I was too slow getting going this morning. Up with the 0430z alarm, but only QRV by 0715z.
Remembered the tablet, mouse and USB hub - but forgot the Bluetooth keyboard. Not disastrous, but significantly slowed everything down.
Left the Palm Paddle and Palm Cube in the car. I’d completely forgotten that it got a bit damp last time out and was getting an airing on my car’s dashboard! So no CW.
I didn’t think to check the contest calendar - and the usual FT4 frequency appeared swamped by an RTTY contest.
I managed one FT4 QSO before switching to FT8. Before that an extended period of CQing on 20m SSB did not attract any replies. I think I heard VK3ZPF activating on 14.310, but not certain enough to enter a SWL log with a clear conscience.
This sort of thing can happen when one is out of practice after an uncharacteristically long period without activating - in my case, a whole fortnight.
Thanks for the contact this morning Andrew (24/9).
Great to get you in the log. That’s probably my first DL-VK S2S for over 3 years. The band was variable and I kept coming back to your frequency until the band opened. I’m glad to say, I didn’t have to fight through your pile-up.
I only worked a total of 5 stations but as I have already activated this summit this year, that wasn’t so important. I also got an S2S with Herbert OE9HRV. I tried calling David VK4JM on SE-111 several times but didn’t manage it.
I had just decided to pack up as the rain started, so I don’t think that could have worked out any better!
Thanks to the activators who got out of bed early to chase and work S2S with a VK2 summit. Thanks also to chasers in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Before I left home I made a list of potential S2S QSOs from the replies posted here. With the exception of Tom M1EYP, I worked the remaining potential S2S.
Northern hemisphere S2S QSOs: Herbert OE9HRV/P, Jarek SP9MA/P, Ed DD5LP/P, three activators on I/LO-291, Roberto IW2OBX/P, Martino IU2IJW/P, Luca IW2OGY/P and an unexpected S2S with Chris DL3EC/P.
Southern hemisphere S2S QSOs: Warren ZL2AJ/P, Peter VK3BEZ/P and Peter VK3ZPF/P.
30 QSOs, 21 on 14 MHz and 9 on 7 MHz, all SSB. I was very surprised to work Terry G0VWP on 40m SSB. Thanks Terry
I heard John VK6NU calling me on numerous occasions, sorry you didn’t hear my replies John. I did work VK6AJP/M.
My gear: FT-857D at 20 watts, inverted V linked dipole with the apex at 7m, broadside SE for LP and an 8.4 Ah LifePO4 battery.
LP propagation opened at 0550 UTC, I didn’t stick around after 0700 UTC due to rain and very close thunderstorms. I can’t comment on how long LP propagation continued after 0700 UTC.
Thanks all activators and chasers. I will activate Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043 on Sunday from 0600 UTC.
Hoping tomorrow will be a better day. Look forward to a S2S with you.
Tomorrow I will be light weight or lighter weight than last week. KX2 but antenna will be 58 feet wire straight into the KX2 with a short counterpoise. So 5-10 watts Max.
Looking forward to working some EU stations tomorrow.
In abt 30min we reached the top.
we started to call with three station. mainly I called in 30 cw and 17 cw ssb.
At 06:15, it started to rain. I tried to listen the VK-ZL activators in 20mt SSB, the only signal that I received was the one of VK1AD/P at 14.320 from vk2/st-001, I passed 44 and received 53. Many thanks Andrew for completed the three qsos with us.
Interested to hear of any successes continental Europe to ZL. Last night (NZ time), and for the last couple of weeks, the only Eu POTA / SOTA / WWFF stations I’ve been hearing are G/M. And they have been typically 3 or 4 by 1 - nothing like the wall of 5/9 calls of March.
I hear VKs working continental Europe, but can’t hear the Eu stations at all here.
Thanks M1EYP for your patience in persisting with me till QSB allowed us to complete our QSO.
thank you very much for our S2S this morning.
The conditions were really good today. On 20m I had more VK-contacts in the log than others
I worked with 10W out of the KX2 and a 5m vertical wire antenna.
73 Chris DL3EC
Good LP opening to EU on 24th, albeit short. EU SOTA stations were easy copy. I worked Martino IU2IJW/P, Jarek SP9MA, both with good S3 (on the S-meter) signals, easy copy, both on CW. Then Herbert OE9HRV who was unbelievably strong, true 58, peaking S9 on the meter. That was around 06:00 UTC. Chris DL3EC/P at 07:12 on SSB followed by Pierre IS0/F5MOG/P on CW at 07:45 were much weaker. Mind you they were all running different power. But that’s when LP propagation faded out. Interestingly enough, unlike you, I am not hearing G stations. The propagation between North and South Islands is different indeed.
It was a late decision on my part to head to the hills for some SOTA/WWFF DX chasing.
Since I had little interest in the AFL footbal grand final I went to one of my closer hills, and unnamed summit VK3/VC-037. This summit is also within the Bunyip State Park, VKFF-0753.
I was at this site 5 months earlier for the same reason.
The afternoon/evening went well for me with 6 S2S contacts;
Peter @VK3PF, using the local club call sign VK3BEZ at VK3/VC-002 on 20m SSB
I made a total of 82 QSOs from the summit, amongst the 82 QSO were 29 DX contacts.
My radio was Yaesu FT450D running 50 Watts powered from a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery.
My antenna for 20m was a 1/4 wave ground plane with droopy radials and on 40m it was a link dipole, as an inverted vee, with the apex about 10 metres off the ground.
The droopy ground plane can be seen to the right of the photo behind the low fence and the radio is sitting on its carry box in the foreground. The blue tarpaulin was to stop my clothes getting dirty from the burnt tree, but it later become a small shelter for the radio and my phone.
@DL3EC - Sorry for incorrectly spotting myself on your frequency right after our QSO. I had poor internet coverage and couldn’t get to sotawatch3 to delete my spot but I did see your new spot soon after.
Cheers
Peter VK3ZPF
This afternoon I was on VK2/ST-053 and was using VK1DA/p. I normally reserve vk2da for home operation and always use vk1da/p for portable operation. The VK2 summit reference is confusing.
I was using my old 1/4 wave vertical today, with 3 elevated radials, an antenna I have been using since 2014 but stopped using it when the ZS6BKW seemed to be a good substitute with the advantage of changing bands from the radio. I also added an amplifier set to 40w output. It seemed to add a bit of punch to the transmitted signal especially on ssb.
Andrew VK1DA/VK2DA
Ah, that explains why you were stronger with me than @VK1AD . I was also using a 40W amplifier, but into an inverted V. Tom @M1EYP suggested a vertical so I’ll try that next time - I do have a 20/30/40m vertical but the 30/40 bit doesn’t seem to work so I rarely take it out.
I didn’t get that many contacts today: 6 on 20m SSB (3 were inter-G S2S!), only 2 initially on 40m SSB until I turned the amplifier on which got me another 2 in Germany and only 6 on 2m FM of which 3 were S2S.
Normally you can expect a pileup on 2m FM from that summit but I guess 0900 BST is still a bit early.
