When I saw the site went offline, I started manually monitoring RBN for CQs in the SOTA watering hole frequency. Sure enough, Mike KE5AKL showed up in the list and I worked him. Since SOTAwatch itself was down, I did the next best thing and posted a spot the DXwatch cluster. Unfortunately that didn’t generate any takers and I’m pretty sure Mike abandoned the activation.
I saw some conversation about chat sites and such as much as 10 years back, but nothing more recent. What other methods would folks use as a backup in the infrequent cases that SOTAwatch isn’t available?
Agree with Warren - the main SOTA facebook group would be a good place (as well as your own local facebook group). Link here: (Sota) Summits On The Air. | Facebook
For Australian activations, the SOTA_Australia Yahoogroup is well monitored and could perhaps help in the situation where SotaWatch is unavailable (as it currently still appears to be). Some of us also use Zello, Discord or What’s App.
Yesterday I made use of RBN scanning for */P callsigns, which does a reasonable job of catching SOTA operators on CW in Europe. Obviously, it’s no use for activators who don’t call using /P though.
It was back at 710z. Nothing yet, but I haven’t spoken to Jon.
The first time something goes off and comes back and it’s the end of the month I just assume updates and reboots etc. although this is a Linux machine so updates but probably no reboots. Then it went off again around the same time the next day. It was on when I got up and I saw the reports and though “I hope the blighter stays up today” and put the SOTA gear in the car and set off on a 2hr drive to a pair of teensy 1pt summits. 2 summits and 4.5hrs driving later I’m back. I’ll ask Jon.