It’s not always SOTA, but it often can be. Sometimes SOTA summits here in Bavaria have a castle on the top of them and those castles are listed in either the World Castle Award (WCA) or Castles on the Air (COTA) award schemes. I can find their reference numbers but can’t find the equivalent of SOTAWatch. Do these schemes not have their own spotting site/app?
Does anyone here know something about activating castles please?
73 Ed.
You cand find all on the GMA website, there are listed all summits, also with WCA references
DL2DXA
Thanks Bernd,
Yes, I know I can get the references there but can I spot activations there?
SMARTGMA App doesn’t seem to allow it - so where are the WCA/COTA spots being entered?
73 Ed.
I think you have to spot via the DX Cluster.
I know it’s not SOTA, but I spot via the GMA website and also on the DX Clusters (DXSummit/DXHeat). Besides the reference people also include WCA or for England: ECA/WCA for search purposes.
People may spot me on other clusters.
The World Castle Award WCA has several groups mainly organised by country. There is one in England, English Castle Awards https://englishcastlesawards.uk/ with a very close affiliation with English Lighthouse Awards: https://englishlighthouseawards.uk/ Files for England exist with the references that can be used with Google Maps. (Not that helpful in Germany of course).
Both of these provide some great free award certificate service for both Hunters & Chasers and organise an annual Cup challenge.
There are also very active FB groups:
The Official English Castles & Lighthouse Awards Group | Facebook as well as:
WCA - World Castles Award. | Facebook
Good luck!
73, Robert
Hi Robert,
I just tried in the SmartGMA App and it allows me to put a WCA reference in the ref field of a GMA Spot. So that option is not just for GMA summit spots but rather for any spot to be displayed on the GMA “cluster”.
Mario who has run the GMA website up until now has put a lot of work in to bring a portal together to display all “adventure radio” award schemes - so it makes sense that he allows COTA/WCA spots to go on there. Hopefully, the DARC when they take over the website, will continue this aim.
As you say I can also spot to the normal linked DX clusters.
But in conclusion to my original question, it seems there is no equivalent to SOTAWatch for COTA or WCA.
73 Ed.
Correct. No dedicated cluster for alerting/spotting like SOTA.
73, Robert
