I’ve been thinking about it in CW too. I was considering just asking QTH? And if they reply with a town, city, etc. Then I can use that to get the grid reference or double check it with their QRZ page.
Maybe that isn’t acceptable though, as I’m not actually getting a 6 digit Maidenhead grid ref.
‘UR LOC ?’ or just ‘LOC ?’
Although sending “QTH?” Is unambiguous, the reply might be not be. Sometimes I’ve had more of a geographical term (eg Morecambe Bay or The Wirral) sent back from chasers rather than a town or village name. Most cities cover more than one 6-figure Maidenhead grid reference.
I think “LOC?” or “UR LOC?” can equally be taken to mean location as well as locator. I would prefer to send the longer but less ambiguous “GRID REF?” or “LOCATOR?”
Yeah, that could well be, although I would expect a VHF CW/SSB ham should be aware what ‘loc’ would mean in VHF conext. It is kind of a common sense 6m and up 
Like ‘QTH’ for HF, if you wish.
While it’s true that VHF contests, particularly those in the UK and Europe, involve exchanging 6-figure grid references and so those contesters would understand LOC, many (most?) non-contester SOTA chasers may not be, especially those not previously using SSB and CW on 2m and are participating due to the challenge.
In my view, a ham routinely working CW/SSB on 2m could likely be a DXer/contestman, so no issues there. As for the rest … well, why not to educate them ? After couple of QSQs unaware folks should start to wonder what on Earth ‘loc’ means ?
…also consider that many operators world wide are not on QRZ. That site is a USA thing.
Geoff vk3sq
…thanks Andrew, great help. Happy New Year to you too; hope to work you as well.
Take care and stay safe.
Geoff vk3sq
Thanks!
We’ll give it a shot and see how it goes. VHF contest grid exchanges here in the states are typically 4 digits rather than 6, so I’m anticipating some confusion. Easy to sort out on SSB probably but a little more challenging on cw.
HNY everyone!
73, Mike K6STR
Just a reminder when entering location data that we require the chaser’s location. I have seen a few instances of people who have entered the summit location in the “Your location” field. We already know where the activator is - they’re on (or near enough to) the summit! We need to know where the chaser is to calculate the distance. Eg, from SOTAWatch:
In this instance, the Lat/Long is populated automatically from my SSO profile on SOTAWatch, so I didn’t have to add anything here. If nothing is showing up, and you think you have your SSO profile sorted, please PM me and I’ll tell you why it isn’t working.
Why do we have to put the chasers through this long lat bit as part of the exchange when chasing a SOTA op on a summit. The scoring for a QSO between a Activator and Chaser could be added just as a log entry why on earth do you need to know the distance worked for the Challenge, Its not necessary on other contacts in SOTA. We don’t even put the exchanged signal report in any SOTA log anyhow, even though its part of the rules to determine if you made a QSO or not between stations. It just becomes too complicated just to become a great string of added figures or kms in distance multiplied by some other algorithm just to add up to a score per activation. I won’t put my faithful chasers through that and won’t be taking part.
Thanks for your efforts all the same.
Regards Ian vk5cz..
Chasers can take part whether you enter a log or not - and if their profile is up to date and they are at their normal QTH, it should require zero effort from them. You can choose to enter a log with distance details or not. S2S details will be automatically calculated for you. Participation is, as always, up to you.
The reasons we chose distance was to do something different and add some variety to the daily SOTA grind, and to highlight the location aspects of the DB, that many did not know existed (unless you were a hardcore microwave op).
This has now been done.
The point I am trying to make is A LOT OF MY CHASERS DON”T ENTER LOGS TO THE SOTA DATA BASE so they won’t have a profile within SOTA. They just give me a report and get on with their day for which I am extremely grateful.
By the way I love the Daily grind of SOTA like expenses of fuel, accommodation and 8000 km’s per annum to travel vast distances to take part, not to mention property access. Whats another complexity.
Regards Ian vk5cz 
OK. So don’t enter distance information for them. It’s that simple. All your S2S details will be handled automatically 
For the ones that do enter a log and do want to participate in the challenge, it’s handled pretty seamlessly for them. You as an activator don’t have to do anything. For 99.99% of chasers, one set up, that’s probably already been done ages ago, should be all they need to do. They know where you are - you’re on the summit.
If you never operate 2m/70cm SSB or CW while activating, the whole point is moot.
So don’t enter distance information for them. It’s that simple. All your S2S details will be handled automaticallySo don’t enter distance information for them. It’s that simple. All your S2S details will be handled automatically.
So what you are saying is I can only score Chasers who are registered with SOTA if I take part in the latest challenge. And its not 99.9% of my Faithful Chasers whom I have had a SOTA relationship with for 13 years by the way are registered, more like 50/50. Its pointless for me carting a radio that has vhf uhf on board up a summit of which 99.9 % I hike if a fair percentage of my chasers don’t upload to SOTA so you don’t have there profiles and they cant be counted in the challenge. Is that my understanding or am i mistaken.
Regards Ian vk5cz ..
Very much so. You are overcomplicating this. If you want to participate, get a grid reference or whatever from the chasers. You add it to your log. Your QSOs with location data qualify for the challenge. If you don’t want to participate, don’t enter any grid references or whatever.
Not a single one of your chasers need to be registered. You can work whoever you want to. If you want to participate in this challenge, you get location details from them, add it to the log, and you get the points if you add lat/lon/grid/pota/wwff to the entry.
If a chaser who is registered works you, then they can submit a log themselves, with their own location provided. This is completely separate to your log. If you choose to never submit a log, they can still get points. If they don’t submit a log, that has no impact on your score.
All this is exactly the same as SOTA works right now. Individuals log their individual log. Individuals that want to participate in the challenge add location data.
Your Faithful Chasers are not impacted in any way. And if you ask them nicely, they’ll probably give you a six-figure grid reference for your log. If they don’t, they’re not losing out on anything. If they do, then bonus for you.
Participating in major VHF/UHF-contests (subregional Europe, March/May/July and September (2m only), October (70cm only) and November (2m CW only) should push the score drastically. Exchange of grid locator is mandatory…
From my point of view the activity on 2m/70cm SSB/CW will be enlarged only slightly by some SOTA-activiators. It is a matter of fact that most operators on 2m/70m are active in digital modes FT8 (and FM of course) nowadays. Even during large openings (sporadic E, aurora) there is almost no activity in SSB/CW.
Thanks Andrew, an excellent addition to both logs.
Andrew VK1AD
Where are the distances shown? I don’t know which is the log details page.
Will the info be added to the Challenges page?
