International SEAN Weekend - add reports/photos

M1EYP · 17 March 2025 08:09

Our friend Sean M0GIA, recently SK, had the idea for International SOTA Weekend back in 2009. This was before DX S2S were commonplace, as is the case now. The events were very successful, achieving widespread participation and lots of international and DX S2S QSOs.

I propose an “International SEAN Weekend” for the first weekend in May (which is when International SOTA Weekend used to be). Sean M0GIA was an enthusiast for the quarter wave vertical with elevated groundplane antenna, with 20m being the band of choice.

DX S2S contacts and groundplane antennas did not originate with M0GIA of course, but I am convinced that his enthusiastic promotion of both was influential to many of us, and left a legacy that can be seen today.

So let’s have lots of activity on 3-4 May 2025, 20m CW/SSB, using quarterwave verticals with elevated GPs - aiming for that distant horizon for the DX S2S.

I’ve posted my Alerts - hope to see many more!

G7ADF · 18 March 2025 13:31

I’ve booked the weekend in my calendar. Hoping to try for both days.
Looking at Gun, Longridge or Easington for one of the days and probably Billinge for the Sunday.

Billinge for both if weather is moist.

M1EYP · 28 April 2025 10:04

A reminder that we have another global S2S SOTA event coming up. May 3-4 is International SEAN Weekend, in memory of Sean M0GIA, and the International SOTA Weekends he devised long before DX S2S activity was commonplace as it is now.

As well as International SOTA Weekend, Sean was also an enthusiastic promoter of the resonant quarterwave vertical with elevated groundplane antenna. Therefore, this event will take place on the 20m band, and participants are encouraged to use quarterwave vertical antennas.

Please alert if you can, and note “International SEAN Weekend” in the comments field.

G4TGJ · 28 April 2025 21:12

I hope to be out on Saturday. I didn’t know Sean but I shall take several GP antennas including for 20m - I need to remember the 10m pole.

M1EYP · 2 May 2025 10:27

A final heads-up for International SEAN Weekend, in memory of good friend and enthusiastic portable antenna experimenter Sean Amesbury M0GIA.

We aim to pay tribute to Sean’s proudest amateur radio achievements - the conception of the DX S2S event (now commonplace, but innovative back when Sean had the idea for the first “International SOTA Weekend”), and the quarterwave vertical with elevated groundplane homemade portable antenna.

20m SSB and CW will be where all the action is. Some of my work and family plans have changed, but I still hope to be out both days. I have amended my alerts accordingly. Looks like I’ll bump into you on Sunday Ian @G7ADF !

MM0FMF · 2 May 2025 12:38

I’ll be out early on May 4th for #maythe4thbewithyou. GM/SS-125 with 17/20/30m dipoles and 30-40W hopefully to work Andrew VK1AD. I just need to work out times and put up an alert.

G7ADF · 2 May 2025 17:34

Excellent, not sure what time we will be up there , I’m just waiting on Peter to confirm what time he needs to be back for his VE day street party, so maybe earlier than alerted, then again it maybe later. One way or another we will be there

M0JFE · 3 May 2025 10:24

Hi guys just getting an early dinner and Sully the Wonder dog fed n ready them setting off to be /P . Due to health can’t climb a hill top so will be set up /P on hf hope to work a few on 17m ,20m & 40m bands. De M0JFE

G4TGJ · 3 May 2025 17:55

So I remembered the 10m pole but forgot the 20m GP antenna! Well, I remembered an antenna but the radials were too short and then I realised it was the 10m GP. So I did the activation with my usual EFHW although I did use the 17m GP too. I obviously need to sort out my gear better.

M1EYP · 3 May 2025 17:57

Please everyone add your reports and photos for your 20m International SEAN Weekend activations here.

Sean @M0GIA ‘s daughter Tash and son Daniel are really touched that our community is remembering their dear dad in this way. Sometime next week I will archive this thread and share it with them both.

M1BUU · 3 May 2025 21:22

I couldn’t make last weekend’s transatlantic S2S event as I was helping out with the Junior race at the Yorkshire Three Peaks event. I always put my Altoids RockMite 20 on air on May 3rd each year, so there was a happy coincidence with the M0GIA memorial activity.

I usually run a dipole, but I dug out my 1/4 wave vertical for this occasion.

I’ve been watching the Kp index for the past few days and it didn’t seem very promising! Anyway, it’s always nice to walk up Ingleborough G/NP-005 in the sunshine regardless of any radio activity.

I had tipped off Richard @G4TGJ that I’d be running my RockMite and it would be great to get an S2S but that I would be rock bound and he’d have to chase me, rather than the usual arrangement that I chase him.

Richard called me pretty much straight away, from G/NP-016, after a couple of CQs with the RockMite (~350mW). I’d taken my home brew mini-amp just in case, which boosts the output of my QRPp rigs by about 10dB depending upon frequency. Thankfully I didn’t need the amplifier, I managed to complete 8 QSOs with the bare foot RockMite. It was great to work EC8ADS to claim Africa.

I switched over to the QCX station and I found N2KHH/VY2 calling CQ quite by accident, I worked the station on the first call! I’m pretty sure it’s the first time that I’ve worked to Prince Edward Island. In my SWL days, I used to listen to VY2ROB almost nightly on the top end of 80m working DX.

Things were very much downhill from my good start, band conditions seemed bad and I experienced rapid fading at times. I ended up with 43 QSOs in the log.

In all despite the poor radio propagation, I had a really good day.

Another turn on the toroid ring!

73, Colin

M1EYP · 3 May 2025 23:27

International SEAN Weekend - in memory of our dear departed friend Sean Amesbury M0GIA.

Sean promoted the idea of international and DX summit-to-summit contact events long before they became commonplace as they are today. He was also an enthusiastic champion of the quarterwave-vertical-with-elevated-groundplane antenna - homemade of course.

The first weekend in May was always the traditional time for International SOTA Weekend, so we nominated this first one after Sean’s passing to pay our respects by using his preferred antenna design to make lots of radio activity.

I went up The Cloud G/SP-015 this morning. 53 contacts were made as follows:

20m CW: 16

20m SSB: 25

2m FM: 12

S2S: 35

This evening I went up Gun G/SP-013 in the hope of getting across the pond. I did make a handful of contacts with US and Canadian stations but no S2S.

Good memories of antenna testing up here with Sean and even a weekend campover on the second International SOTA Weekend.

31 QSOs made:

20m CW: 14

20m SSB: 5

20m FT4: 12

More International SEAN Weekend activity from Billinge Hill G/SP-017 planned for Sunday.

IU1KGS · 4 May 2025 06:40

I noticed the difference in signal strength and I was wondering if you changed radio mid-activation Colin.
I was using 500 mW into a 40m multiband EFHW on my side, always a pleasure.

Before

and after

M1BUU · 4 May 2025 07:06

Thank you Carlo, that’s interesting, glad that you shared. What you’re seeing is the real world difference between 26dBm and 47dBm.

VY 73,

Colin

HB9BCB · 4 May 2025 08:33

… 47 dBm of course wasn’t quite in line with SEAN’s 5 watts, but with K index values around 4, maybe forgivable, hi.
Anyway, congrats on your 20 m log.

M1BUU · 4 May 2025 08:57

The aim for me was to get a transatlantic QSO. The Kp had been at between 4 and 5. I had the tools in my toolbox, it made sense to use them. I’ve famously spanned the Atlantic with QRPp many times but there was little hope for that yesterday.

Here’s a screenshot of my hits on the RBN from yesterday - the sky was definitely unhappy. -

HB9BCB · 4 May 2025 09:36

Absolutely no “problem,” Colin.
Here’s another snapshot from Spaceweather.com from yesterday—those dimensions are simply incredible …

MM0FMF · 4 May 2025 09:40

I was actually out for #maythe4thbewithyou and trying to work VK/ZL. None worked nothing heard DXy either. No 20m GP, so it was a 30/20/17m dipole, “beaming” long path to VK (NW over the North pole), KX2 + 50W PA + ATU-100 with the output adjusted to about 3W drive, 30W out.

Up at 330Z, 1st diabetic drugs and out the house at 405Z, I had a light snack in the car plus my first drink of the day (can’t eat or drink after first drug), more drugs, boots on an away at 440Z. On the summit for 525Z. Set and tuning and calling CQ at 540Z. This was the first time out with this setup so a few experiments to check it was working. ATU-100 seems to work OK and tuned up the antenna. Should not be needed but the SWR on 20m is 1.9:1 since I swapped the feeder. Needs tweaking so it’s a bit better. Anyway, ATU said we were getting 28-31W out on 17/20 and 30m.

So that was OK but someone changed the wind direction, it was 20C early this week. Not now as wind from North. So my car said 1C when I set off, 2C at car park. Add to that a strong and constant 20mph wind from the North and a 579m summit meant it was well below 0 with windchill. Lots and lots of frost all over the heather/grass. Gordon Bennett is was perishingly cold. I stayed operating for 45mins till I was too cold and wanted some more breakfast. I packed up fast and got back to the car where the heated seat and steering wheel was needed for the drive home, still only 6C when I pulled up.

ODX was UZ7C on 20m in Ukraine. Nice S2S with IK6BAK/P on I/MC-089. No VK/ZL or JA/Asia

Everything was a bit dead sounding so I had a look to see what RBN said. Pleasing results for unproven system at 0600Z on 30/20m

30m CW RBN reports

20m CW RBN reports. I’m happy with that spot at 16dB above the noise from Utah at 0603Z.

And here is the setup.

(I’ll link this post into the #maythe4th thread.)

G7ADF · 4 May 2025 17:00

Had a blast today on G/SP-017 Billinge Hill with Peter M1BZJ.
Played around on 40m, 20m 10m and 2m and did a lot of socialising when Tom M1EYP and also Gary M1DYU arrived on summit. A fun day out with the weather being better than forecast as it was sunny most of the time with only a small breeze keeping the temperature down.

Peter spent a lot of time being public relations officer as the summit gets a lot of traffic from people just having a local walk.

Rigs: FT-891 (100W) - HF , FT-817 (5W) - 2m SSB , FT-8900 (25W) for 2m FM (only a couple of qsos on 2m FM today).
Antenna: 1/4 Wave Groundplane for HF and 3 element beam for 2m.

It was an intention to try out some aluminium foilised mylar sheets as a groundplane, but I couldn’t find enough rocks on the summit to stop them blowing around.

Used an FT-891 for HF with 100W into a quarter wave telescopic whip. The 2m setup was huriedly added when I found out there was a 2m contest , so SSB was likely to be fruitful.

Over the 4 hours or so , we worked quite a few with about 5 or 6 summit to summits.
Best DX was ZS6LZ which was my first African summit to summit. It took a few tries, but we got there. Tom (M1EYP) also made the qso from the same setup a few minutes later.

Also a TM5 contest station on 2m SSB was worked at around 260 miles, which considering my FT-817 seems a little poorly (Toms 817 had better signals on 2m than mine using the same antenna) it wasn’t a bad result.

A coil was added to the GP antenna to allow 40, which had some nice inter-g qso’s.

Antenna connection and radials below:

This small summit is much denigrated, but for a local summit its ideal for a casual activation.

Many thanks to all worked and glad I could help contribute to the event (and collect some new badges )
Ian
G7ADF

M1EYP · 4 May 2025 21:38

Big old job for Taxis of Dad today, running Liam over to Liverpool for a comic con. Made worse by a car boot event causing a 90 minute delay even before Knutsford!

I went to sit on Billinge Hill G/SP-017 before picking Liam back up. We were rounding off International SEAN Weekend in memory of Sean @M0GIA after all. With Ian @G7ADF, Peter @M1BZJ and Gary @M1DYU there ended up bringing 4 of us up there - which made it into a rather pleasant social gathering!

65 QSOs made:

20m CW: 14
20m SSB: 14
20m FT4: 27
10m SSB: 1
2m SSB: 2
2m FM: 7

Summit-to-summit: 9

The highlight was the 10m S2S with Brandon ZS6LZ on Swartkop ZS/GP-024 in Gauteng, South Africa. I was only set up for 20m so thank you to Ian for inviting me to cuckoo on his station to make that notable contact (and the two S2S on 2m SSB).