People who wish to receive the PNW SOTA Newsletter

K7ATN's picture
Etienne Scott
W7O/WV

Although I've had my license for forty years, I had not been active for thirty-five - until I learned about SOTA. As an active hiker/climber/skier, more opportunities to take me to places I would never think of going has made combining two favorite things into a fantastically fun activity. Any 'home' station I have is just about as temporary as the ones I set up on a peak. And a final word - Chasers Rock!

AI7OV's picture
Chris Lahoda
W7W

I am an avid PNW hiker for the last 20 years. I just got my license in 2021 and have started trying to participate in SOTA in 2023.

So far I have only activated Squak mountain. I look forward to many more activations in the KG area and beyond!

KK7DAK's picture
Jeff Cowan
W7O

Ham'd up in 2022 with a General and looking to explore POTA and SOTA in the PNW.

None so far. Still assembling my kit.

W7MTB's picture
Chris Johannsen
W7O

I'm a reforming software engineer, trying to return to the infrastructure and network engineering world. Been tinkering with electronics/arduino/RasberryPi on and off for a while.

Started watching Ham Radio Crash Course and got hooked on the idea of SOTA/POTA. Been reading/watching lots of youtube on the subject.

KN0MAP's picture
Dan Huber
W7O

Semi retired gov't computer mapping guy. Active in ARES and field communications. Born in the PNW (Renton), grew up in N. Idaho, moved around a lot in the military, landed in Colorado. Love all things out of doors.

(EDIT:) And now live in Millersburg, OR

Recent transplant to W7O land. Hope to knock out as many of the coast range summits as possible.

N7KOM's picture
Tim Sherry
W7O

Mountaineer / cyclist

SOTA by bike, ski, foot, and truck.

KK7KDJ's picture
John Noren
W7W

Outdoors oriented

Just getting started.

NE7ET's picture
Jarod Eells
W7O/WV

Portland-area software engineer for the last 27 years.
Recently, got back in to ham radio after a decade or so lapse.
Interested in homebrewing circuits and trying out new antenna ideas.

Just getting started with SOTA. Was able chase a few contacts last week. I enjoy hiking, backpacking and now combining that with ham radio.

N7PMB's picture
Phil Bride
W7O/WV

New ham. June 2022 technician's license. Upgraded to general in August.

Started doing local SOTA activations. Connecting with local SOTA people. It's awesome. I keep planning my next activation! and now taking a cw class for qrp cw activations eventually ...

I have a Yaesu 300D and hope to get a portable HF radio at some point and start doing more remote activations.

I live in Beaverton with my family. In the past I spent quite a bit of time climbing, backpacking, winter camping, back country skiing/camping. Now I do fair weather camping ;) hiking, fishing, skiing and other outdoor activies when I can get out.

New ham and want to explore doing SOTA and POTA. I really want to familiarize myself with it and maybe do some spotting, if possible on VHF and UHF.
Currently I have a Yaesu FTM 300D and some 5 watt handhelds both are VHF/UHF only. I use the Yaesu for both home base and mobile. I plan to get an HF mobile radio, maybe a Yaesu 818 or 891? Not sure yet.

AG7GP's picture
Amy Haptonstall
Oregon

Licensed 2017. Enjoy portable activations. Just learning cw.

Interested in activating.

AI7EQ's picture
Sean
W7O/CE

Ham radio operator located in Central Oregon. Thinking about getting started in SOTA.

Interested in possibly becoming an activator. Enjoy casually chasing SOTA.

KJ7UCF's picture
Kevin Stanton
W7O

New to ham radio in 2021.

None so far

K7AMM's picture
Bryan Estes
W7O/WV

Originally from north Idaho, I've been living in the Portland area since 2009. I teach computer science and woodworking at Corbett High School.

Just getting into SOTA and CW. Looking to combine ADV motorcycle hobby with radio operations. I have an Elecraft KX3 and homebrew antennas.

WA7BAM's picture
Bruce Montgomery
W7W/SO

9 years a ham. Active in POTA and want to start SOTA soon as snow is off high points. 4 years president of Olympia Amateur radio Society. Guilty of trying to do it all. Participate as communicator in over 12 events each year, help organizing 2. Active in Thurston County ARES.

New 2M HF

N0DNF's picture
Bill Skerjanc
W7I

I run Ultratrail races as another hobby and am always near summits when I am training. I received my General License in September and stumbled upon SOTA and thought that it would be great to combine the training with summitting.

VA7XO's picture
Matthew Chesky
VE7

Located in Penticton BC.

Just getting started in SOTA. Running a ic-705 and in id-52 at the moment. Using a mat-705 tuner and various antennas for activating.
Base station is a 7300 with an inverted v and an FTM-400 with a diamond triband.

W7MDN's picture
Matt
W7W/WE

n/a

MTB, snowshoe, kayaking, hiking. Activate almost entirely, focused on lightweight but effective gear and techniques. Also learning CW and APRS.

W7HO's picture
Ron Schlitzkus
W7O

I am 72 and retired. I have been a ham sense High School in 1965. I enjoy working SSB, CW, and FT8. Three months ago I got interest in SOTA. I am a VE and have been running the Dallas Oregon VE testing.

I have been chasing for the past Five months. I currently have 400+ unique summits logged. I have activated 5 summits so far. I already have a KX3. With Troy (KF7SEY) has been helping me put together a go back. I have a EFHW antenna thanks to K7BHB, just finished a Slim Jim J-pole for 2m/70cm and just finished a Linked Dipole.

KC7RGQ's picture
Kevin Morgan
W7W/SN

Retired

None yet. Plan to start with W7W/SK-173 Little Mountain in Skagit County on VHF.

K7WXW's picture
bill hulley
W7O/WV

Being in the mountains is just about my favorite way to spend time.

When I am not carrying a radio into the woods to do SOTA or support a wilderness ultra, I like to build RF gear of all sorts. I pick SOTA summits for the challenge or hike rather than the points and when I am out I really enjoy chasing other SOTA ops for S2S points.

My primary rigs are the KX2 and FT2D. I generally use endfed antennas for HF and a half-wave whip or beam for VHF/UHF. I mostly work CW on HF and FM voice on 2M.

In 2021, I put together the first Pacific Northwest Not-Quite-Fourteener to coincide with the Ham14er and Socal SOTAFest. It turned out pretty well, with more than a dozen W7W and W7O ops getting out and making a bunch of S2S contacts.