Indeed!
Condx are even worse this morning. 20m and 60m are virtually dead, and 40m is extremely poor with only a few signals from central Europe coming through. Let’s hope things recover at the weekend. Quite often we get a short spell of exceptionally good conditions on the rebound!
73, Walt (G3NYY)
Saturday 4th March 2017 and our first morning of this year’s Tenerife holiday. We were out on the karaoke in Costa Adeje til 2am and the family all announced they were having a long lie in and lazy morning at the villa. Unexpectedly, I found myself wide awake at 0615z.
What could I possibly do to kill the next 5 hours?
So a quick sandwich and quick pack of the rucksack, and off I went in the hire car to Montana Rojar EA8/TF-019. Obviously, it needed to be a SOTA summit that Jimmy had already bagged as a unique.
The Opel Astra hire car was pretty up to date with Bluetooth and Satnav, so driving and navigating, even on my own, was easy. I reached the parking area after around 30 minutes. I was the first to park, at around 0730z. By the time I returned later, it would be full.
This SOTA is a miniature volcano rising dramatically upwards right on the coast, sandwiched between the sea and the airport. It isn’t very high - but it is prominent.
I enjoyed the ascent up the solidified lava flows and along the narrow ridge. I didn’t so much enjoy setting up the 20m GP though. I went slightly beyond the summit marker to keep out of other walkers’ way - and there were many of them. The area I had to work with was small and there would be no way of putting the radials (which also act as guys for the mast) at even 120 degree spacing. Instead it was something more like 30-190-140. The engineers amongst you might point out that this won’t work - well, not without an additional vector anyway. So that was provided by gravity as I suspended the mast in a leaning position.
The hard terrain would not take a peg, so I used the bases of two plants growing on the mountain, and a loose boulder.
I thought I might have an intermittent on the feeder with sudden variations in what I was receiving. Then ON4FI called in, but we just couldn’t seem to complete the contact. At this point the dot key on my Palm Paddle starting playing up. It was all going Pete Tong.
“Blinky neck” I muttered to myself. (Edited version).
I managed to put another CQ call out, and blow me, who comes back with a massive 599 signal, but ZL1BYZ! Amazing stuff, and I was more than content with the 419 report received for my 5 watts from the HB1B.
Following into the log were SA4BLM, EA2DT and S57D - eventually, after more keying problems. It was now time to test out 2m FM from the handheld & rubber duck, and this resulted in 3 QSOs, all from British ex-pats.
I did try to call and message Jimmy for a 2m FM contact back to the apartment, but he was still asleep in bed!
I made my descent, exchanging greetings with many other walkers on this now very busy little mountain and returned to the hire car. I was back at the villa before 11am and in time to join the family for breakfast and coffee in the sun by the outdoor pool.
Going to try and wangle it to do a main SOTA activation tomorrow (Sunday).
Great work Tom! I could hear two S9 QRO SSB VK3s this morning from DL/AM-180 but couldn’t manage a contact and all the SOTA chasers in VK that kindly looked for me had no success although I “think” I heard VK8GM call at one point, but the next over he was gone. Conditions aren’t quite there yet. At least I also got some of that sun that you and Jimmy are baking in at the moment!
Ed.
Hi Ed, you were activating and I was still home this morning before leaving for my weekly activation of Mt. San Cristobal. I searched for you on the spotted frequency 14.310 but I couldn’t hear neither your signals nor your chasers. It was just a quick look up and I couldn’t spend more time waiting for conditions to change. Well, it will have to be next time.
I hope you had a good time out in the mountain and activating, as much as I did later.
Cheers,
Guru
Hi Guru,
Conditions to start with on 20m were horrible - just noise, no stations. It improved after an hour but after putting out what must have been CQ calls over an hour I gave up (I had earlier grabbed 4 contacts on 40m). In short apart from QRO stations, 20m had no contactable stations for me yesterday. My only log entries were on 40m and yes the rig was working as I got a couple of QRZ? from some QRO stations but didn’t manage to make the contacts.
Thanks for listening. Let’s hope conditions improve thrpigh the week before next Saturday’s big VK-EU S2S event.
73 Ed.
Jimmy EA8/M0HGY/P has just worked ZL on 20m ssb with 2.5 watts from EA8/TF-007! His first ZL, though it won’t count towards his main DXCC tally of course.
Meanwhile, my HB1B is behaving strangely. It is not receiving for 10-20 seconds after each tx. This means I am needing lots of repeats for reports etc. Any ideas as to the cause?
FANTASTIC!! I can just hear Jimmy in the noise here - so it seems Skip is very long today (perhaps).
Congrats to Jimmy
Ed.
Nothing heard of him here, the conditions are really rubbish!
Sounds like an AGC or antenna c/o fault. Not easily fixed in the field.
Conditions all over the place here in VK. Had central / Eastern EU openings on 12m tonight and last night with some quite strong signals which was quite enjoyable after hearing nothing but the odd bit of regional activity for months.
Matt
VK1MA
Hi Tom,
That’s a big problem for a comfrotable QSO exchange.
Have you checked the DELAY settings?
It may have gone foul and extended itself to a huge maximum delay or something like that.
I don’t know whether that rig has a modifiable or a fixed delay.
If it allows for full break-in, you may give that a try to see how it goes.
Good luck!
73,
Guru
The nightmare scenario of a SOTA holiday. Plenty of nice food and drink, nice weather, loads of summits, family all happy and no radio! Scary.
The weather was stunning for this morning’s activation of Roque del Conde EA8/TF-010. Too stunning in fact. It’s supposed to be winter here in the Canaries. Still 20-23 degrees at the coastal resorts (hence why people flock here for winter sun), but chilly, windy and somewhat wetter in the mountains - as we experienced on Sunday’s activation of EA8/TF-007.
However, the Canaries are currently in prime target for a very warm African wind that is bumping up the temperatures 5-10 degrees yesterday, and up to 15 degrees today. Therefore it was a balmy and still 25 degrees on the 1000m+ summit for the activation, and 35 degrees for much of the walk, particularly the descent. Phew! Seemed crazy that we each collected a winter bonus for this when T-shirts, sunglasses, sunhats and suncream were the order of the day, but we are assured that this is freak weather for early March in Tenerife.
I know that usually at this time, Pico del Teide EA8/TF-001 is inaccessible due to snow, but there’s been no sign of any up there all week.
Anyway, a good activation today:
EA8/M0HGY/P: 3 QSOs on 2m FM + 17 on 20m SSB = 20 total.
EA8/M1EYP/P: 3 QSOs on 2m FM + 27 on 20m CW = 30 total.
We shared that FT-817 as the “deaf delay” issue on the HB1B still remained. The first HF band tried was actually 12m, but it was completely dead. I was relieved to hear a very busy 20m band when I changed antennas!
The walk back was hard work on uneven cobbled stone paths and in 35 degree heat. The killer at the end was having to drop down to the foot of a very deep narrow gorge, and then climb out of it again. I’ll never grumble about Moel Faen after Moel y Gamelin GW/NW-042 again, honest I won’t 
The good thing about the 35 degree heat was that it had made our outdoor pool at the villa into a warm bath by the time we got back. Well, still cool enough to be refreshing, but without that bitter cold that makes lowering yourself in a 15 minute ordeal! The temperature was also responsible for a neat magic trick - making four pints of Estrella Galacia disappear very quickly…
OK, so that’s yer SOTA all done for this holiday. Thanks to all the chasers that called in. We had some really good interest levels on 20m today both for Jimmy on SSB and me on CW, so that was fun. Now the thought turns to tasty food (octopus, squid, Canarian potatoes etc, or maybe a buffet) after some more delicious cold beer - but first, another dip in the lovely pool…
Did I say “all done”? Not so. We had been invited to the Tenerife Radio Amateurs weekly meet up at the Emerald Lounge in Golf del Sur. After a pleasant couple of hours with Gerry EA8CTB, Stewart EA8/GM0GTU and Larry EA8/M0HVE, Marianne fancied a “nice walk”. I chanced my arm on suggesting a coastal walk on the sand, volcanic ash and lava flows a little East of Golf - and the possibility of a repeat activation of Montana Roja EA8/TF-019.
With Gerry, Stewart and Larry all listening for us on 2m FM, it meant we both qualified easily using only our handhelds - a rucksack-free activation!
The unusually high temperature of the day before had even increased slightly, and with an unusual absence of wind on this coastal mountain, the small ascent was hard work. Even Jimmy reported finding it tough, while Maz needed a couple of lengthy rest stops en route. It was actually me and Liam that made it to the top at a consistent pace without too much difficulty.
The views from this one are stunning. You can watch the aeroplanes landing and taking off from the immediately adjacent airport, with the 3715m El Teide EA8/TF-001 towering behind it. In all other directions is the glistening deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean.
Little wonder then that a VHF handheld will suffice from here - provided English speaking amateurs in the main resorts of the south are listening for you. Which, at the earlier meet-up, Jimmy ensured they would be.
For our final evening on the island, we had another lovely meal at George’s Restaurant on the outskirts of Costa Adeje, then a night of San Miguel, cocktails and karaoke at News Cafe in the town centre. Liam excelled as usual and was up there belting out his songs no less than 6 times.
Activation report G/CE-002 Walton Hill 15 March.
Yesterday, I noted that Andrew VK1AD had alerted for VK1/AC-048, Mount McDonald and so I thought I may as well try for an s2s with him.
What a beautiful morning, sunshine an no wind. This made it really easy to get the Antron-99 in the air. My first call was from Alex YO9BP, followed by a s2s call by Andrew VK1AD. Andrew was eminently workable at at 0720z. Paul VK5PAS was next, an easy copy, Paul was followed straight i by Ernie VK3DET once again easy copy. I asked Ernie if he would drop his power to 5 Watts and had no problem hearing his QRP signal. Ernie was followed by John ZL1BYZ, not as strong as Saturday, but signal reports were exchanged.
Andrew VK1AD gave me another call at about 0745z and we had no trouble chatting away for five minutes.
My final bit of DX was John VK6NU, once again, an easy copy.
As I’d dragged an X200 colinear up the hill, I though I may as well try some 2m FM. Among others, nice to work Rod M0JLA, Brian G8ADD, a big surprise to hear Jim EI9GLB and then Richard GW3CWI/P.
37 contatcs on 20m ssb’
24 contacts on 2m fm.
Thanks to all the callers.
Mike
2E0YYY
The mighty Antron-99, looking decidedly weary these days, but still a great DX antenna.
I think there must have been a bit of a lift on, as I worked Jim from Longmynd G/WB-005 later in the day, using just a hand held running 2.5W into it’s quarter wave whip.
Thanks for the QSO and the spot earlier, Mike!
73
Adrian
G4AZS
I have edited in a selection of activation photos from our EA8 Tenerife summits last week. They are now in the relevant posts a short way back up the thread above. More will appear when I get round to updating my website.
Thanks for the S2S Mickey. Especially good to catch you as my little VX3 was being clobbered by the RF from over the valley. Not too bad for a rubber-duck QSO though.
A very short activation of G/SP-013 Gun, this morning (Friday). 17/03/2017
As the song goes… What a Difference a Day Makes! Two days ago, I was up on Walton Hill G/CE-002, reaching for the suntan lotion and this morning, I chucked the towel in because of the bitterly cold wind and rain 
As expected, the 20m band was in a shocking state. I was QRV at 0708z and didn’t get my first call until Ernie VK3DET called me at 0744z. John ZL1BYZ followed Ernie straight in, however, signals were well down compared to a few days ago…
John and Ernie were the only DX I worked. It took me 45 minutes to qualify the summit. I chucked the towel in at about 0820z, with just seven contacts in the log
Apologies for the one, rubbish photo but I had pretty much lost interest in radio when I took it.
Thanks to the callers, especially Ernie and John, for persevering on a poor 20m band.
Mike
2E0YYY
This morning was scheduled as an activation of the three musketeers. Andrew VK1AD, Ed DD5LP and myself 2E0YYY. The plan was to work a shed load of DX, however, when I saw the space WX, I should have climbed back into bed, it seems the Radio Gods had other ideas.
Poor Andrew messaged Ed and myself to say he was experiencing light rain which turned into heavy rain, so that put paid to Andrews plans, doing him a right favour IMHO. In the meantime, I had arrived at the G/SP-017 Billinge Hill trig point at 0640z, far too early really.
Just before spotting at 0705z I noticed that Ed had been QRV for about 20 minutes. I visited his QRG and was not in the least surprised to hear zilch…
My first spot appeared at 0705z and my first contact was logged, 40 minutes later when Janko S56RPJ called in. It took me 84 minutes to qualify the summit, which must be a personal worst!
Dx was non existent, even the king of DXers, the famous Dave G4AKC/PM, called in twice from Blackpool seafront for a chat, he was bemoaning the lack of VK/ZL activity.
Nevertheless, the mighty Antron-99 refused to surrender without a fight and it staged a remarkable comeback.
Finishing up with 28 contacts into EU/Russia and one solitary DX contact with Peter ZD7FT, on St. Helena Island was a very good result under the circumstances.
Very tough conditions on the higher HF frequencies, combined with the contest at the weekend, should make for some interesting SOTA
Mike
2E0YYY
