When I activate Summits for SOTA, I have a small plaque about a foot square that I put near my operating position near where passersby will be. It says:

What is this nut doing?

Hello My name is Rick and I am an amateur radio operator or as most know us; a ham radio operator. My Call sign is K7TEJ.

I am operating in a program hams call SOTA: Summits on the Air. the idea is to hike up to the Summit of certified peaks, set up a portable station and try to contact as many other hams as we can. My Station is capable of making contacts around the world.

Please feel free to watch and ask question during breaks in the action. Just beware, hams like to talk about our hobby!

I find this helps alleve any concerns passersby may have about me being in league with the forces of evil.

Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)

Saguaro Astronomy Club

www.saguaroastro.org

Thunderbird Radio Club

www.w7tbc.org

623-572-0713

623-203-4121 (cell)

SaguaroaAstro@cox.net

-----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of J. Boyd (JR2TTS) Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 4:21 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Monday evening & Tuesday, trip wrap-up...

On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 22:54:12 +0000, "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" amsat-bb@wd9ewk.net wrote:

In between these two passes, I had an interesting - and quick - meeting

with a pair of Port Huron police officers. As soon as I explained what I

was doing, they mentioned that I was not on the Wendy's property, that it

would close in a few minutes, and I was OK to be out there. They also said

the Wendy's manager made the call to the police, seeing me outside with my

gear and "waving an antenna around".

I wonder if it would be a good idea to do what some contest rovers here

in Japan do when they set up at a scenic overlook or a park with huge

stacked yagis on top of their vans, to avoid misunderstandings -- they

put up little flags next to their vehicles that read "Amateur Radio In

Progress".