When looking at the chaser scores database earlier today I noticed that my good friend Peter, EI7CC has passed the 10,000 points stage. Congratulations Pete, especially on the fact that all QSOs were on HF and 75% achieved using CW. A simple analysis of the 10,007 points (2,130 activators), being 7,589 points (1,564 activators) CW and 2,418 points (566 activators) SSB, shouts a simple message – if you want results, QSY to the CW section and stay there!
73 de Mike, EI2CL
Congrats Pete! Great effort!! Have a pint or so 
73 Norby
In reply to EI2CL:
Congratulations on reaching 10,000 chaser points Peter. Well done.
73
Mike GW0DSP
Congratulations Peter in getting 10’000 chaser points. It is nice to work you.
Jimmy M3EYP
In reply to M3EYP:
Congratulations on a magnificent achievement Peter.
73
Roy G4SSH
Congratulations Peter very well done!,
73 de Geoff G4CPA
In reply to EI2CL:
Congratulations Peter. Hope to hear you again soon.
Robin, GM7PKT
In reply to EI2CL:
Very good acheivement for Pete, as an activator I`m always pleased to log him & not worry about will I qualify the hill or not.
In reply to Mike:-
"A simple analysis of the 10,007 points (2,130 activators), being 7,589 points (1,564 activators) CW and 2,418 points (566 activators) SSB, shouts a simple message – if you want results, QSY to the CW section and stay there! "
If you look at the top activators in G / GM / GW / DM associations, you will see they are all phone operators - so there is life after CW after all.
In reply to G1INK:
Yes Steve - the database shows that if you competent at using morse code then you are more likely to be a top Shack Sloth than a top Mountain Goat. You (G1INK) are the worldwide top activator on SSB with 2716 points and Lutz (DJ3AX) is the top chaser on CW with 1858 points. For chasers Roy (G4SSH) is top on CW with 21250 points and on SSB Graham (G4JZF) is top with 17321 points.
This illustrates how easy it is to became a Shack Sloth and how challenging it is to become a Mountain Goat. Well done on your high score as an activator, you certainly have staying power and consistency.
Also well done to Peter EI7CC on making the 10000 point mark as a Chaser!
Phil G4OBK
In reply to G4OBK:
But how long has cw been popular in SOTA as opposed to fone? I suspect fone got a good head start on CW, which probably only got going when sota went international.
However this doesn’t change the fact that Peter has reached an impressive chaser score, once again, congratulations and well done Pete.
Mike GW0DSP
It did, and of course it was all 2m FM to begin with. In fact, VHF is the most logical thing to use for SOTA, as it is the part of the spectrum that is most enhanced by height and line-of-sight.
It is interesting to note that FM remains the most used mode in SOTA, but CW has overtaken SSB into 2nd place.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
In fact, VHF is the most logical thing to use for SOTA, as it is the part of the spectrum that is most enhanced by height and line-of-sight.
Tom M1EYP
I totally disagree with that reasoning Tom, VHF has to be the most illogical thing to use for SOTA. How many associations will you work on VHF?
HF opens up your chances of working lot’s of chasers, even from VHF blind summits.
Mike GW0DSP
In reply to GW0DSP:
A good point Mike - many of us “morsers” and “mixedmoders”, you and me included, only got interested in SOTA from 2005 onwards I suspect.
It’s a pity the database doesn’t provide a “Phone” option which would include points gathered from all voice contacts - SSB/FM/AM. Then you would get a truer comparison between points awarded for morse and points awarded for voice QSOs. Many logging programs provide this option when viewing stats of what has been worked from the logbook.
No criticism of the SOTA Database intended - I think it’s great, it enhances our enjoyment and is very much appreciated.
Phil
In reply to G4OBK:
I appreciate that there are ops who are 2m specialists, such as Gerald OIG, Richard ERP amongst others and I’m not knocking anyone who uses VHF only on the summits, the activator is king.
To state that VHF is the most logical option for SOTA as stated by Tom is ridiculous to say the least. This is exactly why Tom uses HF on his breakfast club activations.
Mike GW0DSP
I think you have completely misunderstood the point I was making Mike, because I actually agree with what you are saying (without the need to call someone else’s comments ‘ridiculous’ though).
What I meant was this. In SOTA, we climb hills to summits. What part of the radio spectrum is most enhanced by that vantage? VHF (and higher). HF is enhanced too of course, but VHF is the greatest beneficiary.
It is a quite natural thing to do to explore the significantly enhanced VHF possibilities from a hilltop, and hence why VHF is a logical choice for a SOTA activator. The whole idea for SOTA came from the advent of the small affordable hand-portable you know!
I wasn’t saying that this is what should happen, I don’t even do much myself these days. But it is a logical choice for anyone with line-of-sight take-off, because the height makes such a marked difference at VHF.
Tom M1EYP
How many associations will you work on VHF?
Is that the object of the exercise?
How many old timers around Cheshire and Lancashire will you work on HF?
All forms of radio are inclusive to some and exclude others.
Tom
This is exactly why Tom uses HF on his breakfast club activations.
It isn’t actually. It is for self-training in wireless telegraphy.
Tom
In reply to M1EYP:
How many associations will you work on VHF?
Is that the object of the exercise?
How many old timers around Cheshire and Lancashire will you work on
HF?All forms of radio are inclusive to some and exclude others.
Tom
In my eyes the object is to work as many chasers as is possible, both at home and abroad to give them the summit and to help spread the awareness of SOTA to a wider audience.
As for your local old timers, young timers too for that matter, are there many left? Anyway, I can work them all on 80m or 60m quite easily, what’s the problem?. People are struggling to qualify the likes of Whernside these days on VHF whereas not so long ago they would have been greeted with a pile up on 2m, a sign of the times!! The number of chasers has greatly diminished in the Northwest.
Mike GW0DSP
In reply to M1EYP:
This is exactly why Tom uses HF on his breakfast club activations.
It isn’t actually. It is for self-training in wireless telegraphy.
Tom
Judging by your earlier statement, maybe you need some.
Mike GW0DSP
In reply to EI2CL:
Thanks for posting this Mike. Hearty congratulations from G4YSS to Pete, EI7CC on his spectacular achievement from the Emerald Isle.
Yes, CW does seem to lend itself to SOTA QRP but it’s not so important with QRO activations.
Some nostalgia in the later posts! It probably didn’t even occur to 90% of activators in 2002 to use anything other than VHF; usually 2m VHFM. However, from a personal viewpoint, after struggling into rare & remote mountain, low-ground & Island WAB areas with a 40 pound pack since 1987, SOTA came as an answer to my prayers. Couldn’t wait to swap perspiration and ‘bendy-wireless’ for a life made easy with the simple & beautiful logic…chuck the HF pack, of which I was by then heartily sick & use the built-in terrain advantage. A further plus for VHF is as part of proof of location. I went back to HF but only after a 2-year break.
Years ago though there were other SOTA chasers in Eire. Charlie EI7IP, Joe EI7GY, Tony EI9JK but mainly Thos EI2JD, all worked on 2m FM but nowadays without VHF, I only seem to work Pete & you.
An activation is never ‘complete’ until the two ‘reliables’ EI7CC & EI2CL are safely in the log! Keep calling in; it’s always a pleasure to hear either of you sending with your ‘tuneful’ keying.
73, John (G4YSS).