for operating positions both at the base and at the top of the bunker, which will place us in a central and highly visible location within the Historic Soldiers’ Weekend. (See photograph included with the article.) We will be checking out the bunker prior to the event to scope out the locations for our stations and antennas.
- To fit into the Historic Soldiers Weekend, we will include information about the history of ham radio with possibly a few photographs, handouts, or some classic gear depending on what would be the most interesting and practical. Suggestions on that would be appreciated.
- We will be coordinating with the park staff at Fort Mott to prepare a special QSL card for the event.
Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest
Batsto Village is a historic site in Wharton State Forest in the Pinelands and is known for its beauty and its historical significance. Batsto Iron Works was founded in 1766, and during the Revolutionary War, manufactured supplies for the Continental Army.
- Once a date for the activation has been selected, we will file a Special Use Permit with the NJDEP. As this will not be until October, there should be more than enough time to submit a permit application and get the requisite approval.
Revolutionary War POTA Discord Channel
For more information, check out the Revolutionary War POTA channel in our Club Discord Group (# rev-war-activity). We are posting relevant information about the planning and implementation of our Revolutionary War POTA activity on this channel. If you are not a Discord member, you can sign up at Discord (https://discord.com) Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games. The Club's discord group is at https://discord.gg/rkgfxnKi6e. Sign up and check it out.
If You’re Interested
If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations, you can leave a post on the Revolutionary War POTA Discord channel or contact me directly at stanplans at gmail dot com. We can also connect at an upcoming Club meeting.
I hope that you can participate and I look forward to seeing you at the Club or on our Revolutionary War POTA channel on Discord.
More information about POTA is available at Parks On The Air (https://parksontheair.com) program for amateur radio. You can also purchase a copy of the ARRL’s excellent book on POTA titled appropriately “The Parks On The Air Book.” It’s available on the League’s website at The Parks On The Air Book (https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2013464221) or at other online sources or ham radio stores. There are also many interesting YouTube videos online that highlight POTA activations. Also, check out our POTA channel on the Club’s Discord group (# pota-activation), to see pictures of our Club members’ recent POTA activations.
Revolutionary War Site POTA Event Update - March 25, 2026
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ - [email protected]
Spring is here and many a ham’s fancy turns to - among other things - Parks on the Air (POTA).
As you are probably aware from previous CrossTalk articles, discussions at our Club meetings, and our Club website, GCARC is organizing a New Jersey Revolutionary War Site POTA event to recognize the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. Over the course of the coming year GCARC is planning to activate several parks in New Jersey that have a direct connection or relationship to the Revolutionary War.
Here is where things stand :
Sites
We have narrowed down our park activations to the following four sites :
We have been in touch with Sara Careton, the Executive Director of RevolutionNJ and Mark Texel, Administrator of New Jersey State Historic Sites, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites at the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) regarding our event. Mark put us in touch with the park staff at Wharton State Forest, Hancock House, and Fort Mott. We've spoken to them and have gotten very positive feedback on our proposed POTA activations and will be coordinating directly with them as we move forward. We have also been in contact with the Gloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation regarding the Red Bank Battlefield Park.
Schedule
The Revolutionary War POTA activations will start in the Spring and continue through Fall. Here are the proposed sequence and time frames for each of the activations :
Each activation will be scheduled on a Saturday but not on a Tech Saturday, Field Day weekend (or too soon before or after Field Day), or when another Club activity is already scheduled. We will have more information on the specific dates for our April Club meeting or soon thereafter. Once the dates and times are finalized, they will be posted on the Club website and sent to the Club members via email blast. Watch this space!
POTA Prep Meeting
Before doing our first activation, we will conduct a POTA presentation and prep meeting at the Clubhouse on a Saturday at the end of April or early May. This will be designed to introduce POTA to those that may not be familiar with the activity, organize for the event and identify needed equipment, confirm logistics, and highlight important technical issues and park regulations to consider when doing an activation. More information about this meeting and the specific date and time will be presented at our April Club meeting, on our website, and via email blast to the Club members. Again, watch this space!
Equipment
We are anticipating that the necessary equipment (radios, antennas, cable, batteries, misc.) will be provided by Club members experienced in POTA who are willing to have their gear used for the event. We will be circulating a sign-up form, which will include a request to list any equipment that Club members are willing to bring to the activation. The primary mode will be SSB, but with CW available for those that prefer that. We will decide on what equipment we will be using before each activation and depending on who will be attending.
Certificate
We will be preparing a special certificate for hams that contact us. This will be sent as a PDF via email to avoid postage costs. We will also be publicizing each activation beforehand to encourage hams to seek us out on the air.
Revolutionary War POTA Discord Channel
Our Club President, Jon Pearce WB2MNF, has set up a Revolutionary War POTA channel in our Club Discord group (“rev-war-activity”). We will be posting relevant information about the planning and implementation of our Revolutionary War POTA activity on this channel. If you are not a Discord member, you can sign up at Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games (https://discord.com). The Club's discord group is at : https://discord.gg/rkgfxnKi6e.
If you are new to Parks On The Air and want to learn more, you can get information about POTA at Parks on the Air (https://parksontheair.com) Parks program for amateur radio. You can also purchase a copy of the ARRL’s excellent book on POTA. Titled appropriately The Parks on the Air Book, you can purchase a copy at the League’s website at The Parks on the Air Book (https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2013464221) or at other online sources or ham radio stores. There are also many interesting YouTube videos online that highlight POTA activations.
This is going to be a fun event and a great way to get involved in POTA and learn more about the important role that New Jersey played in the American Revolution.
If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations, you can leave a post on the Revolutionary War POTA Discord channel or contact me directly at [email protected]. We can also connect at an upcoming Club meeting.
I hope that you can participate and I look forward to seeing you at the Club or on our Revolutionary War POTA channel on Discord.
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ - [email protected]
Spring is here and many a ham’s fancy turns to - among other things - Parks on the Air (POTA).
As you are probably aware from previous CrossTalk articles, discussions at our Club meetings, and our Club website, GCARC is organizing a New Jersey Revolutionary War Site POTA event to recognize the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. Over the course of the coming year GCARC is planning to activate several parks in New Jersey that have a direct connection or relationship to the Revolutionary War.
Here is where things stand :
Sites
We have narrowed down our park activations to the following four sites :
- Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest : Batsto Village is a historic site in Wharton State Forest in the Pinelands and is known for its beauty and its historical significance. Batsto Iron Works was founded in 1766, and during the Revolutionary War, manufactured supplies for the Continental Army.
- Hancock House Historic Site : The house located in Hancock’s Bridge was built in 1734 by William & Sarah Hancock, a prominent Salem County Quaker family. It was the scene of a British-led massacre during the American Revolution. This is not an official POTA site, but we are exploring a special POTA designator for the day of our activation.
- Red Bank Battlefield Park : Located on the waterfront of the Delaware River, Red Bank Battlefield played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War when Hessians attacked Fort Mercer on October 22, 1777. This also is not an official POTA site but has important historic significance as a key battle during the Revolution. As with Hancock House, we are exploring a special POTA designator for the day of our activation.
- Fort Mott : Fort Mott was designed after the American Civil War as part of a three-fort coastal defense system for the Delaware River. Fort Mott is not a Revolutionary War site, but it is a POTA site and proximate to naval engagements in the Delaware that took place during the Revolution.
We have been in touch with Sara Careton, the Executive Director of RevolutionNJ and Mark Texel, Administrator of New Jersey State Historic Sites, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites at the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) regarding our event. Mark put us in touch with the park staff at Wharton State Forest, Hancock House, and Fort Mott. We've spoken to them and have gotten very positive feedback on our proposed POTA activations and will be coordinating directly with them as we move forward. We have also been in contact with the Gloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation regarding the Red Bank Battlefield Park.
Schedule
The Revolutionary War POTA activations will start in the Spring and continue through Fall. Here are the proposed sequence and time frames for each of the activations :
- Late May/Early June : Red Bank Battlefield Park
- July/August : Hancock House
- September 26 and 27 : Fort Mott. This will be in conjunction with the park’s annual Historic Soldier’s Weekend sponsored by the Fort Mott Park Association. In addition to our POTA activation, we will likely be highlighting the history of amateur radio. More information on the Historic Soldier’s Weekend can be found at https://fortmott.org/historic-soldiers-weekend
- October : Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest.
Each activation will be scheduled on a Saturday but not on a Tech Saturday, Field Day weekend (or too soon before or after Field Day), or when another Club activity is already scheduled. We will have more information on the specific dates for our April Club meeting or soon thereafter. Once the dates and times are finalized, they will be posted on the Club website and sent to the Club members via email blast. Watch this space!
POTA Prep Meeting
Before doing our first activation, we will conduct a POTA presentation and prep meeting at the Clubhouse on a Saturday at the end of April or early May. This will be designed to introduce POTA to those that may not be familiar with the activity, organize for the event and identify needed equipment, confirm logistics, and highlight important technical issues and park regulations to consider when doing an activation. More information about this meeting and the specific date and time will be presented at our April Club meeting, on our website, and via email blast to the Club members. Again, watch this space!
Equipment
We are anticipating that the necessary equipment (radios, antennas, cable, batteries, misc.) will be provided by Club members experienced in POTA who are willing to have their gear used for the event. We will be circulating a sign-up form, which will include a request to list any equipment that Club members are willing to bring to the activation. The primary mode will be SSB, but with CW available for those that prefer that. We will decide on what equipment we will be using before each activation and depending on who will be attending.
Certificate
We will be preparing a special certificate for hams that contact us. This will be sent as a PDF via email to avoid postage costs. We will also be publicizing each activation beforehand to encourage hams to seek us out on the air.
Revolutionary War POTA Discord Channel
Our Club President, Jon Pearce WB2MNF, has set up a Revolutionary War POTA channel in our Club Discord group (“rev-war-activity”). We will be posting relevant information about the planning and implementation of our Revolutionary War POTA activity on this channel. If you are not a Discord member, you can sign up at Discord - Group Chat That’s All Fun & Games (https://discord.com). The Club's discord group is at : https://discord.gg/rkgfxnKi6e.
If you are new to Parks On The Air and want to learn more, you can get information about POTA at Parks on the Air (https://parksontheair.com) Parks program for amateur radio. You can also purchase a copy of the ARRL’s excellent book on POTA. Titled appropriately The Parks on the Air Book, you can purchase a copy at the League’s website at The Parks on the Air Book (https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2013464221) or at other online sources or ham radio stores. There are also many interesting YouTube videos online that highlight POTA activations.
This is going to be a fun event and a great way to get involved in POTA and learn more about the important role that New Jersey played in the American Revolution.
If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations, you can leave a post on the Revolutionary War POTA Discord channel or contact me directly at [email protected]. We can also connect at an upcoming Club meeting.
I hope that you can participate and I look forward to seeing you at the Club or on our Revolutionary War POTA channel on Discord.
Revolutionary War Site POTA Event Update
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ - [email protected]
As you are probably aware, next year is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To commemorate the anniversary of our nation’s founding, GCARC is organizing a statewide New Jersey revolutionary war site Park on the Air (POTA) event in 2026. The goal will be to activate state and national parks in New Jersey with a Revolutionary War connection over the course of the year.
Some of the POTA sites in New Jersey that are obvious candidates for a Revolutionary War related POTA activation include :
I am certain that there are others that have some connection to the Revolutionary War. With a bit of research and personal knowledge, we can come up with a comprehensive list. Here is a great website and starting point in doing research on Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey : https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com - Revolutionary War New Jersey | Guide to New Jersey Revolutionary War Sites| New Jersey Historic Sites
One thing to consider is that not every Revolutionary War site qualifies for POTA. For example, the Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park, NJ, is a county park and not on the POTA list.
If you are new to Parks on the Air and want to learn more, you can get information about POTA at (https://parksontheair.com) Parks On The Air program for amateur radio. You can also purchase a copy of the ARRL’s excellent book on POTA. Titled appropriately The Parks on the Air Book, you can purchase a copy at the League’s website (https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2013464221) at The Parks on the Air Book or at other online sources or ham radio stores. There are also many interesting YouTube videos online that highlight POTA activations.
Some considerations in how we will be organizing this event :
I recently had the chance to connect with Sarah Cureton, Executive Director of RevolutionNJ (https://www.revnj.org), and Mike Keeler, Communications Manager of the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association (https://revolutionarynj.org).
As described on their website, RevolutionNJ is a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution Association to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey.
There is a lot of interesting information about New Jersey's role in the Revolution, historic Revolutionary war sites in New Jersey, and related resources, including books, videos and audio tours and apps, at both websites.
I explained that we were having discussions about organizing a year long POTA event at various state and national parks in New Jersey that have a connection to the American Revolution. I explained a bit about POTA, what we do as hams, and how we would activate a park. I also mentioned that we might be coordinating our efforts with other radio clubs in the state.
They were very excited and intrigued about the opportunity to use our POTA activations to further publicize the role of New Jersey in the Revolution. They were willing to help us with advice and contacts with the various non-profit organizations that run the parks and historic sites. I told them that we had not yet decided if we were moving forward with this idea and which parks were proposing to activate, but that I would reach out to them once I had more information.
This is going to be a fun year-long event for the Club and a great way to get Club Members involved in POTA and learn more about the important role that New Jersey played in the American Revolution. It also will be a high-profile activity that could get GCARC a lot of recognition.
It also will take a reasonable amount of work to plan, organize, and implement. We are particularly looking for members that have experience in POTA activations to serve on our event committee, but everyone is welcome to participate. If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations please contact me at [email protected] or texting or calling at my cell phone number listed in the Club roster. You can also connect with me at an upcoming Club meeting.
By Stan Slachetka WA2JRZ - [email protected]
As you are probably aware, next year is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To commemorate the anniversary of our nation’s founding, GCARC is organizing a statewide New Jersey revolutionary war site Park on the Air (POTA) event in 2026. The goal will be to activate state and national parks in New Jersey with a Revolutionary War connection over the course of the year.
Some of the POTA sites in New Jersey that are obvious candidates for a Revolutionary War related POTA activation include :
- Morristown National Park
- Liberty State Park
- Monmouth Battlefield State Park
- Princeton Battlefield State Park
- Washington Crossing State Park
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
- Palisades Interstate State Park, which includes Fort Lee
I am certain that there are others that have some connection to the Revolutionary War. With a bit of research and personal knowledge, we can come up with a comprehensive list. Here is a great website and starting point in doing research on Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey : https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com - Revolutionary War New Jersey | Guide to New Jersey Revolutionary War Sites| New Jersey Historic Sites
One thing to consider is that not every Revolutionary War site qualifies for POTA. For example, the Red Bank Battlefield Park in National Park, NJ, is a county park and not on the POTA list.
If you are new to Parks on the Air and want to learn more, you can get information about POTA at (https://parksontheair.com) Parks On The Air program for amateur radio. You can also purchase a copy of the ARRL’s excellent book on POTA. Titled appropriately The Parks on the Air Book, you can purchase a copy at the League’s website (https://home.arrl.org/action/Store/Product-Details/productId/2013464221) at The Parks on the Air Book or at other online sources or ham radio stores. There are also many interesting YouTube videos online that highlight POTA activations.
Some considerations in how we will be organizing this event :
- This will be a year long event that will consist of a variety of individual park activations that will take place throughout the year. Once we finalize the list of parks, we will set up and announce the dates and times for the various activations.
- We will be either doing this solely as a GCARC initiative or reaching out to other ham radio clubs in New Jersey and making this an interclub event.
- We will be contacting ARRL and the national POTA organization to let them know what we have planned.
- We will be checking to see if there are any special events planned at these parks and time our POTA activations to either avoid conflicts or garner more publicity.
- This could also be a good STEM event, getting the students to participate in a POTA activation and learn about the Revolutionary War in New Jersey.
- We will be reaching out to the respective parks and possibly link up with a park guide, teacher, author, or a representative from a reenactment group to discuss the importance of the site in the Revolution.
- We are exploring the preparation of a special event QSL card or certificate for the POTA "hunters" who contact us during the activations, with a recognition for hunters that contact all the POTA sites we activate.
I recently had the chance to connect with Sarah Cureton, Executive Director of RevolutionNJ (https://www.revnj.org), and Mike Keeler, Communications Manager of the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association (https://revolutionarynj.org).
As described on their website, RevolutionNJ is a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution Association to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey.
There is a lot of interesting information about New Jersey's role in the Revolution, historic Revolutionary war sites in New Jersey, and related resources, including books, videos and audio tours and apps, at both websites.
I explained that we were having discussions about organizing a year long POTA event at various state and national parks in New Jersey that have a connection to the American Revolution. I explained a bit about POTA, what we do as hams, and how we would activate a park. I also mentioned that we might be coordinating our efforts with other radio clubs in the state.
They were very excited and intrigued about the opportunity to use our POTA activations to further publicize the role of New Jersey in the Revolution. They were willing to help us with advice and contacts with the various non-profit organizations that run the parks and historic sites. I told them that we had not yet decided if we were moving forward with this idea and which parks were proposing to activate, but that I would reach out to them once I had more information.
This is going to be a fun year-long event for the Club and a great way to get Club Members involved in POTA and learn more about the important role that New Jersey played in the American Revolution. It also will be a high-profile activity that could get GCARC a lot of recognition.
It also will take a reasonable amount of work to plan, organize, and implement. We are particularly looking for members that have experience in POTA activations to serve on our event committee, but everyone is welcome to participate. If you are interested in helping organize the event or are simply interested in participating in any of the POTA activations please contact me at [email protected] or texting or calling at my cell phone number listed in the Club roster. You can also connect with me at an upcoming Club meeting.