Reception reports at chasers side

Hello all,

Now that my summer working time from 7h00 to 15h05 is over and we get back to split shift with 1h-to-2h-max. lunch time break, I’ll be coming home for lunch at about 12h utc and I’m going to try to briefly look for any SOTA points offered and spotted on SOTAwatch when ever possible.

With the aim of providing some feedback to the activators on whether their signals are or not likely to be copied at a given QTR/QRG in a specific location.I’ll try to publish a brief report of the activations I’ve been looking up each day, how they were copied at my side and which location and antenna configuration I was using.

I think this may help activators to choose the optimum operating times and bands depending on what they would like to reach.

I highly encourage other chasers to provide similar data from their respective locations, as this might give an interesting full picture.

It’s quite a bit of work but it may well be worthwhile in order to have a better idea of how bands behave, depending on different locations and antenna configurations.

After the RX reports have been published, it would be very interesting to know the power and antenna used by each reported activator.

Let me start this today with the following report and let’s see how the SOTA community reading this reflector receive and subscribe this idea.

20170904 (Sept 4th 2017): it’s been a tough day… :frowning:
Receiving antenna about 13m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above the Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
12h25 DL/HB9BQB/P 7032.5 No Copy
12h30 DL1CR/P 14285 No Copy and QSB up to 21
12h34 G0AZA/P 14275 No Copy
12h35 HB9/G4WSB/P 7110 No Copy
13h05 GW3RDQ/P 10118 559 (chased :v:)
13h07 E70AA/P 14061 No Copy
17h00 EA7/G4ONL/P 18086 549 (I tried but couldn’t chase him due to high SWR on 17m)
17h26 CU3HF/P 14061 No Copy

Just one chase out of 8 potentials in thetime frame QRV in the shack.
And today we had a SFI of 123 at 14h UTC and K-Index of 2…

I’d welcome some feedback from you guys and lads about this idea of cross-sharing this type of information between chasers and activators.

Best 73,

Guru

2 Likes

20170905 (Sept 5th 2017): it’s been an even tougher day today… :frowning:
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above the Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
12h06 HB9BAB/P on 14062.5 - No Copy
12h28 HB9CBR/P on 21062 - No Copy
12h30 OH/ON4KCY/P on 14125 - No Copy
12h36 OE/DJ6TB/P on 14285 - No Copy
12h39 HB9CBR/P on 28030 - No Copy
12h44 HB9BQU/P on 14290 - No Copy
12h48 HB9CBR/P on 14064 - No Copy
12h49 HB9BQU/P on 14063 - No Copy
12h52 DL6WT/P on 7033 - 219 with QSB. Couldn’t work him.
12h54 HB9CBR/P on 10118 - 339 (chased :v:)

16h36 OK/OM2JU/P on 7032 - No Copy
17h35 IW2OBX/P on 14285 - No Copy

Just one marginal chase out of 12 potentials in the time frame I was QRV in the shack today stalking for SOTA.

Best 73,

Guru

Hi Guru

Nice idea!

Wx (rain) and propagation condx were awful.

I didn’t qualify this one (2 Q’s only…) :frowning:
From Spain only a QSO with Manuel EA2DT.

Next time will be better!

73 de Pedro, CU3HF / CT1DBS

20170906 (Sept 6th 2017): very little to report today…
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above the Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
12h40 DL/HB9AGO/P on 7032 - No Copy
12h41 M1MAJ on 7118 - No Copy

Just 2 potentials with no luck for me in the time frame I was QRV in the shack today stalking for SOTA. And I didn’t even hear one single chaser of those 2 activators.

Best 73,

Guru

20170907 (Sept 7th 2017): a different story today after yesterday’s CME.
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
12h35 HB9CBR/P on 7029 - No Copy
12h36 CT8/DK7MG/P on 14062 - No Copy
12h38 DL1CR/P on 14285 - 55 (chased :v:)
12h48 HB9CBR/P on 21062 - 559 (chased :v:)
12h53 HB9SOTA on 14285 - 55 (chased :v:)
12h55 HB9CBR/P on 28030 - No Copy

3 chases out of 6 potentials in the time frame I was QRV in the shack today stalking for SOTA… 50% success and a happy chaser :slight_smile:

Best 73,

Guru

Hi Guru

the only thing i can add is that i am usually listening very carefully and only switch bands when there are no more callers (i can hear…). So when you can’t reach me i suppose i just don’t hear your signal. Your signal is quite weak and as long as other chasers are calling with loud signals there is no chance to copy you. So you really have to wait until the end… but i guess that is the way you are operating !

Anyway it is always a pleasure to QSO you. Very 73 s de Bruno HB9CBR

I figure you just have to listen for a gap, and hope that it’s a real gap and not just because you’re in the skip zones of the louder stations answering, or because everything’s got lost in QSB. The way the bands have been recently, that last has been not unlikely…

Hi Bruno,

After reading your coment, I fear I haven’t explained properly the purpose of this thread.
What I’m telling you all, chasers, is my SWL report of your signals received by my station, that’s why I’m informing of the antenna and the rig I used, as I know that other antennas and rigs might receive your signals differently.

In your case, Bruno, my report is telling you the 3 following things:
Between 12h35 and 12h55 utc of Sept 7th, 2017

  • I couldn’t copy you on 40m,
  • I copied you 559 on 15m and I actually managed to chase you.
  • I couldn’t copy you on 10m.

A lesson learnt for you and for other chasers is that changing bands give the activator the chance to be chased by chasers who may not be copying the activator on other bands.
Of course you know this and you actually changed bands, which gave me the chance to chase you on 15m. Thank you so much for doing so.

I personally find 15m quite good at about that time in these days for contacts between EA2 and HB areas.

Regarding my chasing strategy with my current QRP and balony endfed antenna, I’d roughly estimate that I finally log 80-90% of the activators I can copy. Often at the end of the pile up.

20170908 (Sept 8th 2017):
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
13h00 SV2NCH/P on 14290 - No Copy
13h10 SV2OXS/P on 14305 - No Copy
13h15 OK2BDF/P on 11120 - No Copy
13h29 OE/HB9BIN/P on 14062 - 539 (chased :v:)
13h30 DJ2MX/P on 14061 - No Copy
13h31 EA7/G3TQQ/P on 14277 - No Copy
13h36 DH8WN/P on 14285 - 42 (chased :v:)
13h50 EA7/G3TQQ/P on 7118 - No Copy
13h51 EA7/G3TQQ/P on 7121 - No Copy
13h55 EA7/G4ONL on 14 cw - Not found on the CW segment of the band
14h54 DL6FBK/P on 10116 - 429 (chased :v:)
17h07 HB9SOTA on 7032 - 559 (chased :v:)
17h26 CT8/DK7MG/P on 14062 - 559 (couldn’t chase him due to traffic. Then lost in QSB)

Out of 13 spotted activations on HF while I was QRV, I could copy 5 of them and 4 were chased.

Best 73 from a happy chaser :slight_smile:

Guru

Hi Guru

indeed after writing back, i recognised that i first misunderstood your mail - no copy just meaning that you could not hear the ACTIVATOR… sorry about that.

Your thread was clear - i am the one who misunderstood…

I agree with you that changing bands is enhancing the chance to make qso s with more stations. Many activators tend to just use the popular bands such as 40, 30 and 20 m. For myself i really like the higher bands, although with the low sunspots this year and the coming years there will not be a lot of activation on these bands unfortunately.

About your antenna situation, i used an indoor loop for many years but lately there is just to much local QRM S6 - S7 level, i only hear the strong stations - it makes just no fun to chase any SOTA activations. I tried a delta loop but QRM was stil the same not really an improvement. Actually now i don t have an antenna at home anymore, but i will give it one more try with a trapped dipole in the next days…

What i want to say is that you are doing a good job with your situation - you make the best out of it - right ?

73 s Bruno HB9CBR

Hi Guru,

tnx for chasing me on my summit. I forgot my pencil at home and had to use my smartphone as an audio recorder. Here is the recording of our contact: Dropbox - File Deleted

73 Chris

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This is the recording of most of my contacts on 40m at DM/NS-107: Dropbox - File Deleted

Tnx for chasing me,
73 Chris

11:49z DL3BSA 7MHz SSB
11:50z DL3HXX 7MHz SSB
11:52z OE7HPI 7MHz SSB
11:55z DL6MST 7MHz SSB
11:58z DJ9BX 7MHz SSB
12:00z OE8SPW 7MHz SSB
12:04z M0MDA 7MHz SSB
12:05z DF5WA 7MHz SSB
12:06z DK7ZH 7MHz SSB
12:07z IX1IHR 7MHz SSB
12:08z S57ILF 7MHz SSB
12:09z EA2CKX 7MHz SSB
12:10z HB9JOE 7MHz SSB
12:11z OK2PDT 7MHz SSB
12:12z G0RQL 7MHz SSB
12:13z SA7AUH 7MHz SSB

Here are the 20m QSOs… Dropbox - File Deleted

12:35z F6COW 14MHz SSB
12:36z G0VWP 14MHz SSB
12:37z EA2DT 14MHz SSB
12:37z GI0AZA 14MHz SSB
12:38z G0WBG 14MHz SSB
12:39z OE6GND 14MHz SSB
12:40z EA2IF 14MHz SSB
12:40z GI0AZB 14MHz SSB
12:41z OH3GZ 14MHz SSB
12:45z G0RQL 14MHz SSB
12:46z G4OIG 14MHz SSB
12:47z F5UBH 14MHz SSB

73 Chris

Hi Bruno,
Yes, I know what you mean and I suffer that same urban domestic QRM too.
Sometimes it’s permanently at S8 and it’s almost impossible to hear anything, but I struggle, touch buttons in my FT-817, disconnect battery chargers, computers and anything I find it’s making QRM and I finally manage to hear and chase some activators.
Ham radio life in towns is hard but not impossible.
I highly encourage you and everyone in this situation to do whatever possible to be on air and play radio, no matter the QRM and any other constrains.
Activators need chasers and chasers need activators.
Let’s keep our hobby alive and keeking.
Best 73,

Guru

Thank you Chris for the recording of our QSO. It’s very nice to hear how my QRP was received at your side :thumbsup:
73,

Guru

20170909 (Sept 9th 2017):
I have been chasing from the rented flat in Pamplona with the endfed wire in the balcony in the morning and later from my house in the village with different antennas.
In the morning: QTH IN92ET
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND
UTC CALLSIGN QRG RST
09h47 EA6/PE2AAB/P on 14202.5 - No Copy
09h47 OE/IW3AGO/P on 21195 - 449 (chased :v:)
09h56 OK/G4OBK/P on 10119 - 559 (chased :v:)
10h22 OE5DIN/P on 10108.5 - 439 (chased :v:)
In the afternoon: QTH IN92CQ
Receiving antenna either tribander yagi, broadband folded dipole or home made bazooka dipole.
Rig. Kenwood TS-940S
14h27 CT2HOV/P on 7160 - 59 (chased :v:) - with invee bazooka dipole
14h34 SV4/SV2CNE/P on 14315 - 54 (chased :v:) - with tribander yagi
14h35 K2JB on 7032 - No Copy - with invee bazooka dipole
14h36 HA5OT/P on 7144 - No Copy - with invee bazooka dipole
14h37 EA5FV on 14063 - No Copy - with tribander yagi and broadband folded dipole
14h39 SO9TA/P on 7033 - No Copy - with invee bazooka dipole and broadband folded dipole
14h42 OH3KRH/P on 14061 - 439 (chased :v:) - with broadband folded dipole
15h02 EA5FV/P on 7035 - 599 (chased :v:)
15h05 CT2HOV/P on 28460 - No Copy - with tribander yagi
15h08 YO6PIB/P on 14325 - No Copy - with tribander yagi and broadband folded dipole
15h19 OK2PYA/P on 10122 - 449 (chased :v:) - with broadband folded dipole
15h35 SO9TA/P on 14062 - 429 QSB (chased :v:) - with broadband folded dipole
This last chase required a lot of patience and determination because the QSB was putting things really hard)

Out of 16 spotted activations I checked on HF while I was QRV, I could copy 9 and all of them were chased.

Best 73 from a happy chaser :slight_smile:

Guru

20170910 (Sept 10th 2017):
I have quite an extense report to share with you today because it’s been a rainy Sunday.

Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND

UTC - CALLSIGN - QRG - RST
07h17 - 2E0YYY/P on 14330 - 42 QSB (didn’t try to chase because xyl sleeping)
07h22 - YO6PVH on 14286 - No Copy
07h33 - 2E0YYY/P on 14328 - 42 QSB (still unable to speak out loud to chase. XYL sleeping)
07h34 - YO6PVH/P on 14185 - No Copy with QSB to 22 (unworkable)
07h43 - 9A6CW/P on 7031.1 - No Copy with QSB to 11 (unworkable)
07h45 - 9A6CW/P on 7030.6 - No Copy
07h50 - 2E0YYY/P on 14328 - 44 (chased right after XYL got up :v:)
08h20 - EA4FJX/P on 14292 - No Copy
08h20 - SV9GPV/P on 14285 - No Copy
08h22 - 9A6CW/P on 10118.1 - 219 QSB (unworkable)
09h37 - 9A6CW/P on 14063 - No Copy
09h39 - HB9EIV/P on 7108 - No Copy
09h42 - DF7FX/P on 7033 - No Copy
09h51 - SV2NCH/P on 14320 - No Copy
10h16 - DL6FAZ/P on 7033 - 439 but quickly lost in QSB… :cry:
10h23 - SV2OYO/P on 14312 - No Copy
10h25 - SP/OM4AA/P on 7034 - No Copy
12h03 - OM4AA/P on 7034 - No Copy but he had been spotted earlier and he had probably gone QSY when I checked on this QRG.
12h05 - OM4AA/P on 10118.6 - No Copy
12h06 - EA1IYF/P on 7070 - No Copy
12h08 - YO/HA8LLH/P on 14062 - 219 (unworkable)
12h12 - DK6HS/P on 14290 - No Copy
12h16 - EA1IYF/P on 7070 - 42 (chased :v:)
12h19 - YO/HA8BJ/P on 14062 - No Copy
12h20 - OM4AA/P on 14061 - No Copy
12h30 - OE1HFC/P on 14062 - 429 (chased :v:)
13h21 - HA/SP9MA/P on 14062 - No Copy
13h22 - OK2BDF/P on 10120 - No Copy

Out of 28 spotted activations I checked on HF, I could only copy 10, although 4 were far too weak to even try to chase them. One was well copied but got quickly lost in QSB. Mike 2E0YYY was well copied despite some QSB on the 2 first spots, but I couldn’t try to call him because xyl was sleeping. This is another good reason in favor of CW :wink:
It’s good that he remained copyable up to when my xyl finally got up at 07h50 utc and I managed to chased Mike on my first call for a 44 sent and a 55 received.
At the end of the day, 3 chases in my log.

Best 73 from a happy chaser :slight_smile:

Guru

20170911 (Sept 11th 2017):
Very little to report today from my time QRV during my lunch time break at home.

Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND

UTC - CALLSIGN - QRG - RST
12h44 - OK/G4OBK/P on 14063 - 329 but QSB and urban QRM made his signal vanish.
12h45 - HB9AXL/P on 14062 - No Copy

73,

Guru

20170912 (Sept 12th 2017):
Just 2 activators in the same summit were spotted on 40m today during my lunch time break at home.

Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND

UTC - CALLSIGN - QRG - RST
12h35 - DL2FAZ/P on 7032 - No Copy.
12h41 - DF7FX/P on 7032 - No Copy

I stalked for nearly 30 minutes waitng for conditions to change or the activators to QSY to some other band, in the hope of copying them to try to chase them, but nothing of this happened,… :frowning:
While I was waiting on the frequency, I heard Manuel EA2DT, Jorge EA2LU and after several several trials, Chris F6EAZ working them, but nobody else…

We’ll see how things go tomorrow.

73,

Guru

20170913 (Sept 13th 2017):
One more tough day as a SOTA chaser.

QTH: IN92ET (Pamplona)
Receiving antenna: about 13-14m long wire endfed in a balcony about 25 meters above Street level.
Rig Yaesu FT-817ND

UTC - CALLSIGN - QRG - RST
12h38 - EA/AI4SV on 7033 - No Copy but I guess it’s because he was QSYing to 10m,.
12h38 - HA5MA/P on 7032 - No Copy
12h40 - HB9AFI/P on 7031.4 - No Copy
12h44 - EA/AI4SV on 28061 - No Copy
12h58 - SO9TA/P on 7033 - No Copy
13h01 - MM1MAJ/P on 5398.5 - No Copy (I can’t TX on this QRG but I checked it out for info)

Later, after work, I checked this spotted activation:
16h46 - VE1PVH/P on 14275 - No Copy

Out of 7 spotted activations, none of them could be copied by my station. :frowning:

While 40m must be a great band for a Central European activator to get many chasers with strong signals both ways, there’s little or no chance for a chaser in a SouthWestern peripheric location with a balcony wire antenna.

Even when I’m in my owned QTH in the village, with better antennas and less domestic QRM, I often can’t copy or have to struggle hard to hear and chase Central or Eastern Europeans on 40m.
But that’s the way it is and there’s little or nothing I can do about it.

We’ll see how things go tomorrow.

73,

Guru