Radio Magic!

[M1BUU]

I had a few household chores to do today but I also felt like I needed exercise. I’ve got the SOTA bug quite badly and I’d like to get somewhere near my best yearly total of around 50 activations. I’m about a dozen or so away from that amount this year.

I thought I might as well combine exercise with a quick ‘just for fun’ SOTA activation. Hutton Roof Crags G/LD-052 is probably my easiest summit to get to but it gets a bit boring, it’s about 30 mins in the car and 30 mins walk. Whernside G/NP-004 is a longer walk but only around 15-20 minutes in the car, so all in all, around the same door to summit time.

I opted to climb Yorkshire’s highest mountain, Whernside.

My aim was to manage at least one QSO to register the ‘Activation’. It wasn’t a serious SOTA trip. For fun I packed my home brew direct conversion 2w CW transceiver.

The transceiver was born after I designed a PCB for a simple transmitter using SMT components to solder on the hill. I’d built the original project for 40m but the minimum number of boards I could order was 5. I wondered if I could make the transmitter work on 20m, so I set about building a spare board with a 20m crystal. I was pleased to get about 2 watts out of the single BS170 FET. 2w on 20m is a useful amount. A reciever was grafted on, it’s just a slightly modified Sudden direct conversion affair. The Sudden was a G3RJV design, which has since come in various flavours. The RX is a classic 602/612 mixer and 386 amp combo, but followed by a simple op-amp filter. The RX and TX are actually separates in my rig but share the antenna. I used a PicoKeyer to provide paddle keying.

Home brew 20m transceiver

The weather was rather miserable on Whernside but at least there wasn’t much wind and it was dry. I used my lightweight 30m/20m dipole on a 4m pole - this wasn’t supposed to be a serious SOTA activation.

I called CQ and tuned the receiver with my little wooden stick and I could hear Paul M0CQE coming back to me! Looks like I’ll get my activation tick after all! After the QSO with Paul, all I could hear was one single tone with many stations calling over each other. With my crude home brew receiver it was hard work but I did eventually pare down the pile and zi ended up with 28 QSOs in the log, including 2 S2S! I even had some 2 way QRP QSOs. I couldn’t believe how crazy the pile up was for my puny 2 watt signal to a low dipole. Maybe there’s a lack of activators as we patiently wait for winter bonus?

Anyway, I had a lot of fun despite the rig’s limitations and not being used to the keyer timing.

This radio thing is magic!

!
Whernside G/NP-004

Reverse Beacon Network hits

Map of QSOs from the SOTA Database

Crazy!

73, Colin

[M0JSB]

Thanks for a great report Colin, and for reminding us of the magic of radio. Excellent stuff!

[G8CPZ]

@M1BUU

Hutton Roof Crags G/LD-052 is probably my easiest summit to get to but it gets a bit boring

It’s my second-nearest SOTA summit (18-minute drive away) and I’m often there just walking the dogs. Which bit do you find boring? The walk up? Assuming you parked at the ex-quarry CP on the Burton-in-Kendal road, there are other (longer) routes up to the summit if you want a change - none of them challenging except walking across wet crags.

I go there when I have a ‘SOTA itch’ or want to try out a new bit of radio kit. It has two large rocks about 50m west of the trig point which act as a nice ‘operating bench’ with a bit of shelter from the wind and the babble of other hill walkers.

[M0CQE]

Very Well Done Colin. Thank You for the QSO. I had no idea that You You were using “Home Brew”, equipment. I received You loud and clear with 599 into Oldham. I am not surprised that You had a pileup. Wonderful Signal and Tone. 73 de Paul M0CQE.

[M1BUU]

I suppose it’s because the walk is as long as the drive. The A65 isn’t the most fun of roads.

I long for a drive on summit like G/NP-028 which used to be my nearest summit. I know that I can’t really complain, I’m pretty much smack bang between G/SP, G/NP and G/LD. I have a lot of choice of summits on my doorstep but most of them require quite a decent walk.

[M1BUU]

Thanks for the QSO Paul. I suppose with SSB I would explain that the rig is home brew during the QSO but with CW, and my rubber stamp QSO skills, it’s difficult to explain about the rig in use. Still, I hope it’s fun to learn the details afterwards.

73, Colin

[G8CPZ]

@M1BUU

I long for a drive on summit like G/NP-028

Did you really mean Rombalds Moor? I’ve never done it before.

(C) Ordnance Survey 2024

You say, “drive on” - I assume the road (Ilkley Road?) up to the wireless station is public. And is it in the activation zone there? It looks it on the map [402m - 380m = 22m drop]

[M1BUU]

Yes, known as Ilkley Moor to most locals. The road up to the mast is public - but like other places mentioned on this reflector you have to be careful when you go, apparently nocturnal activities take place there.

The activation zone is really big.

[G8CPZ]

That’s great. It’s a 1½-hour drive from home. But by coincidence, my wife suggested we take the dogs to do the 3-mile canal walk from Bingley to Saltaire, which is close by. I see an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and take in a quick early-afternoon HF activation of G/NP-028.

[M1BUU]

More Radio Magic (or Using Inappropriate Rigs for SOTA)!

My XYL had to work late this evening so I took on the task of picking my sons up from school and college. My son’s school is around 10-15 minutes away from the parking place for Hutton Roof Crags G/LD-052. To get my exercise in today I decided to squeeze in a SOTA activation before picking my son up.

I fancied doing something silly so I dug around in my shack for novelty radios. I found a QRPme SeaSprite, which I built a couple of years ago but never tried on air. The SeaSprite is basically a reworked Pixie with some refinements. I also fancied the challenge of using a straight key. For 40m, I chose a QRPme Super Tuna transmitter paired with a QRPme Sudden Storm receiver and a QRPme Tuna Helper automatic antenna switcher. Both radio sets were putting out 450mW, powered by a 4S LiFePO4.

I set up the SUPER Tuna 7MHz station first. I used my Spanish LTA straight key but I seem to struggle sending on that key. Regardless of the QLF, I worked five stations; G0HRT, DL1AIW, G0FVH, GM4ZMK and @M0CQE.

I’m fond of the SUPER Tuna TX, I bought the kit at a G-QRP convention years ago and it has even taken part in a W1REX TT2 Mojo ceremony. The Mojo ceremony is where the magic (mojo) is transfered from the original 1976 Doug DeMaw Tuna Tin2 to your rig by bringing them gently together, touching rims.

W1REX passes Tuna Tin 2 Mojo to BITX 17

I was privileged to get special access to hold the original Tuna Tin 2 in my hands some years ago…

The original 1976 Tuna Tin 2 by W1FB, known as the Ancient Sacred Relic!

SUPER Tuna station G/LD-052

Lots of cables!

Moving on to the SeaSprite, I’d never tried it before but I was quite elated when I heard Manuel EA2DT in my headphones. Could Manuel be calling me? I called again and Manuel responded, he had to be calling me! I’d taken a ‘twiddle stick’ - a trimmer- to peak the receiver and I got the tone how I liked it. I was running out of operating time but I was pleased to add DL2DXA, DL1HBT, DL8DXL and OH3GZ to my log. It was novel experience keying without a sidetone but somehow I seemed to have got away with it!

QRPme SeaSprite 20m

The key was a free gift! “FreeKey”

Just wondering if I can build up enough courage to take the single FET radio out for SOTA! A whole transceiver using just one FET!

73, Colin

[MM0FMF]

@G8CPZ

up to the wireless station is public.

Yellow on the map, so yes.

[G4TGJ]

The road down the other side (Keighley Road) is a track and you need a four wheel drive. So I’ve never driven up and all my 43 activations of G/NP-028 have been on foot. It’s great to have a SOTA summit an hour’s walk from home. I’ll be up again in the next couple of days. [I still have a little way to go to beat Colin’s 69 activations!]

I wonder when they are going to update the map. There haven’t been two radio masts on the top of the moor for a number of years - they used to be a distinctive landmark from elsewhere in the Dales. The masts were used by West Yorkshire Police for diversity reception. When they switched to Airwave they no longer needed them but one mast remained as Yorkshire Electricity still used it. Whether that was for PMR or telemetry I don’t know. There are a few antennas and dishes on the mast still.

[G4OIG]

@M1BUU

… Manuel responded, he had to be calling me!

I witnessed this contact Colin and copied bits from you. Not enough to work you, but hey… this was 20m. Unfortunately I had missed your 40m session.

Well done on the activation. I appreciate it was an activation “en route” and not the be all and end all if you’d made no contacts, but I still lack your confidence in doing an activation with such low powers. I get worried about running an FT-817 barefoot on full power, maybe because in doing Uniques I have so much invested.

Perhaps it’s time for me to break out the alternative callsign and run the 817 on its lowest power setting through an attenuator to see what happens.

Super smart tins by the way… energised my design receptors.

73, Gerald

[M1BUU]

You should give QRPp a go! An FT-817 switched to 500mW would be a good start. I think the main limitation with novelty rigs is the poor receiver performance. An FT-817 would have the benefit of having a decent receiver.

With RockMites, Pixies and similar, it’s often difficult, and sometimes educated guess work, to hear if somebody is answering your CQ. A RockMite receives a good few kHz either side of your transmit frequency.

Some of the very basic designs don’t even have a sidetone, you’re sending Morse ‘blind’.

73, Colin

[G4TGJ]

@G4OIG

I get worried about running an FT-817 barefoot on full power

You definitely shouldn’t. I only* ever do QRP HF CW and have never struggled to qualify a summit**. I understand why SSB operators feel the need to use higher power but it isn’t necessary with CW.

* I do also do 2m FM but I always qualify on HF first.
** Except when my antenna broke.

[G8CPZ]

@G4TGJ

I only ever do QRP HF CW and have never struggled to qualify a summit

I second that. I was strictly QRP on HF CW for many years after getting my ‘A’ licence [using monobanders then my 21yo FT817] and rarely had trouble getting contacts. But since getting my beloved KX2 [~8 y.a.] I’m more relaxed and use 10W. It probably makes little difference when prop condx are good and with an efficient antenna.

[G8CPZ]

@M1BUU

Lots of cables!

Nice to see a straight key in your activation kit. I’ve just recently mounted my Palm PPK SK on a wooden board with rubber feet to improve stability when keying it on uneven surfaces (e.g. rocks). Hope it works.

[G4TGJ]

@G8CPZ

Nice to see a straight key in your activation kit.

I passed the 12wpm test at British Telecom International in London in 1983 using a straight key. I did use a straight key on the air and then built myself a keyer. I was away from the hobby for almost 30 years so when I relearnt morse I didn’t relish inflicting a straight key on my QSO partners so I have only used a paddle since. I keep thinking I ought to try a straight key again but I can’t imagine sending at 22wpm (I make enough mistakes with a paddle!). Also that wouldn’t be helped by my arthritic fingers. It could be useful as a back up though.

[G8CPZ]

I took the RSGB Morse test at the YMCA in Paisley in 1996 and – as I recall – they let me use my own straight key, a Hi-Mound HK-706. But, within a few years I bought my first iambic paddles, this lovely G4ZYP twin paddle (now a collectors’ item) and stopped using a SK for a very long time. Since then I got more paddles.

More recently I wanted to ‘go retro’ and got a Kent KT-1 Pro for the shack and the PPK for portable, and practised on and off air to restore my former good SK ’fist’. I can’t key the short-lever PPK at any speed for very long (i.e. >20wpm) before my fingers start aching. Paddles are so much less faff but I want to do some SK SOTA activations from time to time.

[G4TGJ]

@G8CPZ

iambic paddles

There’s no such thing as iambic paddles! Only iambic keyers.