But it’s not as easy as using a handheld to open a repeater and make 4 QSOs so I think allowing satellite contacts is perfectly reasonable. Perhaps it could be broadened to include any satellite QSOs. This would allow the whole world to take part and would also be a bit more accessible than QO-100.
It would make no sense to involve just one satellite, but QO-100 would give one third of the world an unfair advantage even if any satellite could be used.
AM mode challenge? Just throwing that in. I need to try that mode more…
Hi all,
Please tell us 15m or 17m !
I have to cut my 60m dipole to input one band
73, Eric
PS: 12m, 10m and 6m were on SOTA challenge B4
Hi Brian,
If we are talking about FM satellites, I see where you are coming from. However, with QO-100, it’s a different thing—it is, in effect, another “band” to work on, with multiple stations up and down its frequency range, all making separate QSOs.
Getting into ANY satellite does need special equipment and special skills - so a “satellites” challenge has some merit however for many there will be a financial outlay involved in getting to be able to communicate from home, let alone from a summit.
Ed.
EME Ed
I would be in favor of an Inverse-CW Challenge for 2025.
Qualifying contacts must be completed in CW using International Morse Code but with dits and dahs swapped.
Dit dit dah, dah dit dah dah (GL)!
dah dah dit dah - dit dah dah dah Matt 73
From my shack 15m is the best band for reaching South America. If this can be replicated from a summit it would add an extra dimension to 2025 if there was a 15m challenge.
It doesn’t sound like much of a challenge! It would be more interesting if there was a power limit of 500mW, but how would you police it?
12m challenge concept
“The aim of the challenge is to promote use of the 12m band for SOTA QSOs”
10m/6m challenge concept
“This will be a challenge to make contacts on 6m and 10m.”
Flavours challenge
“Like in the past we want to encourage use of parts of the spectrum, and operating modes that are generally less represented in SOTA, but keen to maximise participation by making the Challenge both diverse and inclusive.”
2024 10m challenge concept
“The aim of the challenge is to get everyone using 10m a lot.”
A 15m challenge would be identical in concept to all the others.
Its a bit of a stretch to describe 15m as less represented in SOTA, at the time that 10m was discussed as a possible challenge it was significantly less well used than 15m, the challenge has leap-frogged 10m over 15m but 15m is still reasonably well used - about as well used as 18MHz and 2.5 times the use of 24MHz. In fact a re-run of 24MHz at this time would be an excellent fit to the purpose of a challenge!
What is QO-100
Geoff vk3sq
The only existing geostationary ham radio satellite currently available.
Not available in VK that’s why probably not known.
Uplink on 2.4 GHz. Downlink on 10 Ghz.
Linear transponder system.
Side payload of a TV sat.
Totally agree with you! Unfortunately, I let myself be carried away during many years by prejudices and stigmatization against FT8.
With similar propagation conditions, for me the FT8 was more challenging than SSB/CW
I thought that’s what “CWR” is on an FT817?
good to know the QO-100 comment - will add it in mine
though as i have been thinking about a QO100 homestation how would i chase with only a dish? - afaik rx is possible but for a complete qso i still ned a working station with transverter etc to tx back, or am i missing sth?
i hope its gonna be 15 - already head some great QSOs including my most recent ODX with a JJ1 while beeing portable in SM
That’s a rather substantial outlay for many of us (including travel to another continent). Having a QSO-volume-based event would also greatly burden the existing birds especially since activators will lend a preference toward the few FM birds to get started with lower operational complexity (and just which passes are available). There’s a reason Field Day and WFD only offer bonus points for one QSO via sat for the whole event/contest. Waiting for a second GEO bird in any slot would be nice, but that’s a 10 year proposition unless someone with a lot of money speaks up now and still won’t provide global coverage. Global amateur GEO with laser links between birds for sub-bands that are repeated to a different portion of the globe? A long, long, far-off dream.
Hi Joe, thanks for the information and that link.
All the best to you and family for the Xmas period.
Geoff vk3sq