Strange Conditions on 12m Yesterday

Old Reflector
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Well, my activation of G/SP-015 Gun on Thursday found the 12m band a tad like the curates egg, good in parts.

I was qrv at 0908z and finding the 12m band a bit quiet, opted to start on 20m instead. This turned out to be a somewhat fortuitous decision, as by 0915, I had four VK chasers in the log along with 4Z5RT from Israel and then a call from Matt VK5DAG.

Time to have another bash at 12m. Not good, the band was not performing as usual, with just 2 stations logged, one Russia and one Turkey.

So, maybe worth a try on 17m. This resulted in just eleven contacts, amongst them 5 North Americans and one VK.

It was then I went looking for a s2s on the 2m band. A listen on the H/T and rubber duck, I heard a 2E0 station booming in from Poole in Dorset! Clearly, the 2m band was on fire. Typical innit, in order to save weight, I’d left the colinear in the car, so ended up giving VHF a miss :frowning:

Sooooo, back for another try at 12m. My CQ produced a few calls from EU, as well as SOTA stalwart Brian G4ZRP, Matt VK1MA, a very nice call from Andy PJ2/DK5ON on Curacao and a fine contact with Vlad, HK0/UA4WHX on the Island of San Andres, a highly coveted DXCC indeed. Despite all this, it was another 30 minutes before the band finally opened to NA at 1400z.

70 contacts for the activation, with 12 North American and 7 VK chasers making the log.

Anyone else find the 12m band “out of sorts?”

Once again, thanks to all the chasers for making it a nice day.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

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In reply to 2E0YYY:

Hi Mike

12m has helped me get back into SOTA by giving me an excuse to revisit hills I activated 4 to 5 years ago; especially ones with few or no 12m activations. I find the band fascinating, exciting and occasionally frustrating, Wednesday being an example.

I have a Geocache in Hereford that I needed to make a maintenance visit to so a couple of near-ish hills were chosen. Sat in the mizzly damp fog, which the BBC had described as “low clouds”, I did question why I was out as all my equipment was getting wet. Questioned even more when after a nice s2s with Don (M0HCU) on the the Long Mynd my CQ calls went unanswered. 20 minutes later I had 3 in the log and struggling to qualify the summit. I seemed to be radiating something but not really getting anywhere and then RV9DC popped up followed quickly by JH5AVM. Thinking the band had started to open I called enthusiastically to static. The thing is when the band goes flat ground wave contacts over quite good distances can happen if people are listening. Tony and Sara in Manchester called in and then you Mike were in the log.

After the slow start things started to appear. Matt (VK2DAG) was the first in a busy 40 minutes which included another 2 contacts from Japan, Bob (VP8LP) in the Falklands and right at the end when I was getting chilled (I was in inappropriate clothing, the forecast was warm and sunny!) were William (W1OW) and Rich (N4EX). I ended with 41 (3 s2s) contacts all on 12m.

The afternoon activation was totally different from the off I had a brilliant run of 50 contacts (34 US/Canadian) with highlights, P49MR (Aruba Island) and my first Chinese contact from a summit. Then at 16:12 I called and called with no replies so time to close down, do a few caches on the hill and then head home.

So I didn’t find it out of sorts but I do think you have to be in the right place at the right time and be lucky :o)

Carolyn

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In reply to G6WRW & 2E0YYY:

What excellent results from both of you 8)

HK0 is very rare Mike.

Carolyn - China! Not easy even from home.

Best wishes
Mike G6TUH

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In reply to G6WRW:

Thanks for the nice report Carolyn. As I said to you, I no longer have a station at the home QTH. After working from the summits, I find my vertical CB Antenna quite noisy.

It just happened that I had taken the battery out of the rucksack to give it a charge, saw your spot and dragged the 857 out. I listened to almost all of your G/WB-022 activation and put you on the DX cluster. Bob VP8LP was a big signal and Matt VK2DAG would have been any easy contact for me. There’s little doubting that luck and timing play a big part in radio. Hopefully, see both you and Helen at Blackpool this year, I’ll be in my usual spot.

73 and GL.
Mike 2E0YYY