VK/ZL <> EU S2S - 11 March 2017

[VK6NU]

Way over in VK6 I had a quite rewarding afternoon. Didn’t make many contacts only 21 in total but 11 of those were Summit 2 Summit contacts and 4 of those were with Europe. EA2BD EA2IF 2E0YYY and DD5LP. Also had a few chats during the event with Andrew VK1AD so I worked all the crew responsible for organizing a great event.

The Summit I was on Mt.William VK6/SW-042 was gutted by a massive fire last year. There is a Firetower lookout there which must be about 70-80 feet high. I wasn’t aware that someone was up there today but did see another car in the carpark and the gate open into the compound. The lady came to say hello when she was leaving and was wondering what I was up to, She told me the wind was gusting at 70kph up the lookout and she was wondering how my hat was able to stay on. I did lose it once.

With the strong wind I only set the antenna up at 6 metres, it was a half square designed for 20 meters. Power was mostly 40 watts from the Ft-857 and I did crank it up to 60 watts a couple of times. I had 2 CW contacts with VK2WP and VK2IO, rest were on SSB and all on 20 meters. Worked most of the stations I heard but I could hear some G Stations on 14.285 but they couldn’t hear me. Band opened to Europe for me about 7:30 UTC which is probably quite a bit later than the other VK areas I packed up at 09:00 UTC and still had some contacts at this time but well past its best.

Thanks to all for a great event and look forward to the next one.

73

John VK6NU

[EA2BD]

Hi,

I wasn’t planning to join the event this time, as propagation seems poor the last days, but thanks my friend Guru EA2IF who encouraged not to miss the chance I finally woke up early and went to acftivate Mt. Erreniega EA2/NV-092.

Excellent weather when I arrived in the sunrise, there and after installing my end fed in Vertical configuration for 14 MHz I found I had high SWR of about 3- 4.
After some fiddling with the wire (lack of an ATU!) I couldn’t improve it at all!

Anyway I stayed and started calliing without much success. The noise in the receiver was so low, that I thought I could not log any DX today.
But I was wrong and I could work with ease EA2IF/P (not far from me, hi) CT1DBS/P, VK2IB/3, a loud VK5PAS/P and VK6NU/P. Heard faintly VK2IO/P when path was closing and I couldn’t work VK1AD/P although I tried several times.

All in all, a surprisingly good Long Path day.
Thanks for organising the event.

VY 73 de Ignacio

[OE5AUL]

Hello everybody,

Today almost perfect weather on OE/OO-330 and I say thanks to VK2IB and VK2WP for the S2S-contacts, VK3WE, ZL1BYZ and JA1VRY for calling in. All contacts were done on 20m and in CW. Nothing on 17m. Enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to Mike and Ed for organizing.

73’s
Peter, OE5AUL

left antenna: J-Pole for 17m, right antenna: vertical delta loop for 20m

[M1EYP]

Well I HEARD 3 JA stations, several VK stations including 3 SOTA activators, and one very strong ZL chaser. My 5 watts wasn’t making the return trip though today.

The summary from The Cloud G/SP-015 was as follows:

Saturday 11th March 2017

QSOs: 42
40m CW: 15
40m SSB: 1
20m CW: 12
20m SSB: 8
2m SSB: 1
2m FM: 5

S2S: 13
RN6K/P on UT/CR-051 (announcing as R5/CR-051) - 20m CW
G8JSM/P on G/SP-017 - 20m SSB
GW4AZS/P on GW/MW-013 - 20m SSB & 20m CW
M0VED/P on G/TW-003 - 20m SSB
M1BUU/P on G/NP-008 - 20m SSB
YO6PIB/P on YO/EC-426 - 20m SSB
DD5LP/P on DL/AM-176 - 40m SSB
HB9BQB/P on HB/SZ-025 - 40m CW
G8XYJ/P on G/WB-004 - 2m SSB
F/HB9AFI/P on F/VO-086 - 40m CW
ON/M0BLF/P on ON/ON-010 - 40m CW
M6IIE/P on G/NP-005 - 2m FM

SWL: 6
2E0YYY/P on G/SP-004 - 20m SSB
VK1RX/P on VK1/AC-038 - 20m SSB
VK2IB/3 on VK3/VE-061 on 20m CW
VK5PAS/P on VK5/SE-005 - 20m SSB
MW0XRT on GW/NW-043 - 2m FM (didn’t appear to be receiving anyone!)
HB9EIV/P on HB/SZ-025 - 40m SSB

[G6PJZ]

BRILLIANT!

My first ever VK was a S2S. Worked another VK base station and heard a few more activators, but couldn’t get through to them. Heard a booming JA. Loads of EU S2S. (Oh and a contact into Star City, Russia) A really enjoyable morning. Now I know it can be done. I think I’ve also recruited another SOTA convert as well.

Gents, thanks for organising this. I look forward to the next one.

[EA2IF]

It’s always worth it getting up early to go out in the mountains and play radio and today it wasn’t different. It was absolutely great, as I had 5 great S2S QSOs with VK1, VK3, VK5 and VK6.
John ZL1BYZ also chased me from home.
I have to leave now with my 3 kids, but I hope to be able to write later a more detailed report with pics.
Great event!
Thanks guys for organising it.

Edit: activation report just published here:
VK-ZL <> EU S2S event: Mt San Martín EA2/NV-151 by EA2IF/P on 11/03/2017

[IW2OBX]

I reached a summit I/LO-320 in the dark with the aid of led head torch,

I started to calling cq on 40mt ssb some minute before sunrise.

I menaged in a log one europe cheaser
the prop was so so…
I QSY to 20 meter and I kept calling
I monitored the freq between 14.280 and 14.340, but I heard only one russian qso, and incomprensible signals in the range 14.315 and 14.330, probably vk/zl activators, but the signals was too weak.

I contact John ZL1BYZ from long path, my best dx
My log on I/LO-320 Palanzone
sp9amh 40mt ssb
zl1byz 20mt ssb
ea2dt 40mt ssb
g0rql 40mt ssb
cs7afi/p ct/es-007 20mt ssb
oh3gz 20mt ssb
ik2ilh 40mt ssb
ea2ckx 40mt ssb
i2czq 40mt ssb
rm5m 20mt ssb

Great event!!!
Thanks you for organising
73!

[EB2GKK]

The sun was rising when I was reaching this summit, nice weather conditions on EA2/ss-003, but with a little wind enough to move the blades of the windmills.

I was running an IC703 at 7W, the antenna was an inverted V dipole on a 7m fishing pole for 20m.

After starting, I did not heard VK’s, ZL’s or EU’s station calling CQing on 20m.

Considering the poor propagation conditions for the last days, I thought that was normal and it would improve in some minutes.

But the big noise in my receiver did not let down from 59.

I decided to try 40m, I was pleased to be able to manage some QSOs on this band. Here the noise did not reach 57.

After testing my hearing loss with two active EA2 chasers, I resigned to continue calling close to these windmills.

I packed up all my things at 09:00 UTC.

This time I have chosen a bad summit for 20m, all wind turbines were working today generating electrical noise.

For goodness sake, I would not like to know that any of you may have heard my calls on 20m…

Thanks for arranging this event, I look forward anxiously to the next one.

73s de EB2GKK, Inaki

[ZL2ATH]

Conditions on ZL1/WL-153 Crawford were less than perfect last night with intermittent rain and cold southerly wind. 20 meters to VK was not bad with five summit to summits achieved and a few Qso’s with VK chasers. Thanks guys!
I could just copy Mike 2E0YYY/P but could not work him on my 5W, likewise for JS1UEH/1, he was coming through quite strong but obviously had no copy on me.
I changed sets to one capable of 100w and within a few minutes of doing that the rain came down in bucket loads and that was that… A good event to be a part of though. Well done organisers.

[VK1AD]

Hi all

A big thanks to everyone, activators and chasers alike, for your participation in the March 2017 VK/ZL <> EU S2S event. Special thanks to Mike 2E0YYY and Ed DD5LP for their contribution to the event organisation, which from the feedback in this thread it would appear this activity was well received.

From Mt Ginini VK1/AC-008, I started my SOTA DX Ops at 05:50 UTC and made my last 20m QSO at 08:52, just over three hours of VK/ZL/JA <> EU jam packed S2S fun.

On 40m S2S SSB QSOs included:
VK5PAS - VK5/SE-005
VK5FMAZ - VK5/SE-005
VK3ANL - VK3/VS-036

On 20m starting at 06:40 UTC SSB S2S QSOs included:
VK6NU - VK6/SW-042
VK1MBE - VK2/SC-050
ZL2ATH - ZL1/WK-153
HB9SOTA - HB/SZ-025
EA2IF - EA2/NV-151
2E0YYY - G/SP-004
JS1UEH/1 - JA/IB-027
VK5PAS - VK5/SE-005

80m S2S
VK2IO - VK2/IL-017

DX SOTA chasers included, ZL2AJ, ZL3DJ, ZL1BYZ, ZL/GI0AZA, ZL/GI0AZB, SM1ALH, EA2LU, IK2ZJN, 9A7W, JA1VRY, 9A3NM, ZL3CC, EA2DT and VK6XN.

All 20m DX QSOs were completed using a FT-857D at 40 watts feeding an inverted V linked dipole with the apex at 9 metres. My 20m 1/2 wave J-Pole was 2 points down on the Inv V. After sunsrise this morning I found the 1/2 wave J-Pole telescopic support pole bottom two sections had collapsed, which I didn’t notice last night in the dark.

Earlier in the afternoon on 40m I worked local VK chasers: VK4RF, VK1FWBD (S2S on 2m), VK1RX (S2S on 2m), VK1MA, VK5WG, VK3CAT, VK7CW, VK3BSG, VK3GRK, VK2IO, VK5FANA, VK3LED, VK3PF, VK5IS, and VK3SQ for one QSO on 80m.

20m appeared to open to Europe 30 minutes earlier than normal, I was surprised to work HB9SOTA at 07:03 UTC. I was expecting EU activators to come online at 07:30 UTC, one hour before VK1 sunset. I think the early opening caught a few VK activators short.

Look out for the next VK/ZL <> EU S2S event to be held in late September or early October 2017 or should we now say ‘VK/ZL/JA <> EU S2S’? A huge thanks to JA activators JS1UEH/1, JP3DGT/3, JJ1SWI and JL1NIE (CW and SSB) and chasers for joining in. Thanks Tadashi JA1VRY for chasing on 17m 18.145 MHz.

73, Andrew VK1AD

[VK1AD]

Hi Andy

I heard you calling @ 07:50 UTC, I called back 3 or 4 times. Sorry we didn’t make the S2S QSO.

73, Andrew VK1AD

[VK1MIC]

Wow looks like it was worth it! Great session!

Just checking that S2S was with me? Callsign VK1FWBD not sure if it’s just a typo here or wrong on your log too.

I did AC-048 today - saw on those angry sticks … agree on need for Snake Bonus Points for VK activators !

My linked dipole should be here next week. Keen to try some QRP DX.

Wade

VK1FWBD

[VK1AD]

Hi Wade , it was and yes a typo. Fixed!

I will upload my activator/chaser log tomorrow. I arrived home at 11:00 this morning followed immediately by a family lunch/gathering. I’m now catching up on SOTA admin.

73, Andrew VK1AD

[VK1MIC]

Heard you on the call backs and was glad you got home safe. I got to the base at around 1130 so crossed over.

Lucky your blog described the car park with boulders - google maps had me around in Uriarra village!

I had very very sketchy data. Lucky I posted an alert the night before. VK1DI and VK7CW spotted for me too!

Have to catch up soon. VK1Sota dinner soon?

W

[G6PJZ]

Yes sorry Andrew - you would have been my first VK. Unfortunately a continental station started up about 2KHz up from you which put an end to me hearing you. Now I’ve got the bug though I hope to catch you another morning

[HB9DQM]

Activation report from Tom OE9TKH and Manuel HB9DQM, operating under the HB9SOTA callsign:

We spent the night in a shabby hotel at the trailhead for HB/SZ-025, which was the summit chosen for the HB9SOTA group snowshoe excursion, coincidentally on the same day as the VK/ZL <> EU S2S event. Got up at 05:00z, no breakfast (not available so early), hiked to the summit and were QRV at 07:00z. We alternated between chasing VK summits, and calling CQ on 20m. Total 5 VK summits worked; no ZL summits heard unfortunately.

When VK2WP got spotted on 30m, we listened on the 20m antenna, not expecting much, but to our surprise heard him loud and clear! So we immediately put up the 30m antenna, worked the S2S, and then a few more VK/ZL chasers on 30m. To me this was the biggest surprise of the day, that 30m would work so well.

After about 09:00z, other HB9SOTA members started arriving on the summit, and at one point there were close to 20 operators and lots of antennas everywhere.

Thanks to all the organizers, activators and chasers for this great S2S event – we had a lot of fun!

DX worked on 20m:

• VK1AD/P (S2S)
• VK1RX/P (S2S)
• VK2IB/3 (S2S)
• VK2WP (S2S)
• VK5PAS/P (S2S)

DX worked on 30m:

• VK2WP (S2S)
• ZL1BYZ
• VK7CW
• VK4FW

Equipment: FT-857D, 100 W, full-size EFHW for 20m (vertically on a 12m mast), and EFHW about 9.5m long with loading coil for 30m.

WX: sunny, up to 10 °C, no wind – in a word: ufb!

(This is not a teletubby! )

[2E0YYY]

My VK/ZL/JA/EU Report Saturday 12 March.

I met up with Rob G7LAS at the Cat and Fiddle pub at about 0610 z and we made a gentle 40 minute walk to the Trig Point of G/SP-004 Shining.

After my lousy activation of Great Orme on Friday, we decided to take a colinear with us for VHF as an insurance policy against the HF bands being broken again.

We set the station up and took a look at the spots. The SOTA activators appeared to be out in force. At 0725z, I found a clear QRG on 14.325 and put out a CQ. My first taker was Adrian GW4AZS/P with a s2s from Corndon Hill. Another s2s from Andy G6PJZ up on G/TW-002 followed. My third call was from Andrew VK1MBE and my fourth contact was from John M0WRG, to qualify the summit. Cheers guys.

Colin M1BUU/P gave me a call from G/NP-008 for another s2s…Good to hear you Colin. Next s2s was Tony M0VED, who was activating G/TW-003…

Then a call s2s call from my good friend Andrew VK1AD/P activating VK1/AC-008. It seems I was on a roll! Peter G1FOA was my next in my log, he was activating G/WB-005.

Another VK s2s call was made by Alister VK1RX/P who was activating VK1/AC-038. Then A wonderful call from Carl 2E0HPI, who was activating G/TW-001 with his friend Steve 2E0EFP. Thanks for the two s2s contacts guys. Another friend Pete G0WGL gave me a call from Manchester, many thanks Pete!

Really cool to hear Warren ZL2AJ, a tricky contact but the all important signal reports were exchanged. It has been a while since Paul VK5PAS and myself have worked, so I was delighted when he called summit to summit. Paul was putting out a brilliant signal from VK5/SE-005, Mt Lofty…

Matt VK1MA followed Paul, we struggled a bit but Matts persistence paid off. Rhett VK3WE was the very next call to make my log. There was VK s2s call thanks to Bernard, VK2IB/P3, who called in from VK3/VE-061, Mt Emu, a new VK summit for me. Next was up, was Colin VK3LED, who I hadn’t worked for some time…Cheers Colin.

Great to hear John ZL1BYZ once again! A big thanks to John, for staying on frequency, to give so many Activators in EU, a highly prized ZL callsign in their SOTA log. It was then the turn of Jonathan VK7JON, Cheers Jonathan, always good to get Tasmania in my log.

Another good friend, John VK6NU called in for a s2s. John was activating VK6/SW-042, Mt William, which I think is a unique summit for me.

Tony VK3CAT was the next call…Great to hear from you again,Tony! An excellent signal was received from Ian VK3YFD, followed by a nice chat.

The very next call was Frank VK7BC, another call from Tasmania… My final bit of DX was from Eli 4x5EB in Jerusalem …Shalom Eli.

As I was about to go QRT, John VK6NU cane back and we had a nice chat, for a great ending to my activation…Cheers once again John.

Good to see so many QRPers working VK and ZL, a really enjoyable couple of hours.

45 Contacts all 20m ssb, courtesy of the Antron-99 and FT-857.

13 VK’s logged
2 ZL
13 s2s logged 5 of them VK.

Thanks to all the callers and of course, to those who took part in this fine event…

73 Mike
2E0YYY

[VK2IO]

Linking the VK/EU event with the VK/NA event meant an overnight stay so this was a “heavy” activation. I carried in tent, camping gear and a newly acquired HF linear to Bulgo Hill VK2/IL-017 about 1.5km - the first of this type of operation for me. Started later than planned at around 0745z and hunted through the stations already spotted. First was Compton VK2HRX (S2S) on the other side of Sydney who advised how weak sigs were and this turned out to be the story of the evening. Spotted myself on 20m CW and then worked John VK6NU (S2S). There were 3 EU chasers EA2LU, DL3HXX and SA4BLM but no S2S and max signal strength was 2 both ways. Two JA and ZL1BYZ called as well with much stronger sigs.

Started some hunting around the bands for S2S. I heard Mike 2E0YYY very weakly with QSB. Also heard OE5AUL but calls were unanswered so no S2S with EU. Did not hear Ed DD5LP or Tom M1EYP amongst numerous others either. My location was not in the “sweet spot” for LP to northern EU which tends to favour ZL, VK7 and VK5. I was very glad to make 4 S2S contacts into JA: JL1NIE, JS1UEH, JP3DGT and JJ1SWI all on 20m. Also made 5 S2S in VK over 20m and 80m: VK2HRX, VK6NU, VK2WP, VK1AD, VK5PAS.

A stint on 40m SSB and 80m SSB and CW exhausted all the local chasers so later in the evening I made some CW contacts in the Commonwealth Contest using just 5W. This netted 5 40m and 7 80m contacts. The best was E51KTA.
Finishing time was 1256z (11:56pm) with 35 stations logged.
Thanks to the organisers and participants for a great event!

Cheers,
Gerard - VK2IO

[DD5LP]

Great, Great pictures in the reports everyone - they show the real contrast in weather and environment in the countries taking part in this event - does anyone mind if I use their picture, perhaps in publicity of the event??

73 Ed DD5LP.

[CT1DBS]

The 3 CT activators (CT1DBS, CT7ABE, CS7AFI) went together to CT/ES-007, Serra do Socorro.

The wx were cold, mist and cloudy but no rain.

Heard a lot of stations including some activators but made only 1 S2S with EA2BD/p. Difficult to get through the pileup.

Also heard some weak VKs and J’s but only had the chance to QSO with VK2CW on 30m.
60 m were very noisy.

Working condx were a kx-2, 5w max, CW only and trapped dipole.

But, as always, activation of a summit was a lot of fun!

Big TKS for the organizers.

Awaiting for the next S2S party…

Vy 73 de Pedro, CT1DBS/p

CT7ABE, João Fragoso in the mist

KX-2 in the mist

CS7AFI, Jose Gomes, helping to roll the antenna