1st activation of W6/SC-337

1st activation of W6/SC-337

Another SOTA site that left me scratching my head “who designated
this a SOTA summit and WHY?”
There is an aircaft tx beacon there that operates in the 2m
band. There are buildings with generators, fences, no trail, etc. There
are many other summits nearby that are higher, have no transmitters, and
are generally more interesting and attractive.

I set up so I had line of sight to Camarillo basin and was
able to talk to stations as far south as San Diego and as far north as
central Santa Barbara.

Anyway, the route I took ended up not really being a trail
but then there do not seem to be any trails up there just a lame road.
Basically if you decide to activate this one you will have to just
figure it out like I did- I do not suggest my route. Looks like you
could access from the N side via Broome Rch Rd or just drive up via
Rosewood Ave.

Again, beautiful area and def worth visiting IMO just not an ideal SOTA site. Have fun,
73, Clifford KK6QMS

Images from the trip:

Because it meets the P150 criteria.

Looking on Google Earth I’d say it’s much less cluttered with higher summits than some of the Welsh Border or South Wales ones that I’ve done.

There must be many more that make you wonder why, but if it is P150 (P100 in some areas) compliant it will (or should be on the list).

Stewart

Hi Clifford,

As per Stewart’s reply, it is purely the topography (150-m or 500-foot prominence) that determines a summit’s inclusion in the list. Considerations of prettiness, RFI, accessibility, legality or safety of access do not apply to inclusion (but are important personally to research first of course!). Those beacons, generators, etc will be long gone before the elements wear away the summit to below the prominence limit.

Well done with the activation. That looks ever so dry and some darned ugly-looking bugs!

73, Simon

Some great photos there Clifford, thank you for sharing.

There are some strange summits - I just activated Mynydd Eppynt GW/SW-018 which is in the middle of a military artillery range :o) Happily, the activation zone extends to just outside the boundary, so access to the exact summit is neither necessary nor allowed.

There was a lot of noise, but not of the electrical kind!

73
Adrian
G4AZS

There are some real rotters in the scheme - Billinge Hill, Mynydd Eppynt, Crowborough, Hensbarrow Beacon, Dundry Down, Normanby Top, Bishop Wilton Wold, Carnmenellis etc. Others will have their own hall of shame.

What’s wrong with Bishop WIlton Wold? I know you can drive into the AZ and operate near a busy road but you can park some way from the main road and walk up the hill if you want.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Personally I do not find “because it meets the criteria” a satisfactory reason. Following rules just because there are rules is not my cup of tea. If I can look around a site and see many other more desirable locations then something is wrong, broken, or needs improvement. I did another virgin “summit” (W6/SC-229) and not only was it 100% unremarkable in every way it was covered in brush with no place to do anything and possibly on private property to boot. Should not the association managers be reviewing the sites via Google satellite and finding the obvious duds? I’d like a human touch that considers what the goal actually is which is for a human being to visit the site and enjoy themselves as they operate. What good is a site on a missile range that is actually life threatening and illegal? For me it is about human enjoyment not some inflexible and arbitrary criteria.
In any event I will continue to enjoy it until/if something better comes along. I am certainly grateful overall for the program.

Also, I used the log app by G0LGS after I got home and it sure did make the log–>DB process a LOT faster. Thanks.

Thanks again everyone-
Clifford
KK6QMS

Hi Clifford,

Subjective methods do not work for a national scheme, let alone an international scheme. The best summit near to my home doesn’t count for SOTA either, but it doesn’t stop me going for a walk up there, or even doing some radio.

SOTA however is a major international awards programme and needs a proper structure.

The problem Clifford is your definition of dud is not the SOTA definition of dud. Dud summits in SOTA are summits which fail to meet the prominence criteria. That’s all. There is nothing wrong in your definition by the way, but it’s not SOTA’s definition.

Hi Clifford, if there are some additional summits that have 150m prominence for 360 degrees that are not in the scheme, approach your association manager and have him check and add them if they comply. If you are saying there are some SOTA summits that are better than others and you will chose the ones you like more to activate you’re 100% right - it’s your choice. There is an activator here who now refuses to activate summits that have a forrest on top of them (as several do) as there’s no good views. Totally his choice.

Stop knocking the top of Garroby Hill (aka Bishop Wilton Wold), Thanks to Christine G4WYL this morning, that’s a new complete for me and my only complete in the UK as I’ve only ever activated the one G summit. It’s close to where my brother (G8DCD) and sister live, so was convenient to be activated while on vacation and waiting for my, then, association VK2 to come on line.

73 Ed DD5LP / G8GLM / VK2JI.

[quote=“DD5LP, post:10, topic:10975”]Bishop Wilton Wold[/quote]It’s the only G/TW one I’ve not successfully chased. I missed this morning’s activations, so I guess it’ll remain that way a while…

[quote=“DD5LP, post:10, topic:10975”]no good views[/quote]Heh! Yeah, totally his choice, but think of the antenna supports he won’t have… :wink: