I searched for you on the spotted frequency with no success.
100mW… now I understand why…
I feel now like taking my MTR with a rechargeable 9V batt for my next activation. That should let me put about the QRO of 2.5W 
Cheers,
Guru
2 Likes
I had reports of QRM also - I did hear some data at one point. It’s hard to tell if what you’re hearing is on your frequency or just at the side, at one time I estimated the RX bandwidth at about 10kHz 
I’m sure there will be lots of opportunities for QSOs in the future, I have a goal of achieving true MG - 1000 points excluding winter bonus, I am not too far away.
VY 73,
Colin
1 Like
Battery: #2
Activation #15
Date: 01/07/21
Summit: G/SP-006 White Hill
Bands: 30m
Finish 8.45V
Rig: Home brew RockMite 30
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 4
DXCC - 4
F, HB9,OH,SM
Cumulative QSOs:101
Cumulative DXCC: 22
9A,CT,EA,F,DL,G,GI,GM,GW,HB9,I,K,LA,OE,OH,OK,OM,OZ,PA,SM,SP,YL
I’ve been itching to try my PP3 powered rigs again for quite a while. I saw the solar numbers this morning and thought I’d try an activation.
White Hill is quite close to my QTH, although I’m spoilt for choice in terms of number of local hills, the majority of them take quite a while to get the summit, whether that be because of a long walk or a long drive to get to the start. I figured I could just squeeze in an activation if I juggled a few jobs.
I measured my ageing PP3 battery before I set off and the voltage was at 8.61V.
I put my wellies on for White Hill, as despite the sunny days we’ve had, the summit tends to he boggy. It would have been possible to get away with regular hiking boots on this occasion but the ground was still very soft. You don’t know until you know!
The walk took around 45 minutes, I made good progress today due to the decent ground conditions.
I used my usual Trigger’s Broom edition SOTAbeams Bandhopper 3 dipole, which went up easily in the still air. I haven’t even turned my rig on since my last outing, which was a long time ago! My home brew RockMite has been very reliable over the years, this rig will soon be approaching 10 years old I think!
After switching the rig on, I was pleased to find the frequency (crystal control) sounding quite clear, although the audio sounded how I can only describe as ‘odd’. Anyway, I called CQ and after not very long I was replied to by Bruno @HB9CBR /P , who was activating HB/VD-037. I wish Bruno could have seen the smile on my face! Further CQs brought F4WBN, SA4BLM and finally OH3GZ. I’ve already had the activator points for G/SP-006 this year, but I was pleased to ‘qualify’ once again with my 4 QSOs.
After a bit of thought, I put together a theory that it was my earphones at fault causing the odd audio. I had two pairs of earphones with me and both didn’t sound good, although the Koss Plug ones were louder. I switched on to low impedance earphones to get higher volume from my MTR rigs, I think that the RockMite would be better with higher impedance earphones (eg 32 ohms), it would probably help with current consumption too.
It was nice to rack up over 100 QSOs on my battery 
73, Colin
6 Likes
Battery: #2
Activation #16
Date: 07/03/22
Summit: G/NP-028 Rombalds Moor
Bands: 30m
Finish 8.32V
Rig: Home brew RockMite 30
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 10
DXCC - 7
EA,DL,F,HB9,OE,SM,S5
Cumulative QSOs:111
Cumulative DXCC: 23
9A,CT,EA,F,DL,G,GI,GM,GW,HB9,I,K,LA,OE,OH,OK,OM,OZ,PA,SM,SP,S5,YL
Dry and quite cold. 2 x S2S - Mirko, S52CU/P on S5/BI-001 and Bruno, HB9CBR/P on HB/BL-014.
My battery is now 5 years past its best before date! I bought my battery in a physical Maplin store 
73, Colin
5 Likes
Battery: #2
Activation #17
Date: 27/01/23
Summit: G/NP-004 Whernside
Bands: 30m, 20m
Finish 8.15V
Rig: Home brew RockMite 30, Modified K1SWL RockMite 20
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 9
DXCC - 7
EA,DL,GM,PA,SM,S5,OE
Cumulative QSOs:120
Cumulative DXCC: 23
9A,CT,EA,F,DL,G,GI,GM,GW,HB9,I,K,LA,OE,OH,OK,OM,OZ,PA,SM,SP,S5,YL
Propagation is definitely on the up, so I took the opportunity to dig out my old Evolta battery and headed up Whernside with two of my RockMites. I managed 5 QSOs on the Manhattan 30m RockMite before switching to the modified K1SWL RockMite 20 and I made a further 4 QSOs with that rig. So either rig would have qualified the hill.
I’d packed 16 ohm earbuds and the rigs were motorboating until I turned the volume right down - I must seek out some higher impedance ones.
A few reports of QSB, so I need to investigate the antenna and / or battery. I had reports of QSB yesterday too, with a different radio, so maybe the antenna has a broken wire somewhere. My 9V battery is now very old, the expiry date is 01/2017, so I guess it might be tired, but the voltage was measuring 8.15v unloaded after my activation, so I think there should be life in it yet.
73, Colin
8 Likes
I had the idea to try to activate for the first winter bonus period in 2024 using a single 9v battery. I still have battery number 2 but it’s very old now and I thought that it would probably not survive the winter. I’m not aiming to take part in the LA1KHA Challenge especially but I’ll log my activations in this thread. I’m thinking that I’ll use the 9v battery to log at least the first 4 QSOs for each activation and then I may switch to another rig, for example I do want to start using 10m.
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #1
Date: 06/1/24
Summit: G/NP-008 Great Whernside
Bands: 15m, 30m
Finish 9.3V
Rig: Home brew RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 13
DXCC EA,EA8,S5,OK,HA,GI,ON,DL
Cumulative QSOs: 13
Cumulative DXCC: DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,OK,ON,S5
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #2
Date: 10/1/24
Summit: G/LD-017 Red Screes
Bands: 15m
Finish 9.1V
Rig: Home brew RockMite
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 4
DXCC CT, OE, S5
Cumulative QSOs: 17
Cumulative DXCC: CT, DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,OK,ON,S5
(Called CQ on 17m for a while but no complete QSOs, only a partial with LA6FTA.)
3 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #3
Date: 14/1/24
Summit: G/SP-006 White Hill
Bands: 15m
Finish 8.89V
Rig: Home brew RockMite
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 5
DXCC OE,SM,SQ
Cumulative QSOs: 22
Cumulative DXCC:11
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP
4 Likes
Ready for more QRPp fun.
Winter is cold here, so this will test if battery work in colder weather. Battery is stored outside in car.
Today was only -2C , but last weeks it was -10 to -23c
I use a HWEF antenna.
Battery: Varta Long life MAX POWER ( Red)
Cumulative activation: 1
Cumulative QSOs: 15
Cumulative DXCC: 9 (DL,EA,EI,HB,LA,ON,S5,SP andSM)
Logg see sota or below.
Stats:14.01.2024
Battery: #11
Activation: #1
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage:na Temp -2c
QSOs: 15
DXCCs:DL,EA,EI,HB,ON,LA,SP,S5 andSM
Cumulative QSOs: 15
Cumulative DXCC: 9 (DL,EA,EI,HB,LA,ON,S5,SP andSM)
5 Likes
Short trip to Holtankollen before going home after work.
Running unmodyfied Rockmite from SmallWonderLabs.
Temp on summit is -13C so a little cold on fingers.
Battery stayed in car over night and no heating in pocket or like. Lets see how long time it will run.
When more stations are on/ near my xtal frq 10.120 I have truble at times.
Prefer if not zero beating me and also give several calls.
Lot of fun.
Battery price is 60,oo NKr / 4£6o / $5.80
Most expencive PP3 battery yet.
Remember no Recharge battery.
Stats:15.01.2024
Battery: #11
Activation: #2
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage:na Temp -13c
QSOs: 6
DXCCs:DL,G,ON,SP
Cumulative QSOs: 21
Cumulative DXCC: 10 (DL,EA,EI,G,HB,LA,ON,SP,S5 andSM)
6 Likes
OM Roman DL3TU sent me some 10.120MHz crystals, I wanted them to see if I could work you.
I heard you on Sunday 14th January but for some reason it seemed as though my rig was not transmitting.
I tested my rig last night on the bench, all seemed OK - I was getting 200mW output, from a test battery, on 10.1199 MHz. I think that I’m a couple of hundred Hz above your frequency but should still be in the passband of your RockMite.
I hope that we can achieve a PP3 S2S one day.
30m PP3 rig
Vy 73, Colin
5 Likes
Home it was -18c in morning and when I went up the summit the temp was -15c.
Littel to cold for my comfort after 25min sitting still you feel it…
Battery was vy cold after all time in back of car. But it still work.
Stats:16.01.2024
Battery: #11
Activation: #3
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage:8.60 Temp -15c
QSOs: 7
DXCCs:DL,G,OZ andS5
Cumulative QSOs: 28
Cumulative DXCC: 11 (DL,EA,EI,G,HB,LA,ON,OZ,SP,S5 andSM)
3 Likes
Snow was falling all night and morning with some wind. Morning temp here was -10c but only -6c on summit. Battery feels week. It is freezing cold.
Snow knee high so the short trip to summit was long today.
In places where wind has blown snow was high.
Signal 9dB at Reverse Beacon Network station DF2CK . Not so strong …
Status:17.01.2024
Battery: #11
Activation: #4
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage:na Temp -6c
QSOs: 3
DXCCs:DL,OK andSP
Cumulative QSOs: 31
Cumulative DXCC: 12 (DL,EA,EI,G,HB,LA,OK,ON,OZ,SP,S5 andSM)
3 Likes
In morning -18c here and some -9 on summit after work.
Status:18.01.2024
Battery: #11
Activation: #5
Summit: LA/TM-049
Band: 30m
Finish Voltage:na Temp -9c
QSOs: 3
DXCCs:DL,EI AND OK
Cumulative QSOs: 34
Cumulative DXCC: 12 (DL,EA,EI,G,HB,LA,OK,ON,OZ,SP,S5 andSM)
2 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #4
Date: 03/02/24
Summit: G/NP-010 Pen-y-ghent
Bands: 15m
Finish voltage: not measured
Rig: Home brew RockMite
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 5
DXCC LY,SM,I,OH,OE
Cumulative QSOs: 27
Cumulative DXCC:15
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP
4 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #5
Date: 07/02/24
Summit: G/LD-052 Hutton Roof Crags
Bands: 15m,20m
Finish voltage: not measured
Rig: Home brew RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 5
DXCC OK,I,OE,EA,DL
Cumulative QSOs: 32
Cumulative DXCC:15
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP
2 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #6
Date: 10/02/24
Summit: G/NP-005 Ingleborough
Bands: 15m
Finish voltage: 8.83V
Rig: Home brew RockMite
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 4
DXCC I,S5,OH,W(2)
Cumulative QSOs: 36
Cumulative DXCC:16
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,W
Really struggled to score QSOs today but to end with W2WC in NY was a major high! Another PP3 transatlantic QSO after many years! That’s about 23,000 miles per watt!
73, Colin
6 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #7
Date: 14/02/24
Summit: G/NP-004 Whernside
Bands: 15m, 20m
Finish voltage: 8.76V
Rig: Home brew RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 4
DXCC OH,SP,W(2),SM
Cumulative QSOs: 40
Cumulative DXCC:16
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,W
OH3GZ and SQ9IDE on 15m.
NT2A and SM5LNE on 20m.
3 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #8
Date: 25/02/24
Summit: G/LD-011 High Street
Bands: 15m, 10m
Finish voltage: Not measured
Rig: RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 6 (5 on 15m, 1 on 10m)
DXCC S5,SV,OH,EA,SQ
Cumulative QSOs: 46
Cumulative DXCC:17
CT,DL,EA,EA8,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,SV,W
SV2RUJ/P S2S SV-TL-085 28MHz
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #9
Date: 25/02/24
Summit: G/LD-018 Stony Cove Pike
Bands: 15m, 10m
Finish voltage: 8.56V
Rig: RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 8 (7 on 15m, 1 on 10m)
DXCC OK,N,OH,OE,SV,F
Cumulative QSOs: 54
Cumulative DXCC:18
CT,DL,EA,EA8,F,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,W
KF9D worked on 28MHz- about 29,000 miles per watt!
Debut of 10m 9V RockMite, just one QSO on each activation.
3 Likes
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #10
Date: 28/02/24
Summit: G/SP-005 Pendle Hill
Bands: 15m, 10m
Finish voltage: 8.53V
Rig: RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 7 (5 on 15m, 2 on 10m)
DXCC I,OE,SQ,S5,SV,
Cumulative QSOs: 61
Cumulative DXCC:18
CT,DL,EA,EA8,F,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,W
1 Like
Battery: #3 Philips Ultra Alkaline
Activation #11
Date: 02/03/24
Summit: G/LD-007 Fairfield
Bands: 15m, 10m
Finish voltage: 8.50V
Rig: RockMites
Ant: Inv. Vee dipole at 6m above ground
QSOs: 6 (4 on 15m, 2 on 10m)
DXCC EA,EA8,F,OK,S5,SV,
Cumulative QSOs: 67
Cumulative DXCC:18
CT,DL,EA,EA8,F,GI,HA,I,LY,OE,OH,OK,ON,S5,SM,SP,W
3 Likes