OK/G4OBK QRP Tour to the Czech Republic

I am glad I have gone towards LDMOS :smile:

Those days are nearly over.

Jonathan

There is something completely wonderful about valves that is missing from semiconductors. You can almost see the electrons being ripped from the cathode and smashing into the anode. That’s missing when thinking about the holes trundling about inside a lump of silicon :wink:

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Hi Andy,

it’s a bit larger caliber. Czech equivalent 4-1000A.

Jan

Even better!

Thank you, Phil, for your excellent summary report! You have been very busy but still you had time for documentation. Nice pictures and maps which will help others if they will visit in the same area. I just checked that you made 24 summits (5+5+6+8) during four days. Compared to my Tour de Central Finland last summer (3 days) the average day amount is the same, but I did not documented anything – especially well done!

To my plan (not yet agreed with wife) “Tour de Bavaria 2016” I have estimated to make four summit per day, but duration could be five to six days. When waiting what will happen for Bavarian summits in January I also understood that it is possibility to visit in OK side. This card I will turn because there is lot of easy accessible summits close German border. Looks very attractive!

73, Saku OH2NOS

Personally I just want something that can fit on the desk. I lost the thermionic romance with valves as soon as I realized most of the practical ones are in ceramic packages anyway. 572B’s and 3-500z and their equivalents being an exception. Big bulky things.

When GaN becomes available desktop SSPA’s will be very hard to beat IMO. Valves still have the edge on linearity against LDMOS at the moment.

Still the opportunity to use a GU43 in an amplifier one day would be an interesting project !

Jonathan

Hello Jonathan, don’t mess about with the GU43. Get a 3CX10000A7. Drive with about 350w and get about 25KW out. Of course you will need to have a very strong table to support the PSU and amp and a mistake inside the box when checking things means instant death :wink:

Night night
Mike

Yes Mike… Three phase mains supply in the shack would be mandatory :smile:

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The thread has strayed off topic… oh well that’s what usually happens…

Thank you for your comments Saku. I noticed we had a QSO when I was on OK/KR-052 on my last day in Czech. One of only two summits I visited on the tour which I now need for SOTA Complete! It would be too long a drive for you to go there from Bavaria for just the one pointer. I always hope that writing a blog will encourage others to visit the same summits. The reports are pretty repetitive but I hope they will help other activators develop a feel for what the summit has in store for them if they were to visit themselves. All the summits I visited that involved any degree of walking have a GPX track for them loaded into the SMP.

I know like you, a few of us are planning ahead for SOTA 2016. I wondered when your Bavaria Tour will take place? I have made a booking myself to stay in Garmisch on a family holiday (Not a SOTA Tour) in June. I will for sure have a few SOTA days while I am there and I hope I can meet up with Martin DF3MC while I am there as I know he lives nearby. I will also be taking the last few days of the holiday to visit Friedrichshafen. I want to go there on the Saturday. I missed out I think by not attending the SOTA presentations this year as I could not go.

73 de Phil

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Sorry Phil, trying to relax the mood from all this (understandable) chaser anguish…

Jonathan

Hi Phil, I’m also “in the area” so let me know when you have the final details, perhaps Martin, you and I can meet-up or I might even be able to return your favour and organise an Upper-Bavaria SOTA fun day. I also intend being at Friedrichshafen along with some visitors from VK & UK if all goes well.
73 Ed.

Phil, I have planned two time slots for the trip. First possible slot is wk 23 (6-12.6) and second one week between wk 26-28 (27.6-17.7). But let see, I suppose in April I am cleverer, because it is time to order tickets. Garmish is about the same distance South from Munich what I am going to go to North East.

As you know well planned is halve done. Middle of December we are going to Munich (“Pre-Tour”) for visiting German Weihnachtsmarkt. During the trip I have possibility shortly to chase some summits from Deutsches Museum with call DLØDM and/or DL/OH2NOS. Special thanks of the possibility for Alfred DL8FA.

Summit selection for Tour de Bavaria (extented with OK) is ongoing but the main problem is that the amount of summits is very huge today, hopefully January brings help. But very attractive it is! :grinning:

73, Saku OH2NOS

Hi Saku,
there are several nice Weinachtmarkte in Munich, but the most famous and probably the largest is the one in Nuremberg. … there are also a few SOTA (DM/BM) summits up that way as well…

73 Ed.

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The Frankfurt Weinachtsmarkt starts tomorrow (12 Nov 2015) and runs until 22 Dec. It’s not very far for me to go … it’s in central Birmingham!

:smile:

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/UK/birmingham-christmas-market.html

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

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Ed and Walt, Yes I know there is several Weihnachtsmarkts in Germany and abroad. One place is enough for one time! I (read we) like this kind of traditions. :grinning:

Originally my plan was going to activate DL/BE-094 but option to visit in Deutches Museum replaced that idea. :grinning:

73, Saku OH2NOS

Hi Saku,

I guess you will have a lot of fun in Munich.

In the summer of 2013 I had the pleasure of being chased by the club station of the Deutsches Museum DL0DM:

I was really suprised by the big signal on the 20m band, because I was sitting on top of a summit, which was at a distance of only abt. 80km. OP Alois told me that at this time their club station has not been in in a fully operable state because a relocation of the club station was in progress. I guess the relocation is now finished and you will have the pleasure of working at a really nice station.

DL0DM Deutsches Museum

73 Stephan, DM1LE

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For those interested in hearing more about Amateur Radio at the Deutsches Museum, I interviewed Alfred DL8FA for the ICQPodcast at Friedrichshafen this year - it’s up on Youtube here:

Saku OK on considering activating Irschenhausen - the visit to the Deusches Museum will definitely be more interesting! (I know the summit well, it being one of two summits local to me), and to get to operate the radio station in the amateur radio display there should be even more interesting!

My favourite (small) Weihnachts Markt is the one on “Rot Kreutz Platz” as I used to live near there but easiest to get to will be the one on Marienplatz but it’ll be crowded so watch out for pick-pockets, but depending upon where you are staying, Schwabing could be another, good, choice.

73 Ed.

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Hi Saku,
Just been into the centre of Munich and the huts for the stalls in the Weinachtsmarkt at Mariensplatz are all in place and they are starting on the Ice Rink building at Stachus (the other end of the pedestrian shopping zone from Mariensplatz).

Chrismas is coming … Hmm, 15 degrees and Sunny - the longest dry and warm period in November for several years.

Hope we get some snow before your visit as the town is just magical under snow.

73 Ed.

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Ed, sounds very good! “Ice Rink” => I play icehockey ones per week. So I can skate too! Well, the “Pre-Tour” will be very nice with all the possible option!

73, Saku

Hi Phil!
Nice to see how you prepair your expedition! hihi.
I hope to work you several times.
Gd luck.
73 Sake, PA0SKP

ps I print yr list!