On this page, you’ll find some basic information about SOTA – Summits On The Air – and some practical advice to help you get started as either an activator or a chaser.
What is SOTA?
Summits On The Air is an amateur radio awards programme that encourages portable radio operation from qualifying hills and mountains around the world.
You don’t need to be a mountaineer to take part. If climbing hills with a radio doesn’t appeal, you can take part as a chaser, working SOTA stations from home, from your car, or while operating portable yourself.
There are qualifying SOTA summits in countries all around the world. Each summit has its own reference, such as G/SE-001, and is allocated a number of points according to the rules for that SOTA Association.
There are two main ways to take part:
- Activator – operate an amateur radio station from a qualifying summit
- Chaser – contact an activator from elsewhere
You can also combine the two. If you’re operating from one SOTA summit and contact someone on another summit, that’s known as a Summit-to-Summit contact.
What counts as a SOTA summit?
Not every hill automatically qualifies for SOTA. Summits are selected according to SOTA’s prominence rules and are listed by the Association responsible for that country or area.
Each qualifying summit is given a reference and a points value. Before planning an activation, check the official SOTA summit listing or mapping system to make sure that the hill is valid.
It’s also important to remember that a SOTA listing does not automatically mean that you have permission to access the land. You are responsible for checking access arrangements, local restrictions and your own safety before setting out.
Basic rules for a SOTA activation
There are detailed SOTA rules, but some of the main requirements are:
- The operating position must be within the summit’s Activation Zone
- The final approach to the operating position must be made without motorised transport
- You can’t operate from, or have your station connected to, a motor vehicle
- The station must use portable power, such as batteries or solar power
- You must operate within the terms of your amateur radio licence
- Contacts must be valid amateur radio QSOs with other stations
- You need four QSOs with four different stations to claim the summit’s points
One valid QSO is enough for an activation to count as an activation in the SOTA database, but four different contacts are required if you want to claim the summit points.
Always check the current SOTA rules before an activation, particularly if you’re planning something unusual.
What bands and modes can you use?
One of the attractions of SOTA is that there isn’t a single preferred band or mode.
Activators use:
- 2m and 70cm FM – particularly useful from summits with a good take-off
- VHF and UHF SSB
- HF SSB
- CW (Morse)
- Digital modes
On VHF and UHF, being high up can make a dramatic difference. Even a modest handheld and suitable antenna can cover surprisingly large distances from a good summit.
HF opens up the possibility of contacts across the UK, Europe and much further afield.
How much power do you need?
Not much.
Many SOTA activators deliberately use low-power radios because they’re smaller, lighter and consume less battery power. Five or ten watts can be remarkably effective from a good location, particularly on HF or using CW.
You can of course use the power permitted by your amateur radio licence, but carrying a large battery and high-powered radio up a hill isn’t always particularly appealing.
SOTA is often a good demonstration of the old amateur radio principle that location and antenna can matter more than transmit power.
What radio do you need for SOTA?
There isn’t one ideal SOTA radio. Your choice depends on what bands and modes you want to use, how far you’re walking and how much equipment you’re prepared to carry.
Popular options include:
- A lightweight VHF/UHF handheld for FM operation
- A compact HF QRP transceiver
- A portable all-band, all-mode radio covering HF, VHF and UHF
The classic Yaesu FT-817 became very popular with SOTA operators because it combined HF, VHF and UHF in a small portable radio. It has now been discontinued, but remains widely used and available second-hand, and there are plenty of newer portable radios offering similar capabilities.
The Yaesu FT-817 became a popular radio with SOTA activators
What antenna should I use?
The antenna depends largely on which band you’re using.
VHF and UHF
A handheld with its standard rubber antenna may work from a good summit, but an improved antenna can make a big difference.
Popular portable choices include:
- A lightweight beam such as a SOTA Beam
- A portable Slim Jim or roll-up antenna
- A small vertical antenna
A directional beam can be particularly effective on 2m SSB or when you’re trying to reach more distant stations.
HF
HF antennas used for SOTA are usually lightweight wire designs that can be carried in a backpack.
Common options include:
- Linked dipoles
- End-fed antennas
- Simple dipoles
- Vertical wires
- Loops
Telescopic fishing poles or lightweight fibreglass masts are often used to support the wire.
Power for a SOTA station
Your station must use a portable power source.
Rechargeable lithium batteries are now commonly used because they’re much lighter than the old sealed lead-acid batteries that were once popular with portable operators.
The amount of battery capacity you need depends on the radio, transmit power and how long you’re planning to stay on the summit.
Remember that cold weather can reduce battery performance, so allow some spare capacity for winter activations.
What else should you take?
The radio is only one part of a SOTA activation. You’re heading outdoors, sometimes into exposed or remote terrain, so basic hill safety is more important than making radio contacts.
Depending on the location and conditions, useful equipment may include:
- Phone and/or GPS
- Map and compass
- Suitable footwear
- Waterproof and warm clothing
- Food and water
- First aid kit
- Torch or head torch
- Spare batteries
- Notebook and pen
- Something waterproof to protect the radio and log
Don’t rely entirely on mobile phone coverage or Internet access. Some excellent radio locations have remarkably poor mobile coverage.
What is SOTAwatch?
SOTAwatch is the live activity part of SOTA and is extremely useful to both activators and chasers.
There are two important types of entry:
- Alert – tells chasers that you’re planning to activate a particular summit at roughly a particular time
- Spot – tells people that an activator is actually on the air, together with the frequency and mode being used
Before heading out, many activators put an alert onto SOTAwatch. Once they’re operating, they can post a spot themselves, or another amateur may spot them.
For chasers, SOTAwatch is one of the easiest ways of finding SOTA stations that are currently active.
Logging your SOTA contacts
After an activation, upload your contacts to the SOTA Database. Chasers can also log the SOTA stations that they’ve worked.
The database keeps track of your score and progress towards the various SOTA awards.
There is no membership fee simply to take part in SOTA. Registration for the online facilities is free.
SOTA awards
SOTA has awards for both activators and chasers.
The best-known include:
- Mountain Goat – awarded to an activator reaching 1,000 points
- Shack Sloth – awarded to a chaser reaching 1,000 points
- SOTA Uniques – based on the number of different qualifying summits activated or chased
There are also certificates at various points levels, and many operators simply enjoy building up their score without worrying too much about the awards.
How to make your first SOTA activation
Your first activation doesn’t need to involve a major expedition.
A sensible approach is:
- Find an easy qualifying summit using the SOTA website
- Check access, parking, weather and walking conditions
- Choose a band and take a simple portable radio setup
- Add an Alert to SOTAwatch before you leave
- Reach the summit and set up safely within the Activation Zone
- Find a clear frequency and start calling CQ SOTA
- Try to work at least four different stations
- Log your contacts and upload them to the SOTA Database afterwards
If you’re starting on 2m FM, you can keep things particularly simple. A handheld, spare battery, suitable antenna and notebook may be all the radio equipment you need for a straightforward local summit.
Don’t fancy climbing hills? Become a SOTA chaser
You don’t have to leave the shack to take part.
Use SOTAwatch to see which activators are on the air, tune to their frequency and try to make contact.
Chasers collect points too, and because activators often operate from excellent radio locations, they can sometimes be surprisingly easy to hear.
Chasing is also an excellent way to learn how SOTA works before attempting your own activation.
Video: SOTA Explained
If you’re looking to find out more about SOTA, take a look at the first episode of TX Factor. From about 12 minutes into the programme there’s a feature explaining SOTA and showing a typical activation.
Handy SOTA links
- Official Summits On The Air website
- SOTAwatch – current activations, alerts and spots
- SOTABeams – portable antennas and accessories
New to amateur radio?
If the idea of getting outdoors with a radio appeals but you don’t yet have an amateur radio licence, the UK Foundation licence is the usual starting point.
Essex Ham offers a FREE online Foundation training course to help you get started.
| Want more beginner guides? See our Getting Started Guides |
Thanks to Annie M6NHB and Nev M6FNR for asking about SOTA, and James 2E1GUA for suggesting this page.
How do you communicate with other hams that you are planning a SOTA event? We do numerous peaks here in Central Oregon. How do you communicate location, time, frequency etc.?