What is SOTA ?

Welcome!

You probably landed on this page because you saw me on a mountain and scanned a QR code for more information. I was busy with my radio equipment and sorry that I couldn’t take enough time to explain to you what I was doing there.

I'm a radio amateur, my call sign is ON7DQ, and most likely I was communicating with another radio friend somewhere in the world.

Maybe you just were curious: "What is a fishing rod doing on a mountain top?"

The fishing rod you saw is part of my antenna system. It keeps a thin wire up in the air, and with that “antenna” I can contact other radio amateurs with Morse Code, or just by speaking into a microphone.

Why not just use a phone, or Skype or WhatsApp ?

Because it’s fun ! And also because it is independent of any phone network or the internet.
It runs on batteries, so it even works when there is a power failure.

Because of those batteries, the power of my radio is limited, something between 5 to 10 Watts, not much more than a classic bycicle light. Despite the low power, contacts all over Europe are possible, and with some luck,  even with other continents. It depends on the time of day, the activity of the sun, the so-called “radio weather”.

Is the reception on a mountain so much better ?

Most of the time it is. Not just because of the height, but also from the fact that there is less interference from electronic devices like at home.

But that alone is not the reason why someone carries their radio equipment up a mountain. It's also about the joy of hiking and being in the open air. In addition, the cultivation of friendships, because many "mountain radio operators" have known each other for years.

Mountain hiking + radio = SOTA = Summits On The Air

It  is an outdoor variant of the hobby of amateur radio.

Radio amateurs carry their radios, batteries and antennas up a mountain and from there make contact with friends who are waiting for their mountain mates either on another summit or at their home radio station. 

Rules of the game:

1) Caring for nature is an integral part of SOTA! We never leave anything on a summit but our footsteps.

2) The radio must not be connected to the mains power or a fuel generator, or be operated from a car. It must be a true “portable” station. 

3) The station on the summit and those who make radio contact with it receive points for it.
The achievement of 1000 points is considered a significant milestone and is often celebrated in the community. Finding the correct position of the summit often involves the use of a GPS like in Geocaching, where one can also collect points.

Who invented this SOTA game?

SOTA was launched in March 2002 by radio amateurs in England and Wales. There are now more than 10,000 radio amateurs worldwide who share this hobby. 

See http://www.sota.org.uk

 Thank you for your interest!