From the Archives Collection of QSL Report column in Monitoring Times
All content is under copyright from Teak Publishing and will be strictly enforced
Summit DXing for the Mountain Goats and Sloths
Summits on the Air (SOTA), is an award scheme for shortwave listeners and amateur radio operators, that encourages portable operation in mountainous regions. This is just not for mountaineers, but has been designed to make participation for everyone.
Awards include the activators (those that ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate at home, a local hilltop or are even activators on other summits. Each summit earns the activator and chasers a score which is related to the height of the summit. Certificates are awarded for various scores, leading to the prestigious Mountain Goat and Shack Sloth.
Activators need a radio station that is portable, and operation from cars is not allowed. All bands and modes may be used, and chasers need only a normal home station.
Many operators document their activities with a personal blog or website. One example of earlier expeditions is Mountain Adventures with a Radio http://www.gm4zfz.com/ .
SOTA Associations are operational in the United States, Ireland, Germany, Greece, Austria, South Africa, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Additional rules and regulations may be downloaded in PDF from the SOTA Documents page. For more details about Summit on the Air program, refer to http://www.sota.org.uk/
Islands on the Air (IOTA) promote amateur radio contacts in qualifying IOTA island expeditions. Electronic submissions are encouraged and is open to amateur radio and shortwave listeners. For additional information on rules, future contesting, latest IOTA DX Spots and more, consult http://www.rsgbiota.org/
All content is under copyright from Teak Publishing and will be strictly enforced
Summit DXing for the Mountain Goats and Sloths
Summits on the Air (SOTA), is an award scheme for shortwave listeners and amateur radio operators, that encourages portable operation in mountainous regions. This is just not for mountaineers, but has been designed to make participation for everyone.
Awards include the activators (those that ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate at home, a local hilltop or are even activators on other summits. Each summit earns the activator and chasers a score which is related to the height of the summit. Certificates are awarded for various scores, leading to the prestigious Mountain Goat and Shack Sloth.
Activators need a radio station that is portable, and operation from cars is not allowed. All bands and modes may be used, and chasers need only a normal home station.
Many operators document their activities with a personal blog or website. One example of earlier expeditions is Mountain Adventures with a Radio http://www.gm4zfz.com/ .
SOTA Associations are operational in the United States, Ireland, Germany, Greece, Austria, South Africa, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Additional rules and regulations may be downloaded in PDF from the SOTA Documents page. For more details about Summit on the Air program, refer to http://www.sota.org.uk/
Islands on the Air (IOTA) promote amateur radio contacts in qualifying IOTA island expeditions. Electronic submissions are encouraged and is open to amateur radio and shortwave listeners. For additional information on rules, future contesting, latest IOTA DX Spots and more, consult http://www.rsgbiota.org/
ARRL's Logbook of the World continues to expand their repository of amateur radio log records. When both operators participate in a one-on-one contact (QSO) and submit their records electronically to the Log Book of the Word, the results is a cardless verification, used for ARRL credit. With over 75 million operators, LOTW has been deemed a success by the worldwide community of DXers.
LOTW is open to all amateur radio operators, and applying for a digital certificate is the first step toward taking advantage of the system. Digital certificates authenticate the user's identity. For more information about Logbook of the World, go to http://www.arrl.org/lotw/
Amateur Radio
Canada VE1OTA (IOTA NA-154). 20 meters SSB. Full data color photo card. Received in 309 days for a SASE and $1.00US to: QSL Manager VE1VOX Dana Rushton, P.O. Box 1862, Truo, NS B2N 6C7 Canada. (Van Horn)
Colombia- HK3 JJH, 12 meters SSB. Full data black/white logo card. Received in 462 via ARRL. (Van Horn)
Honduras- HQ9R, 40 meters SSB. Full data tri color card. Received in seven days for a SASE to: Richard J. Wolf, 25295 Seventh Ave., Los Molinos, CA 96055. (Van Horn)
French Guiana
Radio France Internationale relay 5995 kHz. Full data letter from French Guiana, signed by Jean François LeCoeuvre. Received in 133 days for English report, applause card and local postcard. Station address: TDF SAS, Boite Postal 7024, 97307 Cayenne Cédex, ,French Guiana. (Joe Wood, TN).
Germany
Voice of Croatia, 7285 kHz. Full data color electronic QSL received via email in one day after several email noted as "returned mail." EQSL includes "Best Regards, Zlatko Kuretić". Original report emailed to glas.hrvatske@hrt.hr (Dan Malloy, WA)
Medium Wave
CHWO, 740 kHz AM. Full data 51st Anniversary card, signed by Brian Smith-QSL Manager, plus book marks and info sheet on the station's history. Received a large color certificate for participating in "two birthday challenge." Received in one month for an AM report and Canadian postage stamps (not used on reply). QSL address: ODXA, 155 Main St. North. Ste. 313, Newmarket ON Canada L3Y 8C2 (Bill Wilkins, MO)
CKEC, 1320 kHz AM. Full data verification on station letterhead, signed by Peter W. Lann VE1LAN-Chief Engineer. Received in 14 days for an AM report and SASE. Station address: 84 Provost St., Box 519, New Glascow, Nova Scotia B2H 5E7 Canada. (Eric Hopkins, Ayer, MA). Station now on FM as CKEC 94.1 (East Coast FM) Internet streaming audio http://www.ckec.com/
WSTJ, 1340 kHz AM. No data confirmation on station letterhead, signed by David Labounty. Received in 21 days for an AM report and SASE. Station address: P.O. Box 249, 1303 Concord Ave St., Johnsbury, VT 05819 USA. (Hopkins)
Sri Lanka, 1548 kHz AM. Full data QSL card with site noted, unsigned. Received in 13 days for CD report sent to Deutsche Welle in Germany, plus $2.00US. Two stickers and program schedule enclosed. New country for me-very pleased! QSL address: Deutsche Welle, 53110 Bonn, Germany. (Patrick Martin, OR).
UTILITY
Coastal Station- KLB, 12917 kHz CW, Seattle, WA. Partial data studio sheet with incorrect data. Received in 19 months for a utility report and $1.00US. No explanation why it took so long. QSL address: c/o WLO/ Shipcom LLC, 7700 Rinla Avenue, Mobile, AL 36619 USA. (Wilkins)
Non-Directional Beacons: YLJ 406 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card. Power listed on card as 15 watts. Received for a utility report $1.00US and a SAE. QSL address: Meadow Lake Airport, Atten: Mr Timothy Mckay-Airport Manager, Box 9000, Meadow Lake, SK Canada S9X 1V8. (Jim Pogue, TN)
ZHD 399 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card. Power listed on card as25 watts. Received for a utility report $1.00US and a SAE. QSL address: Dryden regional Airport, Atten: Mr George Friensen, 1012 Airport Road, Dryden, ON Canada P8N 2ZR (Pogue)
NORTHERN MARINAS
Radio Free Asia, 13625 kHz. Full data station logo card, unsigned. Received in 35 days for an English report to: qsl@rfa.org (Tom Banks, TX).
LOTW is open to all amateur radio operators, and applying for a digital certificate is the first step toward taking advantage of the system. Digital certificates authenticate the user's identity. For more information about Logbook of the World, go to http://www.arrl.org/lotw/
Amateur Radio
Canada VE1OTA (IOTA NA-154). 20 meters SSB. Full data color photo card. Received in 309 days for a SASE and $1.00US to: QSL Manager VE1VOX Dana Rushton, P.O. Box 1862, Truo, NS B2N 6C7 Canada. (Van Horn)
Colombia- HK3 JJH, 12 meters SSB. Full data black/white logo card. Received in 462 via ARRL. (Van Horn)
Honduras- HQ9R, 40 meters SSB. Full data tri color card. Received in seven days for a SASE to: Richard J. Wolf, 25295 Seventh Ave., Los Molinos, CA 96055. (Van Horn)
French Guiana
Radio France Internationale relay 5995 kHz. Full data letter from French Guiana, signed by Jean François LeCoeuvre. Received in 133 days for English report, applause card and local postcard. Station address: TDF SAS, Boite Postal 7024, 97307 Cayenne Cédex, ,French Guiana. (Joe Wood, TN).
Germany
Voice of Croatia, 7285 kHz. Full data color electronic QSL received via email in one day after several email noted as "returned mail." EQSL includes "Best Regards, Zlatko Kuretić". Original report emailed to glas.hrvatske@hrt.hr (Dan Malloy, WA)
Medium Wave
CHWO, 740 kHz AM. Full data 51st Anniversary card, signed by Brian Smith-QSL Manager, plus book marks and info sheet on the station's history. Received a large color certificate for participating in "two birthday challenge." Received in one month for an AM report and Canadian postage stamps (not used on reply). QSL address: ODXA, 155 Main St. North. Ste. 313, Newmarket ON Canada L3Y 8C2 (Bill Wilkins, MO)
CKEC, 1320 kHz AM. Full data verification on station letterhead, signed by Peter W. Lann VE1LAN-Chief Engineer. Received in 14 days for an AM report and SASE. Station address: 84 Provost St., Box 519, New Glascow, Nova Scotia B2H 5E7 Canada. (Eric Hopkins, Ayer, MA). Station now on FM as CKEC 94.1 (East Coast FM) Internet streaming audio http://www.ckec.com/
WSTJ, 1340 kHz AM. No data confirmation on station letterhead, signed by David Labounty. Received in 21 days for an AM report and SASE. Station address: P.O. Box 249, 1303 Concord Ave St., Johnsbury, VT 05819 USA. (Hopkins)
Sri Lanka, 1548 kHz AM. Full data QSL card with site noted, unsigned. Received in 13 days for CD report sent to Deutsche Welle in Germany, plus $2.00US. Two stickers and program schedule enclosed. New country for me-very pleased! QSL address: Deutsche Welle, 53110 Bonn, Germany. (Patrick Martin, OR).
UTILITY
Coastal Station- KLB, 12917 kHz CW, Seattle, WA. Partial data studio sheet with incorrect data. Received in 19 months for a utility report and $1.00US. No explanation why it took so long. QSL address: c/o WLO/ Shipcom LLC, 7700 Rinla Avenue, Mobile, AL 36619 USA. (Wilkins)
Non-Directional Beacons: YLJ 406 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card. Power listed on card as 15 watts. Received for a utility report $1.00US and a SAE. QSL address: Meadow Lake Airport, Atten: Mr Timothy Mckay-Airport Manager, Box 9000, Meadow Lake, SK Canada S9X 1V8. (Jim Pogue, TN)
ZHD 399 kHz. Full data prepared QSL card. Power listed on card as25 watts. Received for a utility report $1.00US and a SAE. QSL address: Dryden regional Airport, Atten: Mr George Friensen, 1012 Airport Road, Dryden, ON Canada P8N 2ZR (Pogue)
NORTHERN MARINAS
Radio Free Asia, 13625 kHz. Full data station logo card, unsigned. Received in 35 days for an English report to: qsl@rfa.org (Tom Banks, TX).