The nights are drawing out and the weather is warming up, so it is getting close to the time to re-start the Sota Fun Evenings again.
For those who are new to Sota, the idea of The Sota Fun Evenings was suggested by Mike GW0DSP in 2007 and the concept was for any activator to climb their local summit in the evening, any day, to be decided, and activate for the first half hour on 2m-fm, then the second half hour on 2m-ssb, after that anything goes re band & mode.
The Fun Evenings were designed to enhance the awareness of Sota and to encourage the use of 2m-fm/ssb for Sota. It also offers an opportunity to activate and/or chase Sota to those who are in work or school during the daytime.
Last year the Fun evenings were a huge success, with 15 summits activated on the best night. The other good point is that S2S contacts come thick and fast.
If anyone wants to do the same this year and see the fun evenings up and running let Mike know on news@summitsbase.org.uk or on his email address on QRZ.com or on this reflector.
In reply to GW0DSP:
I’m up for an occasional bash at Walton Hill, CE-002, and hope to add SSTV as it will be at the time the local nets are active. When is the first proposed Fun Evening?
Last year, these were on Tuesdays, and therefore coincidental with the RSGB activity contests. The week of the RSGB contest used to dictate my own operating on the 2m, 70cm and 6m weeks, while on the other week(s) I would just do 2m FM/SSB as per the rest that were out.
I’m up for it again. A few at my local club (Macc & DRS) are also making positive noises, so we should put some local SOTAs on (SP-015, SP-004, SP-013) as well as file an entry in the RSGB Club Championships.
Thanks Tom, you are added to the list. If there is enough interest this year, we can sort a night out between ourselves to suit the majority. The contest evenings worked well in conjunction with the Fun Evenings last year in my opinion.
SP-002 is my most local, though I can get to SP-011 quite easily too. SP-009 is local but has windfarm construction going on presently, operating there would not be ‘to my taste’.
2m SSB is my preferred band/mode…though I do need something to motivate me to build a link dipole & try out portable data modes.
I am new to sota this year and have been following it allot, though i dont have many chases i would be interested in activating WB 004 for this evening even though i have already activated it… this would give the chasers a few points.
In reply to GW0DSP:
As most people know im also new to sota this year.So put my name down as well although tues is my only free night.Its a good idea mike.
regards
scott
73
Although not from a SOTA Referenced Hill will operate from a high spot (in the county with the correct colour of rose - RED), with an excellent take off.
Would prefer to see some activity on 432 Mcs SSB but will join on 144 Mcs. All depends on health and weather.
There already seems to be enough interest and I’m sure more will follow. We need to decide on which day of the week/s and a time to make a start, can I suggest we consider maybe the first week in may?
For those new to fun evenings, once we have a day and time sorted out you just post an alert as for any normal activation. I take a last minute print-out of the alerts page with me and that helps me to know who is where and when.
Stick with Tuesday. It was successful last year, nicely connected with the RSGB VHF/UHF weekly activity contests, and has been mentioned as convenient already in this thread.
We spend the first hour on 2m-fm/ssb, then qsy to wherever, I shall be qsying to 40m-cw after the first hour.
It would be great if EU ops can also get on their local hill and join in the fun for International Fun Evenings, hi, or just chase, whatever suits you best. This development is very exciting, we look forward to some UK/EU Fun Evenings.
You can almost guarantee that if you were to alert for, say, 40m CW or 80m SSB (or others), on a Tuesday SOTA Fun Evening, then other participants would be QRV on those bands/modes to get S2S contacts with you.
Alain & Chris - HF is definitely worth giving a go. Last year I had many 40m contacts with chasers on the fun nights, also I was successful on 10m working many chasers in DL/OK/HA/SP etc.
Steve G1INK.
