Tom, I’m hoping to try FT8 next weekend, probably from Brown Willy G/DC-002 but I’m still confused on whether to just do normal FT8 QSO’s or try to include something SOTA-specific. I’ve read on here that sending CQ SOTA causes confusion but you can send the summit reference on its own as the last message of a QSO. I guess I’m asking if there is any agreed protocol?
I should also add in light of the comments above I’ll be doing SSB as well. 
John
Nice one John.
Yes, I’ve found it better to do a standard CQ call in WSJT, not “CQ SOTA”. However, in the Free Msg field, I always have SOTA + the reference (eg SOTA G/SP-015) so sometimes send that in between consecutive CQ calls to “fly a kite” for it being a SOTA activation.
So standard QSO:
CQ M1EYP/P IO83
M1EYP/P G4OBK IO94
G4OBK M1EYP/P +12
M1EYP/P G4OBK R-7
G4OBK M1EYP/P RR73
M1EYP/P G4OBK 73
SOTA G/SP-015
THANKS TOM
CQ M1EYP/P IO83
…repeat ad lib…
So you can see that after my final message of the QSO (RR73) I’ll then send my free message text (SOTA ref). Known chasers at that point often send a personal greeting - most stations worked wouldn’t send a free msg at that point, and you go back to calling CQ. If you’re using the WSJT-Z clone/hack, you can use automode so could set it to automatically start calling CQ again after each QSO is concluded and logged.
Any use?
Yes, very! Thank you. 
It’s always been a high power band Patrick. Back when there were power limits in the UK people just lied. I was running 10W to an HB9CV when I started (1992) which was fine for working EU SpE and the occasional double hop or TEP assisted QSO. But it wasn’t competitive. I moved to a 5ele Tonna and 40W and it still wasn’t competitive. When a huge gale brought down the antenna in 1998 I’d worked 135 squares and all of the EU countries licenced for 6m excepting 9H1 and ZB2. But it had become a bit boring with the same people having the “QSO at any cost” mentality, the power limits removed so 400W and I was not bothered to put it up again. I knew people with single 4CX250 amps when the limit was 100W ERP in the UK. They moved to 2x 4CX250 and bigger when the ERP limit was removed. (Rumour had it there were a few people using Henry amps with single 3CX1500/8877 triodes in them for 1.5-2KW output in the UK back then.)
I can understand people using FT8 like mad as it allows many ticks on maps very quickly and as 6m will be Au / SpE band for a while till there may be F2, it’s the obvious thing to do. Gets as many squares/countries worked and is somewhat of an equaliser between average and big stations.
I’m more interested in playing on the higher HF bands like 12m & 10m which apart from the 12m SOTA Challenge a 6 years back, I have not used much compared with other HF bands or VHF/UHF/SHF. Better still as a SOTA activator, I’m the DX and people chase me rather than me chasing after elusive 6m DX when I’m was just one of hundreds of S1-S3 signals fighting for a QSO. Pick the battles you can win as a mentor of mine used to say 
Not always Andy - in 1984 when I got my 6m permit, that were offered to a number of applicants. I think they gave out two blocks and I got one of the second block. There was little commercial equipment available then, and I hadn’t much spare cash. I think there was an expensive Icom transceiver available - about the twice the size of an FT-690, which came out later. I used to do a little home construction then so I built one of the Spectrum 10m to 6m transverter kits first, made a few QSOs with 5 watts and then built their 25 watt linear to go with it.
From near Chorley, where I lived in a lousy QTH for VHF (but a good one for 160m) my first QSO was with GW3LDH on 20/12/1984 on SSB. A few G stations were logged the same week and then I worked GM4FZH in Whithorn. My first QSO outside the UK was with EI0RTS on 6m CW on 06/07/85. I guess that was Es. The famous Jack G5UM was worked on 08/07/1985, long silent key. A few more countries started to get access to the band and on 05/06/1986 I worked EA2JG and on 07/06/1986 CT4KQ. Due to moving house several times and change of jobs I didn’t go back on the band until I landed in Scarborough in 1994. The 6m permits had finished then giving many more UK stations access and that was when like you I noticed that power mattered. I joined in again a few years later when I bought an Acom 1000 and become one of those who some are saying on here that we spoiled the band for the QRP guys. Such is life!
73 Phil
Yes always. Hams have ignored power limits for ever. As I said, even when the UK power limit was 100W ERP I knew people running 300+W into big Yagis giving 3-4kW ERP The 6m UK power limit was just as abused as the 160m power limits were/are. Just like those topband stations claiming “only 10W DC input” despite having a pair of 813s in the PA
Never understood why some activators need even 50 watts from a summit when you can work the world (including on SSB) with 5 watts. It’s harder to get out from home of course, but even then I’m doing OK running usually with 25-35 watts, and very occasionally 100 watts.
As for 6m being a high power band - maybe for others. I’m getting plenty of joy in this current Sp.E season with the good ol’ FT-817. Was intending an activation this afternoon, but got bogged down with recording bass parts for a new original song, visiting a local microbrewery with @M0HGY, and making a batch of Bombay Potato Scotch eggs - also with @M0HGY!
I’ll resume 6m antics tomorrow morning … {checks Met Office app for latest wx forecast} … yes, I will…
Hi,
Well I can tell you that within a year worked on 6m with 5w and my 3m long whip about 75 medium squares.
Back in the 1990s I was high power in ssb on 2m: 400W to an 11 element yagi 25m above ground and preamp near the antenna. Made 135 medium squares confirmed.
But now I am QRP, as a SOTA chaser I made this year until now 23 May 2021: 800 points with more than 250 activations in my chaser log. So please don’t tell me QRP does not work.
Not the power or the antenna are the key to success, the key is operational skill at the end of the chaser, operational skill at the end of the activator, knowledge of propagation and some luck.
73 Patrick
I agree with most of your final paragraph Patrick, but would argue that the antenna is more significant. I’ve had much more success with single band resonant antennas than with systems with ATUs involved. Groundplanes always outperform dipoles in my experience (particularly when looking for DX). And so on.
The antenna makes a bigger advantage than the power. But as you say, operator skill/experience even moreso. I remember when I first tried to make an HF SOTA QSO on 40m and found it really difficult. A QRO chaser had to establish a QRG for me to even get started! Nowadays, with the same rig, the same power and the same antenna, I would find it easy. I guess it’s similar to those time-consuming and difficult first attempts to make an FT8 SOTA QSO compared to the ease with which I now do it.
This reflective post has just made me realise that last week I surpassed being a radio amateur for 20 years. Where did that time go?
Hi,
20 years, very nice.
I remember my story: 1972 when I was 12 I started as a shortwave broadcast listener. 1987 I passed the exam in Germany in the German language, got DA4JA call. Upgraded licence with cw in 2 steps. got fully licensed in 1990 I think. In 1994 the hobby went dormant until December 2018. At that time I worked with a homebrew indoors magnetic loop. A few months later I upgraded to the antenna I am now using: a Chameleon Milwhip mounted on a base that normally is used to mount a satellite dish
I was 30 when I got licensed, but SWLing for 16 years before that. A school friend and I were both keen on radio listening, and started a competition between us to see who could receive the most stations on FM (VHF 88-108MHz). Even with just portables with telescopic rod antennas, we could receive pirate stations from Dublin!
I never lost the bug for this and started making lists of the MW stations, and then shortwave. I was around 18 years old when I stumbled across “DX programmes” and Mailbag shows on stations like Radio Berlin International, Radio Moscow etc, and hearing about reception reports and QSL cards. I was hooked!
My SWL broadcast listening expanded into amateur and utility station SWLing (and QSLing) but it wasn’t until I was passed an invitation to take part in the “Teachers’ Crash Course RAE” when I was 30 that I even considered becoming licensed. A chap on that same course was Alan M1EYO - SOTA’s first ever MG - who kept in touch with me and persuaded me to try SOTA later that year.
My full broadcast, utility, free radio and amateur QSL collection from over the last 33 years can be seen on my website http://tomread.co.uk
6m wide open across Europe right now. My logbook is filling quickly, up here on G/SP-015 on CW and FT8. 5 watts seems to be plenty
Even getting pile-ups in response to my CQ calls 
Yes Tom, you getting out well. Thanks for 6m FT8 QSO 8 mins ago. Here is your PSK reporter shot for the last 15 mins - you are being widely seen / heard from your Cloud Office on G/SP-015. Good old FT8! 73 de Phil
Cool! There’s one or two places there that I’ve still not worked so far this activation…
Your “reach” is amazing, Israel and the Canaries now.
This seems to be the explanation for Propquest.
Blimey, I’m beginning to think I should have stayed up there longer!
Whilst only open to Europe at the time, 10m was seriously open at lunchtime. I was getting 59+ reports for just 5W into the loop. Which was nice.
What antenna are you using? Whatever it was it worked!
SOTAbeams SB6 - a Moxon design - a discontinued product.
Typical… back to work and on 10m there are GM’s working OY1 and G’s working ZD7.
I reckon that’s single hop SpE for OY<>GM. What is the mode for G<>ZD7 (St. Helena)? Multi hop SpE, SpE assisted TEP?
Suggestions please.
