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The SOTA Beams Challenge

 

 

What is it?

One of the objectives of SOTA is to encourage new people to enter and enjoy the hobby of amateur radio. The SOTA Beams Challenge aims to encourage young people to participate in the hobby.

..and the Challenge is?

The Challenge is open to UK-based activators, 18 years old or younger on 31st December of the calendar year. The objective is simple; activate as many SOTA hills as you can in the calendar year (1 January to 31st December). Each activation must be a scoring SOTA activation and must conform with the SOTA rules.

Star Prize!

The person with the most SOTA hills activated (uniques) will win a SOTA Beam SB270 (2m version).

Entering

To qualify entrants must send:

bulletlog entries showing dates, times, summits, modes, bands and stations contacted
bulleta signed statement that they were 18 or younger for the entire period (with date of birth)

Entries must be received at SOTA Beams before 15th January following the year of activation. Please see our safety note below.

The winner will be announced on this web site. Winners will be not be allowed to enter the Challenge another time. The decision of SOTA Beams will be final, no correspondence will be entered into.

2009 Winner - no entries

Disappointingly there were no entries for the 2009 SOTA Beams Challenge. A log with a single contact would have won the prize!

2008 Winner - Nathan 2E0OCC

Fourteen year old Nathan 2E0OCC is the worthy winner of the 2008 SOTAbeams Challenge. Nathan activated an impressive forty summits, starting in January and going right through to December. Nathan and his father Brian 2E0OYG travelled across the North West of England from the Northern Lakes down to the South Pennines to complete their mission to win a 2m SOTAbeam system.

 

 

Nathan's father assures us that he will be active again in 2009. Well done Nathan!

 

Nathan activates his fortieth summit in 2008 (Claiffe Heights)

2007 Winner - Thomas M3OOL

Fourteen year old Thomas M3OOL along with his dad Rick M0RCP started activating in February 2007. Dogged determination has kept them activating throughout the year with Thomas achieving 46 hilltop activations. They have become regulars on 2m FM and SSB in the Northwest of England and Thomas' win is well deserved! Well done.

Thomas wins a 3 element SOTAbeam complete with feeder support pole and guying kit.

Runner up - Timothy 2E0KEA (12). Timothy did amazingly well with 29 activations logged. Amazing? Yes, because Timothy is based in Suffolk - just about as far from any hills as possible!

A special mention must also be made for Jordan M3TMX who just missed out on a prize this year. Try again Jordan - see you in 2008.

2006 Winner - Jimmy M3EYP

Jimmy Read broke all previous records in 2006 with an amazing 84 summits activated. He combined this achievement with walking the Pennine Way - the UK's longest long-distance path. The picture below shows Jimmy on Cross Fell NP-001. Jimmy is now concentrating on Uniques. Great work Jimmy!

No runner-up this year - just one contact would have secured another entrant the second prize. Let's have more entries for 2007.

2005 Winner - Sam, 2W0UPT

Sam put in a great entry with 34 summits activated in 2005. Sam is 15 years old and lives near Chester giving him easy access to many summits. Well done Sam!

2005 runner-up was Nicola, 2E0DNB

Nicola comes from a SOTA family with dad M0SGB and sister M0DNC (winner last year) both keen participants in the SOTA award programme. Nicola activated 15 summits in 2005, narrowly beating Jimmy, M3EYP. Good effort both of you.

Nicola with her Waterlog

2004 Winner - Bobbie, M3DNC

Bobbie managed 24 activations between August and December - brilliant!

Bobbie with her new SOTA Beams equipment

 

2004 runner-up - James M3OZE. 20 Activations. Well done!

2003 Winner - Josh, MW3EPA

Josh managed to get in 14 activations done in 2003 making him a worthy winner. Well done!

13 year old Josh with his new SOTA beam and pole

*****Safety*****

WARNING - THE HILLS CAN BE DANGEROUS

The safety of activators must at all times be the first priority. Younger activators should not go into the hills alone but should always travel with an experienced adult. If there is any doubt about your ability to undertake an expedition safely, then you MUST NOT GO AHEAD WITH IT.

In participating in this challenge, activators and those accompanying them accept full responsibility for their own actions. SOTA Beams does not take any responsibility for accidents, death or other loss caused by participation in this Challenge.

 

 
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Summits on the Air Award Programme

The SOTA name and logo are used with express permission of the SOTA management team. The SOTA programme is a not-for-profit Amateur Radio organisation which is wholly independent of SOTA Beams and ECS Ltd.


SOTA Beams

89 Victoria Road

Macclesfield

Cheshire

SK10 3JA
01625-425700

E-mail


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