About HOTA
Learn what HOTA is about and how it started
What is HOTA
HOTA (Heritage on the air) is an amateur radio group that strives to motivate radio amateurs to learn more about history, and to keep history alive by activating a multitude of historical sites on SSB, AM, FM, CW and even with Heliographs.
How it Started
Jannie Smith ZS3CM started with the idea of activating heliograph points of the anglo-boere war with radio. Tjaart van der Walt ZS3DR started thinking about breaking the world record for the longest heliograph link, and quickly a group was working on the idea. Steve Brooks ZS3SB and Tjaart started developing the HOTA idea into an Amateur radio initiative. Steve wrote an excel spreadsheet to calculate score according to the contacts that hunters and activators make. HOTA changed from Heliographs on the air, to History and later Heritage on the air. It is under the auspices of the Bo Karoo Amateur Radio Club.