Just finished this jigsaw, looks like the same view.
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You had the benefit of the RBN Network David as you are a telegraphist - without the Morse you probably wouldn’t have qualified every summit, in my opinion.
73 Phil G4OBK
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I’m pretty sure you are right Phil.
Before I started to self spot (I use SotaGoat) there were a few instances when I thought I’d not qualify a summit. As you mentioned, either the RBN network picked me up or an activator posted an spot for me. There was only one instance where I was neither picked up by the RBN or got spotted at all. Carn Mor next to Ben Nevis. Low radio battery, no phone signal, pouring down with rain, I ended up having to work random CQ callers to get my activation qualified…
Looking back being able to self spot and/or being picked up by the RBN took a huge amount of stress out of most of my activations.
I don’t think I’d be doing any SOTA at all if it wasn’t for morse. I don’t use SSB or FM at all.
David
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Best antenna height story I know:
Stefan Nurkiewicz, the original holder of U.S. call N2DAN, and creator of the Mercury paddle, was part of a group of former Polish Army soldiers fighting with the allies in WW2. He related the following story to me when we talked about keys, many years ago: One day, after a nighttime windstorm, commo was better than ever; the antenna had blown down, and was laying on the sand, putting it at a better distance above “local effective ground” for the take-off angle needed. Stefan was training, presumably with the British Army Royal Signal Corps, whose insignia is Mercury, after which he named his then new and innovative keyer paddle. For detail of a fascinating bit of WW2 and family history, go to the QRZ website and look up N2DAN. The current holder of the call has done an excellent job of preserving Stefan’s fascinating family story.
All Best, Ken
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