Motivation
Together with EA2DPZ Luis, and EA2LU Jorge, we did a joint activation in EA2/NV-079.
We took the chance to test a pair of new homebrew gear.
I have already published a detailed report for a previous activation of this summit, so I’ll just share here some pictures of the day and describe about the homebrew stuff we tested.
Activation date: July 8th 2020
After parking next a broadcast relay we started walking. The day was sunny and calm:
After a pleasant walk we arrived to the short but steeper part of this mountain:
Activation and testing
EA2LU ran as usual an inverted L random wire (18 m this time) and he tested his brand new homebrew single lever CW key seating on his paper log:
He prepared the moving part with a hand saw blade from his junk box:
Here you see his key next to a Mini Palm for size reference:
A bit further appart from Jorge, I gave my friend Luis EA2DPZ the opportunity to use my brand new two stacked VHF loop array. I have prepared this antenna for a special VHF SOTA event planned for 25th of July:
The antenna looks nice and there was no wind so the aerial was erected without problems.
The loops are stacked at about 2 meter distance between them to maximize gain. They are fed at middle corners for vertical polarization. To transform the 100 ohms impedance I used two runs of cheap 75 ohm TV coaxial (half wave odd multiple) and then I connected them in parallel and run down using RG-58 coax.
Simulation software exhibits 5 dBd for this antenna.
Luis logged 3 stations at 145 FM but the results were all right, being longest qso at 120 km. Pity that being a weekday there wasn’t more chasers there. To help him qualifying the summit he used my HF station later on in 7 MHz.
Concerning myself, I settled a bit down the summit installing my EFHW inverted vee; see all the three antennas in a row from my operating position (mine at left):
I worked on 14 and 7 MHz SSB and a few S2S on 14 MHz CW as well.
Thanks for the S2S of the day, Stephan DM1LE (glad to meet on air after so long time wihout hearing from you!), Chistian OE5HCE, Kurt HB9AFI (always up the hills!), Alejandro EA4DON and Gerald F6HBI.
All worked fine. Both Jorge’s CW key and my VHF double loop antenna were validated.
It is so great to test things in the open air!!
After a nice activation we closed down and get back for lunch.
Here some more images of our way back to the car.
Notice the social distancing in praxis, hi.
Jorge walking resolutely on our return. Was this end a Sota running of the bulls?
73 de Ignacio
