Hi dear activators.
Please alert your activities - even if you are not 100% sure that you can make it.
Chasers (like me) have other commitments (family!!!) and cannot sit by the radio all day long, looking for sudden events. Alerts are of great help to plan our days. Maybe my xyl will no longer consider devource if I can tell her what time I will be available 
73
Mike
In reply to LA5SAA:
Hello Mike,
I stopped alerting since I mostly activate summits for the first time and am too bad in estimating time - I am rarely early but often late by 1…2 hours on long drives/walks or combined activations or due to loosing my way. I can’t self-spot since my mobile phone does not permit internet access.
Is it helpful for you if am alerting with a (probably) wildly wrong estimated time? I would be happy to alert in this case if it helps you. I am always happy to catch you
Regards,
Gerd.
In reply to DF9TS:
Hallo lieber Gerd
Of course - I understand your arguments. I must admit that I myself, did not alert 3 of my (so far 4) activations - because I was afraid to disappoint people if I could not make it - and did not want to put myself under pressure…
I have now been participant of SOTA since 28 August 2008 and have achieved so far more than 1100 chaser points - most of them by spending hours and hours watching the bands/spots - NOT because of alerts. This new hobby does not make my family very happy, I am afraid.
So - activators are free to consider what to do. This is no big deal - but I am sure that most chasers would like more alerting.
Cuagn
Mike, ex DJ8EP