Summits On The Air Explained

Summits On The Air
Abbreviation:SOTA
Purpose:Radiosport
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:John Linford, G3WGV [1]

Summits On The Air (SOTA) is an amateur radio operating award program launched in Great Britain in 2002 by John Linford.[2] [3]

The aim of SOTA is to encourage licensed amateur radio operators[4] to operate temporarily from mountainous locations[5] [6] using any method of travel including hiking,[7] mountain climbing,[8] and cycling[9] while operating their amateur radio station from the summits of hills and mountains.[10] [11] [12] In addition to getting operators out into the field the program encourages others to listen in to the transmissions from these stations and send in reports.[13] [14] [15] In areas that are not remote or difficult to access some SOTA activations serve as community outreach events.[16]

The program now has over 24,000 participants world wide, with about 7,000 in the United States.[17] Amateur radio operators who set up stations on mountain peaks are known as activators,[18] [19] and other amateur radio operators who complete contacts with them are called chasers.[20] [21] Points are given to both activators and chasers based on how high the mountain is.[22]

Awards are given based on accumulated points and certain special criteria.[23] [24] Amateur radio contacts between summits, referred to as summit-to-summit, are considered special achievements.[25]

Operators make use of a wide array of communication methods including morse code, voice (FM or SSB), and digital modes such as FT8.[26] [27] Although all parts of the amateur radio bands can be used to make contacts, setups and communication modes vary across operators based on equipment,[28] environment[29] and license class.

Operators use both VHF and HF signals to make contacts, in both cases enjoying improved line-of-sight propagation over obstructions that would otherwise block transmissions. Contacts are also made using amateur radio satellites.[30] [31]

The highest ever Summits on the Air activation reported was in February 2019 by Polish amateur radio operator Tom Rudzinski (SQ9FVE), who successfully operated from 6,962 meters (22,841 feet) above sea level, atop Aconcagua in Mendoza, Argentina.[32] [33]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Summits on the Air . 2022-10-20 . www.sota.org.uk . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002708/https://www.sota.org.uk/About . live .
  2. Davidson . Gerald . 2015-02-01 . Summits on the Air . RadCom . Radio Society of Great Britain . 91 . 2 . 14–23 . 2022-10-21 . 2023-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411093621/https://rsgb.org/main/blog/publications/radcom/2015/01/22/radcom-february-2015-vol-91-2/ . live .
  3. Web site: Eng . Diana. 2009-06-13 . Summits on the Air: mountaintop ham radio . 2022-10-21 . Make: DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223937/https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/summits-on-the-air-mountaintop-ham/ . live .
  4. Web site: Viers . Holly . 2018-03-29 . Amateur radio operators invited to Summits on the Air . 2022-10-21 . Kingsport Times-News . Kingsport, TN . en . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021173842/https://www.timesnews.net/living/amateur-radio-operators-invited-to-summits-on-the-air/article_16a7bf24-c5f7-5154-9c9b-07f4dee6a9bb.html . live .
  5. Flat Holm . 2022-10-21 . Countryfile . Countryfile . . 2022-06-05 . 14 . 23 . 52 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223941/https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00183kc/countryfile-flat-holm . live .
  6. Schreier . Paul . 2018-01-01 . SOTA: Road Trip of a Lifetime Through Eastern Europe . QST . . 102 . 10 . 76–78 .
  7. Shapiro . Alan . 2016-01-01 . Activating Angel Island: An On-the-Air Trifecta . QST . . 100 . 5 . 67–68 .
  8. Wise . David . 2021-11-01 . The First Activation of Antsell Rock . QST . . 105 . 11 . 53–54 .
  9. Newstead . Richard . 2014-01-01 . The 1st SOTA International Cycling Weekend . RadCom . Radio Society of Great Britain . 90 . 1 . 87 . 2022-10-21 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021011543/https://rsgb.org/main/blog/publications/radcom/2013/12/17/radcom-january-2014-vol-90-1/ . live .
  10. Book: Nair, Tim . Connection in the Sky: Mount-Top Ham Radio . Mountaineer Magazine . 2015 . Gerber . Suzanne . Seattle, WA . 24–25 . en . 2022-10-20 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002709/https://www.mountaineers.org/mountaineer-magazine/magazine-files/Mtr_05_15.pdf . live .
  11. Web site: Handler . Jonathan . 2015-07-06 . Moto DX Safari – Ham Radio Camping Via Honda Gold Wing . 2022-10-21 . Ultimate Motorcycling . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002708/https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2015/07/06/moto-dx-safari-ham-radio-camping-via-honda-gold-wing/ . live .
  12. Book: Silver, H. Ward . Ham radio for dummies . John Wiley & Sons . 2021 . 978-1-119-69560-8 . 4th . Hoboken, NJ . en . 1193596365.
  13. Web site: 2018-07-07 . Les radioamateurs catalans de F6KBR du REF 66 et de l'ADRASEC 66 émettent depuis le pic du Canigó . 2022-10-21 . Le Journal Catalan . fr-FR . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223936/https://www.le-journal-catalan.com/les-radioamateurs-catalans-de-f6kbr-du-ref-66-et-de-ladrasec-66-emettent-depuis-le-pic-du-canigo/56133/ . live .
  14. Hacker Public Radio ~ The Technology Community Podcast . 2022-01-19 . 2022-10-21 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223935/http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps.php?id=3513 . live .
  15. News: Durrant . Ed . 2022-04-08 . Summits on the Air Begins Anniversary Celebration . Amateur Radio Newsline . 2022-10-20 . 2023-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411090638/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58b08985be65947bf171e05e/t/624f32222d2bdb2ce4c4bd9a/1649357346972/nsln2319.txt . live .
  16. Web site: 2021-01-27 . Hyderabad Hams organise Field Day . 2022-10-21 . Telangana Today . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223936/https://telanganatoday.com/hyderabad-hams-organise-field-day . live .
  17. News: Martin . John . 2021-09-01 . 3 In Your Town: Summits on the Air . Local 3 News NBC . Chattanooga, TN . 2022-10-21 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021173844/https://www.local3news.com/local-news/local-3-in-your-town/3-in-your-town-summits-on-the-air/article_13135088-2592-5311-89cf-50267e9acaac.html . live .
  18. Web site: Brush . Chase . 2021-03-14 . Inside the Summit-Obsessed World of Ham Radio . 2022-10-20 . Outside Online . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002707/https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/ham-radio-hobby-summit/ . live .
  19. Booth, T. (2009). Enjoying Summits on the Air-Tim Booth, G4YTD encourages everyone to try SOTA either as an activator or a chaser. Radcom, 85(5), 47.
  20. Web site: Summits on the Air (SOTA) . 2022-10-20 . Wireless Society of Southern Maine . 2022-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221022184739/http://www.ws1sm.com/SOTA.html . live .
  21. Web site: Summits on the Air . 2022-10-21 . Radio Society of Great Britain . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002709/https://rsgb.org/main/clubs/special-interest-groups/summits-air-sota/ . live .
  22. Web site: SOTA – SUMMITS ON THE AIR . 2022-10-20 . Summerland Amateur Radio Club . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002709/https://sarc.org.au/sota/ . live .
  23. Web site: Awards . 2022-10-20 . Summits on the Ari . 2022-10-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221012132913/https://www.sota.org.uk/Joining-In/Awards . live .
  24. Shepard . Phil . Summits On The Air . 2015-06-06 . Seattle, Washington . SEAPAC . 2022-10-20 . 2022-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221104111313/https://www.seapac.org/seminars/2015/SEA-PAC2015-ns7p-SOTA.pdf . live .
  25. News: 2016-11-26 . SOTA "Summit-to-Summit" Activation Declared a Success . . 2022-10-20 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002713/http://www.arrl.org/news/sota-summit-to-summit-activation-declared-a-success . live .
  26. Poxon, A. (2004). The SOTA beams 2 m portable Yagi. Radio Communication, 80(7), 52-53.
  27. Web site: OARC SOTA Activity Day June 25 . 2022-10-21 . Southgate Amateur Radio News . 2022-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220530091121/http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2022/may/oarc-sota-activity-day-june-25.htm#.Y1HnFnbMKUk . live .
  28. Summits on The Air and New Methods of Portable Operating . Uscian . Paula . 2019-05-19 . HamSCI . Dayton, OH . Hamvention . 2022-10-21 . 2022-08-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812114654/https://hamsci.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019_Hamvention/20190518_2200-Paula_Uscian_K9IR.pdf . live .
  29. Devi . M. . Barbara . A. K. . Ruzhin . Ya. Yu. . Hayakawa . M. . 2012 . Over-the-Horizon Anomalous VHF Propagation and Earthquake Precursors . Surveys in Geophysics . en . 33 . 5 . 1081–1106 . 10.1007/s10712-012-9185-z . 2012SGeo...33.1081D . 128462427 . 0169-3298 . 2022-10-21 . 2023-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411093540/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10712-012-9185-z . live .
  30. Gregory . Nick . 2021-03-01 . SOTA working via QO-100 /P . RadCom . Radio Society of Great Britain . 97 . 3 . 26 . 2022-10-21 . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021011540/https://rsgb.org/main/blog/publications/radcom/2021/02/26/radcom-march-2021-vol-97-no-3/ . live .
  31. Web site: Stoetzer . Paul . 2022-06-26 . Satellite Shorts From All Over . 2022-10-21 . . Washington, DC . en-US . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223943/https://www.amsat.org/2022/06/ . live .
  32. Web site: 2019-03-07 . Highest-Ever Summits on the Air Activation Reported . 2022-10-21 . . en . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021002707/http://www.arrl.org/news/highest-ever-summits-on-the-air-activation-reported . live .
  33. Web site: Korol . Matias . 2022-01-21 . Un argentino escaló el Aconcagua y realizó una transmisión radial a casi 7 mil metros de altura . 2022-10-21 . Todo Noticias . es . 2022-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021223941/https://tn.com.ar/sociedad/2022/01/21/un-argentino-escalo-el-aconcagua-y-realizo-una-transmision-radial-a-casi-7-mil-metros-de-altura/ . live .

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