SOTA/POTA/VHF Contest Portable Operation

[Jamey Finchum]

On Saturday, June 10th we’ll be activating Miller State Park (POTA KFF-2662) and Mt. Pack Monadnock (SOTA W1/HA-041) in Peterborough, NH. This is also the date of the ARRL’s June VHF contest!  Miller State Park does have an auto road up Pack Monadnock and there is a $4 fee per person.  There are picnic tables at the top if you would like to pack a lunch. I am thinking we should plan on arriving at 11:00 am and hopefully set up and ready to go by 12:00 pm.

This should be a great opportunity for a wide range of our members to get out and activate portable. With three activities going on we should have something to tickle your fancy. Below is a quick description of each activity with links for more in depth information.

SOTA is an amateur radio awards scheme for people who want to get out and operate portable from mountain peaks. A couple of important rules for SOTA are that you can only activate a peak once in a calendar year – so if you’re using your own call sign you won’t be able to activate Pack Monadnock again until 2018 – and you must operate separate from your car (nothing attached – antenna, battery, etc) and you cannot use fossil fuels.  You must operate battery, solar, wind, hydro powered. You may work all modes (CW, digital or voice) on all bands.

POTA (Parks on the Air) is much more lenient, as far as operating possibilities. You, or your vehicle, must be totally within the park and you can operate using fossil fuels (generator or car). Parks can be activated more than once in a calendar year and QSOs are cumulative for the park if you return. Here is a link to a quick description for getting started with POTA. You may work all modes (CW, digital or voice) on all bands.

ARRL June VHF contest begins on Saturday at 2:00 pm and runs through Sunday at 11:00 pm.  I have never participated in a VHF contest, but being on top of a mountain can only help!

In order to keep some organization to the activation I have created a dropbox file for members to sign up and list any equipment they would be willing to bring.

Let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, etc.

73,

Jamey KC1ENX

[Fred Kemmerer]

Hi Jamey,

Would it be OK if we turned this into an article so we can run it in our newsletter? Great post!

[Jamey Finchum]

Yes, Fred, that would be fine. Should I re-write it in the articles section or is there an easy way to just transfer it to an article?

73,

Jamey

[Fred Kemmerer]

I can transfer it for you. I’ll do this in the morning.

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

Good morning folks,

I will be attending the Sota / Pota event,

I will forward you a list of gear I will be bringing.

Thank you,

Al

KC1FOZ

 

[Nashua Area Radio Society]

I will be attending the sota/pots event. Still working on what equipment I will be bringing!

Thanks, Tom Walsh KC1GGP

[Jamey Finchum]

A quick reminder to everyone about our SOTA/POTA and VHF/UHF activation this weekend at Mt. Pack Monadnock in Miller State Park.

Right now the weather looks like it’s going to cooperate, but we will activate rain or shine! We will plan to set up at 11:00 am and hopefully be on the air by 12:00 pm. The VHF contest begins at 2:00 pm.  You can operate any or all of the different activations.

I would like to get an idea of who is interested in attending – you can come at any time and stay as long or short as you would like. Also, what equipment you plan to bring so that we can minimize any interference.

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

73,

Jamey KC1ENX

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