My goals are much less ambitious! Having now completed all (7) summits in G/DC I will make a start on the G/SC summits. This will be more of a challenge as there are 12 of them!
I’m planning on a trip to Spain next year and hopefully will attempt a few unactivated summits having managed one in France this year.
But I will also try and expand into HF the “4 modes” activations which I have managed twice on 2m. On VHF the 4 modes were FM, SSB, CW and Digital. I had thought for HF the FM mode would have to replaced by AM but I’ve recently discovered there is FM activity on 10m so with increased sun spots this may be worth trying. I will probably use a 10m delta loop for this which has the feedpoint set to give vertical polarisation but this can be changed to horizontal if that would suit folk.
I had my busiest ever year for SOTA this year with 162 activations. The highlight was probably the Indian summer I enjoyed in DM/BM, just a perfect way to end the season. However, whilst I was there, I decided to do something very different next year. I decided to cross the Pyrenees for SOTA. I first did the Pyrenees High Level Route in 2003, so it will be exactly 20 years since my first crossing. Unfortunately, I’m carrying a bit more weight than I did 20 years ago, so most of my preparation will involve shedding about 14kg to get in proper physical condition. I will still be out and about at weekends, but staying much closer to home. I already have all the gear for the crossing, my pack weight is about 9kg without food and water, so a lot lighter than 20 years ago. Having done the route before is a big advantage, as I know where all the post offices are. Hopefully, the maps are still at my sister’s. The planning tools are much better as well. I just hope my knees hold out.
73 de OE6FEG
Matt
Well … having completely failed to achieve my SOTA goals for 2022, I guess I might as well roll them over!
Activate all 71 Central Otago District SOTA summits (Just a district - ZL3/OT region has 521 summits - so competing a region is a wee bit challenging in ZL)
Activate the ZL3 001s that do not require high levels of mountaineering skills: ZL3/SL-001, ZL3/TM-001, ZL3/MB-001, ZL3/OT-001
Of those 2 goals in 2022, I managed:
53 out of 71 Central Otago District summits to date
Only activated ZL3/SL-001 of the 4 001s I intended to bag for 2022.
In compensation, I took on a new field-based wildlife management job that has seen me covering and average of well over 20km and 1000 vertical meters per day, and taken me into some amazing new country (and even over a few new SOTA summits). The downside is that after a week away working backcountry it’s hard to justify disappearing at the weekend to play SOTA.
So no pressure in 2023 - let’s just see what happens.
Perhaps 2022 has been a year that will be unrepeatable for me with over 110 activations for 553 activations points, 33 new peaks, over 2600 s2s for 13000 points(always get on different summits) and more. For 2023 I would be happy to score at least 500 activations points, climb at least 20 new peaks, make 2500 S2S and exceed 40,000 total s2s points. We’ll see…
In the meantime, thank you all, activators and chasers, for this excellent 2022!
73 Fabio
Good to see several people nominating licence progression in their SOTA goals for 2023. Operating abroad for SOTA is a brilliant experience, and (for me) the greatest possible incentive for getting that Full licence.
(Yes, I know I am so elderly as to have gone straight in with a Full, before the 3 tier system - but I’ve seen first hand the incentive it has been for @m0hgy - and the joy of the subsequent rewards).
Hello All, my SOTA goal for 2023 is activating the four Belgian on/on-0* summits to acquire at least 100 activator points and hopefully make it to Mountain goat in my lifetime. Because we live in the Netherlands PA region (2 summits) and travel is not getting less expensive in the upcoming years, i am doubtful about the MG status but never giving up. Even by doing a 2 week 1200 Mile round-trip to Austria in winter time will not yield a substantial amount of activation points for MG. I will try to get to full HAREC/extra status in 2023 and possibly get to activation of some summits in the UK. That is a nice sub-goal for 2023. From the heart of the kingdom of the Netherlands. A warm and joyful Christmas and a very good and lots of activational chasery new year!
Hello All
As a newcomer to the SOTA community as well as to the ham hobby, I hope to achieve simple first steps in 2023.
Move to Full HB9 license in order to reach to you on 20, 30, 40 and 60m
Achieve at least one CW activation
Actively take part to the welcoming HB9SOTA community
and bonus would be…
to take my daughter (6 year old) once with me on a summit to “talk the other friends who does radio on the mountains”. That’s how she looks at it for now
My objectives:
Continue to take pleasure in contacting activators, accompany the friends in their summits ascents and encourage young Ham radio to join the Sota program to ensure the succession.
Happy Holidays to all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2023 !
73 Chris - F4WBN
Your on holiday and still thinking of SOTA I love it! hahaaa.
Wow Martin - your 3rd goal will be challenging! Although flying to different countries to activate un-activated SOTA summits is most probably cheaper than driving all over the UK to operate, especially with current fuel prices!
I hit my goals for 2022 which were to reach Mountain Goat status, complete GW, do one CW activation and hit 200+ unique summits. My goals for 2023 follow:
My goal for 2023 is to activate new summits for myself, revisit familiar mountains and hear you all again in many QSOs. The SOTA community is just great.
Well I thought I’d better start with how last years went … I managed to get to 500 points, and I did manage one complete region (G/SB) even if it wasn’t the one I wanted to complete…I’ve also retired and seem to be busier or perhaps I’m just getting a bit more picky about the weather… I also passed 1000 S2S (1091) and now have 63 completes…and …erm… a second spaniel.
So 2023 targets … continue to enjoy SOTA and keep the knees in one piece so I can keep going…
440 points to goatdom… starting to look possible but probably a bit optimistic so an early 2024 target
100 completes would be a nice challenge and would involve newer hills and probably returning to Wales for the first time in years…
All G/NP (again only three to go but one is a no dog summit so will need my daughter to help with dog management…) … All G/LD (Possibly except Swinside which I believe is awkward…) and. …
a first activation…although I probably need one better weather as I don’t fancy travelling on a Cal-Mac ferry in a gale…(again this may well be wishful thinking)…and to keep hearing from everyone else who is addicted… 73. Paul
great goals to look forward too!
