Today’s activation of Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043 was triggered by a need to test a Quansheng UV-K5-8 recently purchased and reflashed with IJV firmware. After testing the DSB functions on tx and rx (all of which was positive) it was time to chase Bill VK1RT who was activating Mt Canobolas vk2/ct-001. Having completed that I ran a few contacts on 40m cw and eventually drifted up to 20m cw and ssb.
Nothing doing on cw after a few calls but a spot from a VK4 in the ssb area caught my attention and I called him several times but the EU stations were much stronger than my signals. So I moved up the band and self spotted on 14.322, resulting in a run of 13 European chasers plus Ian ZL1IM and ZL3MR both of whom I met on my ZL trip earlier in the year. Then I noticed a spot for Colin M1BUU on G/NP-004 on 14.062, exchanged good reports with him then moved down the band and self spotted again. 8 more EU contacts resulted, most at good strength. Then I had to pack up and get off the mountain as I have a family commitment on Wednesday evenings. Sunset is around 0730 at the moment.
My antenna was a linked dipole and the radio was a FT857D at 50w output.
This could be a sign of good LP signals on this path in the months ahead as we approach and pass the equinox. I’ll have to take a better 20m antenna to make the most of the conditions.
Thanks all for the contacts.
Andrew vk1da