SOTA Fun Evening - 2m FM & SSB (Part 1)

Now you’ve gone and spoiled the fun Barry.

HF contests must be 59 as it’s in the rules. Check out the rules for RSGB club calls contest.

I would agree with Tom on UKAC…my reports usually start off being all 5/9 but by the end of the contest they are getting progressively worse as yo seek out those harder stations.

So, all the British stations break their rules on a Tuesday night? I never got a 59 report on a Tuesday from across the channel. In fact, only German stations give always 59 on a Tuesday activity night. :stuck_out_tongue:

Ahoi
Pom

No. I think that extract has been quoted out of context. I expect that was to show the format of the report, rather than the compulsory report! In any case, this was not extracted from the Tuesday night AC rules, but from those for a different contest altogether.

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Extract from the RSGB VHF Contest General Rules:
“The contest exchange consists of at least both callsigns, RS(T) signal reports followed by a serial number, and the IARU locator. Particular contests may require additional information to be exchanged as described in the individual contest rules.”

I see M5RJC, as well as myself, alerted to participate in tonight’s 2m activity contests from a SOTA summit. It’s a beautiful day, so it wouldn’t surprise me if a few more unalerted activations on 2m transpired. If you’re tempted to head out, remember that contacts in the FM contest from 1800 to 1855z are only valid between 144.5125 and 144.7875, and 145.200 to 145.400MHz.

That restriction does not apply to SOTA of course, but that’s where all the activity is going to be, and if you’re combining your SOTA activation with a contest entry, that’s where you’ll need to be.

After 8pm local (1900z) it’s the main UKAC, predominantly on 144.120 to 144.400MHz SSB, though there’s usually a fair bit of CW activity too in these, and other things like ISCAT if you know what you’re doing!

I should have posted this earlier, but it’s a lovely evening for a SOTA Fun Evening!

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Not sure about that! But thanks to Google, I at least know what you’re talking about :grin:. Sorry I can’t get out tonight it’s a beautiful evening for it

Great Fun Evening!

6 SOTA activations in progress amongst all the activity.

164 QSOs made on 2m in just under 4 hours on summit.

Worked into G, GW, GD, GI, GM, F and PA.

Squares: IN99, IO64, 73, 74, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, JO01, 03, 21.

Great moment to give Pete 2E0LKC the 2 points he needed to hit 5K chaser points. Pete is my top chaser and has worked me nearly 600 times on my activations!

Who’s up for another session tonight (Wednesday)? It’s the 2m FT8 contest 1900-2100z and another opportunity to do a bit of summer’s evening VHF SOTA activating!

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Well done Tom.
Of course, part of that SOTA success is recognising the call signs of those taking part in the contest that may be on a summit, but are only giving the contest information out.
I don’t think I asked any /P contacts “are you on a SOTA summit?”
Very noisy on my summit, and a lot of visitors too.

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It’s a point to consider Stuart, but over the years I’ve become confident that if a /P is a valid SOTA they will tell you. It is usually a waste of time asking an unfamiliar /P if they are SOTA because they invariably aren’t!

However, it helps to get to know the callsigns, as I imagine if two /P calls are unfamiliar with each other, they might assume each other isn’t SOTA.

I mention my SOTA-ness and ref every 3rd or 4th CQ in a contest, and to every recognised chaser and activator worked.

AFAIK, the following SOTAs were on in the contests last night:

M1EYP/P on G/SP-004
G1ZAR/P on G/CE-004
M5RJC/P on G/WB-024
GW0TQM/P on GW/NW-044
2W1PJE/P on GW/NW-051
M0VXX/P on G/WB-002

Hi Tom

Thanks for the S2s yesterday evening - I thought it would be a a good opportunity to activate a local summit that can tend to be “difficult” on 2M FM on a normal day due to height, tree cover etc. And as it’s only 5 miles from home, so even better.

I did notice that you called “CQ contest CQ SOTA” which seems like a good plan - I was in pounce mode as I’m not a club member, but managed 14 QSOs from G/WB-024 without trying desperately hard.

It was a lovely evening, I used the trig point as a table and saw only two other people in the hour, surrounded by bluebells, the occasional deer wandering by and with cuckoos calling.

Cheers
Rick

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G1ZJQ/P was on G/SB-009

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@GM7FIE was also out last night up GM/SS-171 contesting and SOTAing

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Amazing - 8 SOTA activations (that we know of) on-air in the 2m FMAC and/or 2m UKAC last night. Like the Tuesday night SOTA Fun Evenings of old! Only 2 alerts were posted.

Tonight there is just one alert posted for the 2m FT8 event - me! But it’s another fabulous evening - and given the recent 2m SSTV activating success, I wonder if anyone fancies nipping out and giving it a go? The exchange is the standard FT8 message format - NOT the VHF contest mode - so make sure that is disabled, and everything should run smoothly.

Tom, add 4 from DM (plus 3 GMA). :wink:

DP9X (OP: DG7ACF) DM/NS-135

s2s:
DD3WY/p DA/NI-343 (GMA)
DL4MFM/p DM/NS-036
DO3UKW/p DM/HE-102
DF4KJ/p DA/HE-379 (GMA)
DL9SP/p DA/NW-357 (GMA)
DL1DSR/p DM/HE-003

QSOs: 60
ODX: G4FVZ 707 km


Map courtesy of cqgma.de

Ahoi
Pom

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Five summit stations from DM alerted for the July 2m fun evening (only one on sotawatch though).
6-7-21
See you on the band!

Ahoi
Pom

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61 times the fun! Good activity, however the path to the nordic stations was a bit difficult due to thunderstorms above Skagerrak and Kattegat. Strong gusts during the first half of the continental fun evening (1700-1900z) forced me to use only one antenna to avoid slant polarisation. Full gain was used after 1900, i.e. +3dB from 2x5 elements.

DP9X DM/NS-135

s2s
DL4MFM/p DM/NS-036

s2gma
DD3WY/p DA/NW-343
DL1DSR/p DA/SX-284
DL1HFS/p DA/TH-864
DL9SP/p DA/NW-361
DG3YJB/p DA/NW-358


map courtesy of adventureradio.de

Ahoi
Pom

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Would there be any interest in some SOTA activity during the 70cm UKAC on Tuesday the 13th of July?

I’m tempted to nip up the Cloud given @M1EYP’s absence

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Do it! You won’t be disappointed.

Ahoi
Pom

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I am usually on my local SOTA for all of the UKAC’s except 6m
It’s looking a bit wet for Tuesday, but the outlook could change over the next few days.
73
Stuart