As some of you know I like to maintain a blog of some of my radio adventures. Others do as well and many of us like to post videos and snaps here and on FaceBook.
We all bring our own style and bent to what we share but I’m curious what you like to see, read or hear after an activation.
Maybe it’s nothing and the event is consigned to history. Maybe photos suffice and narrative never gets read. Maybe the most compelling is a Steve WG0AT style video.
I’m interested to read your thoughts which I suspect we could all benefit from as authors and consumers.
What I like to see is where you started from, the route taken with the important grid references (better still, a GPX upload to the SMP if you used/saved it) a few photos and any problems or unusual happenings, unusual DX worked also. The logistics and time taken getting to the summit also. This information would help other activators who might visit the same summit at some future date.
I guess I would have to say I like videos the best. But I tend to key into information that is specific to the activation (antennas, radios, gear). I also appreciate videos that are on the short side and quickly to the activation. Some get a little long in the tooth, but that being said I enjoy all the presentations.
My contact with blogs seems to limited to the links posted on the summit information sites.
Hi Paul
Same here I try and update my blog after every activation. I have read many of the blogs out there and found a few don’t give the information that a new activator might need. Like Phil said , where to park/start from the route taken. Was it hard easy etc, anything to look out for maybe bogs, loose ground etc.
I personally have started to take my small drone and try and do a little video, I am not sure how this goes down but gave gas a few of my local club members say they like it.
Good luck with your blog.
Paul M0PLA
I enjoy seeing what others have been doing.
I don’t always read all the text, study all the photos, or watch all of the video, but I wouldn’t want anyone to taylor their content to my likes, as that would risk losing many of the most interesting / surprising / amusing bits!
Hi Paul,
Do whatever you feel happy with.
From my very start in SOTA, when I was still in Australia, I have written an article for every single activation I have made, covering the highs and the lows, the problems both on access and with equipment. I have created a standard template that I use in each article, which makes it easier to create the entry each time. I am guided by the template so that I don’t forget to cover something.
I always go and add a link to my write up to the summits page on the SOTA website, so that others intending to activate the summit can get some information about it.
If you want to take a look at the format I use, you can see all my write-ups at vk2ji.com or dd5lp.com (both references go to the same content).
There are two different categories of customers - activators and chasers. It is difficult to satisfy both in the same blog:) I saw different blogs, and all of them can be valuable if present topic in interesting manner. It depends from the writer’s skills and talents.
When I do a blog write up, it’s usually because of some cool/epic factor like an international trip, or to share a learning experience, I love to write/storytell, but am not a fan of the blog thing. Over the years I have included an image of my GPS track, but never the direct .gpx, profile might be worth adding, however of late, I include the GPS information directly on the SOTA summit reference page I feel that is more befitting that information. I like to upload some set of pictures, especially if I’m getting an epic sunrise, sunset, helicopter flying over, whatever.
I’m at best a casual blogger, but pertinent/useful information especially if I am hitting a zero ack peak I will post directly to the summit reference page.
I find it really beneficial when the writer tells me where to park, how long and difficult/easy the hike is, GPS tracks, if there is any wind protection up top, natural things like downed trees or rocks that work as a seat or table… all of this helps me plan what to bring when I activate that particular peak, along with the time commitment needed. Pictures of the peak and the trail really help. Pictures of all the peaks that can be seen in the distance are nice, but not very beneficial to my planning. The pictures of sunrises/sunsets are awesome, as they motivate me to get my butt in gear and plan another activation.
Now that I’ve opened my big mouth, that means I should be writing up my last several winter activations…
