2026 Challenge Rules and Bugs

[G8ADD]

@G4TGJ

But why is the southwestern corner used? It seems more logical to use the centre.

The subsquares, like the fields and squares themselves, start in the SW corner with aa (its a long standing convention to use lower case for the subsquares) and finish in the NE corner with XX. Since in effect the origin is aa in the SW corner then it is in keeping to use the SW corner of the subsquares for distance calculations. Logic says that distance errors will average much out the same whether you use the centre or any of the four corners as long as you are consistant.

[VK3ARR]

@GM4LLD

It doesn’t. Only a 6 figure locator is supported because this is normally “good enough”.

Well, for shits and giggles I found a 3 line patch that now means we can support 8 figure locators, if you wish to enter them. 6 figures is sufficient for the challenge, however.

[AI7NN]

Maybe a lon/lat issue here of the highlighted line?

[GW0PLP]

GW1OFA Frank, is not showing up on the 2/70 Challenge results page. He has been very active chasing on 144mhz ssb better than me but is not listed.

[GM4LLD]

Has he been logging correctly? (On train so screenshot small for DB work)

[OE5JFE]

Looks like he is not adding the required location infos. No distance calculated therefore.

[G0MHF]

Yes, with about 37 2m ssb chases this year he should be well up the pecking order.
John.

[GW0PLP]

Thanks All… I will pass onto Frank OFA.

Cheers Don PLP.

[G4TGJ]

@OE5JFE

he is not adding the required location infos.

If he’s chasing then the database knows the location of the summits so he can’t have entered his own location.

[VK1DA]

@G8CPZ

Many of the 2m SSB/CW chasers near me have a minus sign in their longitude number. I don’t even know what ‘-’ is in Morse!

the more conventional format is to use W (west) or E (east) for longitudes and N or S for positive and negative latitudes. It’s easier to find those keys on your keyer

[I1WKN]

WHERE is possible simply read

the RULES of this challenge ( on the official site of SOTA ? on wikipedia ?)

without scrolling 100 x 6 treads on reflector for hours?

It is crazy that a challenge starts and it is so difficult find the rules

for novices or old boomers like me

73 de Beppe I1WKN

[OE5JFE]

Here:

2026 SOTA Challenge (Part 1)

2026 Challenge A number of people have asked about whether we will be having a challenge in 2026, and I am pleased to say on behalf of the SOTA MT, that, yes, we will be having a challenge. The purpose of challenges typically is to encourage activity on under-utilised bands or modes. This year, this band and mode combination made up less than 1% of all QSOs logged by activators, and so we are choosing to make the challenge… 2m/70cm SSB/CW The MT believes this provides a great opportunity for …

[G8CPZ]

@VK1DA

The more conventional format is to use W (west) or E (east) for longitudes and N or S for positive and negative latitudes

I suppose my point was, it’s self-evidently easier to send, and less likely to misinterpret, a 6-character Maidenhead locator (grid ref) than two numbers representing latitude and longitude each containing a decimal point even if appended with “E”, “W”, “S” or “N” (as appropriate), even more so when many can’t remember whether it’s [lat, long] or [long, lat].