There isn’t a definition in the General Rules… but at 3.7.1 9) this expression is used to define the validity of QSO that count towards the total QSO needed to qualify for the point attributed to the summit.
73
Sandro
In reply to IT9PWM:
Hi Sandro,
the concrete definition of the activation zone is given in the Associations Reference Manual (ARM). For Italy you can find this information e.g. in the following document: Summits on the Air
“Summit operation criteria:
Operation must be within 25m vertically of the summit”
–
73 Stephan, DM1LE
In reply to DM1LE:
If you draw a closed contour line on the map at 25 metres below the height of the summit, all the area of the summit within that contour line is the activation zone. The station may be set up at any convenient point within that contour line for a valid activation.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to DM1LE:
mmm… if you are within the permitted Vertical Distance of the Summit, you are considered to be on the summit, so saying “QSOs with others within the same Activation Zone do not count towards the QSO total” would mean “QSOs with others
on the same summit do not count towards the QSO total”… that sounds quite obvious (at least for me).
I thought it was referred to same QTH locator, CQ zone or SOTA region…
What do you think about?
73
In reply to IT9PWM:
This rule sounds quite obvious to me, too.
But if this rule wouldn’t be documented, a “gang” of 5 activators could activate each and any summit easily, even with baby phones in their pockets with guaranteed success and without involving any chasers; and this would not be in the spirit of the SOTA programme. That’s my humble opinion.
On the other side, to disallow QSO’s between different summits in the same region would be far too restrictive, because there exists quite huge regions, e.g. OE/TI with several hundreds summits; and promoting summit to summit contacts is a goal of the SOTA programme.
73 Stephan, DM1LE