SUMMITS ON THE AIR.
Summits on the Air (SOTA) is an award scheme for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas. It was an original concept by John G3WGV and developed with Ric G3CWI.
SOTA has been carefully designed to make participation possible for everyone. The program is not just for mountaineers.
There are awards for activators (those who ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate from home, a local hilltop or are even Activators on other summits).
SOTA is now fully operational in many countries around the world. There are 212 active associations (as of June 2025). This includes associations here in Australia (VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, VK8 & VK9m Heard Island, and Macquarie Island).
Each country has its own Association, which defines the recognised SOTA summits within that Association. Each summit earns the activators and chasers a score that is related to the height of the summit.
Certificates are available for various scores, leading to the prestigious "Mountain Goat" and "Shack Sloth" trophies. An Honour Roll for Activators and Chasers is maintained at the SOTA online database.
SOTA has been carefully designed to make participation possible for everyone. The program is not just for mountaineers.
There are awards for activators (those who ascend to the summits) and chasers (who either operate from home, a local hilltop or are even Activators on other summits).
SOTA is now fully operational in many countries around the world. There are 212 active associations (as of June 2025). This includes associations here in Australia (VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, VK8 & VK9m Heard Island, and Macquarie Island).
Each country has its own Association, which defines the recognised SOTA summits within that Association. Each summit earns the activators and chasers a score that is related to the height of the summit.
Certificates are available for various scores, leading to the prestigious "Mountain Goat" and "Shack Sloth" trophies. An Honour Roll for Activators and Chasers is maintained at the SOTA online database.
SOTA GENERAL RULES.
Below are the SOTA General Rules in PDF format (updated 1st June 2022).
| sota-general-rules-june-2022__1_.pdf |
SOTA PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL.
| sota-leaflet-2016.pdf |
| sota-vk_brochure_copy.pdf |
SOTA IN AUSTRALIA.
SOTA in Australia commenced as follows:
Victoria (VK3) - 1st February, 2013
South Australia (VK5) - 1st October, 2012.
ACT (VK1) - 1st February, 2013.
New South Wales (VK2) commenced -1st September, 2013.
Queensland (VK4) - 1st September, 2013.
The following is a list of VK Associations, their Managers & the dates they came online:-
Victoria (VK3) - 1st February, 2013
South Australia (VK5) - 1st October, 2012.
ACT (VK1) - 1st February, 2013.
New South Wales (VK2) commenced -1st September, 2013.
Queensland (VK4) - 1st September, 2013.
The following is a list of VK Associations, their Managers & the dates they came online:-
- VK1 - Wade VK1MIC (1st February 2013)
- VK2 - Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH (1st September, 2013)
- VK3 - Wayne, VK3WAM (1st February 2012)
- VK4 - Grant VK4JAZ (1st September, 2013)
- VK5 - Ian, VK5CZ (1st October 2012)
- VK6 - John VK6NU (1st September 2014)
- VK7 - Justin VK7TW (1st October 2014)
- VK8 - Jack VK2AXL (1st March 2014)
- VK9 - Wayne VK3WAM (1st May 2013)
SOTAWatch3.
SOTAwatch3 is the spotting and alerting facility for the SOTA program.
SOTA MAPPING PROJECT.
The SOTA Mapping Project (SMP) is a website offering mapping resources for radio amateurs participating in the SOTA program.
It aims to provide comprehensive mapping information in graphical form based on Google Maps on summits included in the program, for participants in the program as well as for the general user.
It aims to provide comprehensive mapping information in graphical form based on Google Maps on summits included in the program, for participants in the program as well as for the general user.
MY SOTA OPERATING PROCEDURES.
It is often hard trying to get through to SOTA activators if you are running QRP, or if you are activating from a SOTA peak yourself. Often, signals get drowned out by the 'big guns'.
So I try to develop the following operating practice when I am out in the field.
- call for any SOTA activators. Summit to summit contacts
- QRP stations.
- portable or mobile stations.
- DX
- stations who can hear me, but with difficulty
- anybody else.