Splendid advice , no rush to get points. Battery wise I have the internal battery and I put together an external battery pack using 10 eneloop pro batteries which seems to work well though have not yet used the pack for long periods.
I have been licensed for a year but not got out much and just explored the different facets of hobby mostly, but I really like getting out into nature and exploring and hence SOTA is ideal 
Splendid plan
Thanks, lots of excellent advice. I am really impressed with the knowledge shared, it really helps. Definitely will keep it simple to start with and expand from there, but excellent suggestions. Next two weeks I have booked out to help with moving but then weather permitting I shall be out in the fresh air making splendid QSOs
73
Tony,
I can recommend the RM LA-144 50w 2m linear amp. M0NOM and I worked into Devon using the amp and a 4 element Yagi from Stoney Cove Pike in the lakes today. Did pretty well on FM too. It only needs 2.5W in to push 50W outs, so can be driven by a handeld etc. On TX it draws around 9 amps flat out. I use ultramax batterys, specifically the LI12-18NCM. The battery can supply up to 15 amps continuous and holds 18Ah, so easy lasts 3 hours for an extended activation. The amp also acts as a good hand warmer on the colder summits! 
The amp weights 0.75kg and the battery weights 1kg. It does add weight, but does provide some serious grunt and worth carrying IMHO. Not always necessary though. Kit selection should always be considered for each summit on itsā own merits and drawbacks. I tend to carry 2M and a HF rig of some form on each activation, to help ensure I activate it; There is nothing worse than climbing a summit and then failing to activate itā¦
73s
Dave
Very good advice. I started with a FT-290R, Microwave Modules 25w linear and a 5 el Tonna (part of a 9el), a 5 section aluminium mast and a 12AH sealed lead acid battery. Things have moved on in terms of weight and flexibility, but the linear remains the same.
Good advice above about starting with a simple setup and discovering what works.
I would like to emphasize this, and not only which summit but also time of day.
For example, Wendover Woods used to be my local SOTA summit (2 miles away) but I often had trouble getting more than one contact (it was always the same one) on weekdays during the middle of the day with my 5W 2m FM HT and RH770. Maybe a 50W PA would have made a difference.
Here in G/LD ā activating at the same time of day [with 5W/RH770] - I can usually get at least 4 contacts (if Iāve alerted and self-spotted) but have found it helps (a bit) to use my Slim Jim on a 6m pole if on a summit surrounded by higher hills. I usually get more chasers and very good signal reports when in reach of large conurbations like when I activate in southern G/NP or G/SP, and no doubt could have worked most of them [albeit with less good reports] with a rubber duck (hence my earlier quip about M1EYPās antenna and IO83).
I bought a Mirage B-34 35W (FM only) 2m PA and experimented with it on SOTA activations and found that most chasers noticed little or no difference in my signal switching it on/off. I use it now only in the car for mobile use with the roof-top whip antenna.
If Dx is your thing, Iāve worked good distances using a ānakedā FT817 on SSB and CW with a simple collapsible 4-element 2m Yagi on a 3m pole.
Hi Tony, Looks like youāve done some background research into whether 2m is viable from your summits of interest. Sotl.as is a good source for this.
I suspect that the overwhelming majority of those would have been done with 5w, either from a handheld or something like an ft-817/8. The antenna and feeder type & length is more important than power. Why donāt you see how you get on with your set up before spending money (and weight) on an amp and battery? Youāll be surprised! GL.
Definitely!
M6BWA/P has made almost all her 17000 QSOs from nearly 1400 hills using no more than the 5W available from her VX7. A good aerial increases the range much better than increasing the power because it improves receive too.
Take it a step at a time until you start investing more on fuel to get to distant hills where it matters if you are not successful.
73,
Rod
I did >90% of my 2 m activations with 5 W and a fold dipole hand held. Moving the antenna to the maximum field strength. This job that cannot be done by means of a PAā¦
Please keep the squelch open, dear chasers.
Good luck, 73 Martin
Youāve had plenty of replies about the equipment, so Iāll leave that (I rarely use more than 5W on 2m FM - though I have failed to get any contacts in some areas 
).
My advice would be to place an alert in advance; post a self spot if you can (Andy MM0FMF runs a service whereby you can spot using SMS, which is useful in areas with poor mobile phone coverage, search on this reflector for details); donāt be afraid to jump into a net if youāre struggling for contacts (Iāve never had a bad response); and finally (or actually first before you go) make a list of what you need. I speak as an expert in forgetting something from the smallest (but vital) connector or even the radio itself (it was in the boot of the car at the bottom of the hill).
Also plan your activation (parking, recommended routes etc). Thereās a lot of information on here and on the summit pages.
Good luck and enjoy.
PS, I will make 1 comment about kit - maybe not so important for the small hills nearest you, but take clothing suitable for an extended static stay on the summit. Thereās a world of difference between dressing for a walk where you donāt linger at the summit for long and settling down to a pile up on the radio.
Or (on 2m/70cm) call into a local repeater and ask someone to try for a simplex contact. The contact via the repeater does not count for SOTA but an FM simplex one does.
73 Ed.
And how! All the time spent planning, getting there, the fuel costs, accommodation costs if you are staying over, etc, etc, etcā¦ Personally Iād be gutted if I failed to qualify a summit, but it is always a possibility. Minimising that risk is part of the planning process. I always aim to work as many chasers as I can and Iām sure the same goes for the majority of activators around the world, but sometimes the weather has other ideas. 
Will look at that amp and batteries sounds splendid. Sounds like an excellent day out in Stoney Cove Pike.
Weight wise I think I will be ok as my son may join me on some of the more adventurous expeditions and we can share the load
Thanks for the details will look all of them up
thats a lot of QSOs and hills 
and sounds great, am looking forward to getting out though I doubt if I could ever visit 1400 hills, though never say never
I must work out how to quote messages
I will definitely need to make a list as I will usually forget sonething! Thanks splendid advice
and the SMS service sound interesting
good to have it reinforced that 5W is more than sufficient to get strated with - must look into folded dipoles
that was quiet a QSO you mentioned earlier! I wondered if Wendover was more tricky as the number of 40m contacts is not far below the 2m contacts - good to know.
I have a 7m pole so can hoist the flowerpot on that.
Thats interestig about the amplifier, obviously good to experiment. I would like to DX at some point but I think getting out and local contacts is great to get started. Am planning to learn CW later this year.
Thanks
