August 6&7 the airwaves will be busy with three activities involving SOTA. The Colorado 14ers event and the August UHF Contest, PLUS the Western North America Summit to Summit (S2S) Party. Let's focus some attention working Summit-to-Summit in W7, W6, VE7, and anyone else that cares to join.We hope to see many Western NA activations and want to facilitate S2S contacts.
This is the QRV/QRG approach we've used the past few years (thanks Phil-NS7P) -
* Top of the hour (1500z, 1600z, 1700z, etc.) activators can look for S2S opportunities on 40m (7.033 MHz and 7.195 MHz).
* On the half hour (1530z, 1630z,1730z, etc.) activators can look for S2S opportunities on 20m (14.063 MHz and 14.346 MHz).
* Just leaving your HT turned on to 146.52 could help you catch another Activator calling CQ!
Instead of CQ, one might call "S2S" on CW and "QRZ Summit-to-Summit?" on phone. This will be particularly helpful for those without data coverage on their summits. The rest of the time, activators can follow their normal operations and work anyone. Chasers could refrain from trying to work the summits during these S2S set aside times. The goal is much activity and more S2S QSOs.
Please post an alert if you intend to participate so we can look for each other - you can use W7W/xx-xxx or W7O/xx-xxx (use your Association reference) if you don't yet know the summit you'll activate. Note in the comment field that you are seeking S2S contacts.
More on the 14er event here: https://sites.google.com/site/ham14er/
and here: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ham14er/conversations/messages.
The August UHF Contest is for contacts on 222MHz and up - set your HT on the 446.00 calling frequency and you might get a contact on a new band. August UHF is organized by VHF clubs in 2016, more info here: http://www.augustuhf.org/.
See you on the air from a SOTA Summit!