In reply to G3NYY:
I have an official pass that allows me to operate my radio from anywhere at any time for the purposes of activating or chasing SOTA. I made it myself ;0P
In reply to G3NYY:
I am inclined to agree. You should never ask officialdom for permission to do
anything!
Indeed. Nobody in officialdom ever got into to trouble for saying no. However, asking private individuals normally has a positive outcome. There are many occasions when I’ve been found stumped trying to find suitable parking places and have ended up on private ground etc. Leaving your car without permission is just not on so I normally make a bit of an effort to find someone. If you ask very nicely and politely and try to look sheepish and daft (easy for me) nearly everytime you’ll be told it’s OK to leave the car where it is. The first time I was surprised. The next time still so. I suppose I expect to get permission now and I’ll be surprised when I’m told to sling my hook!
Andy
MM0FMF
On two other Summits I have been informed that I should seek permission to operate prior to the event, one was G/CE-003 by a Woman seemingly something to do with Overbury Estate Office and the other was G/WB-009 at which the Warden said I should seek permission from the Malvern Hills Conservators (I believe he even told Matt M3WDS who was using just his H/H on a different part of the hill at the time the same thing).
Stewart G0LGS
In reply to G0LGS:
On two other Summits I have been informed that I should seek
permission to operate prior to the event, one was G/CE-003 by a Woman
seemingly something to do with Overbury Estate Office and the other
was G/WB-009 at which the Warden said I should seek permission from
the Malvern Hills Conservators (I believe he even told Matt M3WDS who
was using just his H/H on a different part of the hill at the time the
same thing).
I have heard a similar report about G/WB-009, Stewart. Again, it was someone with a hand-held who was told he should have applied for permission. I have only activated that summit once, also with a hand-held, but was not approached by anyone. Maybe I was just lucky.
I have activated G/CE-003 several times. On one occasion, a man in a Land Rover drove up to me on the summit and asked what I was doing. When I told him, he appeared satisfied and mentioned that he had seen someone else doing the same thing the previous week. He drove off without raising any objection.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to GW7AAV:
I have an official pass that allows me to operate my radio from anywhere at any time for the purposes of activating or chasing SOTA. I made it myself ;0P
Can we have that posted on the SOTA Flickr page Steve so we can all avail ourselves of an “official” pass?
Paul and I often remark that I should own a Landrover with Forestry Commission emblazened on the side. My car colour is hardly subtle and it does tend to stand out, so I never push it as far as vehicular access is concerned.
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4OIG:
Paul and I often remark that I should own a landrover with Forestry Commission
emblazened on the side.
As a matter of fact, I have a current National Trust member’s sticker displayed in the window of my Land Rover. Nothing special, but I have found it always leads to favourable and friendly treatment by National Trust staff. If nothing else, it entitles me to park free of charge in all National Trust car parks.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G0LGS:
If I was operating H/H I would ask “Would I need to ask permission to use my mobile phone?” of course not “Would mountain rescue or the Police need to ask permission?” of course not, well what is the difference, why should I? If you are putting up antennas it is a different matter. Likewise if it was obvious I was disturbing someone else’s enjoyment there is no argument.
I would try not to be too confrontational but when approached by a jobsworth my favourite reply is “Well I have been coming here for the last twenty years and no one ever told me that before! Is big John still a warden here?” (Replace name with that of the head of park services). :0)
Steve GW7AAV
In reply to M0TUB:
I activated Butser Hill a few months ago.
It is a public area with a pay car park and much dog walking going on.
On a point of pedantism, it is private land that allows public access. It is also a designated National Nature Reserve.
When I spoke with the people at HCC prior to my activation of Butser, the they said that it was considered a matter of curtesy to notify them (note: not ask permission) of any activity other than just walking through. In particular, as they have roaming cattle and sheep up there.
Personally, I have no problem with notifying (or even asking permission from) owners of land when I am activating (whether SOTA or otherwise).
I would also (politely) suggest, now we know the “policy”, that we should work with it, otherwise we could find ourselves banned from setting up.
Andrew
M6ADB
In reply to M0TUB:
Anyway, nobody bothered me.
Sorry - an afterthought… when I activated from Castle Bottom NNR (a WFF reference) which is also a HCC run site, I was approached and asked what I was up to.
And politely asked that I notify them in advance if I was going to go back.
Dave has edited his entry so that he is now in the correct section for his operating conditions.
Tom M1EYP