Andre Saunders GM3VLB SOTA Award results 2023

[MM0FMF]

Andre Saunders GM3VLB was a keen island activator. On his death he left a legacy to my radio club (Lothians Radio Society) which was to be used to promote radio activity from Scottish Islands.

This is the second year the award has been running and the 2023 winners are now available.

First place goes to Ben Lloyd GW4BML who activated 12 GM/SI summits in 2023
Second place goes to Paul Hodgkinson G4IPB who activated 10 GM/SI summits in 2023

A total of 22 different people were active from GM/SI in 2023 and special mention goes to Gus, W9SSN as the activator who was activator farthest from home.

Both Ben and Paul will receive receive a commemorative Quaich and engraved plinth to keep. More details to follow.

The award is running again in 2024 from January 1st to December 31st.

You can read about the rules here.

Andre Saunders GM3VLB SOTA Island Award

Andre Saunders GM3VLB was active in many countries as GM3VLB, G3VLB, 5Z4KL (5Z5KL) from the 60s onwards. In later years he became very keen on IOTA activating Scottish Islands and went on with the IOSA (Islands of Scotland Award) and finally The Scotia award scheme run from his final home in Kelso, Scotland. If you search the internet you will find plenty of material about island operation and his antenna designs produced for just such purposes. I first met Andre at one of the Scottish radio ra…

Please note that this is an award run by the Lothians Radio Society with the approval of the SOTA MT.

[M0CQE]

Thank You Andy for this information, Very interesting. Many years ago I collected IOTA. Several of them Scottish Islands. Best Wishes to Ben GW4BML, Also to Paul Hodgkinson G4IPB. 73 de Paul M0CQE.

[W9SSN]

Awesome! Can’t wait to be back!

[GW4VPX]

Congratulations to Ben, Paul and Gus👍

73 Allan

[GW4BML]

Thank you very much Andy @MM0FMF - that was a lovely surprise this evening

73, Ben
GW4BML

[G4OIG]

Well done Ben and Paul. There’s something special about activating island summits with the sea close by, sometimes visible the whole 360 degrees. I’m hoping to get back up to Mull sometime and also activate a few on Skye, both with 200% approval of the XYL.

73, Gerald

[GW4BML]

@M0CQE

Best Wishes to Ben GW4BML

Thank you very much Paul - thanks for the support along the way too

@GW4VPX

Congratulations to Ben

Thanks Allan - I believe you are in most of those logs thanks for the support!

@G4OIG

Well done Ben

Thanks Gerald - I haven’t looked at the stats, but if you haven’t been there, I thoroughly encourage you to go and activate on the island of Lewis and Harris - what a place

Thanks all, 73, Ben
GW4BML

[MM0FMF]

Here’s an update on progress in 2024 approximately 2/3rds through the year.

Activator Call	Summits Activated
G5OLD	5
MM0YCJ	4
GW4BML	4
MM0DHY	3
M0VFC	2
GM7PKT	2
M0WUT	2
2M1GPR	2
GM0GAV	2
MW0PDV	1
GM5DNA	1
dl9sp	1
2E0BIA	1
GM8RTI	1
M1BUU	1
M0BLF	1
SV1DNU	1

If you haven’t taken part this year but were thinking about it, you can see how much effort is needed to get to a winning position. And if you have been active, you can see how much more you need to do to guarantee an award