How to participate: program tutorial and guidelines

Firstly create an account at beachesontheair.com (for activators, chasers and sponsors)

Activators

1. The activator goes to the beachesontheair.com web site and chooses option “Announce activation (Generate code)”

• Search for the beach in the system. (Note: If the beach is not listed leave the beach name as “Unlisted” then add the beach details including Beach Name, Latitude, Longitude, Municipality, Country subdivision and Country. Once saved the Admin will review the beach and there are no issues it will be added to the system)
• Enter the date and time of the activation along with your call sign then click on save.
• Once saved the system will generate at 4 digit code. This is the code you will give out to your chasers over the air.

2. Promote your activation. There are many ways to do this including:

• The Beaches on the Air Facebook group
• Other portable operations ham radio Facebook and Discord groups
• Local ham radio club

3. Begin your beach activation. Give your activation code to the chasers over the air and encourage your chasers to go to beachesontheair.com web site to enter the chaser code. Take a photo of your activation site. You may also want to take video of your activation.

4. After your activation go to beachesontheair.com and search for your activation. Upload a photo of your activation site, any comments about the experience and how many contacts you made. If you have uploaded a video to YouTube then you can also link to this video.

NOTES:

• The activator and chaser earn a point each only when the chaser enters the code into the system using the “Add chaser report (redeem code)” option. Those points will be multiplied if you have BOTA donor users who sponsor your activation.
• If you are not able to carry out the activation the recommended action is to edit the activation and push out the activation date to another date and time. Even if you are not sure of the date and time make one up a few months away and then edit again once date and time is decided.
• Once an activation announcement is in place If you decide to change the beach that you are activating please do this prior to the activation date. Search for another beach in the system, or if the beach is not listed then search for the beach titled "Unlisted" and add the beach details.
• Activators and chasers are not required to submit logs.

Chasers

1. After the chaser receives the code over the air from the activator, the chaser signs into beachesontheair.com

2. Under the user menu select "Add chaser report (redeem code)"

3. Enter the code. If you have just made the QSO click yes and add the frequency and mode so a spot is placed on the beachesontheair.com home page. If for some reason you have forgotten the code you can enter the activators callsign and then choose the activation site  

4. Click on save

NOTES:

• The chaser has one month to enter the code.
• The activator and chaser earn a point each only when the chaser enters the code into the system using the “Add chaser report (redeem code)” option. Those points will be multiplied if you have BOTA donor users who sponsor your activation.
• The Activator and hunter are not required to submit logs.

Sponsors

A user has the opportunity to sponsor an activation after making a donation. This is optional and not necessary to activate and chase beaches. Donating is a way of supporting the program.

The process is as follows:

1. Under the user menu select "Become a Sponsor (donate)"

2. Purchase 1000 b-shells (b-shells is the internal currency)

3. Under activation announcements choose one of the upcoming activations to sponsor

4. Click on the beach name

5. Click on Sponsor this activation

NOTES:

• When sponsoring an activation 100 b-shells will be deducted from your balance.
• There can be multiple sponsors per activation. Each sponsorship increases the multiplier by one. The multiplier increases points for the activator and chaser by a factor of the multiplier. Sponsors can earn points for activation's that they sponsor which is one point for each chaser report entered.

Guidelines to promote fairness and good practices among our users

Beach Activation Boundary
Defined as the area between the water and the road that runs parallel to the beach. This usually includes beach car parks and may include grassed areas, paths etc. When it is not as clear cut as this definition indicates it is left up to the activator to use wise judgement. Keep in mind the program is “Beaches on the Air”, not “Across the road from a beach on the air”.

Setup Location
Activators can setup a portable station or activate from a vehicle. Activators should abide by local laws regarding the setup of a portable station (ie. is an antenna in a tree permitted), and obey any directive given by local authorities regarding station setup. Activators need to be sensitive of other beach users around them and always make sure that their setup is safe for themselves and others.

Operating Frequencies and Modes
Any Amateur radio frequency can be used and all modes permitted where the activation code can be clearly transmitted. Terrestrial repeater contacts are not approved.

Multi-person Activation's
Where two or more are activating from the same beach at the same time all activators need to individually setup their activation on the system, note their own activation code and pass this over the air to their chasers. Each activator should take their own photo of the activation site to later upload to the system. There is no club/team scoring.

UTC Day and Repeat Activation's
It is possible to activate two or more different beaches on the same day and therefore use different codes, but these distinct activation's must be (1) physically and (2) temporally apart:
1. Physically apart. You cannot activate two different beaches from the same point. You must move your entire setup between activation's. The activation point of a beach must be outside the activation area of any other beach, closeness being the deciding factor.
2. Temporally apart. You must respect a minimum compulsory rest of one hour between the end of an activation and the start of a different one on a different beach.
It is also possible to activate the same beach again on a different calendar day using a new code. In this case the calendar day must be different both in UTC and local time, and activators must respect a minimum compulsory rest of eight hours between the end of an activation and the start of the next one.