Time for a moan 
It seems of late a lot more chasing going on during these funny times.
Thus the increase in QRM of people NOT listening and shouting too much thus increase of QRM must be frustrating to the Sota OP.
Please listen more and call once till your called in.
Then rest of us all please STAND by let him/her do what he needs to do.
Moan dealt with
KARL 2E0FEH
I agree with you Karl it can be very frustrating at times, many’s the time I have waited half an hour before calling, only to find they have gone or heavy QSB, but sometimes it does pay off. But it is very annoying as you say when you hear the activator talking to a chaser and the ones with high power continue calling over the conversation.
Best 73
It’s not that frustrating to the activator actually Karl; it is actually warmly reassuring that there are more stations around that are keen to work you! I should imagine that the bulk of the frustration is experienced by the chasers - but they just need to be calm, patient, and accept they probably aren’t going to get through to every activator they hear. In which case, feel free to log it in the SWL section of the SOTA Database.
Hi,
tell me what, I chase SOTA with 5W QRP and an only 3m long whip antenna. Patience is my name I guess. Can be done, at present I am awaiting my 1000 points chaser SOTA award to arrive, all done with qrp and that small antenna and that in about 6 months time.
The thing to keep in mind is: tomorrow is another day, not in your log is try again next time.
Every failure sharpens your operational skills.
So, keep on smiling and think what a wonderful world is SOTA.
I disagree … QRM and people that keep calling and calling (instead of listening) can also be very frustrating to activators! At least this is what i experienced on my 500+ sota activations …
73 Martin, OE5REO
Way to go Patrick!! Well done!
On the original subject, I’ll confirm what Karl is suggesting - perhaps due to the increased number of chasers at home these days, competition is getting more like in a contest or DXPedition. It was never easy in Europe as the bands are busy anyway but now I am finding the “Hub-Bub” in our own community when I am out activating. PLEASE give your call sign once and wait!
Most activators try to work all callers (even though they don’t need to) as long as time and weather permit.
73 Ed.
HA! Funny you should mention this. I don’t work phone too much,
(SSB, etc.) but yesterday there was a SSB activator on 40 meter
SSB with an awful pileup. All the mess you mentioned. And somebody
was saying, “What’s his call?”. I said. “It’s not DX”. The pileup went
down by about half. So, half the stations didn’t even know who
they were calling!
73,
John, K6YK
John,
I always smile a little (after I cringe a bit) when people pile in and then ask for the stations’ call. I always thought the mandate was know whom you are calling before you call.
Tom NQ7R
Yeah, me too. Unfortunately quite often that’s the guy that cracks the pile and has to ask… And the other one that really gripes me is the guy who, when the station is operating split, calls on the wrong frequency for a while then finally moves “up” and gets him on the first call after you’ve been calling for a half hour!
73
John
k6YK
John, that wasn’t me was it? Thanks for the QSO by the way.
… That’s what W9KNI says: WFWL (work first worry later).
People are attracted by a pile-up (when it’s big enough) and jump right in, no matter who’s the one being chased. They can find out afterwards 
73, Roman
100 % cfm, Ed!
Most activators try to work all stations in a pile-up.
So chasers please be patient, listen hard before you call and spread out +/- 100 Hz when on CW.
73, Roman
So that’s how to break through a pile up 
Or shout “LID”, “LISTEN” or “UP” whether those are valid or not.
I agree with M1EYP. I’m so happy to have big pileups which forces me to improve my skills in managing them! I must say though that most chasers in the pileups do have the skills to listen and follow my operating procedure - at least here in North America. I mostly have issues with stations that don’t hear me well – although I can hear them okay since I’m up high on a mountain with low noise levels. However, I’m fine with that and will always work all stations until I can’t hear anyone calling. Well, unless the weather becomes unbearable ;-).
73, Brad
WA6MM
No, it wasn’t you, but it might have been somebody in the pile
trying to work you until they found out it wasn’t “DX” … Hi .
73
John
HI Brad,
You definitely have the advantage, being up high and having no noise level! And I would guess that most of the chasers are not QRP’ers, but
running plenty of power. I suppose the city noise levels are getting worse, so even though they have plenty of power, they can’t hear weak
signals. So you come back to them, and they can’t really hear you very well. I am lucky enough to have a low noise level and can hear really weak signals, so many stations I call can’t hear me, even if I’m running a KW! Oh well such is life!
73
John
I’ve been using the Morse Runner app almost daily [why not?, it helps alleviate Covid lockdown cabin fever] to improve my CW pile-up skills. But it doesn’t simulate the summit experience of cold fingers whilst trying to twin-paddle, aching back [cos I’m crouching under a tarp] or my old-age brain freeze due to the winter weather. So, I’m very grateful that the vast majority of SOTA chasers are patient awaiting their turn and again when I get their callsign wrong or ask them to resend it
Or the (X)YL permits, if hiking with them.
If my wife joins me for a walk involving a SOTA summit, I have learned to not set up a portable antenna, or use CW or Datamodes. Handheld & rubber duck, 2m FM - I can just about get away with that in her company!