I’m attempting to activate EI/IN-057 next Tuesday (14th July 2026). I’m cycling there from Larne.
Any locals to the north or Ireland have any tips for the area?
I plan to activate during the middle of the day but am flexible. Do chasers value first activations enough that I should also activate when more hams are available (evening)? Or because conditions would be different.
I need to have minimal weight. Is a 2m handheld worth taking for local chasers?
I’m only semi-familiar with that part of the country. Not been for a while though so can’t really provide local-quality advice other than the views up that way are stunning. Enjoy!
Point 2 - You’ll be grand regardless I’d say. That said, a Tuesday is probably going to be less busy activity-wise (other than the news call-in) than a weekend. Hasn’t stopped me on the POTA front mind…
Point 3 -
Two things: 1) absolutely. Bring the kit for 2 metres and 70cm. You should get a good crowd chasing. The location offers the luxury of proximity between EI and Northern Ireland so you’ll get a whole heap of callers hopefully.
With that said, if conditions are good you can get the same further south e.g. I got callers from NI last weekend (and usually do on SOTA and POTA). There is a keenness for 270, don’t let the myth of ‘270 is dead, nobody uses it any more’ be at the forefront of your mind.
There’s some savage keen VHF/UHF (and Microwave) badasses in EI too with planet-obliterating setups who enjoy those bands just as much as HF et al.
Also, it’s a Tuesday. So if you want more calls, drop in to the local repeater on Tuesday night as they all network together for a massive country-wide IRTS News call-in. You can then call in with your signal report and also drop in a message that you are on a summit. I’ve done this before on a Sunday lunch time and callers listening in often very kindly hop across to 500 or wherever and will chase/hunt etc.
International callers can try their luck at Tropo/E’s (it has happened only there on Sunday morning where I heard a contact between Spain and Ireland on 2 meters). 99.9% of the time though they will call in on Zello, Echolink etc.
Please don’t forget 70cm too. Criminally overlooked and we need to keep it busy.
I’ll keep a look out for you on HF. 270 will be a stretch for me but you never know… I’m almost certain you will be able to activate on 270 regardless.
Plenty of good folks will be listening out for you. We just had the HAREC exams published as well so you will hopefully have a wave of new jamons eager to make a QSO and a SOTA chase.
We had record numbers this year, sell-out exams and loads of new callsigns issued (there’s another exam wave sitting in November i think?) so the pool of jamons is getting bigger. That can only be a massive positive thing. Hurrah!
GL ES 72 44 DE EI3LH
Thanks, HT will be packed and some wire for 2&70.
Soldier on! Keep spreading the 270 gospel. 
Maybe purchase some new gear while you are at it and do some 12 metre work as well as 270? 
