Getting started
Sign in and set up
Activate uses your Google account for login and optionally connects to your Google Drive for automatic log backups. Setup takes about two minutes.
1
Open activate.tavaone.com on your phone or desktop
Works in any modern browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox. No download needed.
2
Tap "Sign in with Google"
You'll be asked to allow access to Google Drive (for ADIF log backups). This is optional — you can skip Drive access and download logs manually instead.
3
Open Settings and fill in your callsign and grid square
Tap the Settings tab (gear icon). Enter your callsign and 6-character grid (e.g. EN52ab). These are used in your exported ADIF and for P2P distance calculations.
4
Connect Google Drive (optional but recommended)
In Settings, tap "Connect Google Drive." After connecting, your ADIF and field notes are automatically saved to a TavaOne folder in your Drive at the end of each activation — no manual download needed.
Tip: Install Activate as an app on your phone for the best field experience. See the Install section below — it takes 10 seconds.
Field Notes tab
Starting an activation
Go to the Field Notes tab, tap one button to go live, then fill in your details.
1
Go to the Field Notes tab (clipboard icon)
This is where you set up and manage your activation session.
2
Tap "+ New activation"
Your session goes live immediately. The Logger tab is now active and ready to log contacts.
3
Search for your park
Start typing a park name or reference (e.g. "K-0001" or "Shenandoah"). Activate searches 88,000+ POTA parks and fills in the name and reference automatically.
4
Set the activation type and fill in rig/antenna
Choose POTA, SOTA, WWFF, or General. Rig and antenna are optional but appear in your field notes export.
5
Switch to the Logger tab and start logging
QSO counter starts at zero. You can return to Field Notes anytime to update your details.
Tip: You can edit the park name, reference, rig, and antenna anytime during the activation — just go back to the Field Notes tab.
Logger tab
Logging contacts
The QSO entry form is designed for fast one-handed use in the field. Most fields fill themselves — you mainly type callsigns.
1
Type the callsign
Activate looks up the callsign as you type and auto-fills the operator's name and grid square. Callsigns are automatically uppercased.
2
Check for dupes
If you've already worked that callsign this session, a red ⚠ DUPE badge appears showing the previous band and mode. You can still log it if needed.
3
Set band and mode
Frequency auto-fills when you change band or mode. You can override it if needed.
4
Enter RST and exchange
RST defaults to 59/599. The exchange field captures the P2P park reference if the station you're working is also activating.
5
Tap "Log QSO"
The contact is saved instantly with a UTC timestamp. The form clears for the next contact. The QSO count in the header updates.
P2P contacts: If the station you're working is also activating, enter their park reference in the Exchange field (e.g. K-0042). This is recorded as a Park-to-Park contact in your ADIF.
Offline logging: If you lose signal mid-activation, contacts are saved locally and synced automatically when you're back online. Watch the SYNCED indicator in the status bar.
Conditions tab
Check before you go
The Conditions tab gives you a plain-English activation outlook before you even leave the house. It combines real-time weather and solar/propagation data so you can decide whether it's worth packing the radio.
Weather
Temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover at your current location.
Solar / Propagation
Solar Flux Index (SFI), K-index, A-index, HF band conditions, and best bands for the day.
Activation Outlook
A plain-English verdict — Go, Marginal, or No-Go — with a summary of the key factors.
Tip: Check the Conditions tab the night before a planned activation, then again the morning of. The solar data updates daily; weather updates every time you tap Refresh.
Note: Conditions requires location access (for weather). When prompted, allow location for best results. The app only uses your location to fetch weather — it is never stored or shared.
Logger tab
Spotting — finding and announcing activations
Activate has two spotting tools built in: the P2P Spot Finder for finding other activators, and Auto Spot for announcing your own activation to the POTA network.
P2P Spot Finder
1
Tap the "Spots" section in the Logger tab
The spot list shows live POTA activations pulled from the POTA API. Each entry shows the activator, park, frequency, mode, and how long ago they were spotted.
2
Filter by band or mode
Use the dropdowns to narrow the list. Stations close to your grid square are starred.
3
Tap a spot to pre-fill the QSO form
Callsign, frequency, band, mode, and P2P reference are all filled in automatically. Just confirm the RST and tap Log QSO.
Auto Spot (announce yourself)
1
Log your first QSO
Activate automatically posts your activation to the POTA spot network on your first logged contact — no manual action needed. Your callsign, park reference, frequency, and mode are included.
2
Use the "Respot" button if you change frequency or mode
Tap Respot on the Logger tab to send a fresh spot with your updated frequency and mode. Hunters will see the new spot within seconds.
Tip: Re-spot yourself whenever you change frequency or mode mid-activation so hunters can find you on the new QRG.
Heard By tab
See who's hearing you
The Heard By tab shows stations that have received your signal on FT8/FT4 via the PSKReporter network. Useful for checking propagation and confirming your signal is getting out before calling CQ.
✦
Enter your callsign in the search box (auto-filled from your Settings callsign) and tap Fetch.
✦
Filter by time window — last 15, 30, or 60 minutes.
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Each row shows the receiving station's callsign, grid, band, mode, SNR, and distance from your grid square.
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Map view — tap the map button to see receiving stations plotted on a world map.
Note: Heard By only shows reports for digital modes (FT8, FT4, JS8). SSB and CW are not reported to PSKReporter.
Photos tab
Capture photos during your activation
Log photos alongside your contacts. Everything stays local until you submit your activation — then photos upload to Drive in the same folder as your ADIF and field notes.
1
Tap "Take Photo" to open your camera, or "From Library" to pick existing photos
On mobile, Take Photo opens the rear camera directly. You can also select multiple photos from your camera roll using From Library.
2
Photos appear in the grid immediately
Each thumbnail shows a ⏳ badge while it's waiting to be uploaded, and a ☁ badge once it's safely on Drive.
3
Tap × to remove a photo
The × button appears in the top-right corner of each thumbnail. If the photo was already uploaded to Drive, it's deleted from Drive as well.
4
Photos upload when you submit field notes
When you tap "Submit & Export Files" at the end of your activation, all session photos are uploaded to the same Drive folder as your ADIF and field notes.
Note: Photos are kept in memory for the duration of your session. If you refresh the page before submitting, photos that were already uploaded to Drive will reappear (loaded from Drive). Photos that had not yet been uploaded will be lost — submit before refreshing to make sure everything is saved.
Logger tab
Submitting your activation
When you're done logging, submit your field notes to wrap up the activation and save your log. This is the last step — do it before you pack up.
1
Scroll down in the Logger tab to the Field Notes section
Add any comments, notes on conditions, or anything else you want to remember about the activation.
2
Set "Will Return?" to Yes, Maybe, or No
Saved in your field notes for future reference.
3
Tap "Submit & Export Files"
Activate generates your ADIF log and a markdown field notes file. If Google Drive is connected, both files (plus any session photos) are saved automatically to a folder named after your activation date and park reference. If Drive is not connected, a download dialog appears so you can save the files manually.
ADIF (.adi)
Standard log format accepted by POTA, eQSL, LoTW, and any logging software.
Field Notes (.md)
Markdown file with your activation summary, conditions, and notes. Opens in any text editor.
Photos
Session photos uploaded to the same Drive folder as your log files.
Push to TavaScope: You can also send your log directly to TavaScope for live stats — unique grids, call areas, band breakdown, and more — without waiting until you get home.
History tab
Past activations
The History tab shows your last 20 activations. From here you can view, export, or delete past sessions.
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View in TavaScope — tap the waveform icon next to any activation to push its log to TavaScope for stats analysis.
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Delete — tap the trash icon to permanently remove an activation and all its QSOs. This cannot be undone.
✦
Resume — if you have an active session in progress, it appears at the top with a green active badge.
Note: History shows up to 20 activations. Older activations are not deleted — they're just not shown in this list. Your ADIF files on Google Drive contain the complete record of every activation.
Install
Install as an app on your phone
Activate works as a Progressive Web App (PWA). Installing it puts it on your home screen like a native app — no app store required — and enables offline logging.
iPhone / iPad (Safari)
1
Open activate.tavaone.com in Safari
Must be Safari — Chrome on iOS does not support PWA install.
2
Tap the Share button (box with arrow pointing up)
It's in the toolbar at the bottom of Safari.
3
Tap "Add to Home Screen"
Tap Add in the top right. The TavaOne // Activate icon appears on your home screen.
Android (Chrome)
1
Open activate.tavaone.com in Chrome
2
Tap the three-dot menu → "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App"
Chrome may also show an install banner or prompt at the bottom of the screen automatically.
Offline logging: Once installed, Activate caches the app shell so it loads even without signal. QSOs logged offline are stored locally and synced automatically when you're back online. Watch the status bar — it shows ONLINE / OFFLINE and SYNCED / Pending.
Settings tab
Settings reference
Callsign
Your station callsign. Used in ADIF exports, auto-spot, and the Heard By lookup.
Grid Square
Your home or current grid (4 or 6 characters). Used in ADIF exports and P2P distance calculations.
Google Drive
Connect Drive to automatically save ADIF, field notes, and photos at the end of each activation.
Theme
Toggle between dark (default) and light mode using the moon/sun icon in the header.
Show Notes Field
Toggle the per-QSO notes field in the log entry form. Off by default to keep the form fast.