S-K Challenge - SOTA style

Activation Reports Pre-Planning
1

Those outside New Zealand are probably not aware of the Schormann - Kaitoke challenge.

A trans-Tararua alpine challenge with a time-limited objective. I spent much of my late 30’s and early 40’s trying to get my fitness up to attempting an (unsupported) sub-24hr time for this (at which pace it is a run) - which would have put me in an elite few. But training always led to knee issues that stopped me.

Now, with the big five-oh looming, I get a call from my partner in (hill-running) crime asking if I am interested in taking on the SK. We both agree that a more sedate pace is called for and that sub-48hr is the target (at which pace it is a long walk with a partial night of sleep). ~80km and ~7000 vertical meters - a typical week at work compressed into 48 hours!

I agree, but with one condition:

  • I get to activate each peak we cross on the way.

So, Easter weekend (weather permitting), we’ll be starting at the Putara roadend (Schormann hut ceased to exist some decades ago) and attempting to walk the length of the Tararua via all the main summits, activating each, and Kaitoke-bound.

(oh yes, and we plan to do it the hard way, detouring via Mitre - the highest peak in the range - and necessitating a descent to the Waiohine at 400m and back up again to regain the main divide. But, come on: it’d be cheating otherwise!)

Summit list is as follows:

(Putara Roadend - 320m)
ZL1/MW-035 - East Peak (8) - 1355m
ZL1/WL-007 - Logan (10) - 1500m
ZL1/WL-005 - Arete (10) - 1505m
ZL1/WL-006 - Lancaster (10) - 1504m
ZL1/WL-001 - Mitre (10) - 1571m
ZL1/WL-002 - McGregor (10) - 1540m
ZL1/WL-008 - Mt Holdsworth (8) - 1470m
(Mid Waiohine Hut - 400m)
*ZL1/WL-010 - Aokaparangi (8) - 1354m
*ZL1/WL-011 - Maungahuka (8) - 1330m
ZL1/WL-004 - Hector (10) - 1529m
ZL1/WL-013 - Quoin (8) - 1206m
(Kaitoke roadend - 200m)

‘*’ May be substituted for ZL1/WL-014 - Cone (6) if time is short

I will be primarily on 40m, but may drop to 80m if needed for the night-time summits. Discovery TX-500, Sota-pole and EFHW. Deployment time typically sub-5 minutes. Intended stop-walking-activate-start-walking time aim is sub-30 minutes per summit, preferably sub-20mins.

Planned dates are 17th-18th April. But may get moved within the Easter period if wx dictates.

Advice from anyone who’s attempted such time-limited HF activations will be welcome.

And mark the date to watch us succeed or fail spectacularly!

Matt - ZL4NVW

SKchallenge
SKchallenge1920×2715 1.32 MB

The three alpine SK routes. 10km grid squares shown

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2

Good luck… even if the time slips I hope you can complete it successfully. A truly massive undertaking!

I’ve no great advice regarding quick HF activations. I’ve never managed to be very quick. Although I have found that if my wife helps I seem to do it in less than half the time.

Suggest your friend is “trained” beforehand to assist if they are willing to help.

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Start off using QRPp powers. That will limit who may hear you and thus limit the possible chaser pile-up. Increase power as needed. It’s not something I want to do as I want to work as many as I can but it’s a way of making pile-ups smaller. Yes, fewer people will get a chase but if you don’t do something like this you wont complete your challenge.

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I haven’t done multiple summit activations as you will, but I have done activations in very cold weather (-23C) when speed is essential. My advice is to arrange your equipment so there are very few connections to be made. Use BNC, not PL-239 connectors. I used a dipole antenna, single band, with no tuner. It sounds like you will be in alpine terrain with no trees for antenna support, so plan how you will deploy your mast, no guy ropes or pegs if possible. Definitely employ your companion to setup and then pack away the antenna.
Good luck, it sounds like a marvellous adventure!

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Will there be any CW ? de W6LEN / Jess

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If you’re using an EFHW, and the feed point is at the top of a pole then just hold the pole between your legs (don’t guy it).
Hanging the EFHW from a tree branch with some cord also saves time by not needing the pole., but requires suitable tree branches in the AZ.

I’ve found the AliExpress whip antenna pretty quick to set up, and would be faster if/when I replace the radials with something better. It’s very quick to take down too. Downside is that it’s quite heavy and bulky compared to an EFHW.

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Thanks for all that. A big balance between weight, power and simplicity of deployment to be considered.

A pileup is not a risk in ZL, not even in the more populated North Island. More the risk will be calling into an empty band, so no need for QRPp. ZL2 is probably the best area to be in, as it has good 40m skip to both Christchurch and Auckland which are the main populations of chasers. So hopefully to 10w Discovery TX will be fine to net 4 chasers, but not guaranteed.

Agreed on training up the companion. Even just to hold the SOTA-pole whilst I guy it will save a good bit of pfaffing around. I am set up for BNC, so that recommendation can be followed. No trees, so pole is the only way unless I can string an antenna between rocks. Did contemplate quick deploy telescopic verticals - but just too much risk I’d get no contacts with such a compromised antenna.

As an aside I’m very surprised to hear BNC recommended in snow / ice. My experience of BNC is that once you get ice into the plug you can’t get it out, and that any ice on the pin spreads the socket rendering it useless. But not an issue on this trip, so all good with BNC.

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