Last Monday as part of my post lockdown release plans I (with two other friends, David VK3KR and Owen VK3EAR) activated three summits in the Yarra Ranges outside of Melbourne Australia. On the third summit (Mt Strickland VK3/VN-030) at around 16:30 local, as the early winter sun began to set under the tips of the Eucalyptus forest, I was able to complete a QSO with EA7GV Jose. This was my first QSO with EA on a VK summit and Jose’s first QSO with a VK activator. I sent 559, Jose sent 319. A thrill for us both. I was running 50 watts to a dipole, Jose a little more.
I don’t know how common this is at this stage of the sunspot cycle but I can only say that it cap[ped off a great day of driving, walking and playing radio in the mountains for me. A 60 second video is here, in which I nervously stuff up Jose’s callsign at the start:
Congratulations Paul and José for the great DX.
I’ve spotted a typo in your initial post, Paul: Jose’s callsign has number 7, not 5.
May be it’s time for me to start waking up early to be activating at sunrise again looking for DX VK/ZL. All I need is the persistent clouds and rain to finally go away.
73,
Hi Guru, you caught my post befire I edited it! Thanks for your comment. Listening at home 40m has a short window to the northern hemisphere in the hour before sunset. I cannot hear much DX here in the suburbs. But when I am on a summit an hour north east in the mountain range, I hear everything!
I will try to be on a summit at around that time, 1630 local or 0630 UTC.
There must be something weird happenning because I still have EA5GV in your initial post. For some reason, your correction isn’t yet visible for me. Don’t worry, I guess it will sooner or later.
I really don’t know when I’ll be able to be activating at that time. WX is ugly lately and I got very wet when descending from my last activation, so I’d like to avoid experiencing that same thing again for now.
Not too long ago, I was activating in the evening and got chased on 40m CW by a couple VK5 hams.
I was running 5W into and endfed wire.
You can see my activation report here:
I hope to QSO with you soon with either you, me or both on a summit.
Fixed your callsign in the text, sorry agn! It was correct in the database from the start, that’s what matters! Thanks Jose, hope to work you again on your Spanish 100 watts. Paul VK3HN.
