Following on from the previous discussion thread I’m pleased to announce that I will provide organisation as necessary for a weekend of SOTA activity in the Lake District on the 18th and 19th May 2019 for anyone who is interested in activating or chasing.
If you have a car and are not concerned about drinking you might want to consider accommodation location to best suit your planned summits for Sunday to allow an earlier start.
I will also look to promote the event in suitable places such as the RSGB magazine and hopefully also bring awareness to SOTA and Amateur Radio to a wider audience.
Thanks for confirming good dates for the Lake District SOTA Weekend avoiding the Bank Holidays that time of year. I agree Keswick is a good place for a meet up on Saturday night. I’lll be there - probably with my XYL. I intend booking us in somewhere for the weekend. Probably stay over Friday and Saturday nights. Hopefully some of us will also activate one or two Wainwrights we may pass over on our way to the SOTA summits.
Overseas visitors would be more than welcome I’m sure?
Hi Mark
A brilliant idea but I am sorry I won’t be able to attend as I will be visiting family abroad at that time but I wish you and everyone that attends a great SOTA weekend.
73
Nick
Would have loved to but gigging in London that weekend. May try and join in from Detling Hill G/SE-013 on the Saturday morning. I think it’s the Cup Final in the afternoon.
Not a football fan (unlike my brother) so the cup final will not affect me Tom. The touring is keeping you busy for sure! I’ll probably just do 2m FM that Lakeland weekend then I can cover more SOTA and WOTA summits over the two days. Sorry you can’t make it Nick due to prior commitments - it will be good to see Allan though again up from Wales. I’ll be giving the NARSA Blackpool Rally a miss next year myself, this weekend is more of interest to me.
Sorry, Mark but we will not be there in person.
However we expect to be active in GI that weekend so hope to provide some S2S opportunities.
Let’s hope we all have a great weekend.
73,
Rod
It might be a good idea on one or both of these days to have at least one person on each G/LD SOTA summits at the same time so that each activator on each G/LD SOTA summit can chase all the rest of the G LD SOTA summits, summit-to-summit. In the past there have been 2 G/SP fun days, the first time it happened there was definitely at least one person on each summit, not sure if this was the case the 2nd time this happened. There has been a G/NP fun day, but not all G/NP SOTA summits were activated on that day, most were through and more recently there was a G/TW fun day where all G/TW SOTA summit were activated that day. It would be a good idea to do something similar for the Lake District SOTA weekend. I know G/LD has 56 SOTA summit, but maybe if could get one person on each summit, if people replied stating what summit they will be on and for a time and date that most people agree on as well.
Pulling off the (then) all-17 G/SP summits with simultaneous activations and all S2S combos, was quite an achievement Jimmy. I’d say the probability of doing that with the 56 G/LD summits is zero. TBH though, something that matches that first G/LD SOTA Youth Hostel weekend in 2003 would still be well worthwhile.
If someone from outside the UK wants to join the group, is there an official hotel where people will be staying and around which the activities will center?
tnx, 73
Paul HB9DST / AA1MI
Hi Paul
Mark M0NOM will be best to advise on that.
I am currently in the Lake District in a hotel below Place Fell. The same group own The Keswick Country House Hotel and we may stay there for the LD weekend. This is the old Station Hotel from when Keswick had a railway line and station. We’ve stayed there before and it’s usually less expensive than other hotels in Keswick.
Let us see what others may suggest…
I’ll have a think and ask around Paul. As Phil has suggested if any other SOTA folk have stayed in Keswick (and enjoyed the experience!) please let me know. A lot will depend on budget, as Phil has suggested, and with a Hotel (and indeed many B&Bs) you will likely be asked for a minimum two-night stay. Pubs with rooms tend to be more flexible.
There are hundreds of bed and breakfasts as well within the town and an easy walk from which ever pub we pick, so regardless you will be among friends for the most part!
Hi Mark,
Please keep me posted. If I make the effort to come, then it will certainly be for more than just one or two nights – more likely arrive the Wednesday before, depart the Monday after the event. There seem to be plenty of very nice summits to keep someone occupied for quite some time, and I’ve never been to the Lake District before – the closest was several days with friends who live in Allendale.
73
Paul
In years gone by, such gatherings have used a youth hostel - cheap no frills (but comfortable) accommodation, hot meals provided, self-catering facilities, drying rooms, quiet country locations etc. Would seem to be perfect. I joined the YHA actually because of such SOTA events way back 15 years ago, and have remained a member to this day. They are now a handy option for me for accommodation when working away.
When you get to Platinum Level on the Hotels.com customer rewards program you can book the weather at the same time as booking the rooms. Sadly, I’m still a Silver Level rewards member so I have to take the weather that comes as standard.
