Yeah that’s pretty clear!
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The problem is that only some of the 184 SOTA Associations are facing lockdown or serious restrictions. Furthermore such lockdowns and restrictions are subject to change with little or no notice. With so many Associations and so fluid a situation the MT stand little chance of keeping abreast of the situation worldwide, and blanket actions that affect Associations with no or minor restrictions would be unfair to them - and the chasers that can pursue them legitimately. However, the MT can fall back on the network of AMs who can be reasonably expected to know whether activations in their Associations are valid. The AMs can be circulated requesting their aid in this. Furthermore you can expect a sticky message as soon as the wording has been agreed.
Is there any official stance on this? I can see that sota want to distance themselves if people are blatantly breaking the rules by travelling out with their areas(5 miles in gm). People are needing an out, due to the current situation and radio is 1 of these. As mentioned previously it could help with mental health issues, so we should be supportive. Our governing body in the UK, the RSGB is running the get on the air to care campaign, which is encouraging radio usage. This is also running along side the “beyond the exam” scheme, which has new and returning users to do a sota activation. If we come across too offensively we will loose the people we are trying encourage.
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I seem to recall that last time round the “fishing” test was deemed relevant. I have no idea of the status of fishing in England currently. Can anyone help me with that?
25% more over the next 5 years isn’t it?
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{from The Independent] A statement released by The Angling Trust read: “Whilst the regulations have not yet been published we have been informed this evening by the Cabinet Office that the Government have taken the decision that fishing in England will not be permitted during this national lockdown period.
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And I believe your rule is quite clear? You may only exercise within 5 miles of your house. I don’t think many folk at all live within 5 miles of Carrountoohill.
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It’s not even 5m but 5km in EI.
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And a potential fine of up to €2000 now for repeated breaches of the 5km limit, that quickly concentrates the mind 
Dec
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The rules differ for different parts of the country. For example, in Scotland for tier 4 you can travel no more than 5 miles from the boundary of your local authority for either exercise or recreation. I certiangly have a summit within that area and climbing it is exercise and using my radio on it is recreation.
It seems quite clear. Regardless of the governments rules, we are being instructed by SOTA not to activate summits. Despite those rules explicitly being designed to protect the metal wellbeing of citizens and keeping them apart from one another at the same time.
Don’t get me wrong here… I fully encourage people to stay at home. But don’t be bullied or pressured into it, your mental wellbeing is also very important. Just stay away from people, look after one another, wash those dirty hands and stick to your local areas rules!
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Not quite. The MT merely require that activations conform to any lockdown or restriction rules that apply to your Association. Participation in SOTA must be squeaky clean.
In the case of England exercise is permitted but not recreation. Casual hand-held operation on any summit that can be legally accessed by the operator is probably just within the law, as would be using a mobile phone. The act of logging contacts into the database, though, defines this activity as recreational and therefore forbidden, in my opinion. Other Associations will have different or no limitations.
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I understand in England that it is forbidden, as you have quite rightly just pointed out, it is recreational which is illegal in England … But it’s not illegal in Scotland, yet SOTA are saying no, you will get your account locked if you activate? It appears to me that SOTA are not adhering to the law… It appears to me, that they are taking it into their own hands.
I will respect the request and not activate any summits, but I am fairly furious at the stance by SOTA. Especially when recreation and exercise are allowed to continue in Scotland within the travel limits because the Scottish government have deemed mental wellbeing to be critical during this lockdown.
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Steven, you are putting words into Andy’s mouth. He advises against activation, but locking of accounts would only be used if activations flout the local regulations. IIUC in Scotland you are not permitted to travel to a summit more than 5 miles outside your local area boundary. Any activation of a summit which does not conform to that rule will be deleted.
I repeat what I said above: The MT merely require that activations conform to any lockdown or restriction rules that apply to your Association. Participation in SOTA must be squeaky clean.
I don’t see how anyone could object to that.
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Brian, I don’t object to that. Of course I don’t… But I do object to being told I have broken covid rules that I clearly haven’t, which is what happened today. And my account was locked. Andy has since undone that lock but it was far from an apology.
Let’s just accept it was an error of judgement by SOTA. There was an over reaction here…
As an MM7, this was my first activation and another tick in my RSGB award scheme and I was made to feel like dirt for achieving it. Not the community spirit I thought I was coming into here…
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I had no part in that, Steve. I don’t know whether you had broken rules, or not, but would accept your word that you conformed to the restrictions as we all should. Don’t let this put you off SOTA, read the various threads and you will see that we are a strong, almost unique community. Fear of COVID 19 may make us a little strident, I’m 80 in a couple of weeks time and would like to get there, and later back on my beloved mountains. Caution is the name of the game for now.
Thanks Brian and a big congrats on turning 80 soon… Rest assured, I did indeed comply with the rules and I would never do anything but. I checked, double checked and triple checked before I set off. The summit (which is a nice easy walk) was just over 4 miles from my home and I went well prepared. I am a very conscious person when it comes to adhering to the restrictions and I undoubtedly agree that we should all be doing our part in this difficult time and that for the most part is achieved by staying at home and staying away from one another. And I must say… It’s one of the quietest walks I have had since the first lockdown as everyone is trying to get their legs stretched around the city parks, which are fairly crowded. One of the reasons I am so opinionated about this particular situation is because it was probably the safest I have felt outside in a long time (I only saw one other person during the entire walk) and it was undoubtedly within the rules for Scotland and my tier 4 area. Anyway, let’s not pipe on…
Have a lovely birthday and keep safe. And rest assured, the NHS is working really hard at trying to get that vaccine to you ASAP if you haven’t had it already.
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Hello Steven
I don’t know you and I’ve never worked you but I must say I find it odd that someone who has only ever done one activation (according to the database) this week is so aggrieved that they are not permitted to activate a summit and score a few points!
73 Phil G4OBK
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Yes Phil, Steven already said that.
Welcome to the SOTA community Steven!
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Hi Phil,
My issue is not about being allowed to activate summits or not, it’s about being villainised for sticking to the rules. I and anyone else who sticks to the rules should not be made to feel guilty for doing so by anyone. Covid is a stressful time for everyone and we all need to make sure we are looking after one another, but we also need to be looking after ourselves including our mental health and if a walk up a hill (within the restrictions of course) talking on my radio, or flying a kite or whatever else I decide to do is how I decide to do that, and it’s perfectly within the law (at least here in Scotland), then no one should be telling me/us off for that.
You do realise I was questioned by a SOTA admin, asked to justify how I was possibly able to activate within the restriction and my account was disabled after my first activation? As a new member to the group, it wasn’t the community spirited “well done” I was hoping for. Then when I explained my situation and the rules (I even provided evidence), I was then told again I still broke the rules, despite that being completely inaccurate. I think I was quite within my right to be slightly annoyed, don’t you?
I will add, the decision has been turned around and my account has of course been restored and the activation permitted now. I will put some of this down to catching the admin on a bad day and possibly he has been fending off many such emails and the stress of lockdown for all of us of course… (we are all human!)
I am going to draw a line under this now and stop replying to this thread though as I don’t want to hamper on. So, I wish you all well in the future with your SOTAs and radio activity in general. And please do stick to the rules as it’s more critical now than ever, which I think (though handled badly) was the message that the SOTA team were trying to portray loud and clear.
73
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Hello Steven
Thanks for your explanation as to why you felt so aggrieved. Its good to know that you checked and that you were within the Covid rules for Scotland in activating locally. I hope you are able to continue operating within the rules and activate more summits when it is permissible.
All the best, lets hope things improve for all of us sooner rather than later and we can get out on the higher ground again.
Phil G4OBK
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