Hi Ed
An ATU is very helpful when people sit on your antenna wire. During our activation of Schesaplana in OE/VB-019 we noticed that after some time serveral people were sitting on half of the doublet wire on one side of the antenna. The wire obviousley had come down and people did not care about a wire on the ground.
I first did not notice, tuned them up as capacative load and made the contacts with still good reports.
Only when packing up we saw the wire on the ground.
73,
Peter (& Sylvia)
Tom,
I saw your spot for 20m PSK yesterday, would have been 1200 Sunday approx, so having just finished a long documentation project I decided to try listening for you. Nothing heard of you but I did copy numerous other EU callsigns on PSK31, which is a first for me. I think I’ve come too late to the PSK party. It’s gone to FT8 now… sad.
Will look for you again next time. I was really surprised to hear any EU signals on 20m, that’s about 10pm local time and usually 20m has closed the door firmly by then, for me.
73 Andrew VK1DA VK2UH
Let’s have a sked early one morning then Andrew. That would be brilliant.
Don’t get carried away with the FT8 hype. There’s still loads of activity on PSK31, and loads on JT65. Any of those three will support a successful HF SOTA activation.
I think that this does require admin capability. The functionality does not appear with TL3
Many thanks Jim. I started to attempt relocating the posts in the Practice area thinking it wasn’t visible, but it was, so thanks to whoever removed what I set up.
I will set up a new thread as suggested, but will need admin assistance to move over any relevant posts and so tidy this one.
73, Gerald G4OIG
EDIT: The transfer has now been done, so please post any comments about an event in 2018 on the new thread. Any further reports on the event on 18th November 2017, please add to this thread.
From the spots I have prepared a list of the calls of those that were active during the event and the summits they were on. Some may have been “accidentally” operational. If anyone was active that is not listed, please advise.
EDIT - updated version especially for Andy. 
And maybe post it in a big enough font that I don’t need to get my SEM out of the cupboard and start the vacuum pump!
What’s wrong? Don’t you like the font of my Commodore MPS803 dot matrix printer? I’d have you know, I had to re-ink the ribbon before I could get the C16 to print out the list. Anyway, what’s wrong with using a magnifying glass? SEM indeed, you boastful person. 
Regarding the list of activators for the NA<>EU event, I talked to KB1RJC and KB1RJD who were on
W1/HA-179 Oak Hill (as well as KI4SVM on W4C/EM-066, who is already on your list).
I started just after sunrise in Alberta (15:30z) on 15m ssb, as VOACAP was predicting good results into Quebec and the eastern seaboard. I managed 8 contacts in 20 minutes, one S2S, all clear, strong contacts.
I changed to 20m ssb at 1600z. as VOACAP was predicting what little chance there was of reaching Europe was there. The band was crowded and not very good. I managed another 12 contacts, including KB1RJC and D in New Hampshire before giving up.
I thought people might be interested in the location which is unusual for an Alberta hill. It is east of Calgary on the prairies. On the summit is a stone teepee ring left by the first nations people from their buffalo hunting days. It is the nearest thing to a drive-up peak we have around Calgary, taking from 20 mins in the summer, to 30 minutes last week-end to hike to the top. The photo is looking east, behind you can see a hundred kilometers to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. An amazing place and well-worth a visit with or without a radio.
Ian VE6IXD
Slag heap activation on Hensbarrow Downs, G/DC-008
I arranged to activate this particular summit during the S2S event for three reasons. Firstly it was the summit that would re-complete SOTA England for me, secondly it was an easy ascent (and therefore an easy descent in the dark) and thirdly it was only a few miles from where my daughter lives. There would be no long drive home from this one.
The day started with a park run at the Eden Project – not me of course - just my daughter and grandson were taking part. They finished in a respectable time, so we were away around 10:00z. They set off back to home and I drove to the summit where I parked up and spent a bit of time getting ready while listening to the radio. Having surveyed the hill earlier in the year prior to its inclusion in the SOTA program, I did not need a map to show me where I needed to go. I set off around 11:00z and in the interest of keeping everything above board, I walked to the Beacon (formerly G/DC-004) and then up the route that I had ascertained would keep me within the Open Access land. No need to trespass before the activation – on the descent in the dark, maybe!
It was 11:23z when I arrived at the edge of the OA land where I wanted to operate. I set up a short distance below the two large stones that appear to indicate the corner of the OA and this is well within the AZ. There was a reasonably stiff breeze blowing up the slope of the hill when I arrived which was set to increase throughout the afternoon. In the hope that I would be able to withstand several hours out on the hillside, initially I did not set up any windbreak, but later had to erect a crude shelter just to hear the rig a little easier. The surface of the ground was rather slimy on account of the generally wet Cornish climate combined with the china clay spoil. I had to pick my spot to set up, though I was not entirely successful in keeping clean!
My intention was to self-spot for 2m SSB and try to qualify the summit on the band before starting the S2S event proper at 13:00z. Don G0RQL was first in the log followed shortly afterwards by Mike G4WVD in Bodmin. Although I hoped there might be more calling on SSB, I had to resort to FM to qualify the summit, with more locals calling me for a series of brief contacts.
I swapped the antennas over at 12:30z, all in good time for the action which was due to start around 13:00z. Based on the outcome of the 2016 event, I decided to try 18MHz CW first which proved to be a good choice as Rich N4EX was first into the log with his signal running at S7. John KN2CZZ followed shortly afterwards. However, contacts came very slowly – it was for this reason that I decided to leave SSB until later. Mark WG8Y and Scott KG3W were good contacts on CW before I was called by Barry N1EU on Utsayantha Mountain W2/GC-026. I finished the 18MHz CW session with a chat with Ralph EA5/G4IVK.
Moving to 14MHz, there was contest traffic on both SSB and CW, so I decided to try S and P for a change. Mike NS1TA on Mount Megunticook W1/EM-001 was soon in the log on CW, but then I lost the internet connection on my phone so had to work blind. At this point I decided that I had had enough of the wind whipping past my headphones, so I set up a tarp to give me some shelter. This certainly helped with the cold hands and made it far more pleasurable.
Tuning around I eventually found Pat KI4SVM on Dogback Mountain W4C/EM-066 on SSB working a string of US contacts, virtually all of whom I could copy. After a bit of a wait, I got in for a QSO. Three EU S2S were then worked before I made my first S2S with Canada, working Malcolm VE2DDZ on Rougemont VE2/ML-002 on CW at 15:14z. With the internet playing ball once again, I noted Pete WA7JTM on Turkey Hills South W7A/CS-045 was on 14.061MHz. He too was working people that I could hear, but then suddenly he was gone. Thankfully, it was just a move up 3kHz and after several calls I got my callsign across. The contact was fairly marginal, but a good one nonetheless.
Just 7 contacts were made between 14:00z and 15:30z, so I decided that it was time to call CQ, which I did on 14.066MHz. Christos SV2OXS was first to respond, followed by Jan OK2PDT. Jack KB7HH was next to call in from Arizona. A few more European chasers helped to increase the number of contacts and Phil G4OBK made it down to Cornwall during this session.
After a chat with Jose CS7AFI who was a good signal with just 2 watts, I spent some time tuning around. Ian VE6IXD was copied, but unfortunately I could not get my signal heard in Alberta. A quick look at the spots showed me Pete WA7JTM was now on 18MHz, so I had a quick listen and he was audible with the antenna still set to 14MHz. A change of the links (all 5 of them) and a short wait while he worked through some US stations and we were then once again in QSO. On my side signals seemed to be marginally better than on 14MHz which was surprising as it was now 16:25z.
I decided that my next move would be to call on 18MHz SSB. A quick self-spot and a couple of CQs and back came Shane N3RTD followed by Jean VE2JCW. I then had the biggest surprise when Pete WH6LE called me from W4C/EM-066 – signals 55 both ways. With my batteries fading fast, Robert N1NUG and Rob VE1CHW sandwiched a QSO on the band with Don G0RQL. The final 7 QSOs were made in just 15 minutes. I might have dragged a few more contacts out had I juggled the least drained cells, but 5 hours on the summit was enough for me, so apologies if anyone missed out.
During the activation I heard Richard N2GBR for a few moments, but then he faded out and I never found him again. From my notes I see that I also looked for Nick G4OOE, Doug GM0ELP, Andy GM8OEG and Ed W1EJ without success. Ralf HB9GKR was heard working Pat KI4SVM immediately before I worked him.
So thanks to everyone that participated in the event. Although conditions were considerably down on this time last year, I really enjoyed myself and I am looking forward to more S2S contacts across the pond during forthcoming activations.
73, Gerald G4OIG
Hi Ian,
I wasn’t sure whether they were working in the S2S event, but I will include them in the total as I see they worked a few S2S contacts.
It was good to be able to copy you on 14MHz around 16:15z. I looked for your signal again after I had worked Pete WA7JTM, but couldn’t copy anything from you. Having the vertical set to 18MHz may have contributed to that, but I think a change in conditions more so. That is twice I have copied you during these events. Maybe third time lucky?
73, Gerald G4OIG
Hello Gerald, Thank you for letting me know that I was heard in the UK. I really didn’t think my signal was getting out, so useful information.
My companion on Buffalo Hill, Malen VE6VID, (and photographer of the sunrise picture) along with another SOTA activator Ken VE6AGR are looking at wire yagi antennas for 20m. So perhaps indeed third time will be lucky if we can engineer some gain and point it across the Atlantic.
Talk to you next time!
Ian VE6IXD
Well with no further input that would reveal additional activators on during the event, the list is as set out below.
The totals for the three events so far:
November 2017 - Europe 31 activators on 30 summits, USA/Canada 16 activators on 11 summits
May 2017 - - - - - Europe 55 activators on 36 summits; USA/Canada 19 activators on 18 summits
November 2016 - Europe 55 activators on 50 sumits; USA/Canada 36 activators on 31 summits
Symptomatic of the Solar Cycle Blues?
73, Gerald G4OIG
9A6CW/P on 9A/DH-036
DD5LP/P on DL/AL-167
DG7ACF/P on DM/NS-115
DL6FBK/P on DM/HE-314
G4OOE/P on G/TW-004
G4OIG/P on G/DC-008
M0HCU/P on G/WB-004
M0NOM/P on G/LD-017
M0RSF/P on G/NP-029
M1BUU/P on G/NP-017
M1EYP/P on G/SP-015
GW3CWI/P on GW/MW-012
GM0ELP/P on GM/SS-129
GM8OEG/P on GM/CS-094
HB9DBM/P on HB/LU-021
HB9GKR/P on HB/AI-010
IW2OBX/P on I/LO-218
I/OE7RDI/P on I/AA-211
LZ1GJ/P on LZ/RO-172
OE5AUL/P on OE/OO-330
OE5YYN/P on OE/OO-330
OE5JFE/P on OE/OO-080
OE5JKL/P on OE/OO-303
OE6FEG/P on OE/ST-248
OE9HRV/P on OE/OO-102
OH9XX/P on OH/JS-066
OM6AN/P on OM/ZA-073
S52FT/P on S5/PK-041
S57X/P on S5/TK-026
YO6PIB/P on YO/EC599
NS1TA on W1/EM-001
KB1RJC on W1/HA-179
KB1RJD on W1/HA-179
N1EU on W2/GC-026
W2SE on W2/NJ-009
WI2W on W2/NJ-009
N2GBR on W3/SV-008
KI4SVM on W4C/EM-066
WH6LE on W4C/EM-066
KC5CW on W5N/SS-015
AA0BV on W6/CC-071
W1EJ on W6/CC-071
WA7JTM on W7A/CS-045
VE2DDZ on VE2/ML-002
VE6IXD on VE6/RA-100
VE6VID on VE6/RA-100
