GridNomad: Turn Your Next Amateur Radio Adventure into a Challenge!
Date :
28 /
10 /
2026
Author :
Type your name here
What if your next SOTA activation, POTA expedition, satellite operation, sailing trip or amateur radio club activity could become an adventure that other operators could follow, participate in and earn awards for?
That's the idea behind GridNomad, a free online platform developed by radio amateur EA5JZU, designed to bring a new dimension to portable operating and amateur radio experimentation.
Rather than simply collecting Maidenhead grid squares, GridNomad allows radio amateurs to create their own adventures, define challenges and encourage others to participate.
The result is a flexible approach to amateur radio activity that combines exploration, operating achievements, collaboration and a little friendly competition.
More Than Just Collecting Grid Squares
Most radio amateurs are familiar with the Maidenhead Locator System, which divides the world into geographic grid squares used for station location reporting, propagation analysis and awards.
GridNomad takes that familiar concept and builds something different around it.
Instead of concentrating solely on the number of grids collected, the platform allows operators to create personalised challenges based on a journey, activity, location or operating objective.
An adventure might involve:
A campervan expedition: Activating different Maidenhead grids while travelling around Australia.
A SOTA challenge: Combining several mountain summits into one larger adventure.
A POTA road trip: Linking multiple park activations into a single operating challenge.
A sailing expedition: Dividing a voyage into stages, each with its own radio activity.
A satellite adventure: Making contacts from different grids using amateur satellites.
A club challenge: Encouraging members to activate locations or participate in a shared activity.
A VHF/UHF expedition: Exploring different grids, propagation paths and operating locations.
The possibilities are limited largely by the imagination of the operators creating the adventure.
Activators and Hunters Both Have a Role
One of GridNomad's interesting features is that it recognises the contribution of both activators and hunters.
Activators are the operators who undertake the adventure, travel to the designated locations and make radio contacts.
Hunters are the operators who work those stations, follow their progress and collect the units or grid squares associated with the adventure.
Successful contacts help activators progress through their challenges, while hunters can work towards custom badges created specifically for each adventure.
This creates an incentive for participation on both sides of the contact.
An adventure can be undertaken by a single operator, organised for a closed group or opened to wider collaboration.
An Opportunity for Australian Amateur Radio Clubs
GridNomad could be particularly interesting for WIA-affiliated clubs looking for fresh activities that encourage members to get on the air.
Imagine a club organising a weekend challenge where members activate different Maidenhead grids across their region, while other members attempt to work as many locations as possible.
Or a group of portable operators undertaking a series of SOTA or POTA activations, with each location contributing to a larger club adventure.
For satellite enthusiasts, a challenge might involve making contacts from different grid squares using low-Earth-orbit amateur satellites.
And for operators interested in VHF and UHF, GridNomad provides another reason to explore new operating locations, experiment with antennas and investigate propagation.
The platform could also provide an interesting activity for newcomers, combining radio operating with geography, mapping, portable station setup and practical experimentation.
Combining Existing Amateur Radio Activities
GridNomad is not intended to replace established programs such as SOTA or POTA.
Instead, it offers a way to build additional challenges around existing activities.
Operators can combine portable HF, VHF/UHF, satellite operation and established activation programs within their own adventures.
For example, a series of POTA activations could become part of a larger GridNomad road trip, while a group of SOTA summits might form the stages of a club challenge.
This flexibility makes it suitable for individual experimenters, travelling operators and organised club activities.
Free and Available in Multiple Languages
GridNomad is a free online platform and is available in English and several other languages.
Its creator, EA5JZU, has developed a concept that encourages radio amateurs to think beyond traditional awards and create activities that suit their own interests.
Whether you're planning a weekend portable activation, a lengthy road trip, a sailing adventure or a club operating event, GridNomad offers another way to make the journey part of the radio experience.
The next time you head out with a radio, don't just make contacts. Create an adventure!
Further Information
GridNomad: Official Website
Link
Summits on the Air (SOTA)
Link
Parks on the Air (POTA)
Link
AMSAT: Amateur Radio Satellites
Link
Wireless Institute of Australia
Link
Source acknowledgement: GridNomad was developed by EA5JZU. This article is based on information about the platform circulated through eHam and the GridNomad website, with additional commentary on potential applications for Australian radio amateurs and affiliated clubs.
Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 27 Oct 2026 at 20:28 hours by Justin Giles-clark
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