Countless times I’ve seen someone alert that they won’t have cell service and please spot. But they fail to list exact SSB frequencies for us to listen for them. Doh.
Elliott, K6EL
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Heh Heh! And if they do give a frequency, it turns out some “local” (Meaning USA)
ragchewers will be there for 2 hours blah blah blah… 20 over 9 !
K6YK moaning and groaning
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Maybe they should add “plus or minus 5Khz”? Sometimes when activating, my frequency gets hi-jacked by stations which can’t hear me. I move a bit and chasers still find me. I believe that’s what they call “operating pratice” 
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I don’t think it’s controversial at all. I am competitive in certain areas, but SOTA is not one of them. Since I am unlikely to achieve the rank of even the mountain goats left hoof print any time soon and when I do get out its usually to the same 1 pointers, I generally eschew the use of spotting (there are exceptions - 2m/70cm SSB for example). If someone spots me then that’s fine, I’ll work all that come along. To be honest, half the time my phone asks for the sotawatch password and I’ve forgotten it 
I guess that redoing summits and/or my activations run into the several hours duration, there is less pressure to “get the 4” , but it does lead to some longer (sometimes to the frustration of waiting chasers) QSO than just the 59 73 type
Ian
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Very true, Andy. SOTA was initially based on an on-line “Group” which could be used for Alerts and to a limited extent for Spots by chasers, but mobile coverage in the mountains was limited and also GPS was not generally used so activators needed good map skills. Basically Activators depended on Chasers to find them and put a spot on the group, and it took skill to find a weak activation on busy bands like 40m and 20m. Sotawatch was a great advance, making life easier for participants, but in some ways it reduced the excitement as it reduced uncertainty.
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Brian @G8ADD , Ian @G7ADF
Sorry I deleted my post above whilst you were in the middle of replying.
What I said is my opinion - but I’m a bit cranky at the moment suffering cabin fever due to my lack of activating in this recent very cold weather. I had second thoughts about my posting so much. New Year’s Resolution: I’ll spend less time posting on the reflector and try to get out soon even if it’s only a quick 2m-FM activation.
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