⚓ REGIONAL FIELD OPERATIONS & EXPEDITION GUIDE
LIVE OHIO POTA HUNTER RADAR // USS COD WARSHIP OPS // VERIFIED POTA & SOTA // TACTICAL NETS
EXPEDITION READY
🌲 LIVE OHIO POTA ACTIVATOR RADAR (US-OH)
REAL-TIME ACTIVATORS ON THE AIR ACROSS OHIO PARKS // CLICK ANY SPOT TO COPY VFO OR LOG QSO
CHECKING CLUSTER...
QUERYING OFFICIAL PARKS ON THE AIR SPOT ENGINE...
⚓ HISTORIC WARSHIP TRANSMITTER: USS COD (SS-224)
AUTHENTIC FLEET SUBMARINE RADIO SHACK // OPEN TO VISITING AMATEUR OPERATORS
W8COD // NAVY CALL: NECO
Docked on the Cleveland lakefront (EN91dl), the USS COD is the world’s only completely intact WWII fleet submarine whose pressure hull was never compromised with cut-out tourist access doors. Licensed amateur operators can schedule volunteer shifts or coordinate during operating events to climb the authentic vertical hull ladders down into the radio compartment and transmit over the water.
ANTENNA MAST: Authentic 85-foot Topside Naval Long-Wire
CREW LIAISON / TALK-IN: 444.050 MHz (+5.0 MHz, PL 131.8 Hz)
PRIMARY OPERATING EVENT: Museum Ships Weekend (First Weekend of June)
SEASONAL WINDOW: May through November (Weekend Operations)
HOW TO OPERATE W8COD
Amateur radio operations are maintained and scheduled through local volunteer coordinators and the USS COD Amateur Radio Club.
  • Bring your valid FCC Amateur License (Technician, General, or Extra).
  • Operations include HF SSB/CW across 20M, 40M, and local 2M/70cm repeaters.
  • Contact the station trustee in advance or check in via the 444.050 repeater during active onboard work parties.
MUSEUM SHIPS ALLIANCE VISIT USS COD OFFICIAL ↗
🌲 REGIONAL PARKS ON THE AIR (POTA) DIRECTORY
OFFICIAL POTA ENTITIES WITHIN RANGE OF AVON SHACK (EN81xk) // CLICK TO VIEW REGISTRY
VERIFIED POTA IDS
Findley State Park US-1950 ↗
Wellington, OH (Lorain County) // ~24 Miles South
The primary state park entity in Lorain County. Wooded clearings and expansive open shorelines around Findley Lake ideal for wire dipoles and verticals.
Cuyahoga Valley Nat'l Park US-0020 ↗
Brecksville/Peninsula // ~28 Miles East
The premier federal POTA entity in Northern Ohio. National Park status generates high-volume hunter pileups across North America and Europe on CW and SSB.
Headlands Beach State Park US-1958 ↗
Mentor, OH (Lake County) // ~45 Miles East
Ohio's largest natural sand beach directly on Lake Erie. Low-angle RF takeoff over open water for transatlantic and coastal DX.
Kelleys Island State Park US-1965 ↗
Lake Erie Western Basin // Ferry Access
Island On The Air (IOTA NA-014) and POTA dual activation target. Clear 360-degree over-water horizons for battery-powered field setups.
⛰️ SOTA SUMMITS & VHF PROPAGATION RIDGES
NE OHIO TOPOGRAPHICAL HIGH POINTS & SUMMER LAKE ERIE THERMAL INVERSIONS
W8O REGION
Noblet Benchmark W8O/NE-001 ↗
Elevation: 1,515 ft // Richland/Ashland Border (~55 mi SW)
One of the closest officially qualified SOTA summits to our corridor. Provides high takeoff angles over the glaciated northern plains.
Round Knob W8O/NE-002 ↗
Elevation: 1,447 ft // Columbiana County (~75 mi SE)
High-prominence summit overlooking the upper Ohio Valley escarpment. Clear line-of-sight takeoff into PA and WV for VHF/UHF simplex.
Lake Erie Bluffs Observation Tower VHF TROPO DUCT
Elevation: 680 ft + 50-ft Tower // Perry, OH
During warm summer evening thermal inversions, this lakefront vantage provides tropospheric ducting across Lake Erie into Ontario on 2M and 70cm.
📅 ON-AIR NET OPERATIONS & TRAFFIC ROSTER
NORTHEAST OHIO REPEATER & STATEWIDE HF TRAFFIC SCHEDULES (EASTERN TIME REFERENCE)
SCHEDULED NET STATUS
RESOLVING NET SCHEDULE...
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ROLL-CALL COUNTDOWN
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DAY EASTERN TIME UTC SCHEDULE NET TITLE FREQUENCY TONE / LINK AFFILIATION
LOADING CALIBRATED NET DATABASE...
📻 OHIO & GREAT LAKES HAMFEST & SWAP RADAR
THE WORLD STAGE AT XENIA & NORTHEAST OHIO REGIONAL SWAP MEETS
OHIO PRIDE // GLOBAL MECCA
👑
DAYTON HAMVENTION® (XENIA, OH)
THE WORLD'S LARGEST AMATEUR RADIO GATHERING & ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION
ANNUALLY IN MAY
~185 MILES SW OF AVON (I-71 S → US-35 W)
Held at the Greene County Fairgrounds & Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio, Dayton Hamvention draws over 30,000 operators worldwide. Features international manufacturer exhibits, technical forums, licensing exams, and the outdoor flea market / tailgate swap.
PRIMARY TALK-IN: 146.940 MHz (-0.600, PL 123.0) // DARA
SECONDARY TALK-IN: 146.640 MHz (-0.600, PL 123.0) // W8BI
LOCATION: Xenia, OH (Grid: EM79ws)
AFFILIATION: Dayton Amateur Radio Association
NOARSfest (Elyria, OH)
Lorain County Fairgrounds // Annually in July
Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society's annual regional swap meet and tailgate gathering. Talk-in on 146.700.
Cleveland Hamfest (Berea, OH)
Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds // Annually in September
The premier Northeast Ohio swap meet. Large outdoor flea market and vendor exhibits. Talk-in on 146.730.
Massillon Hamfest (Massillon, OH)
Massillon Boys & Girls Club // Annually in October
Classic mid-autumn indoor swap meet serving Stark, Summit, and Wayne counties. Talk-in on 147.180.