Welcome
Wainwrights On The Air (WOTA for short) is an adventure radio programme for amateur radio enthusiasts who enjoy being out on the fells of the English Lake District, as well as those who just like collecting contacts with unusual locations, and has been designed to make participation possible for everyone.
Julian Moss, G4ILO, activating Lord's Seat with Skiddaw in the background
Similar to Summits On The Air (SOTA), the goal is to make contacts from, or with, as many different summits as possible. All of the 214 fells described by Alfred Wainwright in his famous Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, and all of the 116 fells described in his famous Outlying Fells Of Lakeland, count for contacts, and an award will be made to anyone who contacts or activates all of them! But if you just want to add some radio interest to your walks in the hills, that's fine too. Taking part in WOTA will add to your fun by increasing the number of people wanting to contact you.
For more information see About WOTA.
News
A busy time in April
WOTA Celebrates It's Birthday In Style !
It has seen Derek Edge (2E0MIX) become the second Activator to achieve the 214 Wainwrights Activator Award. Well done Derek on this rather special achievement and for also gaining the Far Eastern Fells Activator Award too in the process.
Derek with a bottle of the appropriately named Thwaites "Wainwright" beer after completing the 214 Wainwrigth Fells.
Yet more awards for February.
Once again, February has been an equally busy and active month.
It has seen both Heather Malinson (M6UXH) and Phil Catterall (G4OBK) claim the new Bronze Outlying Fell Activator Award, and Colin Wilkinson (G4UXH) the Bronze Outlying Fell Chaser Award. Well done.
Happy Birthday WOTA !
Cumbria Raynet needs your help
Many members of WOTA are both keen amateur radio operators, chasers and fell walkers/activators. As a direct result of this, members hold a lot of valuable information about how well radio works within the fells, problems encountered with opreating in the fells and "dead spots" for both radio and mobile phone communications.
This is something that Cumbria Raynet, local Mountain Rescue and Emergecny Services would like your help with.
On the 13th of May there is a charity cycling challenge taking place where 1700 riders take part in a gruelling 112 mile race over all the Lakeland passes – in one day!!
Cumbria Raynet need help and feedback on how to ensure that effective communications can be put into place to cover the often remote areas of Cumbria that this event entails. They need to be able to furnish contact with HQ at Coniston, from all the pass summits where checkpoints are placed. But they need to cover a very wide area and that takes knowledge and manpower. Cumbria is a big county!
Many members may travel these routes on a normal basis, and organised interaction beforehand could facilitate in the knowledge required being passed on before the event or suggestions which would ease the tasks being passed on. Some members may even be able to “work” as a relay from their home / portable on the day or suggest some other possibilities.
All knowledge gained will also be logged to a database for future reference by Raynet, Mountain Rescue Groups and local Emergency Services for when disasters happen. The Lakes topography is not suited to straight forward solutions.
You do not need to be a member or WOTA or radio club in order to help. All help is welcomed so please let friends, family and fellow radio operators know.
This is a great opportunity to help promote amateur radio and to help ensure the future safety and well being of everyone that enjoys the Lakes, something that we should all never take foregranted.
Now, over to Paul from Cumbria Raynet:-