Last weekend I worked my first Transatlantic SOTA. On 10m SSB using my Icom IC-705 running 10W to a Buddipole in my loft (I’m restricted for antenna space at this QTH) I logged Burke KF7NP who was activating W7A/CS-038 Beacon Hill in Arizona with the distance been 8078km.
I could have worked further NA SOTA had it not been for… ‘CONTEST’ making it difficult.
Despite been licensed for almost 20 years our hobby can still throw up a surprise now and again. Thanks Burke, I’m one happy chap
It was great to work you. I was also running an IC-705. Mine does have a little boast to about 25 to 30 watts and a half wave dipole up about 5 meters. The noise level on summit was less than s1 unlike at my home. Conditions were great on 10 meters. Around that time, I also worked LA3ZPA, GW0PLP, OH1MM, SQ8GHY, S57S, EA2BD and SQ9IDE. With a long day of operating, I was able to work 175 stations on 10 meters. We did also have an opening to VK and ZL. The 8 VK stations I worked were part of the Oceania contest. Big stations with pileups. Hope to work you again soon.
