Yes, no ridicule here. I support the activity and look forward to taking part. As SOTA’s Publicity Officer, I wish to get the news out there - so looking for a bit of an angle or special purpose that will help me get it into print. I’m trying to help and support; please help me to do so.
Hello all,
I had not seen this thread before and I’d definitely like to take part myself. Also, I would like to promote the event within the EA ham community and I agree with Tom @M1EYP that some right distinctive feature or special purpose would make it easier to be published by magazines and attract more participants.
What do you think about establishing specific frequencies for S2S contacts ONLY so the many activators that day won’t have to fight against the other chasers to get their S2S?
I know this is something difficult to make everyone aware of and respecting it, but this would be a different thing with respect to any other day in the year.
73,
Guru
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Worked All EU Associations ?
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Will there be such an award issued by SOTA?
Given the fact that there are no ways to confirm that a QSO actually took place, other than the activator and chaser logs cross check, would this logs cross checking be implemented for issuing such award?
73,
Guru
Hi Guru,
talking as an SSB only activator, on a weekend I’m happy when I find ANY free frequency. The problem is not SOTA chasers, it is often (but not always, only) contest stations.
It is rare that the Chasers don’t let an S2S call in when they hear it. There are some idiots who keep calling and block the other activator but this doesn’t happen very often.
With less activity on the bands (as it was in Australia when I lived there) you can chose specific “SOTA Frequencies” and generally these are clear for activators. With the number of activators that will hopefully get out for this event however, set frequencies are not going to work well as they will quickly be filled by the first activators that get to them.
So, sorry to say it, but it will most likely be the normal free-for all trying to get to a free frequency.
I deliberately don’t normally activate on a weekend because of this problem.
73 Ed.
I have no idea. I’m trying to think of a hook, like others are, so that this event can appeal to editors etc.
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Hello Sylvia,
Congratulations on the idea. SOTA Portugal will participate as well.
See you on the 19th of september!
73, Paulo
CT2WW
SOTA AM CT
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So - to the organisers - can we rebrand this to the “SOTA Europe End of Summer Activity Event”? To the non-SOTA person, every Saturday is a SOTA activity day in Europe. But the “End of Summer” emphasis stands out and will be much easier to get into the media outlets. It also, with this branding, has much more potential to become an eagerly-anticipated annual event.
We need to decide quickly though, as I’ll need to get press releases out in the next couple of days in order to meet editorial deadlines for September issues of the leading AR publications.
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I’m not an organiser of the event, just part of the AR publicity engine, so I’ll leave the question of whether the Austrian event can be renamed to Sylvia.
73 Ed.
Good point Ed @DD5LP
Another useful “hook” I can use, that will enhance publicity, is to make it clear that this continent-wide event was devised and promoted by SOTA OE Austria.
This is not true, as it was devised by Juerg HB9BIN who usually takes part in the ALL/OE5-SOTA-Day in September and usually joins us in OE5 for the main meeting. The fact that Covid-19 is going to prevent a F2F meeting gave him the idea to announce a European SOTA Day asking other associations to join in. So far, quite a lot of associations have already promised their support.
I am not going to rebrand our OE SOTA Day, there’s no point. But if you feel your suggestion works better in the UK go ahead with it.
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Well “OE SOTA Day” itself works better for wider publicity than “European SOTA Day”. So for publicity I’ll call it “OE SOTA Day”, and in the detail text, explain that Covid 19 has prevented the usual meeting in OE, and therefore the event has been widened to an All-EU end of summer S2S and SOTA activity event. How about that? I think we’ve got something that the news editors will print there.
Many thanks for the extra detail Sylvia - that’s made the crucial difference in my opinion.
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I’ve now written and distributed a press release to the world’s major AR publications and news outlets. The Covid-19 angle on the enforced but unique new nature of the event was one that I - and no-one else seemed to think of - so thanks for that explanatory information Sylvia. Now it makes sense, now I reckon editors will publish the news, and I certainly intend to participate myself.
Looking forward to it!
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Great , tnx !
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Hi Sylvia
Hope success of this event. I have distributed into SOTA JA Community about this event.
Toru K JH0CJH
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Great to get coverage also on your side of the world 
!
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Hm… this is crashing with Scandinavia activity contest CW this date. It will be some noise on the bands and some operators will proritize contest here. I am personally in business 
!
LB8CG.
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I will also try to participate. We’ve created an event in the LA SOTA group to get more people in.
73 de LB4FH
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I will also try to participate, on what UTC Time should the Day begin?
73 my friends
Michael
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Traditionally, 0000z.
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