VK JA ZL - EU S2S 10 March 2018 (Part 2)

Activation Reports Pre-Planning
61

Can confirm from HB/SG-46. I had a QRM level of S2 to S5 on all relevant bands, the VK activators in SSB which were spotted on SOTAwatch which I heard in the noise were barely audible.

Had a couple of non-S2S CW QSO’s with VK/ZL/JA with signals I could fish out of the noise, hope I read the calls correctly. Without the noise, there should have been a few S2S possible.

I was running 100W into a GP antenna. Not sure if I missed a couple of callers while CQ’ing. If yes, sorry about that.

I made QRT around 0930 when it started raining, Even without a S2S, I made my first QSO with ZL since I got my first license in 1984, so it turned out great for me.

73 de Jens

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62

Hi Jens,

Congratulations on that New One!

It’s good to learn this. Now I understand why you couldn’t copy me calling you on 30m. I was running QRP 5w only…
Don’t worry for this. Our hobby is like this and we enjoy it.

73,

Guru

63

I’d be interesting to see times and paths of the DX S2S contacts. I didn’t manage to hear any DX SOTA, but I probably didn’t stay at the radio for long enough.

64

Mike YYY had a QSO with VK1AD/2 about 0700z.

65

Hi Tony,
Sorry to hear things didn’t go well on your first activation.

Most on this list have confirmed that 20 metres was horrible today for the time when most of us were out on summits.

Don’t let the experience get you down, I promise, the next one will go a lot better. As we get into Spring and summer conditions both weather and radio tend to improve and the trip is worth it for the views and a bit of sunshine in any case.

Thanks for trying

73 Ed DD5LP.

66

Congrats on the ZL contact Jens!

My noise level on 20m was S5 at best, often S7, so anything at the normal S3/S4 level for SSB contacts with VK/ZL had no chance with me. I think some new electrical equipment may have been installed on Rentschen causing the increased noise.

40 metres was better with a lower noise level and I actually heard a home station VK working a Spanish amateur (neither of them SOTA I think).

It’ll be interesting to analyse the logs of those who managed DX contacts (well done to those people by the way).

Perhaps I was simply on the wrong band at the wrong time, or it was that noise level, or something in my gear…

73 Ed.

67

Interesting morning. Chucked it down all the way to G/CE-002 Walton Hill. Met up with G7LAS at the car park and got him to carry the antennas to the summit, well i did give him a can of Diet Pepsi :wink:

Turned on the rig and was surprised to hear the VK’s coming in at 0630z. I would have bet my house against that. Got stuck straight in and worked Jonathan VK7JON for my first s2s with Tasmania, it only took eight years. I’d been in touch with Jonathon a day or so ago and we agreed there would be very little chance of an s2s with VK7… Never say never

Next was a s2s with Wade VK1MIC with a very good signal for his 5 Watts.

Next in the log was s2s with Andrew VK1MBE. It’s been a while since we last worked, so I was delighted to log him .My fourth call of the morning was a s2s with my great friend and fellow organiser of the event Andrew VK1AD/P2, with an armchair copy…Many thanks for the chat Andrew!

My fifth call and indeed final VK of the morning was a s2s with VK2WP. After that, it was like someone had switched off the 20m band.

I managed a few more G s2s, G8JSM on Billinge Hill, Tony 2E0HZI, on CE-001, Neil G0WPO, who was drenched on Pendle Hill, SV2RUJ on SV/MC-075.

As I was about to pack up, I saw a spot for Sylvia OE5YYN on OE/OO-330. Tuned up the mighty Antron for 40m and made the s2s. A mention for Ernie VK3DET, he stayed by his rig for ages and when he could here me, he just couldn’t copy my signal report. Such a shame, he was 5/5 my end :frowning:

Not too many contacts but nice to get two milestones. The VK7 contact was particularly sweet.

I’ve qualified a G summit with four VK contacts quite a few times, however, qualifying a “G” summit with four VK s2s contacts was very special and something I’ll never forget.

Thanks to everyone who took part and made the trip to Walton Hill G/CE-002, great fun.

Mike
2E0YYY

The picture is historic of Walton Hill, I forgot to take any…

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68

Watch out… I’m coming for that antenna!
Well done Mike. I can see I’ve still got a lot to learn!

Regards Mark
M0NOM

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69

Careful Mark the Antron is BIG and heavy and so is also the mast it has to go on. I know having heard of Mikes repeated succeses, I bought myself a second hand one. I haven’t had the energy to drag it up a hill as yet!!

I think timing was the key this morning although I was on at 06:20. I think, as I’m further east, I would have needed to be on at 0600 to grab those VKs! (if they were there by then)

73 Ed.

70

http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/ACC_antenna/Solarcon_A-99_review.pdf

71

My thought was that we in the UK needed to be on by 06:00…you would have needed to be up and running by 05:30. :wink: Unfortunately it is impossible to determine precisely what time we should start these events. The same applies to the NA <> EU one. After all, how long can one stay on a summit? For most there is a practical limit, unless you camp overnight.

As for me, some may think that 170 miles and three and a half hours driving just for 4 QSOS is not worthwhile, but I really enjoyed it and working my first VK summit has made my day. :smiley: Sending the former Class B call on CW on HF was great - back in 1969 when it was first issued it would have had the Post Office inspectors frowning to say the least!

73, Gerald G8CXK (aka G4OIG)

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72

How strange, I’ve worked a combination of nealy 1000 VK/ZL contacts from various SOTA summits, almost 100 of them Summit to Summit.

Perhaps I should take it back to the dealer I purchased it from and ask for a refund!

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73

Hi Gerald,
Yes I’m trying to work this out both Jeny in Bulgaria and Ignacio in Spain made S2S SSB contacts (the harder ones to make) between 0700 and 0740 UTC but Mike says he started with VK S2S contacts at 0630. I would have thought Mike’s contact window would have been later than those from Continental Europe, not earlier.

In any case it looks like I came on just after the 20m band closed today. :disappointed_relieved:

Roll-On the clock change so I can get to a summit 1 hour earlier from the 25th of this month.

74

Instead of here, I have published separately my activation report, as I usually do.
You can find it here:

I hope you’ll like it.
73,

Guru

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75

Exactly, the point is to have fun. Need to ensure I can play for the next one.

They’re further South than you Ed. You should try playing on the bands from up here. They can be dead when people 500miles South are hearing and working all sorts.

76

I may have done the same, but at least I was only hoping to chase from home. I’m wondering whether grey-line may have played a part in at least some of the S2S contacts. I was awake a bit late to catch it…

77

K index at 4 was the killer… Game set and match…

78

Latitude has a big effect indeed. I lived 6 years at the South of the Madrid region and I experienced there the best conditions ever compared to those in all my years being a ham in my birth town Pamplona. Now that I’m back in Pamplona, there are not those great conditions anymore. And that’s about 450 Km latitude difference only.
Comparing EA8 with GM, for instance must be like switching ON and OFF the light… :wink:

Cheers,

Guru

79

I wasn’t using a vertical antenna Andy, but an inverted vee, so its likely down to low angle radiation which makes the difference. I think the biggest influence is how far north you are. Southern EU will always do better then we do on that long path, as to a lesser extent southern England will. If I had been on a summit and calling CQ SOTA, even up north, I may have been in with a better chance.

With the strength of Neil’s G0WPO/P signal on Pendle Hill he should have been working DX if there was any chance of it. He worked a 5B4 station who was strong I recall. I’m not sure if he went on to work any other DX. I did hear a ZL station at good strength in QSO on 40m CW with G3ROO well after 0800. Possibly QRO with a 4 square array - who knows? I didn’t take note of the callsign. It made a change listening around like we used to do, rather than clicking on SOTA spots at home from your cluster hihi!

As far as the police are concerned I was also approached by a detective and then at the same location, by a uniformed officer and interrogated when I was operating in 2015 with Nick G4OOE on PA/PA-004 near Apeldoorn in 2015 Catterblog: Benelux Tour Day 5 PA/G4OBK/P our passports were checked then, but we were left to continue operating.

The best part of my SOTA day was working EA6KB Lorenzo this evening on 40m SSB on EA6/FO-001 for a SOTA Complete. I was the first acitvator and Lorenzo is the second.

73 Phil

80

Isn’t PA-004 in the Dutch Queen’s garden/forest? That would explain the visit from the 5-0.