In reply to 2E0YYY:
After a peek at Darius log, I see you worked him at 1004z on 10MHz PSK31.
That was my first ever PSK31 QSO! Using the internal decoder in the K3. I suppose someone has interfaced a KX3 with an iPad which would be a great activator combo for PSK.
Thanks for many QSOs Mike…usually a good signal from you on 20m.
73, Bill W4ZV
In reply to G4OIG:
I thought everyone on your side
of the pond would not be in the shack before “elevenses” - coffee
break time. Seems I made an error of judgment!
Virtually every morning I’m chasing European activators, often as early as 0800Z. It’s very frustrating how few 20M activations occur 0800-1030Z.
73,
Barry N1EU
In reply to N1EU:
I remember either you or Bill saying that there was 20m propagation quite early in our mornings and we (EU) activators should consider going HF earlier. My normal way of working has been to start on 60m then 40m. Followed by either 30m or something from 20m/17m/15m. But I’m going to try it “back to front” and see how that works. i.e 15m/17m/20m then a switch to LF.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to N1EU:
Virtually every morning I’m chasing European activators, often as
early as 0800Z. It’s very frustrating how few 20M activations occur
0800-1030Z.
Hi Barry,
No doubt about it, there are EU as well as Stateside chasers around on the Higher HF frequencies early in the morning. You may recall, we worked on 16/May/2012 at 0922z from Y Golfa GW/NW-061 using the 20m band. The pile up involved 60 chasers in 35 minutes, so IMHO, it’s well worth activators trying a CQ on the Higher Frequencies early.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to W4ZV:
Thanks for the call on 30m Bill, you are getting into a habit of working rockmites on this side of the water. I get about 300mW in to my homebrew rf probe with this rig.
30m was in good shape this morning, and yesterday it seems, I got a number of 579 reports. It was tricky trying to lever my way back into the pile up though (2 strong stations sound like a pile up due to IMD). I worked Ricky MW6GWR first and then you called a minute later, amazing!
Oh, the qso was at 1033z by the way, close to your 1030z yesterday.
Finally, sorry about the jibberish at the end, my paddle cable has developed an internal short and was sending dits whenever the cable was in a certain position, new one is on the way. Good service from Palm Germany. You were 559 by the way.
Ian,
MM0GYX
In reply to MM0GYX:
Hi Ian,
Thanks for tracking me down today for the S2S - I did see your alert but then my phone decided not to work at the summit so I couldn’t see any spots (a whole other thread!).
I took along my home brew 100mW RockMite 30 today but it was so cold / windy / rainy that I wanted to get off the summit quickly and I didn’t even power it up. Sounds like I missed out on some fun on 30m 
The pile ups seem to keep growing when you want to go QRT! I had to just pull the plug after a while, I was very cold and wet and needed to get moving again. I worked around 40 stations, so I think I did a fair job given the terrible WX. In places the snow was 1m deep on the way to the summit!
Regarding the Palm key, my original cable developed a similar fault last year. I think the failure was due to the cable being so stiff. With low temps I think the insulation must have cracked on the internal wires, causing them to short out. I remember one particular activation on Helvellyn where the temperature was into minus double figures and I think it is then when the cable failed.
I made up a new cable using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable from Ebay, I think it was 99p. The new cable is much more flexible and has served me very well. I chopped off one of the audio plugs and fitted a 3 way connector bought from Maplin for 99p, it is almost identical to one fitted to the Palm cable. A little heatshrink made the cable look very professional. My faulty cable was replaced FOC by the UK dealer, I keep it in my bag as a spare 
73, Colin
In reply to M0CGH:
Colin,
Cable is being replaced FOC by Hannes at Palm, it was less than a year old and I agree with your suspected mode of failure.
Thanks for the s2s, I didn’t use a mobile to check for activators, just tuned to the usual suspects and heard you. Signals were good for s2s, although the chasers went qrx so we could bag the s2s, thanks guys.
G4AFI/P, Andy on SP-005 called in and was ear piercing, very loud. I reached for the rf gain twice today, that was one!
My first summit, just over 500m was clear of snow on the whole and quite straight-forward with a nice oversized cairn/shelter to hunker down in the bothy bag. The second was a slog through metre deep snow but the wind had dropped and it was above 0c. I sat on the small cairn and operated for a while on 40 before an unsuccessful move to 20, Rich called in but he always does!
I spent about 3 minutes trying to get an rst from S52CU, I’m not sure what’s so hard to grasp about pse just S52CU, but a certain station who shall remain nameless couldn’t. With that I qrt for the day, 6 bonus points bagged.
See you next time for that 2 x RM qso.
By the way, I’m down in Rotherham in the last 2 weeks of April for a course, joint activation if you’re up for it and available?
73,
Ian MM0GYX
In reply to MM0GYX:
I was sat in the bothy bag too, that was partly the reason for not doing 30m - I couldn’t face getting out of the bag to change the dipole links and fight my way back in again! I was actually struggling a little bit to hear callers due the bag flapping around in the wind. I need to invest in a better bag I think. I was thinking that if the bag had tubes, like those on inflatable kites, the action of the wind would make the shelter rigid and stop it flapping so much.
I was using the MTR with a 2S lipo throughout my activation today. I can’t remember what the power tested at with that battery but it’s around 2.5 to 3 watts I think. I think the skip seems a little odd of late, but certainly to my advantage. It was nice to work my friend Aage LA1ENA on 20m, he was a very good signal, I would tend to think that Norway was a bit close for 20m at that time. Our QSO ended up being cut a little short due to a sudden wall of people calling me.
40m seems extremely good for inter-G at the moment, great for S2S, the skip seems just right
Thanks for the invitation of a joint activation, I’m not too sure at the moment. My life is a bit busy having two small sons (6yr and 8m)! I try to do as much of my activating in winter bonus time as I can, then I take it easy for the rest of the year. I’ll be in touch via private email nearer the time if I can commit to anything.
Cheers, Colin
In reply to MM0GYX:
In reply to W4ZV:
sorry about the jibberish at the end, my paddle cable has
developed an internal short and was sending dits whenever the cable
was in a certain position, new one is on the way. Good service from
Palm Germany. You were 559 by the way.
Ian that was actually on 20m around 12z. I didn’t log it since we already worked on 30m (and I never got my RST due to the keying problems). I called mainly to ask what power you were using on 20m? You were 559 here so probably not a Rockmite.
73, Bill W4ZV
In reply to M0CGH:
Colin,
When you get out of the bothy bag do you take the rig with you or is it just me? I had the headphones in still, and the battery in my pocket to keep it warm last time it happened, hi hi. Rocks, snow and a kx1, not good bedmates!
I’m a family man myself and take those sota opportunities when they arise, normally at the last minute (today). I have the advantage of being 400 miles from home in April having to spend 3 weekends away, so sota it is, or the hotel bar…
Weather permitting I’ll maybe take a trip down memory lane and complete the 3 peaks, I last did them when I was 15, when I lived in Thirsk as a lad.
73,
Ian
In reply to W4ZV:
Bill,
Yeah, the 30m qso was fb and I had no paddle problems there, you called in later after my 20m ops.
The 20m rig was a kx1 at abt 3 watts, 10db up on the rm! The station doesn’t change really, a simple inv vee dipole up around 6m above summit, the paddle’s a mini paddle from palm. Always qrp from summits.
So, I was sat in a pile of snow trying to get the cable in such a position where I could work you, when it finally worked I forgot the rst, sorry. At least you got the summit on 30m.
Ian MM0GYX
In reply to MM0GYX:
In reply to W4ZV:
sorry about the jibberish at the end, my paddle cable has
developed an internal short and was sending dits whenever the cable
was in a certain position, new one is on the way. Good service from
Palm Germany. You were 559 by the way.
Ian that was actually on 20m around 12z. I didn’t log it since we already worked on 30m (and I never got my RST due to the keying problems). I called mainly to ask what power you were using on 20m? You were 559 here so probably not a Rockmite.
73, Bill W4ZV
