SOTA "new ones" week activity

Tomorrow, I will try to climb “La Rhune” SOTA F/PO-212 wich is 901m ASL, I say “I will try” because with my 15kgs bag + myself, my legs have to support 100kgs up there HI…
“La Rhune” is the place where are implanted very bigs radio and TV transmitters’ pylones so I think it is strictly forbidden to transmit from there and will have to find another place if I can.
I put an estimated time 11h30UTC, but absolutely don’t know if I’ll be on time, or before or after !
If I am QRV, please quick QSOs in order to work a maximum of chasers…
I will start on 30M CW, next is 40M CW and then will try 40M SSB.
Hope to hear you !
Chris F8DZY

Demain, je vais essayer d’atteindre “La Rhune”, je dis bien “essayer” car avec mon sac à dos de 15 kgs et ma personne, mes pauvres jambes doivent supporter 100 kgs HI !
Pour info, “La Rhune” est le point d’implantation de tous les transmetteurs TV et radio de la région, émettre depuis ce point est certainement strictement interdit, il faudra donc que je trouve un autre endroit si j’arrive sur place.
J’ai donné une heure approximative, mais ne sais absolument pas si je serai QRV en temps voulu, avant ou aprés cet horaire.
Si ç’est le cas (j’espère !), contacts rapides svp afin de contacter un maximum d’OMs…
Je commencerai sur 30M CW, 40M CW et essaierai à la fin sur 40M SSB si batterie ok.
Je vous espère nombreux !
Chris F8DZY.

Activation confirmed, leaving QRA…
Chris F8DZY.

Hello all, just back from “La Rhune” F/PO-212, wich was very hard to climb 2h30 + 2h30, propagation was very poor and QRM from transmitters sometimes going up to 599+, plus a very cold and strong wind making me sometimes keying very very bad, sorry for this, my fingers couldn’t handle…
I received mails asking if it was really me on air : I put my WPM speed to 25 instead of 23 and did only “quick qsos” because of the WX, maybe it’s the reason some guys didn’t recognize me ? But maybe there was also a pirate I don’t know (hope no, for example F5MQW sent me an e-mail asking about QSO confirmation and he’s not in my log… strange, strange…).
Well, about the activation (started at 1100UTC) : 41 QSOs CW on 40M, nothing on SSB as usually and VERY big QRM on 30M, I sent several CQ but NIL, so went QRT at about 1200UTC.
I hope there was not a pirate, it would be stupid…
In order to be sure, here’s the log (only calls) : G3HKO F5AKL HB9AFI F8UFT HB9AAQ M0COP HB9AGH DJ5AV G4SSH DL2DXA DL6UNF HB9IAB DL2EF DL1FU G0NES G4CMQ G3RDQ G3TJE DL4FCK SM1TDE HB9DOT G4RQJ HB9RE DL4ALI G3VQO DL3HSC DL3JPN DL2KDW G4CPA DL7RAG HB9AGO MX0BCQ HB9EAA F8DGF GW0DSP DL8YR F6FNA I0KHY F5TIL G4ELZ EI7CC. Sorry for others guys…
I will add the link of the video when ready here as usually.
Chris F8DZY.

In reply to F8DZY:

Unfortunately there was a pirate using your call, 12:30utc, long after you were QRT Chris, see spot at 12:45utc. His fist was nothing like yours.

73 Mike GW0DSP

In reply to GW0DSP:
TNX info Mike, I’m very sorry to read this, and hope this “pseudo radioamateur” won’t cause any more trouble with other SOTA activators and chasers…
Chris F8DZY.

In reply to F8DZY:

Hi Chris
It was so obviously not your keying, apart from being 599 plus here. Perhaps I copied a clue to his identity because he sent a call initially. I will not post it here because he obviously has access to this reflector in order to get your call and summit reference. The call I have is listed in QRZ.com. but he does not show up in any chaser list.
Thanks for the QSO today.

Best 73’s
David/G4CMQ

Hi all, the video of F/PO-212 “La Rhune” is now online at :


Go up the sound ! :wink:
Please note the very strong (& icy for fingers) wind on the fiber rope while keying !
A little joke at the end… :wink:
No more PO summit for me this week, I have to leave tomorrow, I will activate F/SO-003 “Salères” next Monday before going back to work :-/
Hope you’ll enjoy this new video because Salères’ won’t be online before I am back home (don’t know when…)
Vy 73 de Chris F8DZY.

Photos of “La Rhune” PO-212 are online at : http://www.sota-france.fr/f8dzy-po-212.html
73 de Chris F8DZY.

Hi all, here we are : today is the last activity of my (large) “week activity” as previewed with french new summit “Salères” F/SO-003 which is only 151m. ASL…
I hope to hear you from there !
Leaving QRA…
Vy 73 de Chris F8DZY.

Back from Salères where I had a pleasant activity with 42 QSOs all on 40M CW, 30M was too noisy, a stupid guy was making QRM sometimes but didn’t make me angry because most of you were 599 today, very good propagation this morning for SOTA SO-003 !
I’m happy to achieve my “New French Summits & 1st activations’” SOTA Tour with this and I hope to be on air again soon… now holidays are over ! HI :wink:
I don’t know when I’ll be back home and make the video, but I’ll add the link here as usually.
Vy 73 de Chris F8DZY.

In reply to F8DZY:

Many thanks for the many SOTA new ones Chris. The long distance travelled was very much appreciated.

It was a pleasure to contact you from so many French summits.

73 BCNU
Roy G4SSH

In reply to G4SSH:
Thank you Roy, I am at my wife parents’ home in Agen and it is 15 minutes from SO-003 ! HI
I am making a new website including SOTA videos, but it is still “under construction”, you can find it here : http://f8dzy.e3b.org
73 Chris F8DZY.

In reply to F8DZY:

Thanks for all the ‘uniques’ Chris. Just checked your site and see you are in the CSF. Hope you have not found to many ‘bad boys’ on the hills!!

Best 73’s
David/G4CMQ

In reply to F8DZY:
Hi Chris

Didn’t know Pottoks spoke English…
Bien vue ta video !
73 QRO
Alain F6ENO

In reply to F6ENO:
Pottok was not very interested with me Alain HI ! But what I’m sure is that I was the first SOTA activator he saw ! Hope next time he’ll remember… ;-D

Actually uploading QSOs of “Salères” F/SO-003, sorry for delay…

Vy 73 de Chris F8DZY.

In reply to F8DZY:
CD posté aujourd’hui avec ton enregistrement
73 Alain

Hi all, video of “Salères” F/SO-003 is online at :


After many crashes with NeroVision program, I finally tried another one (Magix Deluxe for people interested in) before it drive me crazy HI… Just the time to understand it correctly and now ok !
Please note all the QRM made by deliberate tuning on frequency making contacts very difficult for activator… Here I was not on a very difficult summit but when you are very high, tired, and hurry, you can’t imagine how much you make troubles for everyone when you tune on SOTA frequency, so PLEASE don’t tune on !
CU on another new SOTA…
Vy 73 de Chris F8DZY.

In the same time, many thanks to HB9IAB/p & DJ5AA/p making me reach “ShackSloth” last Feb. 11th !!! (I forgot this HI)

In reply to F8DZY:

I finally tried another one (Magix Deluxe for people interested in) before it drive me crazy
HI… Just the time to understand it correctly and now ok !

On va pouvoir échanger des recettes Magix !

A bientôt Christophe
73 Alain F6ENO

In reply to F6ENO:
salut Christophe belles images et belle vidéo!
super !
félicitation et a bientôt
f5nep Lionel