East Wyoming Activation; Jelm and Ring Mt.

Good Day,

My family and I are planning a camping trip on Jelm Mountain (W7Y/EW-006) this coming weekend (Jul 17-18). During our trip we plan to activate Jelm (W7Y/EW-006) and Ring Mountain ( W7Y/EW-020).

I plan on taking my KX1 and will be active on 80M/40M/30M/20M CW. I operate QRS so thank you in advance for your patients. For antennas I will use an MP1 Super-antenna and a LNR Trail Friendly end feed.

I should be able to use SMS to update SOTAwatch and may be using APRS.

Outside of SOTA activities I will be doing a little CW and if anyone is needing a Wyoming QSO I hang around the SKCC frequencies. Being QRP I will probably be most active around grey-line.

Hope to catch some of you on the air.

73,

Chris, N7NAV

2 Likes

Chris, I hope that you have good weather and lots of fun with your activations. SOTA chasers are great at working with QRS activators. I may be in range for a 2 meter contact, if you want to add that to your list. It sounds like you have self-spotting covered, if you post alerts ahead of time, RBNhole will also spot you on cw automatically (this is great when I can’t or don’t feel like messing with the phone or aprs. Assumes that a computer can copy your sent cw. Read up on the Reflector to learn more.) Good luck, and I hope to catch you for chaser points or a S2S!
Peter KD0YOB

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Peter,

I will have the HT with me! I’ll add 2M to my operating activities. I have a delta loop 2M antenna I have been wanting to try out.

I’ll set up alerts as we get closer when we have more accurate weather predictions.

I’ll watch for your spots and hope for the S2S. Safe travels and good weather…

73,

Chris, N7NAV

1 Like

Hi Chris,

If your cw skills and experience are limited, consider giving yourself a 2 wpm speed allowance to compensate for nerves and qrm, abbreviations, fading, odd noises etc, all of which put you under pressure you aren’t used to when using perfect signals from computers or recordings. So if you think you can copy 14 wpm, send at 12. Most callers will match your sending speed.

It does not work to set your sending speed to 16wpm then ask callers to qrs.

Making contacts frequently will improve your confidence. Increase your speed only when your current speed is so easy it’s boring.

73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH

3 Likes

Andrew,

Thanks for the tip. I was making CW contacts regularly and then… life. Luckily the pressure is not bad since I’ve been on both ends of pileups and it’s just another understanding Ham on the other key who was once in my shoes.

I hope to work you this weekend or in the future.

73,

Chris, N7NAV

2 Likes

Weather is looking great and we are planing to activate as follows:

Ring Mt.
WY7/EW-020
17 Jul, 2020 1600 UT

KX1
• 7.058 MHz CW
• 10.128 MHz CW
• 14.058 MHz CW

FT-70D
• 146.520 MHz FM

Jelm Mt.
WY7/EW-006
18 Jul, 2020 1600 UT

KX1
• 7.058 MHz CW
• 10.128 MHz CW
• 14.058 MHz CW

FT-70D
• 146.520 MHz FM

Change of plans…
We won’t be able to make Ring Mt. on Saturday, but we are still on for Jelm Mt on Sunday:
Jelm Mt.
WY7/EW-006
18 Jul, 2020 1600 UT

KX1
• 7.058 MHz CW
• 10.128 MHz CW
• 14.058 MHz CW

FT-70D
• 146.520 MHz FM

1 Like

Hope you had fun! Late last summer I had a dream day with perfect weather for activating Jelm and Ring on 2m VHF.

Hoping to do those again soon.

Erik
KE8OKM

We did have fun. Activating with the entire family is difficult, but at least I was able to get on the air. I will have to go back for Ring Mt.

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We activated Jelm Mt W7Y/EW-006, but I was only able to work 40M due to an impatient little boy and puppy. I did attempt 2M, but unfortunately was not able raise anyone.

The weather was wonderful and there were so many butterflies around us. There was a little haze from out of state fires, but the views were still great.

I plan to go back to activate Ring Mt. solo so I can operate a little more.

Thank you to everyone I worked. My CW has been a little rusty so it was good to get back on the air. Station set up was KX1, MP1 Super Antenna, LiPo battery, and American Morse MS2 miniature straight key.



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Hi Chris, thanks for hanging in there on Sundays activation !
You were very weak and in and out at times, but we made it !
I see you were using your KX1, good job ! I’m going to drag my KX1 out and do some chasing with it, haven’t used it in quite a while !
I was using my MTR3B at 3 watts into the AXE1 antenna with a 33’ radial here in Nephi, UT.
Look for you on the summits again soon !
72/73 de Ed
N7EDK

Ed,

A little over 100 mi per W! Pretty good for QRP to QRP QSO. If I had not come across the KX1 I would have looked at the MTR3B. Having both how do you compare the receivers?

You are also the first that I have worked with an AXE1 antenna that I’m aware of. That is something I have been looking into for QRP ops as well.

I’m glad we were able to make contact. I look forward to working again.

72,

Chris, N7NAV

1 Like

Hi Chris,
I’m still unpacking here in Utah, when I get the KX1 unpacked, I will use the AXE1 antenna with it and let you know how it went.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve used my KX1, but if I remember right, it preformed well receiving.
I’m really surprised at the AXE1 antennas performance, I’ve heard negative comments about it, from my point of view it’s worked well for me !
72 de Ed

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