Summits on the Air (SOTA)

SOTA is an international programme that encourages amateur radio operation from the summits of hills and mountains.

Activators are people who transmit from the summits. Chasers are the people who contact the activators.
SWLs can also participate by logging the QSOs between activators and chasers.

For each of the 3 groups there are guidelines and awards. This information can be found at www.sota.org.uk and the South African specific information at www.qsl.net/sotasa. There are more than 300 qualifying summits in the RSA.

The role of the activator, the person who takes the station to the summit, is summed up in this week's bulletin.

Choose a qualifying summit, obtain the landowner's permission and use legitimate access routes.
Operation from vehicles is not permitted and the method of final access must be "person powered", e.g. hiking, mountain biking. The station must be set up within 25 m vertical distance from the summit. You must carry all equipment to the summit. You must operate from a portable power source like batteries, solar cells. Fossil fuel based generators are not allowed, you share the summit with other hikers.

At least four QSOs must be made for you to claim your activator points. You should exchange call signs, reports and the SOTA reference number. QSOs through repeaters do not count. QSOs with others on the same summit do not count.

Activator points can only be claimed by the holder of the call sign used on the summit. You need to send in your log to www.sota.org.uk to claim your points. You can only claim each summit once in each calendar year.

You can also contact ZS1AN, ZS1KG, ZS1PT, ZS4BS, ZS5IAN, ZS6ACT or ZS6DX for more information.

Sid, ZS6AYC, Thomas, ZS6TMO, Lucas, ZS6ACT and Detlev, ZS6BAB, all members of the Secunda Amateur Radio Club, intend to activate Platberg FS-004 near Harrismith on 5 February. They will try to call from 9:30 on 7,065 MHz and 14,160 MHz

Courtesy of The South African Radio League

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