My 57th and possibly last SOTA birthday celebration (Part 2)

Hi Guru,
Re birthday celebratory activation.
I apologise. I failed. But I hope it was a good day for you inspite of all your Covid and cancer problems.

The local forecast for town was 31 C and sunny with some showers on the south east coast. VK3/VT-057 is about 170 road km from home and as I approached the base of the mountain it was raining. I figured it would last maybe half an hour. So I drove on expecting a delay in setting up. As I drove off the road onto the summit track I encountered a large tree across the road. Two men with chainsaws could have cleared it in an hour and a half but they were nowhere to be seen and my chainsaw is only good for maybe 200 mm branches.

I then drove down the mountain and headed West into fine weather. The alternate peak I chose looked good on my GPS but I found myself inside a farm and well short of the Az. I spoke briefly to the farmer about my unplanned trespass and left. The Az was entirely in his grass growing paddock.

Footnote.
I had left my rucksack and light weight station at home - a mistake. I would have been able to clamber around the downed trees and walk to the summit and use the basic picnic shelter at the top for moderate weather protection.

I’m posting to explain what was behind my two spots. I’m old enough to own this stuff so no condescending comments from others please.

73
Ron
VK3AFW.

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Thank you so much for your post and for trying an activation, Ron.
Yes I did have a great birthday yesterday and it looks like I’m still managing to keep myself Covid-free. My mother and kids seem to be moving forward in the right direction, so I hope they will all be clear by the end of the weekend. Me too, hopefully…

I’ve seen your spots this morning:

I wouldn’t have been able to even try to chase you because I was sleeping at those times (our winter local time is 1 hour ahead of utc) and also because my remote station in also sleeping at those times. My remote station has a programmable clock to be connected to the mains AC power at 7h30 (6h30 utc) and disconnected at 23h00 (22h00 utc) so it can have some well deserved resting time too.

73 & HNY,

Guru

Hi Guru,
Good. I think propagation would not have allowed more than ZL or VK6 at that time. The path to Europe seems to start opening around 1000 UTC and is good for several hours.

73
Ron
VK3AFW

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Well, as I promissed, here is to inform you that my 57th birthday celebration will take place tomorrow Sunday by activating the SOTA EA2/SS-057.
Ignacio EA2BD, Alain F5ODQ and André F5UKL will come too as well as my friend and SOTA companion JAP.
We will meet at the ascent start point at 10h45 CET (09h45 utc) with the idea of reaching the summit by about Noon CET (11h00 utc). Allowing for some photo stops, navigation errors and time to set-up, I’d expect being on air at about 12h30 (11h30 utc).
Conditions don’t seem to be great with a CME having hitted us recently, but I hope we’ll have a good activation and lots of QSOs.
I have sent my Alert twice but, for some reason, it’s not being received and displayed on SOTAwatch. [edit: problem found, it was my clumsiness. I was looking at the alerts of Saturday, instead of Sunday. I have now deleted one of the 2 Alerts I sent]

73,

Guru

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I see two alerts at 11:30 on 16th Jan.

I can see two alerts posts at your sotl.as activator page, I guess you would also.

Check the dates of those alerts :slight_smile:

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All problems were in me looking to the alerts of Saturday instead of Sunday. Sorry…
My 2nd Alert has been deleted and this one remains ON:

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All being well this end, I shall be on the (small) summit of Brown Clee G/WB-002 with 5w and a dipole operating on 2m and 70cm fm at the right time - but with the wrong equipment I fear ! Hence I can only send you my very best wishes for a successful ‘birthday’ activation and my thanks for all the interesting posts I have read and enjoyed over the years. I can only wish that they will continue for some time to come. You are an inspiration to us all.
73 Viki M6BWA

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Best news we’ve heard today!! Hang in there Guru.

All best, Ken & Kay

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CU tomorrow Guru :wink:

73, Jarek

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Hi Guru,
All the best for your birthday activation on Sunday. 1200 UTC is 2300 local time where I live, and this weekend I have only my MTR3B with me. Depending on weather I could listen for your party on 20m. But yesterday’s attempt was underwhelming due to the atrocious band conditions caused by the recent CME. I heard EA1DFP at s2 which is sad given he was running ample power, about 23 db above my 5w MTR.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH

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Great news Guru, keep it going and may you have a successful #57 summit activation.
I will try to be on air for a possible s2s from a local summit, hope that conditions will allow for it.

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My best wishes for your activation!!!
Hope to meet you tomorrow on the band.
73, Ludwig

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Guru, best wishes for good weather, scenic vistas, and many QSOs. I’ve been chasing today and have felt lucky to work some other North Americans, the DX conditions have not been great. I’ll give it a try tomorrow but the Europeans may have you to themselves!
73
Scott

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I hope to work U tomorrow from G/SB0-006 I will be on site 1100GMT

Regards
David
Old cloth ears
G0EVV

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Happy Birthday Guru !

I hope to work you tomorrow.
All the very best for you .

Kind regards,
Jan SM5LNE

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Guru, I will be qrv about the same time from Tonlagee EI/IE-003 , hope to make the birthday S2S with you

73

Declan

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Hola dr Guru

Jimmy and I have the same alert time as you for tomorrow. Your alert doesn’t mention which bands you will be operating. I was going to use my 30m vertical, but now I think I will take the Alexloop, so I have the flexibility to be on the same band as you for the S2S attempt. Also having the other bands gives Jimmy the chance to catch you on SSB too, as I am sure he would want the S2S with you too.

Have a great day.

Tom M1EYP

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