In early January, 14-year-old Niels Henderson became the youngest Mountain Goat in the US in the Summits on the Air awards scheme, He did it barely one month after his 16-year-old brother, Soren, KK7UKE, set the same record on a snowy summit this past Christmas Day. Their mother, Corrinne, KK7ULL, was the first in the family to ascend to Mountain Goat heights. She achieved that status this past October after 13 months of steady SOTA activations.

With 1,000 points needed to classify a SOTA activator as a Mountain Goat, that means a total of 3,000 points between proud mom and her two sons. Corrinne told Newsline that the family decided in 2024 that amateur radio would be great to have along on their adventures as avid hikers - and so they went for it, joining her husband Jason, KC7EPG, who has been licensed since his teens. Jason had convinced them that amateur radio would add another measure of security when they were hiking in areas with poor cell service. Then, members of their ham radio club suggested that the family start activating summits, She and Jason were hooked.

Corrinne said that work commitments recently slowed Jason's climb to join his Goat family at the top but he's getting there. With Jason needing only 80 more points, she said that before too long, [quote] "We'll be our own little SOTA Mountain Goat herd." [endquote] No doubt the Hendersons will be one herd who's definitely being heard.