Tomorrow will be my first SOTA activation and about my first QSO in 21ish years.
I was originally licensed in about 1992, and was active for about 2 years. Events caught up to me, and I went inactive for a number of years, although I kept renewing my license. I’ve been inactive virtually the entire time. But I’m delighted to get back into the hobby.
I’m an avid hiker/backpacker, so getting back into amateur radio, and combining it with peakbagging seems natural. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow, with w6/ct-001, Mt. Gorgonio. Will be using an MP-1T SuperAntenna and a brand-new FT-817ND. Anybody use a similar setup? The 817 seems popular among SOTA folk, but what about the antenna?
Hope to see y’all on the radio tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Here in Oregon from W7O/WV-096 I could hear folks working you, but there was TV sweep right on your frequency and you were buried underneath it.
I asked on SOTAWatch if you could move up 3kHz to a ‘clear spot’ for a S2S, but it didn’t happen today (although several chasers did find me).
Like you, I was inactive for many, many years and SOTA has been the key to lots of hiking and lots of radio and best of all, lots of fun for me. Hoping that you had a fantastic time on this summit with many more to come.
I was active on W7O/WV-088 about 100 miles south of Etienne. I listened for you and called some, but no joy. I usually work well into southern CA. Maybe your antenna was in a null toward the north. Look for you the next time.