First activation and first point

Having just signed up yesterday I made a gentle start by visiting Cairngaver, GI/MM-017 and was pleased to pick up 8 QSOs, including one from the Lake District. Used FT 817 on FM and a simple sotabeams antenna. This could become habit forming and it was good to get out into the fresh air!

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It WILL!

Well done William and welcome to the SOTA activators disease.

73 Ed DD5LP.

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Welcome to the activating bug; beware, it is usually habit forming :slight_smile:

We very much hope to make contact during early June as we expect to be active on the Mournes, Sperrins, South West and Antrim summits (a few of each!).

Rod (and Vicki, M6BWA)

I get good signals from the Mournes at my home QTH. I’ll look out for you.

William mi0wwb

Thanks William.
73,
Rod

Welcome aboard sir!

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G0FEX
Hi William
Welcome to Sota, I enjoy it too, a bit different from sitting in the shack collecting squares…
Cheers Ken

Hi Ken, yes good to get air into the lungs, am keen to get out again!!
William mi0wwb

Hi William,

Here is a picture of the other end of the S2S. I took this just after I packed up to go down.

The antenna and fishing pole are in my rucksack.

73 de G4VFL

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Hi William,

Great to hear that you had a great first SOTA activation. Me and my dad Tom M1EYP will be in Sperrins from Sunday 2nd July to Friday 7th July. It would be great if I could work you on 2m fm while we are there (maybe summit to summit), we will have 40m and 60m as well, so please listen out for us on the bands if possible. If would be great if maybe we could meet up for either a joint SOTA activation, meal or drink if possible as well.

Jimmy M0HGY

Brilliant, great to see the other side of our QSO. Your side was much more adventurous by the look of things. Thanks for the view.

William mi0wwb

Hi Jimmy

The Sperrins might be beyond my range for 2M at the home location. HF might work, I’ll listen out for you.

William mi0wwb

Thanks William, hopefully will be able to work you, whatever band is it.

Jimmy M0HGY

Hi William

Don’t forget to check your home (and mobile) 70cm aerials, please, as I will be looking for 2m fm and 70cm fm contacts (as usual) from the Northern Ireland summits and will need all the help you (and others) can give. On the last visit 2 years ago I was fairly successful in the Mournes on both bands but the peaks were high and the take-off was good with quite a large population within reach. I don’t think I will find it easy further west but I am hoping that the locals will be listening on 2m/70cm in their cars like last time and will be willing to help.

Hope you will be able to get up on to a summit or 2 while we are over (1-18 June) so we can have a S2S more easily than across the Irish sea! Welcome to SOTA and may you have as much fun from it as we have.

73 Viki M6BWA

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Thank you Viki, I will do. This looks like a new chapter in the hobby!

William mi0wwb

Great to read your activation write ups, we started a SOTA just over a year ago and now are well and truly hooked, it’s active and addictive :slight_smile: Ian & Esther

Hi Ian
Yes it’s getting addictive already. Of course you do know that your talk to the Antrim ARC is to blame :wink:

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Excellent, the Worked All Britain information will be very useful for SOTA as we have Trigs on quite a few in GI as well as really interesting squares, Esther and I look forward to working you on over the next few months it’s fantastic that you have snagged three SOTAs already, if you need any help or advice give us a call, there are so many people here keen to point activators in the right direction :slight_smile: Take care. Ian. Facebook is a really good source of real time activity sometimes.

Always good to see new chasers hope to do little more me self beside kitt hill but circumstances prevent at moment and getting first point is good putting back into the system you take out as a chaser.

But whats the most best-est moment of your first activation of Sota summit.

First contact from Kitt Hill G/DC-003 straight into Australia on 10w and 1/4w home made vertical and 9:1 unun on a old
Trio 120V. Fell out of me chair :slight_smile:
karl

Thanks Ian, I intend to keep it up. Have not tried HF as yet and am keen to do so. Have just acquired a Band Springer antenna and will be keen to try it out.

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