1. PowerPoint Created by: Guy Hamblen – N7UN SOTA W7 Summits Manager
Summits On The Air
Mountain Top Activations and Amateur Radio
Presented by:
Curtis Hays – KC5CW
Stephen Denison – W5SMD
HamCom 2013
Presentation props:
General Rules
Association Reference Manual
Station packed in rucsac
AR and public SOTA brochures
G3CWI pole
Book: The Marilyns
Certificates
PowerPoint Created by:
Guy Hamblen – N7UN
SOTA W7 Summits Manager

2. 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?
Safety and Operating

3. “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!”
Radcom, July 2004

4. How did SOTA start? Original idea of John, G3WGV
Developed with Richard, G3CWI
Launched on March 2nd 2002
Internet based activity
Industrial strength database by Gary, G0HJQ
1.8 million QSO’s in SOTA Database
More than 5,900 registered users
Sophisticated web portal by Jon, GM4ZFZ
Alerting, spotting, forum, etc
55 participating countries and nearly 60,000 peaks in the SOTA database and growing fast

5. wG0AT and N7UN on Humboldt Pk, CO

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

7. Stephen, W5SMD on Winding Stair Mountain, W5O/OU-002

8. Curtis, KC5CW, on W5O/QA-001

9. 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?
Safety and Operating

10. 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! 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).” From

11. 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 in that Association
Activators, Chasers & SWLs are participants
Various awards, Honor Rolls, etc.
Totally Internet based administration
Patterned after IOTA, Islands on the Air

12. Selected 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
E7- Bosnia-Herzegovina
VE1- Canada (Novia Scotia)
W0 - USA(W0)
UT – Ukraine
W4G – USA (Georgia)
W4T – USA (Tennessee)
W4V – USA (Virginia)
W5A – USA (Arkansas)
W5M – USA (Mississippi)
W5N – USA (New Mexico)
W5O – USA (Oklahoma)
W5T – USA (Texas)
W7A – USA (Arizona)
W7I – USA (Idaho)
W7M – USA (Montana)
W7N – USA (Nevada)
W7O – USA (Oregon)
W7U – USA (Utah)
W7W – USA (Washington)
W7Y – USA (Wyoming)
W8V – USA (West Virginia)
HL - South Korea
W7 - USA(W7)
EA1 - Spain - North West
More are on the way…
As of Apr 2011 12

13. When is a peak not a SOTA peak?
A qualified SOTA peak is when:
Prominence is greater than 500 ft (150m) from surrounding peaks (333 ft, 100m for Oklahoma)
Peak qualification rules:
Vertical separation concept (500’ prominence)
Must be a readily accessible summit
Private property with permission only (no trespassing)
Respect for Native American and Government properties

14. Prominence Definition
Qualifies for SOTA
Does not qualify
for SOTA
Qualifies for SOTA
400m
330m
300m
50m
280m
400m
200m
100m
Sea Level

15. 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 W5O – Oklahoma:
Under 1349’ 1 point (28 peaks)
1350’ to <1550’ 2 points (48 peaks)
1550’ to <1850’ 4 points (32 peaks)
1850’ to <2250’ 6 points (43 peaks)
2250’ to <2450’ 8 points (23 peaks)
2450’ points (8 peaks)

16. Association Reference Lists
All Texas peaks listed in the W5T Association Reference Manual.
All Oklahoma peaks listed in the W5O Association Reference Manual available at

17. 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?
Safety and Operating

18. 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.

19. Web Tools for SOTA www.sota.org.uk www.sotawatch.org
The main site about the SOTA program
Alerts, spots, map, 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

22. Chaser Honor Roll

23. Activator Honor Roll
W5T Activator Rankings as of May 2013

24. 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?
Safety and Operating

25. 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, points

26. 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?
Safety and Operating

27. Bands and Modes VHF+ HF A lot of 2m FM SSB is popular
CW is also used occasionally HF
A lot of CW, due to use of QRP equipment
10118 kHz, kHz, kHz are popular

28. Have a go! You don’t have to be a mountaineer! But if you are...
Some summits where you can drive to the top, just walk out of the activation zone and then back up
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

29. 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?
Safety and Operating

30. Mountain safety Safety is important to SOTA
Competence rule… Don’t take risks
SOTA does not add to the risks
Mountain peaks are dangerous already, wear a helmet
Golden rules
Don’t take abnormal or unreasonable risks
Keep track of time, especially in winter
Don’t get cold, temperature drops as you go up
Drink/bring water, have food, prepare for emergencies
Obey laws
Driving up Mount Scott is speed enforced

31. 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

32. Equipment It’s all a lot easier these days! Typical activator radios
Equipment is smaller, lighter and more efficient
Battery technology has improved immensely
Typical activator radios
FT817, FT857, IC-703, Elecraft K1, KX1, KX3
Various handy-talkies for 2m FM, 6m FM etc

33. Typical SOTA Equipment
Portable Radios e.g. Yaesu FT817
Handheld Radios e.g Yaesu VX7
QRO (relatively light) Radios e.g. Yaesu FT857

34. Typical SOTA Equipment
A wire antenna (EFHW, OCFD or Buddi) & Fiberglass Pole
LiPO/LiFePO/etc are used due to light weight, high output
Bugspray, throw rope & weight, first aid, log/pen, & a weather report.

35. Ollallie Butte, Central Oregon

36. Sunset Mt Fuji, Central Oregon

37. What’s Close?

38. Tech Apps! iPhone SotaGoat Pocket SOTA HamLog/Pignology
RepeaterBook (repeater QSOs don’t count but they can drum up some or if you REV and log a simplex QSO without the repeater, it counts)
Android
SOTA Finder
SOTA Logger

39. Summary So now go take a hike; go climb a peak!
Chasing
Activating
Use the SOTA Internet based tools
Alerting
Spotting (if you won’t have internet on the summit, pre-spot, alert, cell ph a buddy, APRS
Database
Be careful – it’s addictive!

40. Sunrise over Guadalupe Peak Highest Point in Texas

41. Questions? www.sota.org.uk www.sotawatch.org
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