The reason for my visit to G/SP-004 Shining Tor this morning, was to try and work Compton VK2HRX activating VK2/NW-001, who said he was looking for s2s. I chose the further drive and longer walk of Shining Tor, because of its excellent take-off. It was very cold when I arrived at the parking spot and it was still not quite light. I didn’t bother with the head torch, because quite frankly, I could find the trig point blindfolded.
At about 0725, I had the Antron-99 in the air and went looking for Compton. He seemed to be working quite a pile up on the 20m band, however, he soon heard the s2s call and he was in my log, leaving me 10 points to the good.
I found a clear space on the band, spotted myself, then put out a cq. Within 20 minutes I had another eight VK’s in the log from all over Australia, including four calls on the trot.
My final tally was 11 VK’s including the s2s with Compton, ten on 20m, with the prize for night owl going to Matt VK2DAG, for working me on the 12m band at 1152z, Thanks Matt.
From what I can make out, I think nearly all the calls were from SOTA chasers and for at least two of them and possibly more, it was their first SOTA DX.
A big Thanks to the VK guys for making this a very special activation.
Also, many thanks to ex-pat Simon ZL4PLM for calling in. He Knew about SOTA and was well aware of Shining Tor, as he was from Derbyshire! I suspect we’ll be hearing more from Simon once the ZL Association is set up. Thanks for the spot on the DX Cluster and the SOTA mention, Simon.
In reply to 2E0YYY: I usually just read the posts on here, but well done Mike. the early bird certainly caught the worms this morning …
speak soon
Gez
M0NTC
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Mike,
Thanks for making the effort as I wasn’t sure if I would work any DX but the S2S with you was certainly a bonus. I got about 12 DX in the log plus 6 or so VK’s so was definitely worth this activation of a never before activate 10 point summit.
Well done, Mike. I could hear you down low but quite clearly on the peaks of the QSB, but I had other tasks to complete and by the time I got back, I caught the ZL end of the ZL QSO but by then you were in the noise
I’m going to try for S2S Monday week (10th) so hopefully we can work then, either S2S or DX.
Many thanks for taking my call, Compton. I could hear you working Don G0RQL and I could also hear Don and indeed worked him on the 20m band, no problem.
I’ll keep an eye on your alerts, and hopefully we can make another s2s.
I’m afraid I have no base station anymore, just too noisy after the luxury of working from a summit. However, I’ll do my best to get out and try for a s2s with you. Monday is a good day for me, so should be okay if the WX behaves itself, of course.
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Congrats Mike for those great DX QSOs.
I can imagine how much you enjoyed your activation and I feel a bit jealous…
How much power and what antenna were you using?
I’ve been looking at your activation log and you worked nearly 4 hours!
I wonder what batteries were you using and how did you manage to remain that long working from the cold summit at such early times without getting frozen.
I copied you last Saturday, when you were in a summit, making a S2S QSO. You were coming very strong to my station and once you had finished your S2S QSO, I asked you to QSY some few Kcs up for QSO with me, but it seems you didn’t copy me because I moved up and you didn’t show up there. Unfortunately the frequency up where I asked you to move was busy. Maybe (probably) that’s why you didn’t show up. I didn’t call you there though.
Hope to catch you soon.
73 de Guru - EA2IF
Sorry I missed you last Saturday, I remember you asked me to QSY, but you were correct, the frequency was in use.
Today, the summit of Shining Tor was very cold, my thermometer showed just 2°c but with wind chill it felt much colder. By 1200z the wind was very strong and I began to feel the cold. I had taken an extra fleece with me, so this helped.
My working conditions today, Yaesu FT-857, 22Ah LIFEP04 lithium golf cart battery weighing 3 kilogramme. My power between 20 and 40 Watts, antenna was the Antron-99 CB antenna with tuner and aluminum poles to support it. I also carry 7 metre fishing pole and dipole for VHF/UHF.
My working conditions are heavy and will not suit many activators, however, it works for me.
My activation of Gun G/SP-013 this morning must go down as the coldest I can remember.
I arrived far too early at the parking spot and my time would have been far better employed carrying on to G/SP-004 Shining Tor.
The track to the trig point was truly dreadful, mud mud, glorious mud, making even such a short walk, leg sapping.
I noticed Tom M1EYP spot, who was on the next summit, G/SP-015 Cloud just a few Kilometers away and his very cold comment. My thermometer was showing -2 Celsius, but with the wind chill probably less.
I was QRV at 0630 and worked Christos SV2OXS at 0634 and that folks was that, until Viktor HA5LV called me with a rock crushing signal at 0725! It was then that my mate G1STQ, called in for a rag chew and listen to the activation.
Then at 0738 the band finally opened to VK and Matt VK2DAG and Andrew VK1NAM broke the drought. Thanks Guys. They were followed by three more VKs and within a few minutes there was five in the log. There were s2s calls from Allen VK3HRA and Andrew VK1DA. There were a further 5 VK contacts logged until my final call of the morning came from VK5WG just as I was about to go QRT.
Apologies for no 12m, but it was bitterly cold and I just wanted to get back to the car.
To sum up, there were 13 VK chases completed, two of them s2s, out of a total of 31 calls.
Thanks to all the Chasers who called in this morning. Special thanks to all the VK guys for your patience, wonderful to work you all.
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike,
Great to work you so easily last night from Spring Hill Vk2/st036. Your antenna was working very well - a great signal which I heard almost immediately I turned the IC703 on. Have to do it again some day…soon I hope.
Andrew
VK1DA
Thanks for braving the cold to create opportunities for the VK chaps to chase the summit. A mighty fine effort.
Sunset in VK is currently around 08:45 UTC which means our last hour of daylight is the critical window. Of course it’s a decreasing window as we move out of summer in Autumn.
Nevertheless at our end it was worth waiting for the band to open. I thought the band would open around 07:30 UTC but it dragged on for another 15 minutes before I heard Viktor calling you. I knew then we were in for a narrow and fast opening!!
Well done on the S2S with Allen and Andrew.
Thinking ahead when UK moves to daylight saving we could experiment with UK/EU activating in the evening (as we do now) and VK activating early for our first hour of daylight. Anyway that’s a few months away.
Next weekend is a long weekend/public holiday in VK1. Subject to WX, I will try again for a late activation from Mt Ginini (8 points) either your Saturday or Sunday morning.
There’s little doubting the opening was short and sweet this morning. Sorry that Gun G/SP-013 is only worth a single point. To be honest, I regretted not making my way to Shining Tor with its much better take-off and of course, extra point for the chasers.
I’ll look forward to trying for an s2s on your bank holiday, sounds like a plan.
In the meantime, I’ve put an alert on for Shining Tor at 0715z
In reply to VK1NAM:
.
A few hours ago, activator VK1MA was readable much of the time with my vertical on 24.960 at 0200 UTC in W6 land. On CW, he would have been armchair copy.
In reply to VK1NAM:
.
A few hours ago, activator VK1MA was readable much of the time with my
vertical on 24.960 at 0200 UTC in W6 land. On CW, he would have been
armchair copy.
Elliott, K6EL
Hi Elliot, I noted in my paper log that I heard you (5x7 to me) but despite responding several times, you didn’t call again so I guess I must have dropped into your noise. I was running 80-90W into an OCF dipole (via the tuner) so maybe a vertical or dedicated dipole may improve my chances of getting more contacts over to your side of the world.
I suspect that 12m to North America really needs to be a little earlier in the day - and or better antennas for that band. Interestingly there were much stronger signals to North America on 10m at the same time.
Re CW, it is not something that I have any interest in and have pretty much lost any skills I previously had in that mode. Have made a solitary cross mode CW/SSB contact before (amazing what the S2S motivation makes you do ).
