Hi,
I am new to SOTA but not new to hill topping with ham radio. I’ve carried SSB gear to hilltops and operated on 20m and 2m.
The plan is to activate at least one of these unactivated summits north of Hwy 120 this coming weekend August 24-26th:
W6/NS-007, 009, 017, 019
Probably only one of these, but never know!
The plan would be to operate 14285KHz SSB and also 2M (144.200MHz SSB and 146.52 FM simplex). My default rig is a Yaesu FT-817, but if there is interest in small signal 2M, I might drag up my 40watt Kenwood TM255 all mode rig.
Antennas will be either a 3el yagi on 2, or a pair of hamsticks as a dipole on 20. Operating time will probably be around 2000z on Saturday 25th, so who knows what propagation might be on offer.
The most disappointing aspect of hill topping so far is lack of simplex or 2m small signal SSB activity once I am up there! Hitting repeaters doesn’t really raise the pulse much. So if I know there’s folks out there looking for me, it will spur me on.
73,
Rob NZ6J
rowlands47@gmail.com