It just happen to be on Sunday 21st, a Winter Solstice day. I had my newly made 20m dipole ready, but never managed to make an extension to the mast, so had to live with only 2m of feed point elevation.
First, I went to a small EI/IE-045 (Preban Hill) 2-pointer. I’ve started with my standard VHF routine, but didn’t get anyone, tried FM,SSB, CW - nothing within 15 mins. Although, worth mentioning a very faint and short CW burst on .050, pretty sure it sounded like HB9 … , however having it on 2m would be too good to be true with current condx.
I knew that my dipole needed to be tuned before use, so I did’t want to waste much time on 2m and moved on to 20m band. First SWR checks showed I am way off with 1:1.0 at around 11MHz. Not a bother, half meter wrap on each side and I am on 13MHz, another half meter and 1:1.0 is all across 20m! I’ve engineered the mast to be supported by my trusty VHF photo tripod and that worked well, resulting 2 meter feed point above the ground with each end at about half meter height.
After couple of CQs folks started to pick up with about one or two QSOs per minute rate. I am not used to such ‘pile-ups’ lately, especially in the field, running a straight key full time My FT-857 doesn’t have CW filters either, only DSP, however turning off AGC made the trick. 19 CW QSOs in 20 mins and I am off to SSB. 15 QSOs there and before wraping up a lonely VHF FM contact logged!
Next, I’ve decided to drive to EI/IE-060 (Gibbet Hill) 2-pointer just to see how the dipole works on another hill. There I had a bit of hassle in tuning. However, after several wraps/unwraps I’ve got SWR set firm at 1:1.0 on the band. CW QSO rate was similar, so I’ve got 18 CW QSOs in 20 mins. Next I’ve moved to SSB and there I’ve got fairly imressive pile-up of 49 QSOs in half an hour!
Now looking forward for another chanse to get out! Thanks to all the chasers for such an overwhelming support
It could have been HB9, Alex. I see we’re close to the Ursids meteor shower time of year, and you are about the right distance from HB9 for meteors. Of course, any time is random meteor time - don’t need a public announcement for one of those Would be a tough gig qualifying a summit on randoms, though, particularly with low power
Incredible if you heard HB9 on 2m CW, let alone if you had made the full QSO. Oddly, I was reading some stuff in Dubus over the weekend about aircraft scatter, so if it wasn’t meteor scatter maybe it was a flukey aircraft bounce?
…or just a bit of coincidental handy prop.
I saw your alerts come in but no chance of any radio this weekend. Great report and snaps as always sir!
nice to work you on 20m from the Midlands. I was surprised to hear you on that band but the very modest elevation of the dipole probably accounts for our success on both summits. Have fun and get that dipole going on 40m with a couple of links to keep EI/GI and G/GW/GM happy
Great job! Remember that the effective length of the dipole changes with the angle of the elements which is probably why it started out waaaay too long.
For the 20m dipole get rid of that tripod! Use a compact fibreglass telescopic fishing pole - a really cheap one will do to start. Also triple the length of the string on each end of your dipole so that the elements are flatter.
Cheers Declan, I couldn’t tell an S-value as my AGC was off, but your signals were loud I’ll definitely go down to 40m once figure out the best way though !
Hi Colin, I would gladly leave it at home! The only reason I am carrying it with me it provides a solid portable base for both HF mast and VHF beams, so I can quickly interchange if needed. I was thinking about a standalone fishing pole for HF, but never managed to workout the best way to keep it standing on a flat surface, so went ahead with what I have already
For a dipole it’s easy. make a mast guy ring (or buy one from SOTABeams) and use 2 guy cords. That way the dipole and it’s cords act as guys in one axis and the two cords from the ring on the mast at 90 Degrees to the dipole keep it from falling sideways.
A guy collar and three guys and three tent pegs. You will find plenty of scrap plastic in your household you can use to make the guy ring. Some 2-3mm nylon cord will make fine guys.
Here’s my setup. 5m fibreglass Decathlon pole, guy ring is about 1.25-1.5m AGL, cords are nice fluorescent ones made for tents with length adjusters in them (about 1.75m long). You can see how it holds up the pole.
Remember, the antenna you have is better than the antenna you want! As you play more you will learn to make antennas using thinner wire, smaller lighter plastic fittings etc. Some people use wire thick enough to jump-start a battle ship when there is no need! Make the individual elements detachable… easier to wind up that way. Don’t support the coax using the connector, make something to attach it at the top of the pole. Dump the PL259s for the simple reason they weigh more than BNCs. For QRP HF you can use RCA phono plugs with no issues if you don’t want to spend money on BNCs.
You really want to get your 40m antenna much higher up and further from the ground as it will be less lossy that way. And finally keep the ends of the dipole at least 1m AGL.
I suppose this is the correct way to go Andy! Although I am not quite ready to leave the tripod at home yet (5 years with it, such a comfort zone!), I’ll come to that in a while I guess. It all comes with experience and a good advice anyway.
I did call you on 145.500 several times but never heard a reply. Was listening to your HF contacts working you but could not hear your CW. Some advice but you don”t have to take it? Why don’t you team up with another activator for one day and see how they do HF, antennas etc, etc? Always a pleasure to work you and thanks for all the VHF points you have given me over the years.
Yes. I’ve been doing SOTA for 19 years this December and have learnt a lot from trying to setup on hills in all weathers. Less weight in the equipment means more chocolate can be carried!
I find it instructive just to see how other folk do their activation.
I started out doing SOTA as a solo activity, but this past year have done joint activations with five other operators and have learnt something every time, hopefully it has worked both ways.
Seriously? This is worrying Don. Don’t mind the 20m, it is perhaps normal for distance between us. But 2m FM ??? You were ALWAYS 59+ with me in Wicklow, but yesterday I couldn’t hear you at all. I’ve got an FM chat with Len MW0MHK, checked my local repeater, heard both GB3NGI and GB3VHF beacons. So it looks like my RX should be ok. We never had a QSO from Preban Hill before though. Maybe there is something blocking the path between us? Weird, you’ve still heard me …
Apologies for the profanity. I’ll wash my mouth out. We can do SOTA instead of that other idea.
I’ve had a SOTA plan in my head for some time now. Just not been able to secure time yet. Hoping to go up in the new year and yes, there will be 2m and 70cm CW. This has been a summit I wanted to do for ages, long before the 2026 challenge.
If I can do it soon I’ll drop you a DM and we can go test your gear too!
And if we’re going to do one of the Grande Dames, then it surely has to be our main lady, the Great Sugar Loaf!?
About a year ago I moved to a rapid set up system for my EFHW, it would work similiarly for a wire dipole. I “pinched” this from @M0RWX after seeing him do it on a joint activation in France.
The centre is supported on a 6M pole, with one end extended by a length of cord that is pegged to the ground, keeping that wire end well off the floor.
The other end I run down to my rucksack and attach it at the top, again keeping that end of the EFHW off the ground.
The really “quick” bit is that I now use a fibreglass flagpole stake which I simply push into the ground as far as I can, which is often less than 10cm. Then slip the open bottom of the fishing pole over it.
So there is 1 peg for the far end of the antenna and the stake for the telescopic pole and it’s done.
This makes set up and take down incredibly quick. It seems to stay up in everything but the most windy weather.
I do carry a guying ring and three guy lines (as per Andy @GM4LLD ) as a back up for really windy days or where I simply can’t get the flag pole stake into the ground.
My FT-857 doesn’t have CW filters either, only DSP, however turning off AGC made the trick. 19 CW QSOs in 20 mins and I am off to SSB. 15 QSOs there and before wraping up a lonely VHF FM contact logged!
^^^ This! ^^^ 
