A good day out. The only real issue was i had very poor phone signal so couldnt spot and also couldnt see if there were any LEO sats available. It also seems the relay in my amp wasnt latching properly on ssb causing some issues until i took it out altogether. Didnt affect the activation once the issue was solved.
Other than that, a very relaxed activation. Some good rag chews in the mix and very enjoyable blast with a group in north/west yorkshire on FM. 3 summit to summits with M1EYP/P on 2m SSB, FM,AM and 70cm FM. G8CPZ/P on 2m ssb and MW6BWA/P on 70cm FM and 2m FM.
Nothing heard from mainland europe, so i guess the propagation gods did not smile on us. I even had a listen in the cw portion (not that i would have been able to decode it).
Fortunately, the sun stayed behind the haze for the first 2 hours. Later in the afternoon, it became very hot so packed up after 3.5 hours.
Will post obligatory photo and qso map once i dig the logbook out of the rucksack and upload.
Thanks to all worked today. A fine ending to a week off work giving me the opportunity to join in.
Thanks for taking part Ian. It was enjoyable (as always) to have a bit of a natter with you. The triangular net with Andy G8CPZ/P at the start was fun too.
Shame I couldn’t take a whole day off on short notice this time. So I was a bit late for a morning activation, first QSO 1257z.
Good activity and enhanced condx. One station I worked was on DM/NS-125. However being a summit station, he is no SOTA station. So no s2s. Surprisingly, two dedicated SOTA chasers came to the log, DG0JMB and DL6FBK. For Paul DL6FBK, the QSO was a complete. Congrats!
The G stations were big signals with me and both QSOs were long chats on condx, wx reports, portable operation, IC-705 etc.
Listened out for you and Tom @M1EYP yesterday but didn’t either of you.
re: LEO sats. Apologies if you are already aware but there a free android app that I find useful for predicting satellite passes - Look4Sat. It’s available via Google Play. It can show info for lots of sats not just amateur LEO FM ones and includes pass time, direction, elevation etc as well as transponder mode and frequencies. A big plus is that it doesn’t need an internet connection so is useful when you don’t have good reception.
BTW there weren’t any ISS passes while you out yesterday. Current usable ISS passes (20deg+ elevation) seem to be overnight at the moment - the next is c2151UTC for me in S. London with the last at c0252UTC Sunday morning. SO-50 passes seem to be middle of the night until about lunchtime.
Anyway just thought if people want to try a sat activation the app maybe a useful. No connection with app or developer - just a satisfied user. Other equally useful apps are probably also available.
I use ISS Detector app with the amateur satellite add-on , the issue was that it needed to update the TLE file , which I should have done before setting out, but a mix of forgetting and assuming I’d have some cell coverage on summit meant it wouldn’t load up properly. I’ve heard that Macclesfield is behind in the tech stakes hence the lack of signal … (Waits for Tom’s rebuke) .
I’ve downloaded the Look4Sat app and filtered out a few. Will try it in anger at a point when holding a metal pole pointing at the sky isn’t a hazardous passtime (I think we are due a thunderstorm soon).
For those desperate to see a QSO map from Friday , here it is
Also don’t forget TEVEL sats. Check with AMSAT BB which one is currently activated for FM repeater. Dave, 4X1DG is issuing regular updates there. I am carrying a sat LEO kit all the time on my SOTA outings and trying to jump on when the pass is good.
Hi Pom,
it was realy nice to meet you on 2m, ssb. It was great pleasure for me to get a complete with the QSO. Thank you very much for the QSO and the beautiful pictures of the activation.
Paul DL6FBK
H or V Richard? Then we know which polarisation to use… I’m in all day. Our suitcase that was lost by Lufthansa 3 weeks ago is being delivered between 8am and 5pm by would you believe, DX Couriers!
Should be an easy one Richard as I can usually work the distance of 53 miles to Cracoe on FM, for me it’s bearing of 254 degress, so reciprocal for you - point your dipole to Russia, 75 degrees. although with a dipole it shouldn’t make that much difference!
Richard, do you already know when you will be qrv? As the opener of this thread I will also have to activate 2m SSB. Not an easy undertaking over the distance of 500 miles
73 Chris
I managed 4 QSOs on 2m SSB. Two were non-SOTA people who were just pleased to hear some activity on SSB!
There was some activity on 144.300 so I spotted on 144.310 but had no response. I moved back to 144.300 and as it was now quiet called CQ and got a response. It took me a couple of minutes to update the spot and Phil G4OBK found me.
Thanks Chris for the S2S. I’m unlikely to be on 2m SSB tomorrow.
hence the lack of signal … (Waits for Tom’s rebuke) .
