I’ve recently started using an all-band all-mode KX3 on activations instead of my KX1 40/20M cw radio. I’ve noticed much better propagation on 12M between the summits here and Europe at the time I usually activate. But I’m aware that the European chasers need a good antenna to hear me well and I’m wondering if most chasers are better equipped with 20M/15M antennas than 12M. I wonder if it’s a good idea to activate on 12M?
Comments?
73,
Barry N1EU
Would be happy to attempt some S2S skeds on 12, 15, 17 or 20 Barry. Email is good on QRZ.com.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to N1EU:
I would be happy to chase you on any band; 80 to 10 mtrs, CW or SSB even Data Modes if needed, hi! I have a 3 el SteppIR so 20-10 mtrs are all covered.
73 de Ken
In reply to N1EU:
Would also be happy to attempt 12m QSOs. I have a rotary trap-dipole for WARC bands at home and a KX3 and inv-V in the field.
I have noticed on several occasions that higher frequency bands are under used. While the majority is working on 7-10-14 MHz I found ufb conditions on 18-21-24 MHz, but no chasers. The higher bands are open more often than the majority of chasers realize.
I will actively support any attempt to move to higher bands. Skeds via e-mail appreciated.
73 Heinz
In reply to OE5EE:
I’ve activated in the past few weeks with success on 17m, in part because I saw it was working by having chased GW6WRW successfully on two occasions. I will continue on 17m and will also cut a 15m/12m or 10m antenna if it looks like those bands are working.
Pete
WH6LE
W4C association
In reply to N1EU:
Wow, looks like I’ll give it a go. If the band seems open and I have SMS service from the summit, I will activate on the higher bands.
I’m hoping to be QRV tomorrow from W2/GC-109 and W2/GC-013, both 6 point summits that have never been activated before, around 1400Z and 1800Z respectively. I’ll post an alert before then.
Band condx don’t seem that great today. They were much better on Friday. We’ll see what it’s like from the summit tomorrow.
73,
Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
Hi, recently I try to work on 17 and 12m with my KX3 and magnetic loop antenna from the summits.
I am almost always heard by skimmers on the east coast, sometimes even mid west.
However, the traffic there is low. I usually work 2 or 3 NA stations. Sometimes
even signals from distances below 500km are surprisingly loud, maybe there is an alternative to the jammed 40m band :). It would be nice to encourage the chasers to QSY there.
73’s Dan / OK1DIG
In reply to N1EU:
Barry,
I like activating 15 as well as 40/20. I seem to get more of the European chasers on 15 than 20. Then again, 40 is really where I run house.
-Nick/K1MAZ
In reply to N1EU:
Hi Barry,
I’ve worked the 12m band using ssb, from a number of UK summits, when I’ve been become a refugee of the 15m and 20m bands, due to wall to wall CQ contest. I’ve always found the 15m band much more lucrative.
Well worth a try, though.
BTW, your signal onto G/SP-004, yesterday on the 20m band was an armchair copy, strongest I’ve ever heard you. Many thanks.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Thanks Mike, but I need you to hear my when I’M the one on the summit 
If I have SMS coverage (i.e., self-spot ability) from a summit, I plan on activating the highest SSB band with good propagation into Europe. With no SMS coverage, I’ll be active mostly on CW thanks to KU6J’s new Reverse Beacon to SOTAwatch spot gateway.
73,
Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
Hi Barry,
Good to hear you today on 20m ssb, I will try and introduce a link for 12m into my vertical. I’d forgotten about 12m, since I already have links for 20/17/15 and 10m installed.
73
Robert
G(W)0PEB
In Wales on holiday.
In reply to N1EU:
I’m hoping to be QRV tomorrow from W2/GC-109 and W2/GC-013, both 6
point summits that have never been activated before, around 1400Z and
1800Z respectively. I’ll post an alert before then.
Barry N1EU
Barry please do try the higher bands, I have really bad QRN at the home QTH on everything 20 m and below. 17/15/12 and 10 are quiet and superb when they’re open!
You were a commanding signal as usual this afternoon, pity you weren’t on a summit.
Pete
In reply to G4ISJ:
You were a commanding signal as usual this afternoon, pity you weren’t
on a summit.
Not sure I’d want to carry my 3-el SteppIR and Acom up the summit 
Thanks for the nice reports. I hope I can work some of you guys tom’w from the summit(s) or soon thereafter.
73,
Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
Barry, you were fb copy this morning on 20m. I was quite pleased with the propagation today.
I was on RAYNET duty providing coms for a 3 leg mountain relay race. I’ve done the same checkpoint (G/LD-011) for the last 3 years for this annual event, however I’ve never had the chance to qualify the summit for SOTA. I was determined to bag the points this time, so I woke up in my frozen tent at 03:20UTC and set off on the 2.75 hour walk-in in the dark! I managed quite a good session on 40m before I went on duty. Because the WX was so good today, I stayed at the summit after my duty and went on the hunt for DX contacts on 20m. Thank goodness for my MTR it’s a fantastic performer and really lightweight, I wouldn’t have fancied carrying my FT817 with me today!
It’s a shame the MTR won’t work on 12m, I’d quite like a go on that band. Looks like I need to cut a link in my dipole, it only goes to up to 17m at the moment, although it seems to do well on 15m using the entire 40m elements.
I agree that the higher bands perform very well for SOTA, I’m certainly having lots of fun above 40m!
Many thanks for todays QSO, hope to catch you from my next summit.
73
Colin, M0CGH
In reply to N1EU:
Not sure I’d want to carry my 3-el SteppIR and Acom up the summit
That would be routine for me
Thanks for the nice reports. I hope I can work some of you guys tom’w
from the summit(s) or soon thereafter.
Hopefully, catch you tomorrow, Barry.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to N1EU:
I’m not currently using 15/12/10m because I feel these bands are too unpredictable and unreliable, it appears to be far more luck than judgment that contacts are made with portable set-ups at the moment. Either by being very fortunate (right place at the right time) or staying on a summit all day would provide a chance of hitting an opening.
I have been using 17m quite a bit recently as it has been a little more reliable for activations with plenty of contacts across Europe with the occasional DX, only once did I really struggle to make 4 contacts and that coincided with a solar flare which flattened all the bands.
For DX (from the UK) when 17m is working properly the band is sometimes open to the far east just after dawn with VK/ZL (none SOTA unfortunately) heard and occasionally worked with my mobile set-up on the way to work with later in the morning JA. The band has been dropping off during mid-day and then later in the afternoon propagation swings to the West with contacts from the USA/Canada appearing; which have been coinciding with some of my SOTA activations.
I’m not using anything special antenna wise; either my 1/4 wave ground mounted antenna (which I used to good effect last year from the US) or my 5/8 wave vertical with around 35W of RF.
There is a big possibility of DX s2s on 17m even with ssb, just try decent verticals :o)
Carolyn
In reply to G6WRW:
In reply to N1EU:
I’m not currently using 15/12/10m because I feel these bands are too
unpredictable and unreliable, it appears to be far more luck than
judgment that contacts are made with portable set-ups at the moment.
Either by being very fortunate (right place at the right time) or
staying on a summit all day would provide a chance of hitting an
opening.
I agree that it isn’t predictable in advance. But once I’m on the summit, I check the bands and if I hear numerous s9(+) signals out of Europe then I know the band is open. The highest band displaying strong signals out of Europe is going to be the band that best allows my 5-10W ssb signal to be heard in Europe. This scheme depends on the ability to spot myself so chasers know where I will be.
73,
Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
I refer to my previous reply :o)
I actually like the upper HF bands and have reasonable antennas for chasing as for the low power on ssb I don’t really think thats the main issue its the antenna system that the activators use that is the problem.
Carolyn