But this does not apply to the points you get for a summit to summit qso (s2s). Every s2s qso counts, no matter how often you go up the mountain.
It can be very attractive to achieve as many s2s points as possible. This challenge is often overlooked.
73 Chris
Welcome. Ignore the curmudgeonly posts of some people (one person). By way of explanation: they work in the software industry.
"A helicopter was flying around above Seattle when an electrical malfunction disabled all of the aircraft’s electronic navigation and communications equipment. Due to the clouds and haze, the pilot could not determine the helicopter’s position and course to fly to the airport. The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, drew a handwritten sign, and held it in the helicopter’s window. The pilot’s sign said “WHERE AM I?” in large letters. People in the tall building quickly responded to the aircraft, drew a large sign and held it in a building window. Their sign read: “YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER.” The pilot smiled, waved, looked at her map, determined the course to steer to SEATAC airport, and landed safely.
After they were on the ground, the co-pilot asked the pilot how the “YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER” sign helped determine their position. The pilot responded “I knew that had to be the Microsoft building because, like their technical support, online help and product documentation, the response they gave me was technically correct, but completely useless.”
I also work in the software industry. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you RTFM, you are still none the wiser.
Thanks @G4TGJ and @G3CWI - I too work in software (loosely speaking) but we have quick-start guides which are written from the point of view of a net-new beginner; a headline, a two paragraph explainer, then a single-pager with links to further reading. This lets a prospective new user judge if it’s their cup of tea with only minimal investment of time, and so you reach more people.
I don’t know if I’m unfairly comparing amateur radio with professional industry (or if I’m getting more impatient / slow in my old age) but so many facets of the hobby appear to start at the complicated end and require significant digging just to get hold of the basics. Seems AAF to me.
Bah humbug, etc, where are my slippers? 
No, not your slippers yet Mark, they’re for us old beggars. Get the walking boots and get yourself up Snaefell or one of the other four summits you have on the Island. All lovely summits!
73 Phil
Indeed! 
. I’ve yet to chase any GD summits. Welcome!
That’s a good idea. I’ve just scanned the stuff in the SOTA Home site and though very comprehensive it isn’t a quick read.
If I get bored in the coming weeks I might try and draft something. 
Hi Mark,
& welcome to SOTA from another newcomer. The fact that your post has generated 26 replies speaks volumes in itself. I cannot tell whether you did too, but I did read all 23 pages of the ‘SOTA General Rules’ (dated 2015). You commented that you couldn’t find any ‘concise’ info and I would tend to agree with that comment. Whilst I enjoy researching any new thing I get into, I acknowledge others may have less time or inclination and are in need of a ‘quick start guide’ as comes with most bits of kit nowadays - maybe a request to the Management Team might sort this out for any more newcomers to follow.
I look forward to seeing your alert/spot and chasing you one day soon!
73, Lea M0XPO
SOTA home site starts with 2 paragraph introduction entitled “New to SOTA”. In there there is a larger font link to “Joining in”. Joining In is another 2 paragraph section explaining what you have to, introducing with links important websites and links to where you register for accounts.
There are then more involved sections on the various aspects of SOTA, links to FAQs, guidelines, the rules (in full stodge)
In what way is this “quick start” lacking in explaining what SOTA is about so you can determine if it may interest you or not and help you get started in using the facilities? Serious question.
For the “Generation Video” I would say there are some very well made summary videos one by Chris @M0RSF
and Michael @G0POT
Minor details would need an update (like the SOTAwatch and registrations topic) but in general you have everything covered.
Thanks for the welcome Lea! I’m happy to report that my first activation is now in the bag; GD/GD-001 today with 8 points and 3 bonus - must have been due to my first STS across to 2W0IXM/P on GW/NW-044.
Serious answer: it’s lacking in definition of what an activation consists of. Landing / home pages should wherever possible avoid proprietary terms, and while ‘activators’ and ‘chasers’ have been clearly defined it would have also been good to see something like:
An activation consists of at least one simplex contact with another operator, who doesn’t need to be enrolled in the SOTA programme. Points are awarded if four or more operators are contacted in a single activation, with repeatable bonus points available for summit-to-summit contacts.
A simple paragraph like that would have made this whole thread unnecessary. As it stands the home page makes it sound like you need either a chaser or another activator in order to perform an activation, which hints at a logistical / collaborative overhead that could discourage new users. (If they haven’t already got cold feet at the mention of Associations, Honour Rolls, or an Environmental Statement - sounds more like work than a hobby)
While I’m on my soapbox, not every link needs to open in a new tab. Just sayin’. 
The bonus points are because it’s winter. S2S contacts are scored separately.
You aren’t the first person to think this which proves your point.
Well done Mark…… I see you went for IoM’s biggie! I hope the weather was better up there today than down here in Somerset. I’ve looked up the summit and am surprised to see a Cafe so close to the peak. Was it open? 
73, Lea
And have to be entered into the database seperately (Submit Chaser/S2S Entry), assuming that you typed your log into the database, rather than uploading a file…
It’ll all make sense eventually 
Congratulations on a successful first activation! Hope you enjoyed it and will be back for more.
73 - Matthew M0JSB
I enter my log with DF3CB’s Fast Log Entry which supports SOTA so you can not only record your summit reference but also any S2S reference. Save as ADIF. A single upload to the SOTA database and the activator, S2S and chaser entries are all done. I then import the ADIF into Log4OM and upload to LoTW.
Richard
An interesting discussion …
As a fairly new ham myself, I had initially not realised that in general contest QSO’s count even if the QSO partner does not enter a log (where was that explained ?) - same idea as SOTA.
So when SOTA activators complain that the band is full of contest stations - either respond to CQ calls or call “CQ contest” yourself as well - you will probably get replies and they are valid for both sides.
Rick
I have done that sometimes Rick. The only challenge is working out what exchange they want
Its even more fun if you give the contest station a genuine signal report instead of 59 
