SOTA 2026 Challenge Brings Back Activity to 2m/70cm SSB/CW

The annual “SOTA Challenge” has moved from the HF bands to 2 metres and 70 cm this year, and already the VHF/UHF SOTA activity from mountain tops has surged in January.

The availability of the cheap Quansheng UV-K5 family 2m/70cm HTs, which can have one of a choice of custom firmwares which can be loaded to these FM HTs, giving them SSB / CW reception and DSB / CW transmission capabilities, may be part of the reason for an upsurge in activity, making it easy to throw this small, cheap HT and a homemade antenna in the rucksack to allow operation on the 2m and 70cm bands not only on FM. Owners of ICOM’s IC-705, as well as older HF/VHF/UHF portable multimode radios like the Yaesu FT-817/857 range, are also being used.

VHF & UHF activity can be seen on the SOTA cluster occurring in the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Given that SOTA started in 2002 with VHF communication from summits, this is somewhat of a full-circle back to the original bands. Several UK operators combine this VHF/UHF DX mode operation with activity nights on the bands, which have been organised for the last few years by the national society, the RSGB.

RSGB Welsh Regions 6 and 7 launch a 40m Challenge for February

RSGB Regional Representatives in North and South Wales have launched a new challenge. The 40 Metre Challenge encourages radio amateurs to make as many QSOs as possible on the 40m band between 1-28 February 2026.

The event has six categories to enter and is open to individual RSGB members living in Wales and members of RSGB Affiliated Clubs located in Wales. Certificates will be awarded to the top station in each category, as well as a 7MHz Challenge Trophy for the RSGB Affiliated Club with the most QSOs submitted by its membership. 

More information - https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/headlines/2026/01/16/rsgb-regions-6-and-7-launch-a-new-challenge-for-february/

RSGB launches its Construction Competition for 2026

Whether you have only recently soldered your first wire in a kit build or you have experience in designing an advanced software or systems engineering project, the RSGB Construction Competition is for you! As part of the RSGB’s strategic growth priority, it wants to inspire people from different communities to find out more about amateur radio. That is why the Society has introduced a new category this year called “Reimagination”. If you think your project could be interesting to the maker community, or you have an idea that could encourage people from groups such as Men’s Sheds to try amateur radio, this is the category for you. If it is radio-related but motivates non-radio amateurs to find out more, the RSGB welcomes your entry!

There are six other categories which means there really is something for everyone. You must be an RSGB member to enter but you can live anywhere in the world, as entries will be judged online to allow you to participate and demonstrate your creativity remotely. The deadline for entries is 1 March 2026, and you have an opportunity to win a cash prize.

More Information - http://www.rsgb.org/construction-competition