First SOTA Activation

Last Saturday, October 19, 2024, I completed my first Summits on the Air (SOTA) activation on Mt. Monadnock. Mt. Monadnock, in southern NH, is a 3,165 foot climb and is one of of the most visited mountains in the world.

A first SOTA activation was one of my 2024 Radio Goals. My son’s Scout Troop had a Venture outing to Mt. Monadnock’s summit as a practice hike for a Philmont trip scheduled next summer.

This Scouting trip was my opportunity to activate a summit for the first time.

In the photo below you can see me and Lexington’s Venture crew on our way to the summit with 25 lb packs as a practice for our summer trek in New Mexico.

To activate a SOTA site, operators must make at least four contacts within the activation zone of the peak

Summits on the Air

Summits on the Air (SOTA) is an amateur radio activity that promotes portable operation from mountainous areas. Activators climb designated summits and operate their radio equipment from these locations. To successfully activate a summit, operators make at least four contacts with other radio operators from within the activation zone of the peak.

I’ve been doing a lot of Parks on the Air (POTA) this past year. The SOTA program predates POTA. SOTA is arguably more popular gobally and is a little more challenging.

KH1 - built for SOTA

If there was ever a radio built for SOTA it was my KH1 radio. The KH1 is about the size of a Walkman and is a Morse code only radio with a power output of 5 watts. I secured my the radio in a Tufteln modified Pelican case to keep it safe in my pack and ready for the activation.

I didn’t have a lot of time to take photos at the summit. The Venture crew had a schedule to keep; I needed to get right to work. Once we got to the top, I took out my KH1 and began calling CQ - I had recorded CQ POTA message in the KH1’s memory banks beforehand. I also recorded a message relaying the summit’s reference number W1/HA-009

Busy airwaves

When I got onto 20 meters and scanned for a free frequency, the band was packed. That weekend was the New York QSO Party as well was Scouting’s, Jamboree on the Air. So it was difficult to find an open frequency on the band.

Before embarking on our hike, I set up a watch on the SOTA Watch website. If you set up a watch then when you start calling CQ with Mores Code then the Reverse Beacon Network, a network of stations listening to the bands and reporting what stations they hear, when and how well, will report your signal and list you on the SOTA Spots page so that “chasers” can contact you.

5 watts can go the distance

Here’s screenshot of SOTAwatch on my phone.

Here’s a screenshot of the reverse beacon network from my session on the mountain. 5 watts at 30 decibels over 890 miles is amazing.

What can the KH1 and Morse code on a mountain summit do with 5 watts? How about 890 miles received at 30 decibels?

Four contacts for the win

I had about 30 minutes to make four contacts to officially activate Mt. Monadnock, SOTA reference W1/HA-009. And I was just able to do it. I found an open frequency and made four quick contacts. I tried to get more, just in case a “busted” a call sign and misheard one. But four was all I was able to get and four was all I needed for a successful activation.

Two contacts were a husband and wife team in Kansas City, one contact was activating a POTA park in Canada and my fourth contact was a New Hampshire local.

Thank you to all of the “chasers” who answered my call and helped me activate Mt. Monadnock

Here’s my log from the activation. My handwriting is awful when I have a stable surface so don’t blame the KH1 logging tray for my horrible penmanship.

Moving forward with SOTA

Mt Monadnock is beautiful. I highly recommend the trip. I look forward to many more SOTA activations.

This summer I’ll be hiking with my son in Philmont. I’ll be bringing my KH1 radio with me. Although Philmot isn’t a SOTA or POTA site. I hope that I’ll connect with you on the airwaves.