Continuing the discussion from 2026 SOTA Challenge (Part 2) - #100 by G8ADD.
Previous discussions:
@VK3ARR FYI the actual modifications (?) broke the edit of past chaser qso (Uploads).
If one edits a chaser QSO upload (from lets say Novemer 2025) the edit dialog stays empty.
@OE5HKT thanks for spotting the bug
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Well, I believe this challenge is pretty good, but restricting it to only SSB and CW modes leaves out the biggest group of operators we have in SOTAā¦people with a 2M HT (and maybe nothing else).
Why not include them in this eventā¦?
Virtually everyone has a 2M HTā¦thatās a lot of people to excludeā¦
Just sayingā¦
Maybe to late now to do thatā¦??
Pete
WA7JTM
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The reason for 2m SSB/CW was given in the first post in this (long) thread and Iāll quote it againā¦
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If anyone has access to a Quansheng they can try CFW for CW and SSB on 2 and 70. Cheap entry point and a lot of fun.
I hope the challenge is a success and spurs more folks on to use these modes on UHF and VHF.
Even better I hope it gives ICOM, Yaesu (and are we allowed to add Kenwood? 
) a wake up call that there is demand for affordable all-moders out there, not just deluxe high-priced fare like the 705, 905 and FTX1 etc.
Make it fun, affordable and inclusive for all.
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According to the Collins Dictionary, āa challenge is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination.ā 2m is the third most used band in SOTA, virtually all that use is on FM. If we include FM it is no longer a challenge, it is a year long QSO party which will be hugely dominated by FM. A small minority of 2m users will be equipped for SSB and/or CW, the majority will only have experience of FM, mostly with inefficient handies. The challenge for most, then, will be to get going on what is often called the DX modes, and with the distance multipliers in mind, seek out the unusual propagation and look for weak signals, perhaps experiment with portable gain antennas.
I hope you now understand the thinking behind the MT decision.
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It certainly fits my understanding of Challenge.
I had a quick look through my log, and in it I have exactly one CW and five SSB contacts using this combination of bands and modes. Curiously, the five SSB contacts were the only contacts I made on my first ever SOTA activation, using an FT819ND and a simple horizontal dipole Colin @G8TMV had made.
I wonder slightly why some of the other esoteric U/VHF bands (available here and there but certainly not everywhere) werenāt included, as it might have slightly widened the appeal, but Iām sure the MT have good reasons.
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Indeed I was keen for a 6m challenge, but 6m is not available everywhere. The situation is even worse for a 4m challenge. Going the other way, 160m sounds like fun but you have either a need for lots of space or very inefficient antennas! Since the higher HF bands are all pretty busy, the choices remaining after 2026 are probably mode based or some other esoteric option, who knows? Sufficient unto the dayā¦
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I like one-liner fixes. Should be sorted now.
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No problem Gentsā¦
I realize that at this point nothing is going to change for this event due to the time constraints of the kickoff dateā¦the die has been castā¦
Howeverā¦
Maybe if we want a real challenge someday we should let someone use 2M FM, 10 watts or less, and a yagi to try and make contacts over 400 Miles. Seems to me that would be way more difficult than using SSB or CW for that path. Why not encourage people to try and do that? We should have let them at least try to I figureā¦
Enough saidā¦maybe next timeā¦
Pete
weak singnal VHF guy since 1965
WA7JTM
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Given the price, thereās no doubt that anyone can get a Quansheng and easily make multimode QSOs on 144/440 MHz. But does that mean doing so regardless of the various regulatory violations? Iām 100% sure that here in Japan, if Iām caught with a Quansheng capable of transmitting out of bandāand on top of that with extremely high spurious emissionsāthe fine or even the revocation of my license would be guaranteed. And to avoid this, I would have to add a lowāpass filter, block the transmission range, and take it to be certified. In other words, a considerable amount of time and money.
It may be affordable, but itās not inclusive, because spurious emissions or outāofāband transmissions could negatively affect many others.
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Adding 50 MHz might have skewed the distances a bit, I guess, but given the way this challenge is already (mostly) lumping the bands together, would adding other U/VHF bands (like 70 MHz and 220 MHz) have made much difference?
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Hmm. I think the suggestion is that the lack of 4m across the pond is balanced by the lack of 220 here, it probably doesnāt work because Es is more likely on 4m than 220. Anyway, with only a few days to go we would never get through the inevitable discussions and setting up the mechanisms!
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Hi Pete, Iām not a member of the SOTA MT, and I donāt speak on their behalf, so this is just my opinion.
As Brian @G8ADD hinted, 2m FM is very healthy, very popular and completely dominates VHF/UHF outside of contests and special events. VHF/UHF CW and SSB modes were popular in the past for everyday ad-hoc QSOs. Lots of folk have VHF/UHF multimode rigs. The purpose of SOTA challenges is aimed at the many not the few, and to encourage the use or revival of lesser used bands or modes.
If FM were included two things would happen: 1) virtually everyone would use FM and ignore CW and SSB especially those wanting to maximize their points [aggregate of number of contacts x QSO distance], and 2) 2026 would be just like every other year ā nothing new achieved for radio ādiversityā.
I can see from how you signed your post ā āweak signal VHF guy since 1965ā ā where your interests lie. Many activators and chasers will be using Yagis, most using 10W or less, and some will achieve 400 miles or more. Indeed, the points award for the challenge encourages and rewards dx QSOs: the more dx, the more points.
But if you were suggesting a minimum distance (like 400 miles) be a condition for any points, you will largely kill interest and slash the number of participants. For instance, I will take my humble portable 3-element 2m Yagi or my 70cm Yagi (but not both) on the SOTA hills in fine warm weather to try for some dx contacts probably when one of the RSGB VHF Backpackers contests is on.
But many like me would also like to do VHF/UHF SSB and CW during our routine regular activations and wonāt be prepared to spend a lot of extra time - every activation - setting up / breaking down the station or waiting for that dx contact to get a point especially in adverse weather (which we get a lot of around here).
What I hope will happen is the challenge rekindles an interest in those modes on VHF/UHF and as a consequence more folk will seek out those VHF weak signals after the challenge has ended.
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Yes, of course itās far too late for a change now. As a non-contester I occasionally take delight in weird contest (and related) scoring schemes, and Iāve come across some fairly wild schemes for balancing out antennas and transmit powers, but Iāve yet to see one that seriously attempts to balance out the DX capabilities of different bands. I guess something like dividing the distance by some sort of wavelength factor might get close in the U/VHF range, except in the case of Es and 50 MHz. Then again, using satellites might enable some serious DX in the coming Challenge. Itās going to be interesting to see how that all works out.
Pete,
There is nothing against you starting your own challenge or event. The Transatlantic and Oceania S2S events, for example, are not run by the MT, rather just by a few SOTA activators with an interest in challenging themselves in what can be done over these particular paths. These events were HF only; however, there is no reason you could not declare a challenge/event for V/U FM SOTA operators - possibly regional rather than international, given the range possible on VHF/UHF. Simply choose a date, announce and run with it. Have those taking part send you their logs and stories, and you could then post a report here on the reflector of how things went and include any interesting or quirky stories.
73 Ed DD5LP.
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Yes indeed. We have set up a 2026 2m/70cm SSB/CW Challenge for the Wainwrights On The Air award programme. WOTA is based on the 330 āWainwrightā summits in the English Lake District (214 classic fells plus 116 outlying fells). As the activators are all in the same county (Cumbria) and most of the chasers in G, GW, GM, GD, GI and EI, the points awarded have different criteria from a worldwide programme like SOTA.
Supported Band/Mode Combinations
| Band | Mode | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 2m | CW | 1 |
| 2m | SSB | 1 |
| 70cm | CW | 1 |
| 70cm | SSB | 1 |
Activator Scoring
Each activator scores one point for each unique fell activated during 2026 for each qualifying band/mode combination on which at least one valid contact is made.
Chaser Scoring
An equivalent scheme should apply to chasers.
For chasers, one point is awarded for making one or more contacts with an activator using a qualifying band/mode combination.
- There is no restriction on unique fells for chasers.
- Scoring is limited to one point per activator, per fell, per day, per band/mode combination.
- Multiple QSOs with the same activator on the same fell, on the same day, using the same band/mode combination count for one point only.
[Thanks to Mark @M5TEA for the definitions]
So, for example, an activator can get a maximum of 4 points per summit over the year. If, e.g. you didnāt want to carry your 2m Yagi and 70cm Yagi on the same activation, you could do separate activations for each band.
The emphasis is to encourage the use of 70cm [often the poor cousin] as well as 2m on both modes rather than focusing on dx contacts. The WOTA scheme encourages activators to operate from a wider range of summits rather than focusing on maximising QSOs from a single summit.
BTW: 48 (out of the 55) G/LD SOTAs are also WOTAs so your activation contributes points towards both 2026 challenges.
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Thanks to all those who voted on 2m SSB polarisation.
It seemed about 50/50. Itās persuaded me to build a 2m dipole for horizontal polarisation.
I am currently 3D printing a horizontal centre that will fasten to a pole, walking pole etc 
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I have a couple questions re challenge.
Is it called a successful activation if you make a QSO from the summit only on 2m ssb/cw or do you have to have a QSO on both 2m and 70cm with the same chaser. Determining the distance between stations is a bit tricky as well because not all my SOTA chasers add logs to SOTA data base they just give me a score for the day and not log it to SOTA. Will those QSOās count as well. I can measure back the distance from any summit on GE and work out the distance or give a correct locator grid square.
ian vk5cz
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How many digits are expected for grid (4 or 6)?
Asking for a friend.
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