SOTA NEWS APRIL 2018 - Part 2
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G4YSS/ GX0OOO/P 160m activations for the month of March 2018:
INGLEBROUGH HILL, G/NP-005 on 09-03-18 am:
1.832 CW - 1 QSO at 07:40z:
G0HIO Mike in Burton-on-Trent and G4OOE Nick in Scarborough called me but try as I may from 07:33 to 07:40, I just could not get them to hear me.
Then came G4OBK (Pickering) with an easy 569 to 579 signal. Phil gave me 449 but with nothing more, I elected to try SSB and return to CW later. When I did so, at 08:05 I heard Sake PA0SKP calling. He wasn’t strong but he was perfectly readable at 519. Unfortunately he couldn’t hear his report which made three abortive QSO’s.
1.843 SSB - 8 QSO’s from 07:43z:
First to answer the CQ was M3FEH Karl in Cornwall. His 10 Watts were only just audible so he got 33 from me, coming back with a 55. Phil G4OBK was next with a 57/ 43 exchange. Dave G4IAR got in with 55 both ways, then Nick G8VNW, close-by in Wharfedale. Despite his proximity (27km ESE of NP5) Nick could only give me a 47 report but he was 57 on the meter.
The final four were Terry G0VWP in York and G7LMF Graham in SJ61, both with 2 x 55. Geoff GM4WHA called in but we could only muster 33 between us. Brian G8ADD (55) scraped in at the end giving me a surprising 58 from Birmingham.
The session spanned 17 minutes, ending at 8am. Power was 50 Watts.
FOUNTAINS FELL, G/NP-017 on 09-03-18 pm:
1.832 CW - 2 QSO’s from 17:20z:
G4OBK Phil was a good signal at 589 but I noticed QSB down to 539. He gave my 50 Watts 559. The only other station to call in CW was David G3RDQ in Stockbridge, Hampshire - 559 both ways. 2 QSO’s were still needed to qualify on 160m so it was over to SSB.
1.843 SSB - 10 QSO’s from 17:30 to 17:52z:
In very loud FT8 QRM, which had crept up from its allocation again, I logged the following chasers:
G8VNW Nick 59 both ways; M3FEH Karl 44 both ways. Karl’s QSO was the one required to qualify Top Band for this summit and furthermore gain me a 160m MG certificate. (See note**)
Next was G8ADD Brian 56/ 44; G0VWP Terry in York (2 x 55); ON7ZM John 57 both ways; G4OBK Phil in Pickering (57/ 44); G4IAR Dave (2 x 55); G4RQJ Rob 57/ ‘11’ ! EI3GYB Michael (55/ 31) and finally G6MZX Geoff struggling at 55/ 33.
QSO’S: 99 comprising:
NP-005: 39 (1 x 160m CW; 8 x 160m SSB; 3 x 80m CW; 20 x 80m SSB; 7 x 20m CW)
NP-010: 15 (14 x 2m-FM; 1 x 4m-FM)
NP-017: 45 (7 x 80m CW; 26 x 80m SSB; 2 x 160m CW; 10 x 160m SSB)
TOTAL 160m QSO’s: 21 for the day.
Full Report: G4YSS: G/NP5, NP10, NP17 on 09-03-18 (160m)
(Note** All summits qualified with four or more QSO’s with four or more different operators.)
G/NP-017 Fountains Fell
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G/TW-004; BISHOP WILTON WOLD on 09-03-18 from 21:00z (in darkness):
1.833 CW - 1 QSO:
1.832 had a CQ on it so I moved up 1kHz, self spotting for the first time ever, the latter being surprisingly easy. At 21:02 OH3GD answered my 60 Watt CQ from the IC706-2G. The exchange was 589/ 579 and he gave his name as Kari.
1.832 CW - 1 QSO:
I answered the CQ from MM0ZBH who gave his name as Paul. His QTH was Fife and the exchange was 599/ 589.
1.846 SSB - 8 QSO’s:
With such a poor showing on CW, 160m SSB was needed to qualify the summit. Going up 3 kHz from the usual 1.843 took me out of the FT8 interference zone but the coils were still capable of covering both the CW and SSB frequencies.
I logged the following stations:
GI0AZB and GI0AZA Ian & Esther in Londonderry 59 both ways; G4IPB Paul QTH Middleton-in-Teesdale 59/ 57; G4IAR Dave in Loughborough 2 x 59; MI1AIB Paul in Limavady; 2 x 59; G7LMF Graham in Telford: GW4VPX Allan in Pencader 44/ 57 and GM4WHA Geoff in Annan 33/ 31.
Power was 100 Watts and the SSB session took 18 minutes.
QSO’s TW4: 14 comprising -
2 on 160m CW
9 on 160m SSB
2 on 20m CW
Total 160m QSO’s: 11
Full Report: G4YSS: G/TW-004 on 160m & 20m, 13-03-18
……
THANKS:
Following the activations of G/NP-005 and G/NP-017 on 9th of March 2018, I was able to apply for a 160m Band, All Modes 1000 point (MG) certificate. It’s the culmination of a painfully slow process spanning some 14 years. At the beginning I had no thoughts of certificates; just doing it because I like 160m and because it is a difficult band. For my part it has involved a great deal of sitting around freezing and much dark walking.
However, there are two sides to every story and I would like to give my wholehearted thanks to a dedicated band of chasers, without whom it would not have been possible. I won’t try to list them all but some of these stalwarts go back a long way. They have turned up at all manner of unsocial hours and bent over backwards to get into the log, most of the time with weak or very weak signals both ways and with their high urban noise levels. This is the true spirit amateur radio for which I am extremely grateful.
I plan to carry on doing some Top Band at intervals in the future, so will meet again.
MANY THANKS!
John G4YSS
(GX0OOO/P)
28th March 2018
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SOTA ON TOP BAND - Mark G0VOF
Hello everyone & welcome to this month’s edition of SOTA on Top Band.
I am pleased to report several top band activations took place during March.
As you will have read above, John G4YSS was active on 9th & 13th March when managed to attain Mountain Goat on 160m, a stunning achievement!
Thanks John for all the contacts over the years & the terrific reports. Sadly my antenna is down at present so I was unable to chase you on your big day. Congratulations on a stunning achievement!
On the 31st March, Warren VK3BYD, Gerard VK2IO & Allen VK3ARH took to the band making several QSO’s with chasers & each other on what was a very successful day, details of QSO numbers are eblow where known.
Very well done all of you!
On 9 March, John GX0OOO/P (G4YSS) Activated G/NP-005 Ingleborough & made 9 QSO’s (1 CW / 8 SSB)
On 9 March, John GX0OOO/P (G4YSS) Activated G/NP-017 Fountains Fell & made 12 QSO’s (2 CW / 10 SSB)
On 13 March, John GX0OOO/P (G4YSS) Activated G/TW-004 Bishop Wilton Wold & made 11 QSO’s (2 CW / 9 SSB)
On 31 March, Warren VK3BYD/P Activated VK3/VE-006 Mt Hotham & made 8 QSO’s (8 CW / 0 SSB)
On 31 March, Gerard VK2IO/P Activated VK2/SY-002 Riley’s Mountain & made 20 QSO’s (15 CW / 5 SSB)
On 31 March, Allen VK3ARH Activated VK3/VG-010 Blue Hill & made ? QSO’s (? CW / ? SSB)
As always, If you do have any suggestions on things that you think should be included, or if you wish to contribute tips, ideas or anything else that you think may help others on the band please email them to me at mark@brownhill.demon.co.uk
Until next month,
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
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CW REPORT FOR MARCH 2018 - Roy G4SSH
Apologies received from Roy G4SSH.
There is no CW Highlights report for March due to the fact that Roy spent the major part of the month on vacation in sunny 5B-land.
Normal service will be restored next month and he hopes to attend the Blackpool Rally on the 29th April
73
Roy G4SSH
g4ssh@tiscali.co.uk
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SOTA ACTIVITY REPORT FOR MARCH 2018 by Kevin G0NUP
Mode: CW on 1.8MHz: activity for March
GX0OOO/P
Mode: CW on 3.5MHz: activity for March
AB4PP, G4OOE/P, GW4TJC/P, GX0OOO/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9BHU/P, HB9CBR/P,
JA4RQO/4, N0EVH, OK/DL8DXL/P, OK/SP9PND/P, OK1MLP/P, ON7DQ/P, S52CU/P,
VK2NU/P, VK3BYD/P, WF4I
Mode: CW on 5MHz: activity for March
AA6XA, AE9Q, DL/HB9BIN/P, DL/HB9BRJ/P, DL6FBK/P, G0EVV/P, HB9AFI/P,
HB9AGO/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9BIN/P, HB9BQU/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9CGA/P, HB9DBM/P,
HB9DGV/P, K0MP, K1JD, K4QS, K6HPX/P, K7VK, K7ZOO,
K9PM/P, KB9ENS, KC4WZB, KI4TN, KN4BBC, KR7RK, KX0R,
N0TA, N1FJ, N7LP, NA6MG, NJ7V, NK8Q, NU7Y,
ON7DQ/P, SP9AMH/P, SP9PND/P, VE2WFF, WA6MM, WD4CFN, WF4I,
WW7D
Mode: CW on 18MHz: activity for March
9H3CPS/P, AA6XA, AD5A, AE9Q, DL6FBK/P, EA2IF/P, EA8/G4ONL/P,
F5UKL/P, F6HBI/P, HA2VR/P, HB9AGO/P, HB9BQU/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9CGA/P,
HB9EKO/P, HB9TVK/P, JA4RQO/4, JF1NDT/1, JF8LPB/2, JF8LPB/2/QRP, JG1GPY/1,
JG4LCS/4, JH0CJH/1, JI1IHV/1, JI1OOP/1, JP1QEC/1, JP3DGT/3, JS6TMW/6,
K0MP, K1JD, K4KPK, K7FOP, K7PX, K7ZOO, KB9ENS,
KD0YOB, KE5AKL, KR7RK, KX0R, N0TA, N1ZF, NA6MG,
OE/HB9DQM/P, OE5EEP/P, OM6TC/P, ON7DQ/P, VK1DA, VK2IB/3, VK2IO/P,
VK3BYD/P, VK3PF/P, W0CP, WA6MM, WG0AT, WW7D
Mode: CW on 21MHz: activity for March
HB9CGA/P, HB9TVK/P, JF1NDT/1, JF8LPB/2/QRP, JG4LCS/4, JH0CJH/1, JI1OOP/1,
JP1QEC/1, JP3DGT/3, JS6TMW/6, K7ZOO, KR7RK, N0EVH, NA6MG,
NM5S, NU7Y, SP9PND/P, VK3BYD/P
Mode: CW on 24MHz: activity for March
F6HBI/P, JH0CJH/1, JP3DGT/3
Mode: CW on 28MHz: activity for March
EA2IF/P, F4HOD/P, F6HBI/P, HB9CBR/P, JF1NDT/1, JH0CJH/1, JP1QEC/1,
JP3DGT/3, KR7RK, SP9MA/P
Mode: CW on 50MHz: activity for March
JH0CJH/1, JI1TLL/3, JP3DGT/3
Mode: CW on 1240MHz: activity for March
Mode: FM on 28MHz: activity for March
KI4AAU/P
Mode: FM on 50MHz: activity for March
Mode: FM on 1240MHz: activity for March
G4VFL/P, JN3PDF/3, JS1GRO/1, JS2VVH/1, K0NR, K7ATN, MW0IML/P,
MW0JLA/P, OE5EEP/P, WW7D
Mode: SSB on 5MHz: activity for March
DB7MM/P, DL/HB9BIN/P, DL/ON7DQ/P, G0EVV/P, G0WPO/P, G6PJZ/P, G8XDD/P,
GI0AZA/P, GI0AZB/P, GM1INK/P, GW0WPO/P, GW4TQE/P, GW4VPX/P, GW4ZHI/P,
HB9BIN/P, K1LIZ, KC4WZB, KI4SVM, KI4TN, KN4BBC, M0IML/P,
M0JLA/P, M0YDH/P, M1MAJ/P, MW0IML/P, MW0JLA/P, OK/SQ9MDF/P, ON7DQ/P,
SP9AMH/P, SP9MA/P, SP9PND/P, ZL2AJ, ZL2ATH
Mode: SSB on 28MHz: activity for March
KI4AAU/P, KJ4ZFK, KK4QML, N1CLC, OE5EEP/P, S52CU/P, S56LXN/P,
S57MS/P
Mode: SSB on 50MHz: activity for March
JA1CTC/1, JA1CTC/2, JH0CJH/1, JH1EWV/1, JI1RPN/0, JI1TLL/3, JK1NRL/2,
JM3HRC/3, JR1NNL/1, JS1JNM/1, JS2VVH/1, K7ATN, KI7OFL, S52CU/P,
S56LXN/P, S57MS/P
Mode: SSB on 1240MHz: activity for March
DL1CR/P, G4VFL/P, VK1AD/2, VK1AD/P, VK1ATP/P, VK1DA, VK1MA,
VK1MIC, VK1MIC/P, VK1RX
73 de Kevin G0NUP
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SOTA News is normally published on the last day of each month, but there will be occasions when the Editor is not available at this time, in which case it will be published as soon as possible afterwards. It can only be as interesting as the items submitted, so if you think your particular field of interest is not being covered then please submit an article by the 25th of the month.
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Mark G0VOF
SOTA News Editor
mark@brownhill.demon.co.uk
U.S. and Canadian reports to:-
Fred K6DGW/7 [aka “Skip” on the radio]
Canada/US SOTA Reporter Dude
Sparks NV
k6dgw@foothill.net
Australian input to:-
Allen VK3ARH
VK Reporter
VK3ARH@wia.org.au
New Zealand input to:-
Warren ZL2AJ
warren@zl2aj.com
Japanese reports to
Toru JH0CJH
jh0cjh@jarl.com
South African input to:-
Dennis ZS4BS
zs4bs@netactive.co.za