hi to all, just to let some of those who dont know, but sota is also on facebook, Redirecting...
we have 300 members who chat to one another, and also put photos on the site, this group is growing bigger and bigger,
your all welcome to join us,
steve (m0sgb)
Slovenian SOTA group on Facebook - S5 SOTA:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/121171391243439/
73, Milos S57D
In reply to M0SGB:
and a very friendly bunch they are too.
In reply to M0SGB:
I’d like to clarify that SOTA is not on Facebook. There is no official Facebook page and no official connection between SOTA and Facebook. There are SOTA activators and chasers who happen to use Facebook and some of these people have set up Facebook groups for people interested in SOTA. But that is an entirely different thing.
Now some may think that this is nit-picking but the MT have received emails from SOTAists who are concerned that there is an official connection and that their private data is now available in some way to Facebook for Facebook to monetise. It isn’t now and won’t be in the future.
The SOTA MT go to great lengths to ensure that the only information that is made publicly available is the information YOU have made public and anything private is kept so.
If you do Facebook and you do SOTA I’d guess you already know that there are assorted Facebook groups dealing with SOTA. If you don’t do Facebook by now it’s because you’ve decided you don’t want anything to do with Facebook.
Andy, MM0FMF
obo SOTA MT.
In reply to MM0FMF:
BARRR HUMBUG
May be it’s time you “MT” started one, then there would be no problem
Or is that just nit-picking
:-)Nigel
In reply to MM0FMF:
Thanks for that reassurance, Andy.
73, Richard
In reply to MM0FMF:
Thanks Andy. As a member of the Associated Union of Dinosaurs I want to have nothing to do with Facebook if at all possible!
It isn’t possible of course but there’s no harm in trying 
73
John GM8OTI
In reply to 2E0NHM:
In addition to maintaining and expanding the SOTA award scheme the MT provide a reflector which can be used for conversations whilst keeping an eye on “Spots” and “Alerts”, and also an active Yahoo Group. There really is no useful additional value that an “official” Facebook group could add to these facilities. This is not to denigrate Facebook, we acknowledge that its spontaneous social scene has many adherents and can provide a lot of fun, but the MT needs to maintain its focus and really sees no value in adding another group in competition to the already active scene. So, no, the MT will not start a group, the MT will instead concentrate on nurturing new Associations, and there are some super additions coming up soon - watch this space!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:Hi Brian
Thx for the up date
Nigel
In reply to G8ADD:
So, no, the MT will not start a group, the MT will instead concentrate on …
Aye, and thanks. There are only so many minutes in a day. I just about manage to keep up with this reflector. I think I’ll leave Facebook, Google plus, Myspace, Twitter, Yahoo and their ilk beyond the far end of that virtual ten metre SOTA pole I use for not touching things… 
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to M0SGB:
Steve,
My post of the 21 August 2009 refers.
73,
Frank
In reply to MM0FMF:
Hi Andy,
This discussion demonstrates that it is often difficult for people to draw the distinction between services operated by the “real” organisation owner and people operating unofficially under the name of an organisation.
It’s interesting that many large organisations have embraced all of these social media channels, often to ensure that they are not abused using the name of the “real” owner of the organisation. By opening official accounts the content can be controlled. I am not suggesting that there is any problem with the current unofficial Facebook pages, their use I am sure is entirely innocent and promoted by people who find Facebook a friendly way to communicate.
It is, of course, an overhead to manage something else.
(I work in IT for a large Financial institution with, shall we say, considerable reputational risk)
Gerald
MW6AQU
In reply to MW6AQU:
I didn’t know that any large financial institutions had any reputations left to risk!
To be more serious, Gerald, are you recommending that we open an official SOTA Facebook account to prevent spoiling tactics from mischiefous people, would this work without taking up too much time by a member of the MT?
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Which brings back the worry that people have about privacy. That is that in someway personal information will leak via Facebook’s notorious lack of privacy, ineptitude in implementing privacy measures and total contempt for any privacy you may find.
Remember there is no charge to use Facebook because Facebook’s services are not the product for sale. You are the product being sold.
Best to leave it to those who accept the “cost” of the free service to enjoy what it offers.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Hi Brian/Andy,
I’m sorry to say I’m not going to recommend anything. I was merely trying to highlight what is frequently seen as good practice in some circles.
Choosing to do this brings with it all the issues Andy quite rightly identifies. Not choosing to do it means someone else will and then you have no control at all. The “public” can’t see the difference between official and unofficial channels. Even in this thread that is clear.
There are tools available (and companies!!!) that will create accounts for you on every social network site that starts up just to avoid the chance that someone starts an “unofficial” account. If there is a market for it then someone thinks that service is worth paying for.
Maybe I’m paranoid… or maybe I’ve been working in IT Security too long!
If an unofficial group can attract 300 members that’s a lot of people to ignore.
Up to you folks! The joys of being on management committees (I’m on one or two for other organisations).
Gerald
MW6AQU
PS I agree Brian… reputation and Bank are not two words that go together…
In reply to MW6AQU:
If an unofficial group can attract 300 members that’s a lot of people
to ignore.
I find the suggestion that 300 SOTA participants are somehow being “ignored” by the MT rather distasteful and inaccurate. I suspect that all 300 are signed up to SOTAwatch and most are probably participants here. I see no reason why the MT needs to participate in, or even monitor, every SOTA discussion that goes on - irrespective of where it happens. Personally I would prefer them to be allowed to use their limited time for more pressing issues.
73
Richard
G3CWI
PS I suspect that Tom would be willing to monitor discussions about SOTA that take place in pubs (on an expenses only basis - paid by the participants).
SOTA’s a hobby activity. Hobby activities are quite likely to spawn groups here, there and elsewhere, and the number of possibilities is large enough that there’s no way the MT could begin to cover them. Better to make it plain where the official channel is, that other channels are not official, and expect folk to watch the official channel.
In reply to MW6AQU:
If an unofficial group can attract 300 members that’s a lot of people
to ignore.
I think it’s reasonable for the MT to expect the maintainers (at least) of unofficial channels to keep an eye on the official channel for relevant announcements, and if they need to bring something to the MT’s attention, to do so in the official channel.
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to G3CWI:
In reply to MW6AQU:
If an unofficial group can attract 300 members that’s a lot of
people
to ignore.I find the suggestion that 300 SOTA participants are somehow being
“ignored” by the MT rather distasteful and inaccurate.
Hello Richard, I’m afraid you have misinterpreted what I said, or it is I that did not make it clear.
I am not suggesting that the individuals are being ignored. My point was related to the issues of ignoring a medium that attracts a considerable minority of SOTA users and probably people who may not take part in SOTA. I would challenge your assertion that everyone in the Facebook group is also active on SOTAwatch, what evidence do you have for this? I have no evidence for the contrary by the way.
Do you know of any other “group”, other than official country associations, that has reached 300 members? I’ve no idea?
Anyway, I am very much on the fringe of SOTA, it is one of many activities I undertake. So I will bow out of this conversation having made my point, not embracing social media can be hazardous. Without wishing to appear melodramatic it has even been known to help topple governments and on a more relative scale has badly damaged brands.
Whilst I don’t wish to say that Facebook is “the enemy” I’d invoke the old adage “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”.
All on the MT do a fantastic job for no pay (on the contrary it probably costs you to do it) so I am not “having a go”. But all of us who want to see SOTA grow, myself included, have a duty to express ourselves in areas where we have either knowledge or opinions.
Gerald
MW6AQU
In reply to all:
Fascinating, this, but … I see there are already three times as many posts on the topic in this thread than have been posted altogether this year on the Facebook page referred to in the first post. (Unless I can’t drive Facebook, which is perfectly possible.)
Stir, stir, …
73
John GM8OTI
In reply to GM8OTI:
Possibly a driving problem: 19 posts here, 51 in the last year on Facebook, not counting comments on posts, and there may be more to find because I am a learner driver, too. My reaction paralleled the comment on Earth in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy…made me wish we could post pictures on the Reflector, though!
73
Brian G8ADD