Not long now to the next Trans-Atlantic S2S Event which will be held on Saturday 2nd November 2024. As usual the core hours will be between 12:00 UTC and 17:00 UTC.
Hopefully the current disruption on HF will have passed. It is likely that the 10m band will come into its own this time around, though please do try other bands.
This event encourages lengthy stays on summits, so plan accordingly, have suitable shelter and means to ascend / descend in the dark.
Thank you Gerald. Just a reminder (without resurrecting an old debate !!!) that North American CW activators typically send “S2S S2S” to get attention, while many Europeans CW ops prefer “/p /p” to announce a summit-to-summit call. Either way, a plea to the home stations to please demonstrate on-the-air courtesy when summits are chasing other summits during the Trans-Atlantic s2s Event (as the title implies). Stay well & 73! Mike, WB2FUV
I managed two S2S this afternoon on 10m CW from my local summit G/NP-028 with @KC1MXB on W2/GA-046 and @WA7JTM on W7A/MN-121 so hopefully it will go well for the S2S event.
A tarp, walking poles and a few rough guyes can make a suitable shelter. I take my 1.8 x 2.4m tarp with me for the S2S events. At least you’re not far from the car on Kit Hill if it does turn foul.
I have a big tarp but where I normally operate is too small and rough to erect a proper shelter - think gap between gorse bushes. There are grass areas on the summit but normally I avoid them as they can be busy - but if it is horizontal driving rain I might have them to myself!
I was testing a QCX on 10m from home yesterday afternoon. I live at the bottom of a valley at about 85m asl. I put up my SOTA dipole on a 5m pole in my small garden. Calling CQ, I was picked up in Hong Kong!
The band was certainly open yesterday, I was also hearing Indonesia but with my 20w SSB to a wire antenna at 7 metres AGL - unfortunately, he didn’t hear me.
I’m still working out which summit I can get to for TA S2S. Several of the lifts to the higher summits will have stopped operation by November 2nd unfortunately, so it’ll most likely be one of the lower ones. If I take enough equipment and shelter for a few hours, the lower ones will probably be a good idea in any case.
Fingers crossed for good radio and terrestrial weather.
73 Ed.
Indeed, for us this side of the Atlantic, an easy and safe route back to the car is paramount for the November event. Headlamps are pretty much essential unless rhe summit is a drive-on and even then operating will require some light towards the end of the core period (1200 - 1700UTC). I’ve chosen a summit, but have a Plan B…
I’ve cancelled my alert for G/DC-003 as I am now going into hospital next week to have a new hip fitted. This will hopefully allow me to get out onto the hills in 2025.
I’m looking forwards to reading the activation reports, last year was exceptional and I hope conditions are good for everyone this year.
Thank you Andy, I have managed to get out this year and done a few POTA and BOTA activations from places which only needed a short walk.
This has taken me to a few interesting places but nothing beats the satisfaction of reaching the top of a SOTA summit and activating from there. SOTA was the reason I took up amateur radio.
All the best for your op John. Keep us posted as to your progress. SOTA will still be there to participate in once you have recovered. I’ve had two “comebacks” so far… indeed several others have had time out for various health reasons. Thankfully, the lure of the hills remains…
I wish you all the best and keep my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery and return to the SOTA summits.
After surviving an HSCT in 2005 with great luck and a long recovery period, climbing SOTA summits was initially a brutal therapy for me, but as confirmed by my blood values, it was effective in the long term.
