POTA 2/10

[Tyler Fisher]

Good afternoon all. It’s going to be borderline tropical weather tomorrow compared to the last couple weeks. Planning on getting out and doing a POTA activation. Not sure where yet but it’ll likely be somewhere within an hour of Staunton area. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to join or hunt.

73 All

Tyler KM4VWC

[David Gordon]

Let us know when. SSB and or cw. I’ll be hunting. 

David Kb4lci

Get Outlook for iOS

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From: 'Tyler Fisher' via Valley Hams <valle...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 2:59:52 PM
To: valle...@googlegroups.com <valle...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Valley Hams] POTA 2/10

 

Good afternoon all. It’s going to be borderline tropical weather tomorrow compared to the last couple weeks. Planning on getting out and doing a POTA activation. Not sure where yet but it’ll likely be somewhere within an hour of Staunton area. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to join or hunt.

73 All

Tyler KM4VWC

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[Jeff Rinehart]

Hi Tyler

I can’t get out into the park right now but I’m an avid hunter. Let us know when you are planning to be on the air. 

One of my favorite places is Braley Pond. Just a bit west of me off Rt 250. Nice outhouses and all.  About 12 mi. W. Of Staunton. 

Look forward to chasing. 

Jeff W4PJW

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

[James McDowell IV]

I really hope that i am wrong here, but didn’t The State of Virginia prohibit POTA activations? I thought i remember reading something along those lines several months ago. 

Like i say, i really hope im wrong.

73,

James W4KD

On Feb 9, 2026, at 3:10 PM, 'Jeff Rinehart' via Valley Hams <valle...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

 Hi Tyler

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/valleyhams/1763717428.652262.1770667819058%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Jeff Rinehart]

Here's a video which may have "triggered" these responses.

I have seen NO announcement from National Forest Service locally.  This guy seems to have some good advice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptK5w5JfTO4

POTA Removes Virginia WMAs and State Fishing Lakes from Activation List

POTA Removes Virginia WMAs and State Fishing Lakes from Activation List

Jeff Rinehart   W4PJW

https://www.qrz.com/db/W4PJW

[Tyler Fisher]

Hey James, I believe you are referring to the WMA’s that were removed. As far as I know state parks, national parks, national forests and the like are all fair game. 

Thanks for the Braley Pond tip Jeff. I’ll have to add that to my list. 

Tyler KM4VWC

On Feb 9, 2026, at 4:28 PM, 'Jeff Rinehart' via Valley Hams <valle...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



[RileyC]

Department of Wildlife resources changed the rules that you need a valid hunting or fishing license, or the special use permit.  You technically have to get a special use permit, maybe $1 a day if you use those areas for anything.


The key requirement remains: any person 17 years of age or older accessing a WMA must have a valid Virginia hunting, fishing, trapping license, boat registration, or a DWR Access Permit.  If you do not have one of these, you must obtain an Access Permit through the Go Outdoors Virginia website or a DWR license agent.

Additionally, a Special Use Authorization (SUA) is required for:

Groups of 12 or more people, regardless of the activity.
Any activity not specifically authorized, such as amateur radio (POTA), large events, or commercial use.
Camping, which requires a separate camping authorization (no fee) and is limited to 14 nights per visit.
Recent enforcement actions (as of late 2025) have led to the removal of approximately 50 WMAs and state fishing lakes from the Virginia POTA (Portable Amateur Radio Transceiver Operations) map.  This was due to the state’s position that amateur radio is not an "ordinary use" of these areas and therefore requires a special use permit — which the Department has not approved for such activities.

Important: While the law itself has not changed, the interpretation and application of existing rules have become stricter, particularly regarding non-traditional activities.  The Department emphasizes that any use beyond hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, or wildlife viewing requires prior written authorization.

For current rules, always refer to the official Virginia DWR website: https://dwr.virginia.gov.

Riley

Kf4emz  

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[Matt Huffman]

Is this really a change? I frequent the WMA here by my house near Augusta Springs. I've been going there for probably over 15 years. The sign at the entrance has always said that a hunting or fishing license or a boat registration is required. Since I have a boat I'm good to go but I've never been checked. I suspect the reason is that the fees for those licenses are what go toward paying for the WMA. Therefore they want anyone using the space to be contributing to its expenses.

I think they are probably just starting to enforce the law as it already was.

Matthew, KD4UPL

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[James McDowell IV]

Good deal, i gladly stand corrected. 

Thanks for the education!

Good luck with your activation, i hope to put you in the log. I have done one or two activations and it is fun to be the “DX”. 

73,

James W4KD

On Feb 9, 2026, at 4:46 PM, Tyler Fisher <tfish...@comcast.net> wrote:



[RileyC]

This details the permits, $4 per day, per person.
https://dwr.virginia.gov/access-permit/

These are where it's required:
https://dwr.virginia.gov/lakes/public-fishing/

https://dwr.virginia.gov/wma/

Rules
https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/wma-rules.pdf
Approved Activities:
https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/WMA-Recreational-Opportunities.pdf

Amateur Radio isn't called out, but who says you aren't birding and reporting what birds you see.  I guess it doesn't matter because POTA removed them.

Riley
Kf4emz

[Jeff Rinehart]

I have done 2 activations at Braley Pond. One time the Forest Ranger rode by in his big truck with lights and antennas prominently displayed. I had my small quiet 1kw Honda generator running in the bed of my truck and he never stopped or anything. 

I was fully self contained using the HF antenna on my truck. No wires and nothing in the trees. Maybe that’s what made the difference???  

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

[RileyC]

It's a National forest area I think, and not a State WMA/Fishing area.
I haven't run into park rangers, they may have driven by.  The gate guard at Fairystone was AMAZED by my 20m Hamstick on the truck, she'd never seen an antenna that big.

Riley

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[John Chevalaz]

To All,

I wonder how this will impact the Grindstone and also the Shen 500 motorcycle event.

My guess is they as an event work directly with the VA FS and or the Nat FS and get necessary permits.

Thats their ball..

John C

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[RileyC]

Probably none, it's been a law for a year or 2.  These are just VA DWR Wildlife Management Areas and Fishing areas, hopefully they get the permits if they're needed.  

Riley

[David Gordon]

The POTA site has all the valid areas in Virginia that you can activate from. 

David Kb4lci 

Get Outlook for iOS

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From: valle...@googlegroups.com <valle...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of RileyC <rufus....@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 5:56:07 PM
To: John Chevalaz <kb2...@yahoo.com>
Cc: Jeff Rinehart <jmrin...@yahoo.com>; Tyler Fisher <tfish...@comcast.net>; 'Jeff Rinehart' via Valley Hams <valle...@googlegroups.com>; James McDowell IV <cwdxc...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Valley Hams] Forest Service Restrictions

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/valleyhams/CA%2B9yHarNH0abnOD_cgGdfso3Z%2BKhkNggCEBZW0Zt1fRS%2B5NMCQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Robert P VanFossen]

This has been up in the air for about a year now, and recently DWR decided to enforce the existing rules for those areas. My understanding is that a permit is required, but they seem to be declining to issue permits for this activity. I am an active activator and have had only a few encounters Rangers, all have been favorable..  Bob K4DJG

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/valleyhams/DS0P221MB99682419AD5A6AE48C2328680A9465A%40DS0P221MB996824.NAMP221.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Leonard Vincent]

Here is my take on this for what it's worth as a  SOTA activator.   

First, the rules for the WMAs has, as far as I know, always been that you need a valid license or permit to be there, even just to hike or picnic.  Fishing licenses are cheap.  The other issue is that a lot of POTA operators, not all,  take up a fair amount of space during their activations with vehicles, tables, generators, antennas, guy wires, etc some of which can be quite dangerous to the uninitiated (we know not to touch the end of an active antenna) and WMAs typically have small tight facilities.  POTA has removed the WMAs from the list, they no longer have park numbers so you can't log them anyway.  If it has a park number you can operate there.  The nation forests and parks and state parks are all still fair game as well as most county and city parks so "Virginia" is not closed to POTA only the WMAs because playing radio is not an approved use of the property.  

As a group we (SOTA in Virginia) have decided to keep the WMAs on our list for now but you still have to abide by the rules that Virginia has made for the WMAs meaning that you have to have a license or permit to be there or you are trespassing (which violates SOTA rules).  There are not that many summits within WMAs anyway and you NEVER see a ranger on a summit but the rules still apply and while playing radio is not an approved use even on a summit within a WMA it is but incidental to all the hiking.  Seniors (65+) do not need a freshwater fishing license in VA so you can visit WMAs at will but you need to carry proof of residency and age with you and a lifetime hunting permit at age 65 is only $10.  

All that being said, if a ranger, police officer or park official asks you to quit, even if you think that you are in the right, don't argue just pack up and quit.  They have their reasons and the authority to ask anyone to leave their facility for any reason that they like.  It's the same as if you were on private property, as soon as the owner, manager or person in authority asks you to leave, you are trespassing.

Lenny (N4LXP

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