Once Again, Thanks VK

A long time before you started SOTA Mickey, but Clive used to be a very active activator. Nice to know he’s still around.

Good work again, Mike! Congrats!
73 de Mikel

I recognised Clives call from the Database. We chatted for a couple of minutes. IIRC, he told me that had a one pointer behind his house which may have only activated once before. Looking at his QRZ page, seems Clive has been QRT for some time. Maybe he’ll be back on the hills soon.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

Thanks Mike,

The 20m band is opening much later into G for DX stations. Maybe it opens sooner in EA?

Will be listening out for you for an s2s

73 Mike
2E0YYY

Hi Mike,
A pleasure to get you in the log again. Yesterday afternoon I decided to walk to a large stationary store to get some supplies. The wind was getting gusty and a few clouds were appearing so as a precaution I lowered the antenna. Shortly into the walk I was glad I had done so as the wind gusts were up to 80 km/h and it was unpleasant outside with dust and twigs flying into ones face. After reaching the store it took me half an hour to find my purchases and as I headed for the checkout I heard the clouds burst. A detour into a shop for coffee allowed the worst to pass, but even making use of a train I still had nearly 2 km to cover in light but driving rain. While waiting for the train your alert came through.

I was a bit damp when I finally made it into the shack, but your signal was not there. Time passed and the band started to open. I started to dry out. When Tony VK3CAT worked you your signal was about R2 with me even though he is only 5 km or less away. Eventually your signal was copyable and we made the exchange. In retrospect I could have waited 20 minutes at the station and caught a bus and reduced my prancing in the rain to a few hundred metres, but I wasn’t sure how long you or your signals would be there.

Look forward to seeing you in the log again soon.

73
Ron
VK3AFW

Hi Ron,

Once again, thanks for calling in. Andrew VK1NAM has been in touch with me and we’ve both alerted for Friday.
Hopefully, with the prospect of a VK s2s, one or two more G and European stations will see our alerts and join in, maybe giving you a unique or two,

According to the wx forecasters, the run of mild UK weather is coming to an end this weekend, so I’m making the most of Friday.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

Ok, Ok - hint taken Mickey - count me in!

Barry
M0IML

Thanks Barry,

Paul VK5PAS has also alerted…Cheers Paul!

He’s going to be activating VK5/NE-051.

He’ll be staying to work the s2s and DX Chasers, VK5/NE-051 will be a unique for me if we make the contact.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

we EA2BDS and EA2CW will try to be also up there from EA2/BI-055 from around 5:30z
Good luck!

Thanks Mike,

I worked Greg VK8GM on the 17m band this morning and let him know there should be some SOTA DX about on 20m in the morning. VK8 is normally a tough Region to work, so hopefully he’ll be listening tomorrow.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

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My trip to The Cloud G/SP-015 this morning was to put right the disaster I had on the 13th of August when I managed just 6 HF contacts and not a single VK.

It’s any easy 30 minute drive from my QTH to G/SP-015 The Cloud and less than fifteen minutes to the trig point.

Unforunately there are no posts, fences or trees to support antennas, so I had to use guys.

My self spot was on at 0554, sadly the going was painfully slow. After 30 minutes of calling I had 2 two YO’s in the log. Not until 0652 did Matt VK1MA make the trip for my first Aussie contact. Andrew VK1NAM called at 0655 for our umpteenth contact. Tony VK3CAT and Ron VK3AFW were hot on his heels…cheers guys!
Some EU’s were worked some of them with big signals. Ernie VK3DET gave me a shout as did Peter VK3PF. A s2s with David VK3XDM/P activating VK3/VE-204 The Paps, was followed a little later with Nav VK5WG. The DX calls dried up on the 20m band so I though I’d take a look at 17m.

Ernie VK3DET and Paul VK2KTT was soon in the log and at 0828, I found Ron VK3IO calling CQ and gave him a shout. A final CQ on 17m found Greg VK8GM, for a nice contact into the Norther Territories.

Time for a little VHF with the small X-50 colinear which managed contacts down to Hereford and accross country to Lincolnshire.

71 Contacts for the activation…
32 EU
13 VK
26 2m FM

Thanks to all the callers…

73 Mike
2E0YYY

Many thanks to Ernie VK3DET in Victoria and John VK6NU for the Short path contacts onto G/SP-013 Gun this morning. A tough contact with Ernie, however, his late night paid off. John was a lot easier in Western Australia, his second QSO with me at 1231z was easy peasy.

No machine generated mode was used in the making of these contacts, just a mic and a good antenna.

Mike
2E0YYY

3 Likes

Excellent work again Mickey. Happy New Year.

Glad you got through Mike, soon after we finished our short QSO you went from 5-9 to nothing! I guess 20m went long at about 1115 UTC today!
I’d love to get out this weekend and try short path to VK but the latest weather forcast is for between 1 and 1.5 metres of new snow in the mountains!

73 Ed.

To be honest Ed, I thought the band conditions were poor to VK the 20m band seemed to be running short. Then at 1200z, 20m opened to North America with some easy contacts. There was absolutely no wind on the summit and so I was able to get the 20m inverted Vee up to a full 10 Metres. I’m going to activate a summit with the Antron-99 and and inverted vee, shortly and get some comparison reports from VK. Should be an interesting experiment.

73
Mike

YES! You might even motivate me to get out and test my A-99 as I have the support structure all complete and a matching network to make it resonant on 20m made.

Ed.

1 Like

Mike really appreciate the effort and putting up with the cold etc I have the easy part a shame it has been so hard hearing you.Of course with a basic antenna and lowish power makes it hard, of course a well matched dipole does work.Also you understand that staying on freq and calling and being spotted on the cluster ETC helps all common sense not rocket science really.
Minimise loss’s orientate the antenna correctly- stay on freq-have good ears it isn’t hard really and being patient (a sign of a good operator) and lets face it Mike you have the runs on the board.Also great you got John VK6NU as well I wish more VK/ZL’s were around at that time to work you.
Hope to work you again soon and am sure your real winter will hit soon.
73
VK3DET.

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That’s a good point - we tend to use omni-directional low dipoles or verticals. I know Bob VK5FO from Adelaide had good success using two phased verticals to create a directional antenna but I wonder if anyone else has a suggestion for other, practical to be carried and installed, directional antennas for use on SOTA activations?

Two phased A-99s perhaps Mike ??

73 Ed.

Hi Ed

I sometimes use a half square and found it to be good but you need 2 supports.

This is one I have been intending to try, scroll down until you come to Effective antenna for QRP, at 14 MHz.
Походная антенна, для пеших экспедиций. Some other interesting designs there too.

73

John VK6NU

2 Likes

I’ve used a half square on occasions too, I found the directivity in receive amazing!

I found this article by W7EL (the antenna guru) Very helpful -
http://eznec.com/Amateur/Articles/Simpfeed.pdf

Colin

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