How many HF bands do you typically operate

A nice graphical view can be had by visiting https://sotl.as then click the Login button top right. Type your callsign in the search box and when the page finishes loading click the “More stats” button in the middle of the screen.

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Or on Activations - list and display on map SOTA activations - sotamaps.org

Select Stats Charts and optional select filters. Click Chart > Button

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Thanks for the links Andy and Joe.

I hadn’t thought of looking at these stats, but I see that I’ve missed out 21MHz, so that’s a new thing to try! Chart from when I started in 2008:

image

I use the sotl.as version often but I’ve never been able to make the sotamaps version work. But today word it did, Andrew must have fixed something.

That is an interesting approach!
I am very often under heavy time-constraints during my winter activations - cold weather, waiting companions, breaking dawn etc. - and in order to maximize the chances of a valid activation and qualifying for the points, I now focus on 40m at 7.03x +_, or, in contest times, escaping to 7.002 ± and staying on the frequency until having as many QSOs as I can bag / serve in the short time on the summit. If I have at least five more minutes and if propagation is promising, I will often try 20m for a few more QSOs. While I like 30m as a band, it is too risky for my taste for a hectic winter activation, because of less RBN spotters, less chasers with good antennas for 30m, and a lesser likelihood of being heard by many chasers in central Europe. 40m is my clear workhorse.

Now, what intrigues me is trying to rely solely on 20m with a short vertical. Do you always succeed on 20m? How long does it take to bag the minimum number of QSOs?

Regarding propagation to Spain: @EA2DT now regularly manages to chase me on 40m since I am less likely to QSY to 20m. We often do not go beyond 229 RST, but that in a very reliable fashion.

73 de Martin, DK3IT

I don’t want to jinx it but so far yes.

I can’t say for CW but in SBB with a good pile-up I see about 50 seconds for a QSO in my log. This of course on a weekend at reasonable times were chasers are mostly active and with a spot sent.
EA is usually working very reliable from OE all around the year.

40m is for me mostly a bit of a pain with QRO+ stations in control. There I find 20m a lot more civilized.

73 Joe

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Martin, simply suggesting here to do from time to time an activation without any companions but with much time for yourself at a peaceful summit. The missing pressure from others might promote your happiness on that day! :slightly_smiling_face:

Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ

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Yes, agreed ;-). But at an avalanche warning level of 2 / 3 or poor visibility going solo is not the wisest of options. See also my argument at Fast & Short Activation Strategy? - #40 by DK3IT.

It is unavoidable to compromise on the number of QSOs and leave some chasers disappointed when you activate in winter or from more alpine summits. I am sure when @HB9DQM and @HB9FVF activated HB/VS-006, there were quite some chasers whom they could not work ;-).

Anyway, will try to extend my stays and add a few more relaxed activations in the future ;-).

73 de Martin, DK3IT

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haa, haa, thank you! I love going solo. Nice, if it would be that easy. sota egosism? Leaveing companions at home is an inherent contradiction. Leaving slow hikers at home is poor organization. But you are right somehow.oe3vbu
my stats. Not really representative, as we have OE-sota-day: Half of the 2 m FM QSOs are from just one summit… 2021? hmm…

For about 92% of my contacts:

In wintertime I am activating summits around my location. These summits are not so difficult and normally not dangerous. I am going alone without pressure except the weather. In this time mostly I use 40 m SSB and my 20 m dipole. This is successful also in case of poor conds.

In other times working with the same setup from lower summits with enough space and on 20 m SSB with a 6 m “vertical” from higher summits or if space is limited. When activating high Summits in the Alps during holiday I am working on 20 m SSB with the “vertical” all the time.

CQ on 2 m FM brought me only a few contacts.

Modes_1

73 Ludwig

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Thanks to Joe @OE5JFE for showing us how to get these nice stats. I had not realised this ever existed or I didn’t remember.
These are my stats:

73,

Guru

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Thanks to Joe @OE5JFE for showing us how to get these nice stats. I had not realised this ever existed or I didn’t remember.
These are my stats:

And this is for the activations I’ve done this year:


As I wrote in my earlier post, I’ve lately included 60m in my mix.

73,

Guru

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