[ArHam] What is W5-SOTA?

[Mike Olbrisch]

Howdy.

I have gotten several messages questioning me about the W5-SOTA activation I
reported here.  Most of them asked - WHAT IS SOTA?  So I thought I would send 
this to the group.  

SOTA = Summits On The Air.  http://www.sota.org.uk/

SOTA is an award scheme for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners that
encourages portable operation in mountainous areas. SOTA has been carefully
designed to make participation possible for everyone - this is not just for
mountaineers! There are awards for activators (those who ascend to the summits)
and chasers (who either operate from home, a local hilltop or are even
Activators on other summits). 

SOTA as a CONCEPT has been around for years and years.  What operator hasn't
looked at a mountain peak and wondered how well a handi-talki might work from
"up there"?  When I was a young trooper in Germany, I often carried an ICOM
IC-215 radio (about the size of a thick hard-cover book) to the local summits
and did an "unofficial" activation.  Of course, back then it was all random, and
you just did it for the fun of it.  Sometimes you made a lot of contacts,
sometimes not so much.  I was doing all of this in the late 70s to the mid 80s,
mostly on VHF.  It was all a lot of fun.  Sometimes we would hike into the more
remote areas to activate a particular summit with a good view in a particular
direction.  Other times I would find a nice summit with a restaurant on it, and
with a nice table under an umbrella on the patio, and with a cold drink, I would
call CQ on the FM simplex channels.  Often enough I could get a few of the local
hams to join and we would have a Field-Day like operation.  Somehow it was
easier to get them to come along on the restaurant-populated summits.
Especially if they sold beer.  The more beer that went down, the less important
the activation became.  It was certainly some of the best memories I have of
amateur radio.

The actual SOTA program didn't really begin until 2002, again in Europe.
England, Wales and Scotland to be specific, were the first three to activate.

SOTA is now fully operational in many countries across the world.  Each country
has its own Association which defines the recognized SOTA summits within that
Association.  At the moment I am typing this, there are 43 SOTA associations.
Most of them represent a country, but some areas (like the USA) are so large the
associations are broken into areas, hence the W5-SOTA association.  Currently in
the USA, SOTA is represented in W1, W2, W3, W5, W6, and parts of W7 and W0.  

Each summit earns the activators and chasers a score which is related to the
height of the summit.  Certificates are available for various scores, leading to
the prestigious "Mountain Goat" and "Shack Sloth" trophies.  An Honor Roll for
Activators and Chasers is maintained at the SOTA online database. 

SOTA is designed to be compatible with other mountain users. Please see the
environmental statement for details. 

As I said earlier, what fun would it be to make a significant hike, set up and
operate a radio, and not find a lot of folks to talk to?  The SOTA program
encourages people to make contacts on the ground as well as on the summit.
There are some who say it "commercializes" what used to be a random fun event.
I say it "encourages" operation by giving people a reason to hike, and a reason
to seek out the hiker.  I know of two people who have physical difficulties, who
have sought out summits in their area and gotten them active.  If I know of two,
how many are there that I do not know of?  I say - GOOD!  Get them active both
physically and on the air.

You can view the W5 Association Reference Manual and summit lists here.
http://www.sota.org.uk/Associations/viewAssociation/prefix/W5

The SOTA web site has a place where you can post your proposed operation ahead
of time, and a place where your operation can be "SPOTTED" once someone hears
you.  You can also spot yourself if you have a cell phone with internet access,
or even TEXT messaging.

For those who are interested, I will be happy to answer any other questions.

And - I encourage all hams to get out and take a hike.  And take a radio along.
H/T, qrp radio, FT-817 or whatever.  A local in my area says: HAM stands for
Have Another Meal.  I would prefer it be: HAM = Healthily Activating
Mountaintops.  I can afford to miss a few meals.  How about you?


Mike - KD9KC.
El Paso, Tx. 
M.A.R.I.E.
w5dpd.org

Molon labe. [mo-lone lah-veh] Google it...

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