In reply to MM0FMF:
I agree, Andy, I see WOTA as particularly relevant to lovers of the LD, wherever they are, those who can only make occasional visits will be pleased to work the lucky activators and have pleasant memories of the summits, but the chief source of WOTA enthusiasts will probably be drawn from the ranks of SOTA…and by combining the two schemes some crackingly good days out will become possible, with more wear of boot rubber and less wear of tyre rubber!
73
Brian G8ADD
Indeed Andy. SOTA and WOTA can be mutually beneficial and have a harmonious relationship. Julian has devised a very feasible scheme, and provided good quality web resources to sustain it.
I look forward to watching Julian’s project develop and wish him every success with it.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to G4ILO:
Congratulation on the launch and website Julian. I don’t see any particular conflict with SOTA in what you are doing. You have a significantly different slant - and naturally you have “adopted” the core rules of SOTA 
I feel that your DIY approach is a great way to ensure a variety of awards rather than expecting the SOTA MT to change the unique identity of SOTA every time someone comes along with a new “great idea”.
Although SOTA sets a high standard for its premier activator award (it is surely unashamedly a hard award to achieve), the more basic levels of the award are possible for people with widely varying fitness and commitment. For example I note with interest that one SOTA activator, who has in the past described himself as having significant disabilities, already has over 250 points.
Actually, your own award is, in one way, arguably more difficult in that 214 activations (all on different hills) are required. I imagine that for it to take off, you will need to encourage people to use your own spotting and alerting facilities when participating in WOTA. Building up that support will be difficult I suspect.
I’m looking forward to developments with another UK “Adventure Radio” award that is apparently going to encompass more than just hilltops. I am not sure who their management team is but their web site seems to be a sort of “watch this space” page.
Good luck!
Vy 73
Richard
G3CWI
In reply to M3LMP:
Day off school today Morgan?
73
Richard
G3CWI
In reply to G3CWI: Thank you for your comments, Richard. Yes, it will be quite a challenge, even just to climb all 214 Wainwrights never mind get 4 contacts from each of them. But it is early days yet. Perhaps awards for completing all the summits in each Wainwright book could be offered. The site will also start to display league tables showing the top activators etc. once there are some contacts in the logs, so there are more than just awards to compete for. I am hoping to attract some new interest from people who may have felt that SOTA is too ambitious for them. It will probably take time for such people to become aware that WOTA exists, so I expect it will get off to a slow start with mainly SOTA activators willing to try and make some contacts from other tops on the way, to start with.
The need for those interested in both schemes to use two separate spotting and alerting systems is a bit of a nuisance, which could become even more of an inconvenience if even more adventure radio schemes spring up as you are suggesting. The solution to that might be an award-independent spotting system similar to the DX Cluster, where users could put in filters according to the awards they are pursuing so they receive just the notifications they are interested in. One system for all programmes. The only real obstacle to that is the willingness of the teams behind each programme to co-operate with one another. I’ll put it on record now that I’m open to co-operation.
In reply to G4ILO:
The solution to that might be
an award-independent spotting system similar to the DX Cluster
Julian
The DX Cluster is already there, is hugely popular, and is widely used for a large variety of awards (not all DX related). I assume that you could develop a client that could filter WOTA spots if there was suitable data in the comment field? In that context it would seem sensible to make use of an existing general facility rather than develop a whole new infrastucture!
SOTA spots already regularly crop up on the DX cluster and I know that many SOTA chasers monitor it.
73
Richard
G3CWI
Good for you Julian.
pity this wasn’t around a while ago. I have been trying to complete the full set of 214 in the Lakes, not far of now, I have 30 to go. Quite a few have been with radio, but only using a self imposed “two to qualify” rule. I now have a new reason to carry on, and start from zero again…
Good luck with the venture.
73
Tim
G4YTD
In reply to G3CWI:
Yeah Richard, I had a day off with my Dad because its his birthday today and we went on a hunt for me to shoot my first Sika Stag, and I managed to get one, a nice 8 pointer, yippeeeeee.
see ya
Morgan
M3LMP
In reply to G4ILO:
I wish you luck Julian and have myself signed up to the scheme, i have not yet tried to load the spotting page on my mobile phone and will see how it goes.
DX cluster self spotting or being spotted on a cluster by someone else can be a very useful tool and it is something i use when portable in fact im helping a club this evening in the local hills (Macclesfield). That is of course if they need any help but it nearly always makes a difference.
I find spotlite to be the best spotting tool from a mobile phone yet that i have used unfortunately its only for SOTA!
Looking forward to its launch and to what i can hear on VHF from my QTH. Sean M0GIA
In reply to G3CWI: Thanks, Richard. Perhaps that’s something to look into. As always I will be guided by the wishes of the participants of WOTA, in the interest of encouraging people to have fun with radio in the Lake District. If they think it would be useful, I will try to find a way to do it (or someone else who knows how to do it!)
In reply to G4YTD: Thanks, Tim. I look forward to helping you get 4 contacts from any of the Wainwrights in the future.
In reply to G4ILO:
“Perhaps awards for completing all the summits in each Wainwright book could be offered.”
“As always I will be guided by the wishes of the participants of WOTA, in the interest of encouraging people to have fun with radio in the Lake District. If they think it would be useful, I will try to find a way to do it (or someone else who knows how to do it!)”
A most admirable attitude towards the participants of the scheme Julian - you are obviously listening. That alone should guarantee its success.
73, Gerald
In reply to G4ILO:
Congratulations Julian on an excellent new portable amateur radio programme being created in such a short time which I’m sure will be enjoyed by many participants over the coming years in their endeavour to complete all 214 Wainwrights. A programme that will run alongside the current SOTA programme, while offering a reduction in the carbon footprint and emmissions through less miles driven to achieve the common goal for those interested in portable activations and in particular activating the Lake District summits.
With the commencement of the scheme being today, M6SDR will be activating the first WOTA summit of the programme being LDW-094 Caw Fell on 2m fm, QRV time 1230 hours.
I’m sure all members of this forum will be actively listening out for him and will support the activation. Good luck to WOTA…
73’s
Ian 2E0EDX
In reply to G4ILO:
I wish you well, and every success. 73 mike
In reply to G4OIG:
Since Sep of 08 my personal goal has been to activate each Wainwright summit, book by book and in strict alphabetical order. To date the whole of Book One has been completed and the next summit in book two is Caudale Moor. Just a personal goal nothing more nothing less
My two granddaughters, who live in lakeland, completed all of the Wainwrights before their 7th birthdays. Their brother is on course to complete them all before his 6th birthday in June this year. I feel rather inadequate!
73,
Frank