While having coffee with my good friend Terry, AI6ZV, we wound up on the subject of Summits on The Air. Prior to this I was an avid WWFF chaser so SOTA was new territory for me. I am also a CW junkie so Terry’s stories really hit home with me.
When I got home I quickly found the SOTA spotting page and to my surprise there were several US summits being activated. One day of chasing was all it took for me to become addicted, I was hooked. I quickly made the SOTA spotting page the first thing that I looked at in the morning, followed closely by the WWFF DXCluster. To my surprise I found several WWFF activators also activating SOTA sites. It was great to find friends like Amy AG7GP, Dave W4JL, Terry AI6ZV, Gerard VK2IO, Peter VK3PF to name just a few of those that I recognized from my WWFF activity. I couldn’t have been more pleased.
So how do the mornings go for me now. Well, When I get up I turn my computer on and bring up the SOTA and WWFF spotting pages. I put a bagel in the toaster and put the coffee maker on. Sadly there have been many burnt bagels and cups of cold coffee when things get rolling on SOTA.
Depending on the time of morning I listen on 10 and 15 meters for DX SOTA activation’s. There have been a few mornings that I have managed to log several European SOTA activators but it’s kind of tough with 100 watts and a vertical, but it works for me.
I have to say that I am more than impressed and pleased with the SOTA activity and the super CW activator’s that make it work. There are the pileups but I have yet to hear a lot of inappropriate conduct. I am enjoying the ride. Thanks to all who make it possible.
73 / 44 de W6LEN / Jess