Wrong! … and you well know it Richard. Please do not have a
sideways swipe at Summitsbase. It exists alongside SOTA and provides
valuable and interesting information for all who are interested in
activating from the hills and mountains that are both within and
outside of the SOTA scheme.
73, Gerald G4OIG
Hi Gerald,
I could not agree more, Summitsbase offers a superb facility that is heavily underused. It probably stems from the fact that it is not well publicised.
However despite this, I and many others contribute to the news section on a regular basis. I feel that the people reading the news enjoy the posts, I will be the first to admit that reading the news on the 1st of the month is something to look forward to. The hard work that goes in is second to none and the editors deserve a pat on the back.
In terms of its Turgid nature, When you define Turgidity it is a sense of overblowing things or being pompous. Some of the activation reprts on here could be described as that! So you pay your money and take your choice really, and ultimately everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I have also taken a keen interest in your 70cm articles and reports. So much so that I have decided to make a concerted effort to become more active on the band, both from home and whilst conducting SOTA and HOTA (Humps on the Air).
In addition the newly launched summitswatch website can only be another useful tool. I think the ability to spot and alert SOTA, WOTA and HOTA (HuMPS on the air) is surely going to aid successful activations.
If you have not seen Summitswatch then why not check it out at
I concur with Roy. I leave the spot page running whenever I am in the shack. At least I know that there is a possibility of someone coming up on a frequency (SSB or PSK31 only) and, in my case, round about the time given I start trawling for the station.
Please, please, keep the spots coming.
Also, 404 - File Not Found is very useful since it can be programmed to give an audio warning of any new spots that appear.
Tony, G8BVJ, Chaser (half way to 2nd Shack Sloth!)
Great to work you in the contest last night Matt. However, I must give you the ‘heads up’. I still have my Scottish Borders activation reports to post, and there will also be that 30 hour expedition (including 20 hour activation) of Cadair Berwyn to write up.
It will be a pure Turgidity-Fest, so avoid the threads if they are likely to make you queasy!
Andy, I could take you to dozens of summits where you’d think you’d get a decent signal and there is not a trace. On others, there’s too many signals and the phone freaks out. I would never rely upon self-spotting - 5.3985MHz is far more reliable!
Respect to you and Paul for being consistent on hitting times for your second and subsequent summits.
Thanks for that - we aim to please! Many hours go into the research behind our itineraries. Fortunately it is something that Paul and I both enjoy and it keeps us going between activations. We don’t claim to be especially accurate, but we do the best we can with the information to hand. Even so, often heard from one of us on an ascent… “It doesn’t look like this on Google Earth!”
I could take you to dozens of summits where you’d think you’d
get a decent signal
Tell me. I’ve had to ask for spots many times becasue I can’t make my own magic system work. If I hadn’t had to buy a new washing machine this month I was going to buy a SPOT2 so I could spot by satellite but that will now have to wait a month. Boo, hiss!
it keeps us going between activations
Part of the OCD of SOTA and the like is studying and planning what you’ll do next when you’re not doing it. Then there’s all those mental notes you make as walk and drive. “That hill looks good”, “Ah, there’s somewhere to park much nearer the start” etc. that have to be researched further and noted. Then studying maps and other’s reports. I can spend hours looking at maps. Hours and hours and hours. Sad isn’t it!
If you check it out you will see that over the years Summitsbase has
been in operation there are less than 100 posts in total (discounting
the “thanks for the news” thread). In the SOTA section there
are no posts at all - primarily, I assume because the admins didn’t
like to have their past posts on show!
Richard, you appear to be somewhat confused. The forum on Summitsbase is nothing to do with the Adventure Radio forum that ran for a few years and is now in limbo. The two are entirely separate. I have been registered with Summitsbase from the start and have never seen a post in the SOTA section. Something that has never existed cannot disappear! Please check your facts.
Gerry very notably stopped posting his reports there because no-one was reading them.
Wrong again! That was on the Adventure Radio forum and I have to say that your supposition is totally untrue.
It looks like one positive thing to come out of it might be a HUMPS award which will be a great service to the SOTA community in several ways. I am certainly looking forward to activating some as and when it starts.
Obviously you have not read the news properly - keep your logs from 1st August 2011 ready for when the database is online. There is a technical issue which has to be resolved before it is up and running.
Although I find their news a little turgid at times, I must agree that the ability to add photos is a big plus.
Thanks Richard for that kind thought!
73, Gerald G4OIG
Postscript:
Re my comment above "Obviously you have not read the news properly… "
I see you asked a question about this on the Summitsbase forum on 1st August and the answer you were given was the same as that which I’ve just given.
Part of the OCD of SOTA and the like is studying and planning what you’ll do next when you’re not doing it.
Absolutely essential when sorties are few and far between. I do try to get out once a month, but the desire factor seriously outweighs what is achieved in practical terms. Currently I am eyeing up some of those summits on your doorstep. Maybe manage a joint activation sometime, but you’d have to promise to wait for me on the ascents. In return I promise to wait for you on the descents. That’s the arrangement between Paul and myself.
I do not understand why you feel the need to regularly have a ‘pop’ at Summitsbase? I take exception to your comment about the forums “in which people can make as much noise as they like” That is just not true and implies that ‘anything goes’ on the Summitsbase forums and that, as such, it does not have a good reputation.
In a follow up post you say “I have not suggested that they are lacking in adequate censorship”. It sounds to me that was precisely what you were saying.
You also say “I find their news a little turgid at times”. Turgid indeed, if that is not ‘sour grapes’ I don’t know what is. It is yet another snipe, more than likely aimed at our News Editor.
“One should also not forget why it was set up. The reasons were certainly not constructive as the initiator demonstrated by removing all his summit details from SOTAwatch”. Still having a snipe Richard. I’m glad you are so clear in your own mind as to why it was set up. You are entitled to your opinions, and you certainly seem to take every opportunity to express them.
As it seems Summitsbase and its contributors are such an anathema to you, and the News clearly does not come up to your standards, then perhaps you should consider de-registering as a user. I can arrange that if you so require. I cannot stop your snipes at Summitsbase on this reflector but I can, and will do so on Summitsbase if you persist.
To get back to the thread, Alerts are only an indication of intent, and should be treated as just that.
To get back to the thread, Alerts are only an indication of intent,
and should be treated as just that.
Hi Mike,
Early this year, on two occasions if memory serves me correctly, I posted alerts for G/SP-004. However on arriving at the car park, I decided to abandon the activations due to dreadful weather conditions. Despite having no end of trouble in obtaining a signal on my mobile, I managed to post an “activation abandoned” message to my alert. I feel this is good pracice and the very least I could do if chasers are waiting to work me.
If I don’t have a contact within the first 30 seconds on 2m FM, I check to see if the antenna is connected.
Hi mike its a different kettle of fish here in GM/NS Id love to be able to say the same but if i make 4 in an afternoon sometimes thats good going. Theres just not the number of amateurs around here for that to be possible. Maybe we can swap activating area’s one weekend, i need to get some practice with a vhf pile up
Back on topic, i too as someone else mentioned have sporadic chasing times so the alerts are to me a very rough guide as to who MAY be on, if they are there and i can hear them, ill give them a call, if to weak or not there then ill tune up and down the bands and see who IS there to be worked(SOTA or otherwise) and occasionally pop back to the alerted frequencies for the activators. If i miss them for any reason be it mine or theirs then its not the end of the world really is it guys? I wont get upset if someboady is an hour later than their alerted time or indeed if they dont turn up at all. Same goes for my activations, if im late/early or even ontime and no-one answers my CQ’s well so be it, all the moaning and excuses in the world wont change it. It’s life’s little challenge that’s been sent to test our patience and i guess mines a litlle more elasticated than others.
Its a hobby guys and meant to be fun for all, in house fighting/arguing is not in the spirit of the hobby!!
I managed to post an “activation abandoned” message to my alert. I feel this is good pracice and the very least I could do if chasers are waiting to work me.
Excellent Mike. I recall posting the cancellation of a summit and a QSY to the pub when ground conditions prevented the second activation one particular day. The system is there to be used for the benefit of both chasers and activators and I for one will continue to use it. I appreciate some can live without it, but it suits my kind of operation.
Hi mike its a different kettle of fish here in GM/NS Id love to be
able to say the same but if i make 4 in an afternoon sometimes thats
good going.
I guess I’ve become a bit blasé here in the IO83 squares and that’s inexcusable, Adrian. There are some great chaser waiting to work activators here in the VHF oasis, that is the South Pennines.
Theres just not the number of amateurs around here for
that to be possible.
Yes, Andy MM0FMF has pointed this out to me on many occasions amd of course Matt G8XYJ with regards to many of the GW summits.
Maybe we can swap activating area’s one weekend,
i need to get some practice with a vhf pile up
Perhaps we can arrange something one day, Adrian. I’ll be delighted to take you up to Shining Tor/Cloud/Gun and do the logging, while you work the pile-up. Having said this, you’ll have to log the activations into the database yourself
Thanks to the extremely dedicated group of chasers on 2m SSB, I rarely
call CQ to start an activation - it is only necessary if I am running
considerably ahead of my alerted time. Often a test whistle into the
mic is sufficient to set up the first QSO.
What am I doing wrong???
I normally alert and (try to) activate on 2m ssb but frequently either resort to 2m FM or give up with maybe one or two contacts after 30 minutes or more calling, even after a self spot.
Tuesday I alerted and managed good contacts (S London being the furthest) from G/WB-006 and G/WB-015 so I know the kit is working but a week or two ago drew complete blanks on 2m ssb from both GW/MW-001 and GW/MW-038. No alerts on that occasion (no phone signal in the caravan park), but I had a go at self spotting. I now have at least 5 failed activations in my log and several incomplete ones too.
(Before anyone asks; 817 5W with external battery, sotabeam 3 element horizontal at about 2m agl.)
IO83 is a special case. I failed to qualify See Moor hill last week on 2m FM (just 2 contacts) and Jimmy failed on Housedon (also just 2 contacts). I am not sure how long Jimmy tried but I was on for well over an hour. Maybe we were unlucky.
Alerts can help - I was not able to alert but did self-spot from the summit.
In reply to 2E0YYY:
To contradict my own argument, an impromtu and unalerted/spotted activation of my local sota summit one evening earlier in the year with a handie and rubberduck seen a result of 9 vhf conacts, and that was likely almost every active amateur in the area with a vhf rig, bar 1 or 2…so it can be done, just not on a par with you Mike. Darn im jealous Yes Some more G activation would be lovely but the travelling time does not make it viable unless coupled up with other holiday type plans. I did make G/CE-001 earlier in the year for VHF fun day and it was most enjoyable, so yes at some point mike i WILL take you up on that offer, likewise if you happen to end up here!!
IO83 is a special case. I failed to qualify See Moor hill last week on
2m FM (just 2 contacts)
Where is it?
and Jimmy failed on Housedon (also just 2
contacts). I am not sure how long Jimmy tried
I’ve had a look at this summit and M1VHT activation report says it all really… not easy. He struggled with a dipole on 2m FM and he failed to make contact with G0GLH who was monitoring the activation. He just qualified it with 4 contacts. Having said this, at almost 900ft ASL, I’m a little surprised that more contacts were’nt forthcoming.
but I was on for well
over an hour. Maybe we were unlucky.
Agreed there Richard, I think you need an element of luck with any activation.
Alerts can help - I was not able to alert but did self-spot from the
summit.
Belt and braces, is the best approach in my humble opinion.
23.5 miles and nearly LOS to the centre of Edinburgh, a city with a population of about 460000 people. So that’s the same size as Liverpool or Manchester or Bristol or Leeds.
2 contacts is good going Richard for there. It shows the 83 square effect nicely.
… and Jimmy failed on Housedon (also just 2 contacts). I am not sure how long Jimmy tried.
Ah the notorious Housedon. “Skin of my teeth” job for me, even running 20W to a 5 element on 2m - had to strap the beam vertical to the mast using a bungie and bagged 3 of the lads in Edinburgh on FM. The first QSO was Derek G1ZJQ, worked on SSB bouncing the RF down the valley to the south.
Certainly easy getting your logs on after that kind of activation, Hi!
I am unfortunately never on time on the summit but the alert gives me the opportunity to announce our summit reference and so it will be easier for the spotter. That is our (DF6PW and me) reason for doing alerts.
Many hours go into the research behind our itineraries. Fortunately it is something that Paul and I both enjoy and it keeps us going between activations. We don’t claim to be especially accurate, but we do the best we can with the information to hand. Even so, often heard from one of us on an ascent… “It doesn’t look like this on Google Earth!”
Yes Some more G activation would be lovely but the travelling time does not make it viable unless coupled up with other holiday type plans. I did make G/CE-001 earlier in the year for VHF fun day and it was most enjoyable, so yes at some point mike i WILL take you up on that offer, likewise if you happen to end up here!!