Have just heard Phil G4OBK work Laurent F8BBL on 30m CW to become the first chaser to reach 1000 unique SOTA’s.
Congratulations Phil - a magnificent achievement and a memorable milestone.
73 Roy G4SSH
Congratulations for this magnificent achievement Phil!
What´s next? How about 1000 s2s-QSO´s…!
Have a nice weekend.
Fritz DL4FDM,HB9CSA
Well Done Phil, congratulations.
73 Graham G4JZF
In reply to G4SSH:
Wow !!! what an achievement. Superb Phil, many congratulations.
73
Mike
Well done Phil. Am I right in guessing that the next challenge is 1000 uniques on CW? Only 378 to go then …
73 de Les, G3VQO
In reply to G3VQO:
Thanks to all for their congratulations - it’s not difficult to chase and get the uniques for good attendance. You don’t need to let SOTA rule your life either…I miss loads when I am not here at home. Multimode operation makes it easy to build a strong score of uniques. It’s taken me just over 2 years to make the 1000 different summits. The first QSO that counted was with GX0OOO/P (John G4YSS/P) on NP-016 Baugh Fell on 3/3/05. My interest in SOTA was first kindled after I saw a presentation by John G3WGV at the RSGB Convention a year or two before that, but I didn’t take up SOTA Chasing until later. I missed the PSK operation by Rob G4RQJ/P a few weeks ago but I hope to have a stab at chasing a SOTA datamode QSO as well the next time Rob and Audrey take the laptop up the hill…
Getting points and climbing uniques summits is a different ball game for activators - they are the ones who put the work in with a combination of good planning, fitness, climbing skills, operating, engineering skills and hardiness. They need all these skills whilst coping with the weather condx which get thrown at them. They turn out in all weathers to give us the points that make it so much fun. I try myself to put something back into SOTA by doing the occasional activation, but I must confess to enjoying chasing in the comfort zone of the shack more than activating - it’s more convenient to my lifestyle.
The SOTA organising teams for every association working behind the scenes to provide the structures, the internet database and the SOTAwatch service should receive more accolades - what is freely provided really does make some of the services which are provided by large clubs and national societies pale in comparison. There must be so much work going into this in the “backroom”. I also appreciate the monthly newsheet put out by James M0ZZO.
There are more uniques available in CW without doubt, and most of the activators from the newer associations seem to enjoy CW operation. This has made it easier for me to make the 1000 as this is the mode I find most enjoyable. I don’t know what my next challenge is but I would like to make the 5000 points mark on CW like Roy G4SSH managed to achieve a few months ago. I have a long way to go though yet with only 3620 CW points in the bag!
73 to all and Good hunting
Phil G4OBK
In reply to G3VQO:
Heh Phil - nice going!
Mni congrats from
McFAM
In reply to G4OBK:
PS - I made an error when working Laurent F8BBL/P on 10 MHz and didn’t realise that I had worked him on the same summit earlier on 7 MHz, making that QSO the 999th unique.
In fact the 1000th unique was worked a few minutes later. This was Karel OK1HCG/P on 7 MHz CW. So a special “Thank You” goes out to Karel for being the 1000th unique in my logbook.
Phil G4OBK
In reply to G4OBK:
Hi Phil,
many congrats to your 1000th. unique.Nice.
hope to work you agn…
vy 73 Klaus DF2GN
In reply to G4OBK:
Congrats Phil,nice one!73 de Geoff,G4cpa,
In reply to G4OBK:
Congrats Phil … pleased to be awarded Unique 999 and advised of your impending achievement. Keep up the good work!
73 Gerald G4OIG (more often GW4OIG/P)
In reply to G4OBK
Hi Phil
Congratulations from me also, well done, I am watching Roy [SSH] creeping up behind me, I am about to be overtaken!
All the best
Regards
Don [G0NES]
In reply to G0NES:
Hi Don and thanks…
I’ll keep plugging away like you also. I know Roy well - we used to work together and once he gets stuck into something he means business. Chasing SOTA activators can be addictive and some of us have been seriously bitten by the bug.
Keep working 'em Don and don’t forget to call in and have that brew next time you’re passing.
Phil G4OBK
Congratulations Phil…well done.
73 & 88 to Judy
John GW4BVE & 88 from Judy