[MOham] Fw: What is W5-SOTA?

[Ray Brown]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Olbrisch" <mike-2007 at elp.rr.com>

 
> 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...
>