Summits on the Air in Canada, 14th Nov. 2009

Summits on the Air (SOTA) is where amateurs will venture to the top of regional high spots and operate with portable equipment.  This started in the UK and has grown across Europe and is now being established in North America. Ottawa amateur Martin, VA3SIE, will be activating Mont Ste. Marie, QC and Jean-Pierre, VA2SG, will be activating Apica, in the Saguenay, QC on the 14th November.  Martin will be using his KX1 for HF/CW and VX8R for VHF/UHF operation with APRS.  Martin’s new blog has links for tracking him on APRS.

I noticed an old friend of mine Tom, M1EYP will be activating Pendle Hill in Lancashire, UK. (Pendle is infamous for a group of alleged witches who in the 17th Century were put on trial at Lancaster – the local city to where I grew up). Tom is a friend from my active short wave listening days when we formed, with Chrissie Brand,  a regular meeting of Manchester members of the British DX Club.  Tom has some great details of his radio activities on his website including an excellent diary describing his walking of the Pennine Way with his eldest son,  including their radio operations (check the left hand frame on his homepage). Tom has an incredible interest in radio that extends from SWLing, to pirate radio and amateur radio.  He has an extensive QSL collection from broadcast stations around the world (again see the left hand frame of his homepage). (Good to see Tom, Chrissie and myself are all still active in the hobby of radio and writing about it on the web.)

Good luck to all the SOTA activations and listen for them if you are on the air on the 14th November.