ARLA/CLUSTER: Programa SOTA na Australia

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

SOTA now active in VK2

Sunday 1st. September 10am local (UTC 00:00) saw the start of summits
being activated in the Summits on the Air scheme in Australia's VK2
(New South Wales) area.

This start coincided with Fathers Day in Australia and so there were
less activators and chasers present than may have been but there were
still enough stations active for several hours of interesting
communication.

The SOTA "activators" and "chasers" only got to know the previous week
that VK2 may be accepted into the award scheme on September 1st.
(having had its summits verified and accepted)and the final "green
light" only came on Saturday evening at 23:30 local.

Despite this those who have been preparing for some time for this day
managed to get passes from their families to be away for a few hours
and were rewarded with a beautiful first day of spring for their
efforts. Activators in VK3 (Victoria) and VK5 (South Australia) also
came on air either on mountain tops or at least out portable to take
part in the party as well. The third already authorised state (VK1 -
Australian Capital Territory) was almost empty of SOTA operators as
they took the short trip over the border into VK2 to activate some of
the new summits.
The VK2 "association" adds 1100 new Summits to those available in this
world wide award scheme.

As well as VK2 (New South Wales, Australia), VK4 (Queensland,
Australia), KH6 (Hawaii, USA), W5A (Alabama, USA) and K8O (Ohio, USA)
also went "live" on September 1st. This could be the most new
associations to join the scheme in one day, so far. Thanks to the UK
based Management Team for making this happen so quickly. The data for
New South Wales (VK2) association was only submitted one month ago.

73 Ed VK2JI
Hunter region of VK2 SOTA regional manager.