In reply to M0IBC:
Am I missing the point here? Is the Sotawatch website intended for
spots of activating stations or to let the activators know that you
cannot hear them? Surely this is wrong and should not be used as a way
of means in contacting the activator that “conditions are poor and I
cannot hear you”.
Dave, no you’re not missing the point.
Spots should be, as you say, station W1XYZ is now on summit X/YZ on 14.321.
The fact that the page becomes a bit of a chat room at times can take away some of the clarity and usefulness for a chaser I find.
As a chaser, a simple spot is more often than not all I need. I tune around and listen. Can I hear the station? Yes - call them. No? Listen and tune around some more and then move on. The fact that someone else can or cannot hear them, with or without a garnish of QRM, makes absolutely no difference to my reception capabilities. If I can’t hear them, I can’t work them - period.
There can be the odd gem of info however. Yesterday we could have studied how weaker signals became more readable with QSB (33 - 51 QSB), useful info for those running QRO to reduce power.
As for a method of contacting activators - the vast majority of activators will never see the spot, they have better things to be doing than checking Sotawatch from a mountain top!
Never mind Dave, you can now put your soap box away for another day.
This time you have got away lightly.
When I dared suggest that people don’t post QRGs where the activator is NOT operating:
If there’s one thing that irritates me its people who request changes of frequencies by spotting an activator on a new QRG with a comment along the lines of “Can you do 20m/SSB too?”
I was told that my post was “Arrogant and dreadful”!
So there you are freedom of speech as long as you toe the party line.
I just let it go. I made my point, many others agreed, but some took it a bit too personally.
So I’ll complain no more.
Now shall I start a thread on my dislike of self appointed net controllers and frequency police?
Enjoy
Pete (who really ought to get out on the hills)