In reply to G0TRB:
A reasonable resquest Roger but it’s a touch more involved than simply the number of QSOs per mode. I’ll have a look tonight if I get time. So I’ll be looking at listing the number of activations where only CW was used, only SSB and only FM. I’ll add another column of results where both CW and a voice mode (SSB or FM ) was used aswell. That’s typically the way I now work… some SSB follow by some CW.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G0RQL:
I would have thought it makes more sense to delete the repetitive
spots that are unnecessary telling us the activator is 59 in
somewhere, at least the original spot gives the approx time of
activation.G0RQL.
I did consider that, but the most recent spot shows the latest time that the activator is known to be on the air. This is probably more useful to the chaser, a spot say ten minutes ago is more likely to be still active than one half an hour ago. Really, it all depends on how fast and furious the action is, if things are not too bad I would probably just delete intermediate spots and leave first and last, but there will be stretches where I do nothing because I am either in the pile-up myself or elsewhere reminding the XYL that I still exist (and could do with a cuppa!)
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
I did consider that, but the most recent spot shows the latest time
that the activator is known to be on the air.
…obviously assuming the comment isn’t something like “No copy in Elbonia” or “Please try this band”… 
That said, “Now QRT” spots are useful.
73, Rick
In reply to M0LEP:
No copy in Elbonia
Obviously too much mud in the chaser’s ears 
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G0TRB:
Personally, I have been increasingly finding SSB on 2m and 70cm is a dead loss. My latest attempt at a 2m SSB activation was Bradnor Hill on Sunday 15th April. I really struggled to make the bare minimum of 4 QSOs to qualify the summit. 4 QSOs in a 1 hour activation! I do find these days that FM is much more productive. HF CW is better still, and is now my preferred mode. I normally expect to make 30 - 40 CW QSOs in a half hour activation on 20m or 40m.
As for alerts, I gave up on them more than a year ago, both as a chaser and as an activator. I was heartily sick of sitting in the shack waiting for alerted activations which never materialised, or had taken place an hour earlier than scheduled. A complete waste of time. I rely entirely on spots now, both when chasing and when activating. They are a far more reliable guide to activity.
73,
Walt G3NYY
In reply to G3NYY:
In reply to G0TRB:
Personally, I have been increasingly finding SSB on 2m and 70cm is a
dead loss. My latest attempt at a 2m SSB activation was Bradnor Hill
on Sunday 15th April. I really struggled to make the bare minimum of 4
QSOs to qualify the summit.
I am quite surprised by this Walt, as soon as a spot for me goes up I am usually very busy on 2m SSB, Average probably around 10-12 people in about 20 minutes operating using no more than 5 watts and the 4 ele DK7ZB beam.
Having said that I do alert and of course that gives prior notice. I know in 2011 when Dave M0MYA, Geoff 2E0BTR and I went out alot in the winter, Stewart G0LGS and Graham G4FUJ would plan their Saturday morning shopping around our alerts!!! If people actually stick to their alerts then it is fine, but of course it is an appoximate guess, so many unforseen issues can arrise that halt the proceedings. The M4 round Bristol being my latest issue, as you know Walt!!!
Taking it off subject slightly so apologies!
I suppose ultimately mode choice depends on the hills you plan to activate!! I was in SC along way from my regular SOTA chasers on 2m SSB, but yet using this mode they were able to work me! Would these same great chasers have been able to do this on FM? I would hazard a guess at no!! I read Tom M1EYP’s reports prior to going and saw that FM was hard work down there for his lad, hence my choice of SSB.
Horses for Courses I suppose.
However I dare say that 2m SSB or any V/UHF in the Scottish Islands would be pointless.
73 all
Matt G8XYJ
Think you have answered your problem Walt,no spot no qso on ssb!as I said I get up to other things and an alert will certainly prompt me to keep an eye on the sota watch,but not sit by it.I normally check it after the dog walk in the morning.Don.
In reply to G8XYJ:
However I dare say that 2m SSB or any V/UHF in the Scottish Islands
would be pointless.
I sincerely hope not! I have worked people on Scottish islands on 2m SSB from south west Scotland, and continue to use SSB in preference to FM (saves the batteries) on 2m, 70cm, 23cm and now 13cm (though I haven’t put in any 13cm SOTA activations - yet!).
Although there isn’t the population there is further south (I recently had no trouble qualifying, and more, Billinge Hill G/SP-017 on 70cm SSB) there are still people interested in VHF and up even in the more remote areas of Scotland.
It is also the case that you may well qualify a summit in Scotland on VHF/UHF from contacts with people who are not particularly SOTA chasers.
(PS - and CambHams are going to Mull soon - next weekend in fact, just checked - and taking 3cm gear too!)
73
John GM8OTI
In reply to GM8OTI:
I stand corrected John!!
73 for now
Matt G8XYJ
In reply to GM8OTI:
Why aren’t they going when the UHF contest is on? Poor planning me thinks!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Why aren’t they going when the UHF contest is on? Poor planning me
thinks!
Because it’s mostly an HF Dx-pedition
Colin
In reply to G3NYY:
In reply to G0TRB:
Personally, I have been increasingly finding SSB on 2m and 70cm is a
dead loss. My latest attempt at a 2m SSB activation was Bradnor Hill
on Sunday 15th April. I really struggled to make the bare minimum of 4
QSOs to qualify the summit.
Being a Southerner, I’d agree to a point there Walt!
Certainly I’ve found with any summits South of Cheltenham, many of the callers I’ve had on 2m FM or the few on SSB tend to be people who just happened to be listening to the calling channel and are not active SOTA chasers. Of course if it’s a non-SOTA chaser that answers, then no spot on SOTA-Watch and no spot = lack of callers!
My last activation back the end of March of Worcester Beacon, Bredon & Cleeve was totally different though, I was spotted on 2m FM within a couple of calls on WB-009 and a switch after 25+ calls to SSB brought another spot within a call or two which in turn brought in 7 or so regular SOTA chasers including Don G0RQL from Devon. Bredon was great on 2m FM too, but I just didn’t have enough time left to go to SSB. Cleeve was a real quicky on a Handheld thanks to Matt M3WDS standing by on the calling channel & spotting me almost immediately. Just proves what a difference being just that little further North makes!
Jonathan
2E0CTW
In reply to G8TMV:
Because it’s mostly an HF Dx-pedition
Mull isn’t DX it’s just down the road a bit! It’s a totally uninspiring place to do HF from! HF DX-peditions are for proper islands like ZD9, T32 etc. If they must do HF they could at least go to a rare Scottish island.
They could work 70cms EME with 100W, a single big Yagi, a laptop and JT65 (or whatever number it is) and be uber-popular.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G0RQL:
I suspect that “no spot no qso on ssb” actually equates to “no alert no qso on ssb”. I always post an alert and yes Don you usually get back in good time to make contact - often number 4 in the log - how do you do that? 
In respect of VHF/UHF SSB activations (FM also to some extent), I can’t see any reason for people not posting an alert. Calling on 144.300MHz SSB is not the same as CW on 7.032MHz or SSB on FE on 60m.
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4OIG:
I rarely alert. That leaves me the freedom to activate or not, and select my summit, on the whim of how I feel, what the weather and snow condition is, and most important of all, whether the XYL has decided that she wants us on a low level walk, or to accompany me (at about 1 km/hr), or let me go alone (slightly faster!) Yes, occasionally I fail to qualify the activation, but that is part of the fun of the game because in truth I am there for the mountain and the activation is a pleasant bonus.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to 2E0FGQ:
I noticed that too, so I got no chaser points !
Well I did my bit today by going on 40m ssb from g/sp-001. Every one said the hf bands were dead due to a solar flare but I worked a dozen around europe with my paltry 5 watts.
In reply to G8ADD:
Point taken Brian. I guess there’s activating and there’s ACTIVATING!
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G3WFK:
In reply to 2E0FGQ:
I noticed that too, so I got no chaser points !Well I did my bit today by going on 40m ssb from g/sp-001. Every one
said the hf bands were dead due to a solar flare but I worked a dozen
around europe with my paltry 5 watts.
You were lucky, John! I must have picked the worst day in the last 50 years to drag the Antron-99, a 22Ah and 10Ah SLAB up a summit. My reward, a couple of contacts on 10m FM, one contact into Lebanon on 15m and one into Spain on 17m. The higher HF frequencies were garbage 
BTW, thanks for the S2S on both 2 and 40m!
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
and the best contact of the day Mick was me
Glad too that multiple-spotting has caught the eye of the MT.
I have been getting a bit miffed at all the multiple-spots, but did’nt want to post anything in case I am viewed as a kill-joy etc.
Nice to know you are on the case Brian…
In reply to G4OIG:
Calling on 144.300MHz SSB is not the same as CW on 7.032MHz or SSB on FE on 60m.
Tell me about it! Outside of contests, 2m SSB down here is a barren waste.
As for alerts, my philosophy is the same as Brian’s. If I do not post an alert, I am under no pressure to complete the ascent by a particular time … or even to do it at all. Also, I frequently change plans en route to a summit, dependent upon weather, traffic conditions, etc. This means I may activate a different summit from the one originally planned.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)