Jim G0CQK has been a part of SOTA for a very, very long time. Originally from Fife, he’s been living in Newcastle for many years. He is the Regional Manager for G/SB region and produced an excellent resource for people new to SB (Scottish Borders) area. This website has been available for some considerable number of years and is still used to this day. (www.sb-sota.org.uk). Eventually Jim had his arm twisted and joined the MT as he had retired from his day job and he was instrumental in a lot of the early processes and procedures based on his professional work experience. These were invaluable as SOTA started expanding massively very quickly. He went on to lead the SOTA summits team for sometime.
Eventually he wanted a lighter workload and retired from the SOTA MT, his second retirement. But it turned out he found himself involved with a number of groups who all were using the Discourse Software for the websites, just like we use here. And it came to pass he stayed on doing two massively important tasks. One was tinkering, tweaking and modifying the many hundreds of Discourse settings in order to keep the website running the way we like with the look & feel we have become used to. The other was the vetting of every single signup to the reflector.
The reason we have no idiots or goons or spammers or bad actors with accounts on here is because Jim has vetted every single signup since we started using Discourse. That’s a big undertaking for one man. But the result is we benefit from a coherent group of people on here all pulling in broadly the same direction. The signup rate to this site averages around 30/month or 5 new signups per week. Just enough that it’s a constant job to do.
Well Jim had another important birthday this month and he’d now like to finally retire. It will be his third retirment Sadly we have to let Jim step down and enjoy himself without worrying about this website. I think if we say he’s been a behind-the-scenes powerhouse for SOTA and the reflector for the last 10 years I wont be far out.
But it is time for Jim to take his well earned retirement. I want everyone on here to join me in publicly thanking Jim for his unwavering dedication to SOTA and keeping the reflector running so smoothly for so long.
Every please join me in thanking Jim for all his input and efforts over all the years to the running of SOTA. Thank you, you will be incredibly difficult to replace.
Jim, many thanks for all the advice that you provided on the SB summits in my early days in SOTA. I was pleased to meet you briefly back in 2010 as I descended from Hownam Law GM/SS-197 and you were on your way up.
Your background work in SOTA brings to mind a character description that I learnt back in the 1960s from reading the notes on an album cover. The notes referred to the lead guitarist as “quietly effective”. Jim I think that applies to you in respect of your part in SOTA. Essential, but out of the limelight.
Many thanks Jim for all the hard work that we (Rod & Viki) and all other keen participants in the SOTA scheme have benefited from.
Enjoy retirement, 73,
Rod
Thank you Jim for all the hard work you have clearly put into SOTA!
I had never really considered the effort involved in vetting new members on the reflector. Thank you for making this forum a safe space (in a virtual sense) for us all to share our mutual passion for portable radio adventures!
Hi Jim. Thanks for all the hard work you have put in. The fact I wasn’t aware of you shows how effective your work on the reflector has been! You are like the Eurovision stage crew that has 35 seconds to change the stage for the next act. We never see them, so they are doing a great job, just like you.
I still remember a phone call asking where I was based since there was a discrepancy with the IP address location. I was impressed that SOTA was taking such trouble and as FMF has said, that explains the “cleanliness” of this site.
Thank you Jim for all you have done. I am a long term member of SOTA and value the opportunity to be part of such an interesting community.
Enjoy your retirement and all best wishes for the future.
Ian
Thank you Jim for all your hard work and friendly approach over many years for SOTA but also for your help and advice on the subjects of mapping and GPS selection starting more than 20 years ago.
You have been a fitting guardian of the SB’s for us as well as a warden there and providing the SB website. You’re a lucky man - it’s a very special place!
My best memory is of our QSO from Sighty long ago and meeting you at Blackpool rally.
Have a happy retirement but keep in touch with SOTA.
73, John
Jim, thank you for all your hard work, time and effort that you’ve put into SOTA over the years. It’s very much appreciated, enjoy your retirement!
73
Roger
Sadly we have to let Jim step down and enjoy himself without worrying about this website. I think if we say he’s been a behind-the-scenes powerhouse for SOTA and the reflector for the last 10 years I wont be far out.