About OOTA
Radio the way it was
meant to be heard.
Out On The Air is an amateur radio activation program administered under callsign WW1ZRD. It exists for one reason: to get operators off the bench and onto the air, human to human, voice or fist.
"The soul of OOTA is human-to-human connection through skill and radio craft."
— WW1ZRD, Program Administrator
OOTA was built as a reaction to the drift toward digital modes, automated contacts, and computer-to-computer exchanges. There is nothing wrong with those pursuits — but they are not OOTA. Here, every contact is a real person on the other end of a real signal, found through real skill.
A parking lot counts. A pier counts. A rooftop at midnight counts. If you left home and you made a contact — voice or CW — you are Out On The Air.
Why OOTA?
No barriers
No summits. No park lists. No hiking required. A parking lot, a pier, a rooftop — if you left home, you qualify.
Voice or fist
SSB, AM, FM simplex, or CW only. Satellite and ISS voice contacts via 2m/70cm also count. Every contact is a real person. No bots, no FT8, no computers talking to computers.
One QSO
One confirmed contact is a successful activation. We're not here to gatekeep. Just get out and make radio happen.
160m to 6m + Satellite
The full HF spectrum plus 6 meters. Voice contacts via satellite or ISS on 2m/70cm also qualify. Five watts and a wire in a tree. It all counts.
The Rules
Modes
SSB · AM · FM simplex · CW · Satellite voice
SSB, AM, FM simplex, or CW on HF and 6m. No repeaters. No digital. Exception: voice contacts via amateur satellites or the ISS on 2m/70cm are explicitly permitted — these require real skill and are not repeater operations in any practical sense.
Bands
160m through 6m · Satellite
The full HF spectrum plus 6 meters. 2m and 70cm are valid for satellite and ISS voice contacts only. General VHF/UHF SIMPLEX qualifies, repeaters do not qualify.
Minimum
One confirmed QSO
One real contact is a successful activation. That's it.
Location
Away from home shack
Any location except your home station qualifies.
Logging
Self-reported
Log your activation here. Honor system. This is amateur radio.
Cost
Free. Always.
OOTA will never charge members. No exceptions. See who makes OutOnTheAir possible →
Administrator
WW1ZRD
Program Administrator
Grid FN57 · Maine
OOTA is administered by WW1ZRD, a licensed amateur radio operator in Maine. The program is operated under EmberStorm LLC and administered at outontheair.com.
Questions, activations, and correspondence can be directed to outontheair@outlook.com