/P ? KN
( KN is a prosign so sent as if one character)
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"With the ever-growing pileups (typically 20-40 callers) and the ever better “equipped” home stations, it became increasingly difficult for Activators interested in s2s to be heard by Activator colleagues. " This is the same situation in NA as you described very articulately here. In NA I often look for an opening between chaser call signs to send a quick “S2S” but typically I only get the “S2” out before the pileup. I like the EU “/p”. I think that is distinctive and could be shortened as others have mentioned to just sending “/”. Thanks for your thoughts on this topic Heinz.
73 Mike NS1TA
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Hi Bob
I am learning so much about the different operating protocols outside of NA. This is a great forum with great people and insight. I like the EU idea of using “/p” or even just “/” as its distinctive and can be quicker to send than “S2S”. Thanks for your input Bob! GL SOTA my friend!
73 Mike NS1TA
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… or you can bluff a bit by answering something more directly with “/p bk” - because according to the textbook, bk indicates an ongoing connection for the other chasers, i.e. they would have to wait.
Very often several stations announce their desire for an s2s QSO with /p at the same time. Therefore, after completing an s2s QSO, instead of calling cq again, you could continue with e.g. “nw /p bk”. If nobody comes up with that, then the stopped stations would definitely call you…
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Every day a school day! Thank you. I carry a bit of paper with suggested formats for a CW SOTA QSO but it needs updating to include S2S. 
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I have no problems with sending S2S. Have never bothered to send /P when on a summit as it is pretty obvious it is a portable operation.
Only bother to send /P when on camping trips and the like.
73, Wal VK2WP
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/ is heard all the time in Europe when stations operate in neighbouring countries.
Just a few examples of stations with / who happen to be SOTA but operating in a different country to home today.
16:09 DL/OE1UHU/P on DM/BW-058 (an Austrian station in Germany)
16:01 EI/G4AZS/P on EI/IN-084 (an English station on a summit in Southern Ireland)
15:34 OK/SQ9PPW/P OK/MO-014 (A Polish station in Czech Republic)
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Only to those who have access to SOTAwatch.
You quite often camp on summits too.
I always use /P when portable. Then I find at home without the /P people still ask me whether I’m portable. Yes I do go portable a lot.
73, Gerard - VK2IO
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I doubt your idea is good: for Germans as well as a number of other countries SS gets bad memories to 2nd world war.
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S/S has a nice flow to it. 
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As an North America activator - in CW, I prioritize S2S traffic over everyone else. When I have a pileup and think there may be an activator in there, I’ll call “S2S?” and if no response, then “OK QRZ?”. The NA activators often include “TU S2S” after summit refs are exchanged.
I don’t think SS would work, but S/S could.
I’ve had one new SOTA activator thinking I was calling SOS when I was calling S2S and he didn’t know what that meant.
VE7ESE
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