That’s a big thing about it… taken me to places I’d probably never have seen or experienced, plus virtually “meeting” people from so many countries.
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Being a lowly shack sloth the best I can do is work as many activators as I can.
I would like to do some activating but my daily duties don’t allow it.
This year was a fairly low one for me. I try to work at least 10 activators a day, but
it doesn’t always happen. This year the average is about 6 per day. My beam is stuck pointed at about 15 degrees for the last 4 or 5 years which is not helping matters. I have worked activators on all continents except South America this year, though. That’s good. Guess I shouldn’t complain. I’m working to make 100K chaser points, need about 10,500 as of today. Next year ought to do it if I pay attention and keep at it.
73,
John, K6YK
I don’t think I published any new years SOTA resolutions last year, having failed to meet any of them over the previous several years, However, my personal goals were to set myself up to achieve MG#3, 500 activations & 500 uniques in 2026.
Work has become a real inconvenience this year - we usually have a handful of big jobs to take us right through the year. But this year it’s been an endless task chasing little bits of work here and there - its felt like every weekend has been spent either tendering, quoting or reporting just to set the team up for the next week of work.
There has been just one SOTA day-trip this year - a very enjoyable day accompanying ZL/@VA6GOK around the Oteake Range.
On the plus side, I have managed to use leave to make 6 dedicated SOTA trips across both coasts, and the full length of the South Island:
- ZL3/SL public-access day-walk 1-pointers
- Wallers Creek Circuit: 50 points, 5000m, 3 days
- Kahurangi fault-finding - Arthur Range
- Pelorus Circuit - Biting off more than I can chew
- Access issues and Winter Wanderings in the Dunedin Volcanic Field
- Molesworth Meanderings
Plus, the new ‘bitty’ contracts I complain about have taken me to many new parts of the country and new summits, and allowed a few evening and lunchtime activations. The contorted limestone karst summits of Punakaiki, for an example, were an eye-opener in many ways.
The year brought 103 summits and 560 points, leaving me sitting on 2698 points and 471 activations/uniques: within sight of those 2026 goals.
So - despite the feeling that “I haven’t done much SOTA” - I’d have to say on reflection that it was a successful SOTA year. Imagine what it would have been like if work hadn’t got in the way!
Matt
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