Summits On The AirMountain Top Activations and Amateur Radio

Summits on the Air

• How did it start? • What is it? • How do I participate? • Can I get any awards? • How do I start activating and what

equipment should I use?

“For as long as there has been radio, amateurs have taken their stations to the tops of hills…

“It’s perhaps a little surprising then that no formal programme for activating summits existed until March 2002!”

How did SOTA start?

• Original idea of John, G3WGV • Developed with Richard, G3CWI • Launched on March 2nd 2002 • Conceived in Europe • In America for 6 years

How did SOTA start?

• Internet based activity – Industrial strength database by Gary, G0HJQ

• More than 6,100 registered users – Sophisticated web portal by Jon, GM4ZFZ

• Alerting, spotting, forum, etc – 147 participating associations and nearly 126,080

peaks in the SOTA database and growing fast.

Richard, G3CWI/P on Snowdon - GW/NW-001

wG0AT and N7UN on Humboldt Pk, CO

Summits on the Air

• How did it start? • What is it? • How do I participate? • Can I get any awards? • How do I start activating and what

equipment should I use?

What is the SOTA program?

“Summits on the Air (SOTA) is an award program 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!

What is the SOTA program?

• There are awards for: • Activators (those who ascend to a

summit). • Chasers (who remain in the warmth and

comfort of their radio shacks). • S2S, Summit to Summit. Contacts between

2 Activators. • SWL, shortwave listeners.

General SOTA Principles

• One set of generic rules for everyone • DX entities form one or more “Associations”

– USA and Canada are exceptions • Associations maintain a list of summits • SOTA scoring is based on elevation • Activators, Chasers & SWLs are participants • Various awards, “Mountain Goat”, “Shack Sloth”,

etc. • Totally Internet based administration • Patterned after IOTA, Islands on the Air

147 Current SOTA Associations• G - England • GW - Wales • GD - Isle of Man • GM - Scotland • GI - Northern Ireland • HA - Hungary • F – France • EI - Ireland • DM - Germany • OE - Austria • SV - Greece • ZS - South Africa • HB - Switzerland • W2 – USA • ON – Belgium • OK – Czech Republic • OH – Finland • SP – Poland • LA – Norway • HB0 – Liechtenstein

• ON – Belgium • OK – Czech Republic • OH – Finland • SP – Poland • LA – Norway • HB0 – Liechtenstein • SM – Sweden • S5 – Slovenia • PA – Netherlands • OD – Lebanon • TK – Corsica • Z3 – Macedonia • W1 – USA • W6 – USA • VE2 – Canada • W3 - USA(W3) • VP8 - Falkland Islands • LX - Luxembourg • 9H - Malta • OZ - Denmark • YO - Romania

More are on the way…

• E7 - Bosnia-Herzegovina • VE1 - Canada (Novia Scotia) • W0 - USA(W0) • UT - Ukraine • W5 - USA(W5) • HL - South Korea • W7 - USA(W7) • EA1 - Spain - North West • EA3 - Spain (Catalunya - EA3) • EA2 - Spain (North - EA2) • EA8 - Canary Islands - EA8 • EA5 - Spain (Southeast - EA5) • EA4 - Spain (Center - EA4) • VE7 - Canada (BC) • W4 - USA(W4) • IS0 - Sardinia • I - Italy • CT - Portugal

As of Apr 2011

W7 Association Managers• Pacific Northwest: ID, OR, MT, WY, NV (10,864 peaks • Oregon has 1,992 peaks qualified for SOTA • Oregon association manager: Etienne K7ATN. • Oregon region managers: Phillip - NS7P, Guy – N7UN,

Dan – KK7DS. • Association Reference Manual (ARM)

• Oregon ARM: http://www.sota.org.uk/docs/ARM-W7-Oregon.pdf

When is a peak not a SOTA peak?

• A qualified SOTA peak is when: – Prominence is greater than 500 ft (150m) from

surrounding peaks • Peak qualification rules:

– Vertical separation concept (500’ prominence) – Must be a readily accessible summit

• Private property with permission only • Respect for Native American and Government

properties

Prominence Definition

100m

300m280m

330m

400m

Sea Level

Qualifies for SOTAQualifies for SOTA

Does not qualify for SOTA

200m

50m

400m

SOTA Scoring• Based on ASL elevation of a qualified peak

– Varies by Association – May include a “seasonal bonus” for activators – Same principles for Chasers and SWLs

• Scoring example for W7 – Oregon: Under 3000’ 1 point (462 peaks) 3000’ to <5000’ 2 points (645 peaks) 5000’ to <6000’ 4 points (398 peaks) 6000’ to <8000’ 6 points (388 peaks) 8000’ to <9000’ 8 points ( 64 peaks) 9000’ + 10 points ( 35 peaks)

SOTA Scoring

• Bonus points, Seasonal – 1 Dec to 15 Mar, Winter – >= 5,000 ft ASL – +3 points

Association Reference Lists

•Association Reference Manual available at www.sota.org.uk

Summits on the Air

• How did it start? • What is it? • How do I participate? • Can I get any awards? • How do I start activating and what

equipment should I use?

Participation Roles

• Activators – those who “activate” a peak • Chasers – those who work the activator • Short Wave Listeners – those who can

confirm a qso • Each group scores “points” for their

participation. Points then total for awards.

Web Tools for SOTA

• www.sota.org.uk – The main site about the SOTA programme

• www.sotawatch.org – Alerts, spots and a forum – Register to participate

• Anyone can read information posted

• database.sota.org.uk/ – Log chasing and activating QSO’s – Register to enter QSO’s and see more detail

SOTA MAPPING PROJECT

Chaser Honour Roll

12-Sep-2009

Activator Honor Roll

12-Sep-2009

Summits on the Air

• How did it start? • What is it? • How do I participate? • Can I get any awards? • How do I start activating and what

equipment should I use?

SOTA Awards

• Certificates • 100, 250 and 500 points • Mountain Goat

– 1000 activating points • Shack Sloth

– 1000 chasing points • SWL • Association awards • Further certificates at

2500, 5000, 10000 points

Summits on the Air

• How did it start? • What is it? • How do I participate? • Can I get any awards? • How do I start activating and what

equipment should I use?

Bands and Modes

• VHF+ – A lot of 2m FM – SSB is popular – CW is very effective

• HF – A lot of CW, due to use of QRP equipment – 10118 kHz, 14060 kHz, 14342.5 kHz are

popular

Have a go!

• You don’t have to be a mountaineer! – Some summits where you can almost drive to the top – You can participate from your shack

• But if you are... – There are many first expeditions yet to be done – It’s a good excuse to enjoy the outdoors on the summit

looking at the views – It’s a great way to bring two hobbies together

• Outdoors & Ham Radio

Mountain safety

• Safety is important to SOTA • Competence rule… Don’t take risks • SOTA should not add to the risks

– Mountain peaks are dangerous already • Golden rules

– Don’t take abnormal or unreasonable risks – Keep track of time, especially in winter – Don’t get cold – Drink water, have food, prepared for emergencies

Principal Rules for Activators

• Cannot use motorized transport to summit • Must operate from portable power source

• Must carry all equipment to summit

• Must make at least four QSOs • QSO’s via repeaters don’t count

Equipment

• It’s all a lot easier these days! – Equipment is smaller, lighter and more efficient – Battery technology has improved immensely – Light weight antenna, Buddipole

• Typical activator radios – FT817, IC-703, Elecraft K1, KX1, KX3 – Various handy-talkies for 2m FM, 4m FM etc

Typical SOTA Equipment

Handheld Radios e.g Yaesu VX7

Portable Radios e.g. Yaesu FT817

High-end Portable Radio, Elecraft KX3

Typical SOTA Equipment

A portable Sotabeams yagi and fibreglass “fishing pole”

Ollallie Butte, Central Oregon

Sunset Mt Fuji, Central Oregon

Summary

• So now go take a hike; go climb a peak! – Chasing – Activating

• Use the SOTA Internet based tools – Alerting – Spotting – Database

• Be careful – it’s addictive!

Questions?

www.sota.org.uk www.sotawatch.org

Yahoo Groups, North Americas SOTA