Worldwide HF MINIMALIST / QRP SOTA event

Hello, just a reminder that in 3 weeks we’ll reach this event (17-19 June).

Have you already weighted your gear? Are you reducing your redundant gadgets off the rucksack?

You can add in the listing of feasible minimalist rigs the new KX2 if you are lucky to own one of these…

73 de Ignacio

Hmmmm, I think I might have left it too late to order my 100Ah LiFePO4 battery to power my 400W amp with. Conditions are poor at the moment, good luck!

Matt
VK1MA

Hi Ignacio
Making a few alterations to my dipole need to loose at least 100g from it (starting to sound the xyl) and purchased a new battery.
Finger crossed should be good to go.

73
Graeme

Hello Graeme,
thanks for your interest.

Yes, you need to apply a diet to your gear; maybe a low fat antenna wire or a hypocaloric battery?
Sure you’ll get to the target weight!

Just in case others are intested to get ideas on how to prepare a thin equipment, this is the related thread that started the idea of a Minimalist setup:

73 de Ignacio

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Little changes make a big difference. Use smaller items, get rid of the unhealthy items a in your pack atu, rg58 coax, kevlar wire and remember your five a day items- battery, antenna, key/mike, rig and mast.

Also don’t forget to tell yourself how amazing you are every time you lose a few pounds of that minamilist setup.

(My boss better authorise my day off)

73
Graeme

That’s me out. My ts480 weighs about 4kg and I can’t just take the control head.

I’m out too as an activator because my rucksack with the SOTA-kit inside weights 5.5 Kg, but I’ll be ready to chase on QRP 5 w, so I’ll be a MINI chaser.
Cheers,

Guru

Hello,
yes, if you can’t meet the weight you could always chase QRP and be a MINI chaser.

Guru, are you sure your 817 + palm paddle + batt + short coax + Eco Vehicolare weights more than 2,5kg?
I’m sure you can make it with an FT817 if you tune up your gear…

73 de Ignacio

REMINDER

We are getting close to the Minimalist event, planed for next week (full details at the start of this thread).

Many colleagues already reached the reduced weight target after a deep research and fine tuning of their radio gear; congratulations!!

Although activators will add the proper alert in the Sotawatch schedule, I propose you to add it in the list below as well.

The alerts I can find so far are:


Friday 17-June
TIME CALL REF BAND & MODE
1000 DD5LP DL/AM-156 7-14-SSB

Saturday 18-June
TIME CALL REF BAND & MODE
1000 DD5LP DL/AM-156 7-14-SSB

Sunday 19-June
TIME CALL REF BAND & MODE
1000 DD5LP DL/AM-156 7-14-SSB


CHASER ONLY (remember to chase QRP for this event)

CALL REMARKS

  • EA2BD I’ll use a compromise antenna from an alternative location in EA5/VL area. High QRM here, but I 'll try to catch you! Rig: KX3, Ant: End Fed Half wave

Please,if you want to reply and add yourself to the listing, copy all the existing data and complete
with your own as appropriate.

73 de Ignacio

Hi Ignacio,

I hope an umbrella is definitely excluded from the weighted equipment.
When looking at the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend I assume you will need a huge umbrella :umbrella: here in our region :worried:

73 Stephan, DM1LE

Nothing special built to attend the coming QRP Minimalist event. Shown in the photo below is my standard Backpack station, 40/30/20 Trap EFHW, coax feedline with EFHW coupler and carbon pocket pole. The total weight is about 750 g.

With respect to the tiny little T-30 LPF toroids wound with #28 (0.3 mm) wire the max. power output is adjusted to 4 watts, that’s still a lot unreasonable regarding the MTR design has been optimized for operation at 9 volts (abt. 2.5 watts).

The 40/30/20 Trap EFHW antenna is as described in Trap EFHW and Coupler, where the EFHW coupler is newly built in a slim version using an FT50A-43 toroid (dimensioned for 10 watts).

Using the ultralight carbon pocket pole is the only concession made for the coming QRP Minimalist event. This pole is a DAM Pocket Pole Carbon 5.0 m (Stipprute ohne Ringe) with a practically usable length of 3.80 m (caution: carbon poles are slightly conductive and therefore not suitable for verticals).

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For me it is not a highlight because I always using QRP and as an activator also located in these requirements … but maybe this time will be less QRM from kilowatts … and others will see how are escaped character referenced on QRP …
I only have 2 questions:
1.
My propouse for chasers: using not MINI but /QRP after callsign. Some people always using /qrp.
2.
Weight of the log is to be in these requirements? (Phone, tablet, computer or paper-log)?

VY 73 de Mariusz SP9AMH (always QRP)

Hi Stephan. Of course, absolutely excluded meanwhile you don’t connect it to the coax and use it as a dish for your antenna :grin:
Make sure you choose the right color to have a fresh feeling. Perhaps I should use an umbrella here as well, 29C at our rental house in this moment and rising up…
Glad you are in for the event. GL!

Hi Heinz, I wasn’t expecting but something event better of your really optimized and neat equipment.
Thanks for sharing your picture: your embedded feeder is so compact! And the carbon pole helps reducing the weight even more…
Take care on hills and avoid any thunderstorm hitting your pole :wink:
GL in the event.

73 de Ignacio

Hello Mariusz,

thank you very much for your interest. I will be glad to count on you for the event!

Let me reply to your questions:

Using QRP or not when activating was much discussed several times in the past in our forum. We concluded that signing QRP was a bit a waste of time, because most activators use QRP when portable and therefore it was redundant. Not signing QRP would reduce the time and would save battery as well.

Concerning the event, I proposed to use MINI in the rules just to let the chasers know that the activator is operating with a minimalist setup, reduced in weight.
I think it is better to keep it as it is, because the event was announced some time ago and maybe it causes a misunderstanding if we change the rules now…
In addition, there could be out there QRP stations that don’t fulfil the weight minimalist criteria… So I better would keep MINI if you don’tmind.

No, we just weight the Radio gear. We use to weight the log if it is a paper log, but it is just for reference.
If you want to carry a laptop up the hill don’t worry about the weight… Then you could add an umbrella to be able to see the screen,hi.

Hope to hear you during the event, with my MINI chaser setup!
73 de Ignacio

I would be happy to copy everything except double or triple calls (hope Rob will also read this) :wink::slightly_smiling_face: 73 cu

I understand! I can call you only on 1 band and 1 mode on 1 summit…
Call on other bands for me is a study of the propagation and some sort of science.
vy 73 Mariusz

That was not meant this way Mariusz but please do always key your call just once, i.e. no need to repeat it 2 or 3 times. Reports are welcome on all bands you can (really) copy my sigs.

BTW, I would appreciate if you could always wait for some seconds after a QSY to the upper bands to avoid overcalling of possible DX stations. Thanks!

I will participate with my usual gear; see picture. Weight just below 1 kg.
Hpe 2 wrk u es 73 de geert pa7zee

My experience from QRP says: 2 times calls is beneficial for me because the second time may be not unsettled by big power.
Wait for some seconds? My strength in working QRP is that I am before the others … if to be late five seconds… my chances are falling violently
So this backoff leave for kilowatts also DX who are usually also stronger as I …
By the way, QRG SOTA are in the area QRP so why chasers calling out there with great power? Few of us are there legally …
Bandplanning is for SOTA Chasers also !!
73 de Mariusz

Hello Geert
Thank you very much for the picture! Lovely compact setup indeed.
I am glad you are in.
Hope some more activators will join us next days…

Only 4 days left for the Mini!!

73 de Ignacio