My goal this year is at least 4 CW QSOs for each summit activated. I already failed at that last week pulling out the HT after 2 CW QSOs and 30 minutes of no response on 20m (evening activation) except for that activation I’ll stick to my goal. Last weekend 40m was solid across the band with contesters as was yesterday and today.
The last two days I have had two failed CW activations with only 2 QSOs on each attempt.
I often only have limited time in the evening to activate and with the contests on 40m this weekend coupled with my 3w rig the chance for success is small, at least for me as a relatively new CW activator!
So in summary I agree with you, successful CW activating is NOT easy!
I enjoy seeing this challenge met as my skill improves. I also need to get a 30m antenna.
Hi Erik,
When I found that my CW activator score (about 600) was way behind my all-mode score (1100), I adopted the approach of not moving to phone modes until I did have 4 CW QSOs, that enabled me to qualify on CW even if I didn’t make a single contact on phone. And not surprisingly this resulted in a “CW MG” qualification after several years of this approach. I used a multi-worksheet spreadsheet, one for each year, to track my CW activations. This is due to the standard activator report not correctly identifying the activations with 4 or more contacts on the selected mode.
Hope it works for you too.
It’s a great band. It’s probably the nearest you’ll get to 24 hour usability for SOTA activating (if you’re minded towards campover SOTA), and seems to enjoy the perfect balance of space (you can usually find a clear QRG, contest free etc) and activity (usually seems pretty busy).
Plus it supports my two favourite modes for SOTA - CW and FT8/4.
For several years I used a homemade halfwave dipole, which is fine. But as I grew to really like the band, and wanted to explore its DX potential, I built a quarterwave vertical with elevated groundplane, which fits on my 10m Travelmast. Using 5 watts from an FT-817, I have had 30m SOTA QSOs with VK, ZL, JA etc with this antenna, and recently DP1POL (Neumayer Station III, Antarctica).
I’d say a 30m vertical with groundplane was the best bet for SOTA DX S2S at the present time. Anyone for a 30m DX S2S event / session?
I’d quite like to get a 2nd MG in 2022. But I’m concentrating on my rock climbing and mountaineering skills at the moment, so its unclear if it will happen before 2023. Here’s a pic of me doing just that yesterday on a crag near Cairn Gorm in MM land…
I’m hoping to do a much longer motorcycle tour this year. To assist in this goal, a new Triumph Tiger 660 Sport has been acquired and will be in service from mid March:
This year I hope to make it over to Freiburg and then also France before returning via Switzerland and South Tirol. In many respects, this is just preparation for 2023 and a trip to Nordkap. I will probably go quad MG sometime this year, but to be honest, once you are hooked on SOTA, the goats mean less and less and the travel potential becomes the big buzz. I’ve got some major mountain passes lined up this year; should be a blast.
73 de OE6FEG
Matt
I have been resisting posting my targets here. But, here are two of my many.
to make 52 antennas. I am at about 14 right now.
to get to 650 more activator points this year. I have some work to do on this one.
Hmm, I think I will fail on at least one. It always good to set targets then laugh at yourself for first setting a goal and secondly failing to try and not making it.
My subconscious has been working on this idea. Thanks for the invitation to think out loud.
Some of my SOTA goals for 2022 are:
*Finish MG. I’ve got 867 points so far.
*Reach 10k S2S points. 9,564 points to date.
*Make 100 Completes. 14 to go.
*Activate from new regions and Associations.
*Finish S2S WAC. Still need EU and SA S2S QSOs.
*Complete SOTA QRP DXCC. 60 countries and climbing.
*Make 100+ QSOs from one summit. I’ve been close.
*Build some resonant antennas and use my QCX-mini and KX1. Lightening the load.
*Plan and execute a first activation or two.
*Continue learning about the multi-faceted world of SOTA.
Whatever happens, I look forward to QSOs with more of you locally and distantly as cycle 25 blossoms.
72,
David N6AN
One goal was to make as many summits as possible on which I have never been. Like so many others, I was very interested in making as many points as possible in the early days. That has subsided. The attraction of the new is much greater. I connected that in this season with whether the mountains are good to walk…
To do this, I visited many summits that I do not yet know and that are as far as possible free of snow and not muddy … So low summits in the southern neighborhood… Switzerland.
Suddenly I remembered that Switzerland has a Lowland Summit Award for exactly that… the first 50 summits I did… now I am the first non-Swiss with this award.
And it goes on…
If there are chasers for the Lowland Summit Award among you… there are still many lowland summits for me to discover this year… and to activate. Maybe I can help you achieve one of your targets…
I started this thread with the target of doubling my activation score to 256. Last week, while in Wales, I got it to 269 so more than achieved in less than 6 months. The only problem is I have to drive further to get more points now so I doubt if I’ll get that many more for the rest of the year. I shall optimistically aim for 300.
I would like to make at least one Six Meter DX s2s contact on ES skip…I’ve completed many ground wave s2s Six Meter QSO’s, but NEVER an out of state DX s2s contact.…like 700 miles or more distant.
I have made a few 6M contacts to actual SOTA Chasers out of state on ES skip from summits…but no s2s contacts.
The problem is getting two distant SOTA stations on summits, on the same day, at the same time, during ES season…and then actually getting an opening strong enough to facilitate a CW/SSB QSO with QRP power levels and antennas. That’s a lot of needles to thread simultaneously…
Other than that, finishing up my 6th GOAT would be nice…and activating some summits I have never activated before.
Of course, the ultimate goal to to have fun with SOTA, so that is a sure thing.
Cheers to you.
