QOTA (pronounced Quota)

Qso’s On The Air

Have you done your QOTA today

I coined QOTA as a generic awards program that you can do by yourself and not be beholding to anyone or any organisation other than yourself.

It is an attempt to build a habit of getting on the air and calling a random CQ or having a qso, people talk about the use of ham radio waxing and waining, using it is how we fix it

Rules are easy

CQ, for everyday you call a non specific CQ you get 1 point. What do I mean by a non specific CQ, just dont call your mate, call CQ and talk to whomever comes back to you
CQ Chase, for everyday you succesfully answer a CQ you get 1 point
Proposed in an attempt to help other programs trying to get people on the air, if you succesfully chase a CQ for any awards program POTA SOTA VOTA etc, you get 5 points, you can claim this multiple times a day
Proposed For any Nets you take part in you get a point
Yes I know your not supposed to call CQ on vhf or above. I really dont understand the point of this rule. So do what you are comfortable with. Im going to try this is zl1ack calling QOTA

Other Rules

there are none, this is all about having fun and promoting communications on the air

any band
any mode so long as there are live humans actively involved at both ends
any where
any time
any power
you make your own Rules
you make the awards
you have fun

Hints and Tips

How to track your points

Both apple and goolge have free HABIT tracking apps in their respective stores, I will try and describe how to use these to track your scores but this will come in the future as always this is a WIP

how do i succesfully chase on VHF and UHF

If your transciver supports scan groups, id suggest adding the following to your usual scan group

the emergency/general call freqs VHF 144.500 UHF 43???
the award frequencies VHF 146.500 UHF UHF 43???
digital call freqs if your radio supports those
as well as the local repeaters and simplex freqs in your area

Make a pact with yourself to always take an HT with you, and if you are able to have it on , then set it to a scan group

Final Thoughts

Ham Radio is fun, communication is fun. You have spent time and money, getting your license and getting on the air, why not make the most of it

have you done your QOTA today?

as always this is a WIP the non-rules may change at any time :-)