The joint International SOTA Weekend and QRPTTF (QRP To The Field) events are about two weeks away, on Saturday, May 3. QRPTTF this year will be from 1200-2359Z, starting earlier primarily to favor the EU SOTA stations by giving you a little more daylight to work QRPTTF stations.
For SOTA stations, just do your normal thing. Don’t worry about the “theme.” SOTA stations already receive the maximum times 3 multiplier.
Many U.S. QRPers are looking forward to the opportunity to work some EU DX and the North American SOTA activations. Hopefully the joint event will give us all plenty of stations to work and make our trek up the summit worth while.
Hope to work some of you … though it’s a long QRP haul from New Mexico!
In reply to NA5N:
Hello Paul You may find some VK SOTA ops trying to get in on some of the action also that weekend. I notified the VK SOTA yahoo group some may camp out or get up really early.
73 de Ian vk5cz …
I’ll be out somewhere for both QRPTTF and the IARU R1 contest. I’ll have a small 70cms station (6ele+25W) and smaller 23cms station (5db LP + 1W).
Last year this was excellent fun listening out for S2S contacts across the pond. Nice if they could be on 12m but 20m/15m last year was working FB for me.
Won’t be able to put in long hours this year because of travelling, however might just manage to be active from 2 countries, GI followed later by G.(assuming Fly(may)be deliver on time!)
I’m looking forward to this event. Tremendous fun was had on SOTA G/SE-008 last year with my MTR and KX3. I ended up being 29th in QRPTTF in 2013 … I’ll try and improve things this year. Good luck to everyone and have fun.
Like last year, I will just do my usual non-contest SOTA operation and will be on 20m and 30m. I intend to be on Mt Pacifico (i.e. “peaceful” in Spanish) so I will be in keeping with the spirit of this year’s QRPTTF: “Tres de Mayo”
Like last year, I will just do my usual non-contest SOTA operation and will be on 20m and 30m. I intend to be on Mt Pacifico (i.e. “peaceful” in Spanish) so I will be in keeping with the spirit of this year’s QRPTTF: “Tres de Mayo”
In reply to N1EU:
Each band is scored separately. So, YES, you can work the same station on different bands, with credit for the SPC and the summit on each band. Dupes are same band only.
Last year this was excellent fun listening out for S2S contacts across the pond. Nice if they could be on 12m but 20m/15m last year was working FB for me.
In the U.S., running contests on the WARC bands is highly frowned upon. Due to the limited bandwidths, it’s supposedly a “gentleman’s agreement” to not sponsor contests on the WARC bands. I’m hoping 15M and 10M will be open.
being this year QRPTTF devoted to the 3 de mayo event, no doubt at least an EA station should be on air and try to have qso with all “parajes” there…hi hi
I can’t promise it, but if I can, me and some other colleagues around here will try activating Sota and hear for possible QRTTF contesters.
I’ll pass the message thorugh our local forums as well.
Stay tuned. Maybe it would be good to publish here in advance the expected stations for that day ?
Very pleasant afternoon on the Cloud today testing my new antenna ready for QRPTTF. Sunny with showers and very breezy but nice non-the-less. A rare foray onto SSB was fun and the usual comments about microphones were endured. It was nice to speak to some of the US chasers for a change.
On a whim I tried the antenna on 2m FM and made a few contacts there too.
The RBN was doing a great job but the 'FMF SMS service was not.
I have a new battery on order for QRPTTF as my 5 year old SLAB and LiPO are starting to show signs of age; aren’t we all?
being this year QRPTTF devoted to the 3 de mayo event, no doubt at least an EA station should be on air and try to have qso with all “parajes” there…hi hi
It would only be appropriate, and an honor, to have a Tres de Mayo station or two on the air from Espana - the mother land. Paraje de la madre tierra! I hope you can make it.
Maybe it would be good to publish here in advance the expected stations for that day ?
QRPTTF stations are now beginning to post their intended location to the QRP-L forum. I will attempt to post some of them later in the week.
Thanks to all wishing to participate in QRPTTF in addition to the SOTA Weekend event. Many U.S. QRPers are looking forward to the EU participation. Sounds like a fun day on the bands for all.
73, y saludos desde Nuevo Mexico (Nueva España)
Paul NA5N
Socorro, New Mexico
Colonized by Juan de Oñate in 1598 - 22 years before the Mayflower.
