A long time ago I gave up on electronic logging for sota: it’s tricky when it rainy, it’s tricky when it’s sunny, it’s tricky all the time… But you cannot give up on using a computer if you want to make contacts in a digital mode. A few days ago, I wanted to try ft8 for sota using my Samsung tablet and ft8cn software. At home, everything looked great, but on the summit I could not see a thing due to a terrible screen glare. Please let me/us know how you cope with this problem.
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Adding to the problem list - frozen fingers in winter.
For the shade, the best solution I have found is very crude - a cardboard box to put everything inside out of sunlight and of course don’t face the sun.
73 Ed.
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An umbrella? Or perhaps a piece of black cloth draped over your head and the phone.
Someone on the reflector suggested a beer carton a while back, the KXBRCRTN is a must have accessory for the portable operator:
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There was a similar thread on the POTA Facebook group a while back, and cardboard box seemed to be the default answer there as well.
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When using a phone for logging and/or digital modes, I treat my phone similar to my radio. If it is raining then I don’t operate in the rain. I’ll hide away in a bothy bag, or if rain was anticipated, I’ll bring a small tent and operate in there.
If the weather is fine and the sun is out then I’ll seek shade under a tree, or position the phone so the display it is in the shadow of my body.
Perhaps I am fortunate here in VK3 that nearly all the summits I activate have plenty of space in the AZ and more often than not, lots of trees. 
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Turn up the screen brightness.
Or come to GW.
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Hi, Ed. As always, you are the one who comes first with the solution that, in the end, proves to be the best one. Thank you, old man!
Good suggestion, Ian. I’ll have to check out what they offer in my local burka store.
Carl, do you insist on using Molto Chiara beer box, or I can possibly use some other types? (BTW, I hope to have a successful ft8 operation in 10 days from Punta Martin summit in your own Maidenhead square, JN44.)
Thanks, Chris, for the confirmation that the brave new world over the pond still uses that old, proven cardboard box technology.
You must be a big boy, Peter. My body shade does not help much.
Good ideas, Pete, but associated with an increased use of energy and, as such, not very popular these days…
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There are android powered eink tablets and phones, and phone size readers
For someone who is serious about screen based operation, they might be worth considering as a specific device to have for field operation.
(Phones like the Hisense are probably a misery to try and use as your actual phone)
I have a stash of old netbooks that we fitted Pixel Qi reflective screens to, used on boats in the sun training rowers. Fantastic in the sun, but they stopped making them over a decade ago
(I saw all the display tech in that article at trade shows back in the day. There was some fantastic low power reflective, flexible screen tech, and fantastic prototypes using it, that never made it. Such a disappointment, but sadly people or the marketers who are abiters what we want, chose bright splashy colours over low power or anything else at all.)
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Hi Ed,
You may recall a decade ago I used a beer carton. It could be folded flat for putting in the haversack and was large enough to keep direct Aussie sunlight off my small notebook computer or FT817. I did post about it here then.
Fast forward to 2023. No longer able to climb most peaks and needing a bigger screen to be able to read the text I have gone for a larger screen computer and ditto rig.
I knocked together a plywood box with a shelf. The top compartment has been spray painted inside with matt black paint. Tho rest has been sprayed with clear enamel spray to make it shower proof
The rig goes on the bottom shelf.
It works best on a picnic table but most of my activations recently have been without such frivolous amenities so the box sits on the ground/rocks.
It works for me.
I will attempt to attach a pic of me with gear in the background. Antenna is a flowerpot for 10 m.
It’s not backpack portable except for hefalunks.
73
Ron
VK3AFW
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That track Ron, looks like a hefalunks track. Were you safe? 
Geoff vk3sq
Hi Geoff,
A walking pole sans basket can deter most hefalunks. I spotted one female but she went in the opposite direction. Location was Mt Arapilese. Famous for rock climbing and ancient Aboriginal art. And SOTA. And hefalunks.
73
Ron
VK3AFW
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All that finger touching causes our touchscreen smartphones to get a build up of grease and that exacerbates the problem of reading it in bright light. I find wiping the screen with a wetwipe prior to departure for the activation helps a lot. In bright sunlight on summit, I turn the phone to be in the shadow of my body for the duration.
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It all depends on your inclination to consume the contents, it’s the cheapest supermarket beer you can find here, so maybe good for sun shade, not so much for refreshment 
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Now, that’s a valuable piece of information. Thank you, Carl!
But it is a co-op product, so the price is right!
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I log on my phone in all weathers… exception is in heavy rain when I can’t keep the screen dry.
I solve the brightness problem by sitting so my body creates a shadow. I suppose that isn’t always possible, but somehow I seem to manage.
I’ve logged on my phone for in excess in 300 activations, maybe over 400.
I’m basically lazy… it’s so much faster to complete my log upload at the end of the day. So I put up with the small hassle of dealing with the screen.
Of course it’s personal choice.
Gerald
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That’s a useful tip! I might put a couple in my rucksack lid.
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