I’m hoping that I will be able to get to Lanzarote early next year.
I’m thinking of taking a small radio, EFHW and a fishing pole. I can see a couple of interesting and not too challenging summits near where I’m hoping to be staying. I can probably work on 40m and 20m.
Does anyone have any tips for getting reliable QSOs? I’ve struggled a bit on some POTA and SOTA recently with few calls. What’s the best way to keep the pole upright on a rocky summit? Are there any summits that I should definitely do whilst there?
Most EA summits have trig points made from concrete. Those work fine to install an antenna pole. Bring a long enough velco or bungy cord.
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In EA8 bring a vertical antenna (Slim-J) or similar for the 10m band. This would get you good chases to Europe or US / South America during the high solar activity season that we have.
Self spotting is of course key to attract the chasers.
Your endfed usually should work on 40/20/15/10m so that should be fine, too.
What radio and antenna have you used (that were not so successfull for SOTA and POTA recently) ?
I see that you only did FT8 QSO? Any reason not to use SSB as there are not that many FT8 chasers?
Or if you go FT8 then call and spot yourself on a free frequency and don’t go on the usual FT8 QRGs.
The key to success is to place an alert of your planned activation on SOTAwatch. From EA8 you should have good coverage of Europe on 20 - 10m, also North America in the afternoon on 20m and up.
From your database entries, I can see that you did exclusively data mode. Why not bring a microphone and add some SSB? There are many more chasers in SSB (and even in CW) than in digital modes.That all depends on your equipment, of course.
Joe has nicely summarized antenna options. We could help you better if we know your equipment options (rig, tuner y/n, antennas,…)
Having operated from EA8 several times there normally is no issue raising a pileup. One reason is that EA8 classes as Africa for SOTA awards and are some of the easiest African summits for US and EU stations to work. There are a good number of ZS activations but they are a lot harder to work than EA8.
A vertical for 20-10m would be my choice. You can tie them to the Spanish trig points or find cracks in the lava to wedge a pole in place. Or make some cairns from the loose lava laying about. It’s not hard.
As Joe OE5JFE said to you, most of EA summints (including EA9) have trig pillars. It’s easy to install a fish rod with velcro band and deploy an antenna. You can see the deployment of my recently activation Reporting my first activation! I used a DIY 40m band EFHW wire reel antenna, a fish rod of 9 meters lenght and my hiking pole to hold the reel.
You can check if the summit has a trig pillar in this web page, Canary Islands included. Each trig pillar has a sheet of data from official service of the goverment with useful info.
I’m using a home built Trusdx at the moment with a modified PA that I designed and a home made 40/20/15/10 EFHW with a 7m fishing pole.
I do need to try SSB at some point - I’m coming back to the hobby, and was intrigued by FT8 as it used some ideas that we used in my Master’s team project 25 years ago (before DSP was capable of doing it cheaply). I’ve just ordered the parts to make a Kenwood to 2 x 3.5mm jack adapter.
A 10m flowerpot antenna fits great on a 7m pole which can be handy on a crowded summit as it needs no radials.
It’s a bit more bulky than a simple wire antenna though, for packing.
Hello!
I have a question too.
I intend to visit Tenerife in November, but in order to avoid problems at the airports, I would only take a 2m/70cm hand station and a flower pot antenna. I’m wondering if I could make at least the required 4 connections on 2m. Is there enough activity on 2m/70cm bands?
Thanks, Vili
In general yes. I definitely helps if you can manage some phrases in Spanish language. But there is a good number of English speaking operators on Teneriffa and the other Canary Islands.
Timewise of course better chances when people are not at work.
Good in understanding the numbers from 0 - 9 to get the correct callsign.
(best if you can do till 99 as some OM request the logging time - but I managed without. Not needed for a minimum QSO).
And some basic phrases like:
/p (slash portable) = barra portátil
(59) for you = cinco nueve para ti
Thank you for QSO = Gracias por QSeO
73 = setenta y tres
Here my video from El Teide in a sunset activation:
You can contact Raul EA8AMT (Email via QRZ) and he will rally others via the local relais to help out on 2m - but be on time based on your alert. 145.500 FM just as usual.
Vertical antennas are the best choice, then a inverted V will work fine.
The best propagation time are in the evenings after 16UTC it will be very easy to manage US and EU pileups.
In the mornings you will have more customers but worst propagation.Forget it to operate from 12h to 16h.
If you start very early in the morning you can start on 40,30,20,17,15,10 but 30 and 40m close early (10am)
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