Personal opinion here, not an MT view. In these events as long as I had checked and seen that my correct summit had been spotted on SW3, I’d not be sending it unless requested. If I hadn’t seen it on SW3 then I’d send it a lot more often. As all users can go back 7 days on SW3 to look for spots, it shouldn’t be a problem finding out where people where located.
Just a personal opinion and opinions are like backsides, we all have one!
I think so too as long as there is a correct spot on SW3 with callsign and summit info. What it’s essential if summit refs are not exchanged on air, is letting your QSO partner know that the ongoing QSO is a S2S.
As an example to illustrate this, I was chased by Mike WB2FUV yesterday. I didn’t send him my reference because he came to chase me and I assumed he had it from my spot on SW3, but he didn’t send me his reference nor said thanks for S2S. He gave me RST NY, so I assumed he had chased me from his base station in NY state. It was later when I saw Mike WB2FUV spotted on SW3 and I understood ours was a S2S QSO.
Not exchanging references would definitely allow for shorter QSOs and more QSOs in the log.
73,
Guru
Over the years I’ve found a vertical to be a good basic antenna. Mine is a 20/17m linked antenna with 4 radials. That’s 5 links to change and the mast has to be lowered to facilitate this. A bit of a pain.
For a change, this year I was on the summit early and decided to start with my 60/40/30m inverted vee linked dipole. When the higher bands started to open up, I was going to take the inverted vee down and change to the vertical. However, I decided to have a look at 15m with the dipole links set for 40m. Result - an S2S with Mike WB2FUV. I then noted a spot for someone on 17m and in order to save time, I changed the link on one side of the dipole to lower the antenna frequency and it matched well as an off-centre dipole on 17m. Unfortunately as I was about to call, the wind despatched the antenna and the band suddenly went quiet, so I wasn’t able to see how well it worked.
I agree that an ATU provides greater flexibility. At home I use an ATU with a 40m dipole and work 40m to 10m. However, the loss on the higher bands is very noticeable and I rarely hear Stateside activations. This probably wouldn’t be such an issue on a quiet summit, but to maximise the chance of making an S2S, IMHO a resonant antenna must be the best option.
Exactly where that takes me with more bands supporting Trans-Atlantic contacts as the sun spot cycle progresses, I’m not sure. Maybe I need to add links for 15m and 12m to my vertical. 
As for calling CQ or Search and Pounce (to contest terminology), a bit of each seems to work best. If there’s a run of spots for Stateside activators, then chase them. If not, call CQ. Being able to monitor SOTAwatch is certainly an advantage!
73, Gerald
Gerald, I’ve come to the conclusion that being in the right place at the right time is much more important than the antenna. I’ve had massive success with a SOTABeams Band Hopper IV transatlantic and also with my Super Antenna MP1.
Both those antennas are tuned, make of that what you will…
Mark.
I do prefer acknowledgement of S2S - even tnx s2s qso
There is of course the case where the caller might have come across you without having SW3 capability due to there being no internet connection on their summit. In that case I suppose they would ask for the reference. I’ve certainly no objection to not passing summit references as a matter of course, indeed during a normal activation I only send it occasionally. So thinking about it, why do we send it every QSO in these events? Perhaps we are trying too hard.
Is this what you meant to say? Because we usually don’t send it every QSO in these events, at least I don’t.
Cheers,
Guru
GM/SS-253 was a a windy summit for the day even found it hard to stand up by the trig point, the metal post was handy for securing the telescopic pole. Bit of advise don’t use a homebrew ladder-line doublet on a windy day I probably spent 20 minutes untangling the ladder-line as it seemed to snag on the plastic spacers. The end result was to snap one of the antenna legs off and use it like a W3EDP style worked surprisingly well it may be a keeper.
Setup was 5w KX3 using a BaMaKeY TP-III twin paddle key and the antenna mentioned above W3EDP thingamajig with the pole at about 4m and the wire run out as best I could.
Was just glad to get out for an activation and the chance to bag a new unique after work, with this being the first time powering up a radio since September so apologies for any extra dits or dahs sent in error.
Operated for 1.5hrs 17m & 20m bands CW 2 x DX, 4 x S2S, SOTA complete thanks to @G4OIG on
Ros Castle G/SB-009
12 QSOs in total
73
Graeme
Thanks John!
I’m sure I’ll get them. I’m not so sure about getting them soon. I have no rush or pressure about achieving MG, so it will happen but slowly…
To me the best startegy is having something giving you the chance to change bands quickly without having to stand up from your operating position nor lowering your pole, etc. I think the best setup for this event would have been a trapped dipole or endfed for the 3 bands 15, 17, 20m. If the antenna had been perfectly trimmed in advance, not an antenna tuner would be needed, so the bands change would even be quicker than having a compromised antenna and having to tune eanch time you change bands. It’s true, however that tuning the antenna for a new band takes just a few seconds, either with automatic or manual tuner. But the well tuned (trimmed) tribander antenna would surely perform better than a compromised tuned one.
This is key as it is in the contests. You need to find the right balance between both. Not calling CQ and working S&P will prevent people from finding you and chasing you, thus loosing lots of QSO opportunities. Not searching and spend the whole time calling CQ, will surely make loose some interesting S2S of chasers that may not be searching or were not searching at the time you were CQing. A balanced use of CQing and S&P is the perfect solution. How much time on each mode? that’s something to decide on the go, depending on how things are going on.
73,
Guru
I suppose that I should have distinguished between calling CQ / responding to callers and search and pounce operations. When I am called I do not give my summit reference, but when I call someone else I do. So what we are debating is whether we carry on with this or just indicate that we are on a summit with “tnx S2S” or something else. Personally I don’t mind either way, but perhaps we need to be consistent.
I think that was the main lesson I learned yesterday. I was sheltering under a tarp due to the showers and the ground was very uneven. Sitting down after standing up to adjust the antenna was a pain!
Apologies for the delay replying, I missed your post.
I heard you but I don’t think you heard my reply. My 10W were struggling. I’m on first name terms with all ten of them but they were not enough. 
My suggestion is that when sending our RST report we add s2s or “tnx s2s”. If the other station replies with TNX 73, they have our reference, if not, they will ask for it by REF? Or the equivalent on voice modes.
Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
This!
What a fun event! My summit was Carol Spring Mountain W7A/AW-031. I was using an FT-897 (100 watts) with a Double Bazooka antenna for each of the 2 bands I was on. I started on 20m at 1345 UTC and then switched over to 17m at 1515 UTC. My last QSO from across the pond was EA2LU on 17m at 1621 UTC. After the window closed, I stayed on 17m for a while, then finished out on 20m from 1715 UTC – 1800 UTC
QSOs: 229
S2S: 14
DX: 20
DX S2S: 8 (DL4FO/P, GM0GAV/P, HB9BIN/P, HB9EKO/P, FM/HB9BHU/P, G8CXK/P, DL3TU, DL6GCA/P)
POTA P2P: 8
Charlie NJ7V
Hi Guru, fantastic report and photos. Well done. 
.
Tell me, are you impacted by that erupting volcano.
Yes, get your act together and do the remaining activator points for MG; that will be a great achievement 
A great reason to party.
cheers; Geoff vk3sq
Gerald G8CXK aka G4OIG (or vice versa)
Gerald, I am so glad you mentioned this aka (also known as) because I was concerned that I did not find our S2S in my log after reading an earlier post authored by G4OIG. Luckily, G8CXK/p IS in my log at 1420Z on 15M with RST 569.
Stay well & 73!
Mike, WB2FUV
Indeed Mike, as you are in mine RST 559 - my only contact on 15m. I use my G8 call if I have activated the summit previously with my G4 call. Unfortunately on CW some find the number 8 plus the following combination of letters not easy to read. For one S2S QSO I had to repeat and repeat and repeat again my call, maybe 10 times in all. The report and reference were the easy part!
It was great to see your set up in your report, indeed those of others I worked. I’m afraid mine got somewhat untidy in my cosy space under the tarp. I should have done a photo shoot before starting the activation. 
73 and keep well,
Gerald
Hi Geoff,
Not really, as I live thousands of Km away, but I’m really amazed with its huge power and daily evolution on TV.
Very sorry for the people having lost house, land, business, all. Terrible, but fortunately they still keep the most important thing, which is life. The whole island is being transformed and they will have to remake several things once the eruption ends.
73,
Guru
Didn’t know whether I’d make this one, still being a bit shaky after some surgery three weeks ago but thanks to my brother’s kind offer to assist and chaperone me and a relatively benign weather forecast I decided to give it a go.
Having seen the VOACAP predictions, I adapted my 20m “Upper and Outer” with links for 17m…
Fortunately the fence runs approximately NW - ideal for NA Setup on 20m was quick and easy despite the stiff breeze. I was using the '857 at 25W for a bit of extra grunt on this occasion and I was soon settled down to operate.
A quick tune around turned up S5630KVJ/P on S5/PK-019 - took several listens to be sure of the call! - and he was soon in the log, swapping 59/57 reports. Having demonstrated that the kit was working, I moved a few kc/s up the band, self spotted and called CQ. Over the next 20 minutes SA6DAZ/P, CT1DIZ, OE6RCD, and LA9DSA made it into the log. Things went quiet then so I tried a bit of S&P. There were several EU stations audible, but all seemed to have their own “zoo” of chasers and I wasn’t in the mood for fighting pile-ups 
After a lunch and hydration break I took out the links in the antenna and moved to 17m. I soon lighted upon VA2MO on VE2/ES-011 and he was quickly in the log. A T/A contact so the spirit of the event fulfilled As I finished with Eric a squall blew up and the rain started, and it didn’t take much deliberating for me to decide to pack up and run.
Despite the paucity of contacts, I had a great time and was very glad to be out again. Can’t wait for the next chance
73 Paul G4MD/G6GGP
