Trying SSTV right now from G/SP-015 if anyone wants to try.
What’s showing Tom? Can it compete with the news?
1 Like
The news can’t compete with this - not even the good news of today.
Though it would appear that the “news” as exchanged by USA SSTVers is similar to the “news” printed by The Sun in the 1970s. On about the third page…
6 Likes
In that case, I won’t ask what’s behind the maple leaf! Enjoy, I’ll stick with HDTV for now 
1 Like
Clg CQ in 14.235 now. No, taken over by SSBers - back to 14.230.
1 Like
Ah, but that was from Canada, not the US!
2 Likes
14.230 - nothing heard N Yorks.
1 Like
Think I’ll give 20m SSTV another whirl on G/SP-015 later - around 1600z. Can anyone advise what QSY frequencies tend to be in use? I am aware of the calling channels for SSTV - 14.230, 14.233 & 14.240 - but not quite sure of the protocol. Everything just seemed to sit on 14.230 last night but I can’t imagine that’s the recommended M.O. Not found anything via search engines about this yet though.
1 Like
I’ve taken a new photo of my current SOTA operation, which I am TXing right now on 14.337 SSTV. Hope to get a reply from a chaser!
2 Likes
Just one QSO on 20m SSTV - G4VRT. Would have stayed longer but when I tried to turn on my headtorch - it wouldn’t. That’s when I remembered its battery pack was still in the car connected to the charging lead. Darkness was coming rapidly so I didn’t make any further calls!
70cm FMAC and UKAC tonight - but due to a disappointingly over-the-top rule change by the RSGBCC, I won’t be QRV from a SOTA summit. The Committee has decided because most portables operate from vehicles and not open air (as in open air recreation), that all portables won’t be allowed from England during Lockdown 2.
So I’ll be outside the home QTH tonight giving IO83wg and no SOTA ref - if anyone can hear me that is!
1 Like
Hi Tom
I went on the RSGB 70cm UKAC last night for 20 minutes, a band I have not been on for some years. I don’t have an antenna for the band, no space for another and not worth the investment which would be needed in quality coax and an antenna for the the use it would get. So I pressed my 2m cross yagi into service. Needless to say I didn’t hear you but I worked G4RQI (Castleford), G4KCT (York), M7UOK (Guisborough) and best DX G4ODA (Spalding) which was my limit. Surprisingly the SWR on the 2m antenna on 70cm was relatively low - if the SWR meter on the FT-991A could be believed, but it didn’t make the antenna work any better than I would have expected!
73 Phil Pickering IO94of
1 Like
I’m off out this afternoon for a bit more SOTA SSTV. This time I’ll try on 30m. The nominal frequency is 10.132MHz and the SSTV mode will be MP73N.
1 Like
unfortunately … the qso has not been completed … on the 17 meter at 18.120 maybe?
Jean
1 Like
SSTV cancelled. Too cold, damp and windy. Just going to do 2m FM.
1 Like
Another SSTV SOTA activation attempt coming up around 1700 today.
1 Like
Clg now! Robot 24, which I think is B&W.
1 Like
Not making much progress on 20m SSTV TBH. All stations are crammed onto 14.230MHz and it’s difficult to get heard (seen) on there. Yet QSYing to a nearby clear frequency has yielded zero, even when both self-spotted on here and posted to the 14.230 SSTV Facebook group.
Are there any G/GW ops on here interested in making a sked on either 144.500MHz (2m SSTV) or 3.730MHz (80m SSTV)? This might be a better way of avoiding the congestion and successfully making SSTV QSOs.
Brian @g8add has mentioned in the past that SOTA in a way lends itself to this with the possibility of transmitting a just-taken photo of/at the summit you’re on. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to do.
1 Like
Legacy mode operated by people with legacy mentality perhaps?
Personally I fail to see the point of SSTV if it’s all done with a PC. If done with some analogue gear, sure it’s a nice example of how things were done. Just like RTTY, done with a real TTY it’s magic. Maybe that’s because my introduction to SW radio was an AR88 and TTY15 page printer at school when I was 11. RTTY on a PC is tedious… the motor noise, the smell of the machine oil and the clatter-clatter-clatter when printing is all missing and that’s what makes it worthwhile.
I understand what you are trying to do Tom, the SSTV regulars are not interested.
2 Likes