Trans-Atlantic S2S QSO Party 18th April 2020

Yes, that’s what I found so I mentioned it. Unfortunately, I’m on the west coast of the US since recently so I can’t participate in Trans-Atlantic as I have in the past. Would be interested in a Trans-Pacific S2S party but I don’t think that has ever been organized.

73/GL,
Barry

at the last transatlantic S2S party, I had QSOs from HB9 up to the west coast, so it might be worth a try :slight_smile:

73 Jens, HB9EKO

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Awesome! One of my favorite times of year! I will be on summit that day and looking forward to it as always.
73
Mike NS1TA

Hi Barry,
I pretty sure such an event was organised at least once. Let’s see if some of the VK/ZL activators can remember and are perhaps interested in doing another one either soon before it gets too cold or towards the end the year when it’s warm again.

73 Ed.

Sounds good Ed. Would be nice to get some JA/HL/KH6 activity as well. But this should go to another thread.

73, Barry N1EU

Hi Barry,

Perhaps tag onto the end of this thread from 2017 and change the title ??

It looks like Andrew @VK1DA was behind this attempt, you might want to see if he is interested in creating a new event this year with you.

73 Ed.

Hi Jens,

From past experience, the April event does not appear to produce results as good as those in the November event. However, quite a few who are active still make some contacts across the Atlantic. Hopefully when the new solar cycle starts to open up, conditions will improve and there will be an increase in the number of contacts made in both events.

73, Gerald G4OIG / G8CXK

Hi Gerald,
from the statistical point of view, I fully agree with you. However, after experiencing surprises like this one QRP surprise: Who says the bands are dead? , I’d rather tend to be optimistic and take up the challenge. Arizona is not that far from the west coast :slight_smile:

73 Jens, HB9EKO / DL9SBM

I carefully checked VOACAP propagation predictor and the only real chance from here (Oregon) to continental Europe is 1700Z on 20M. Are European activators really going to stay on their summits until 1700Z? If so, then I’m willing to try as well.

73, Barry N1EU

Well I can’t speak for others, but I had a look at the timings for my previous efforts:

1 > 19 Nov 2016 14:00 to 17:50 Wkd Stateside first at 14:58, last at 17:21
2 > 13 May 2017 12:30 to 16:15 Wkd Stateside first at 12:46, last at 14:04
3 > 18 Nov 2017 11:45 to 17:00 Wkd Stateside first at 13:08, last at 16:45
4 > 21 Apr 2018 11:30 to 15:50 Wkd Stateside first at 12:02, last at 15:19
5 > 03 Nov 2018 13:30 to 17:00 Wkd Stateside first at 13:48, last at 16:36
6 > 20 Apr 2019 12:45 to 17:00 Wkd Stateside first at 14:50, last at 16:36
7 > 02 Nov 2019 13:00 to 16:15 Wkd Stateside first at 13:27, last at 16:15

The core hours of 13:00 - 17:00 seem to work for me +/- the effect of WX, battery power, etc. The April 2018 event did not produce very good results and we were definitely too early on the summit. However, on that occasion I don’t believe staying to 17:00 would have produce any more contacts across the pond as conditions were dire.

Of course this time we could all be on lock down making the event impossible to hold. It could be a case of “we are not allowed to try, therefore we will not achieve”.

73, Gerald G4OIG / G8CXK

I can’t speak for others but for me the time should work. At such events, I usually stay until my battery is depleted, so weather and corona virus in HB9 permitting, I’ll be QRV.

73 Jens HB9EKO

I’d be interested in giving a trans pacific event a go.

I’ve done two activations in the last fortnight and worked JH1MXV on 17m CW at around 22:00z both times. On the first of those activations I also heard KR7RK on 17m CW as well but unfortunately he didn’t hear me. He would have been my first US S2S.

73
Mark ZL3AB

That sounds great Mark. What about doing the Trans Pacific event on the same day 18 April, 2200Z +/- a few hours? I’ve started a new thread: https://reflector.sota.org.uk/t/trans-pacific-s2s-sota-party-interest/22376

73
Barry N1EU

The way things are progressing it will be a case of wait and see for all of us on both sides of the Atlantic, but if you don’t plan, then you end up doing nothing. So we go forwards in the hope of this becoming a reality. As they say, pencil this in your diary… maybe best not to use a pen just yet. :slight_smile:

73, Gerald G4OIG / G8CXK

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I will do my best to be on a summit if the world hasn’t ended yet, but will probably pick a more isolated summit than the summit I usually do these events from. Plenty around here that no one other than deer hunters and myself seem to visit. We are out of the hunting season so should have the woods to myself.

73, pat - ki4svm

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We are now less than a month away from the proposed date of the S2S QSO Party. Currently several EU countries are in lock down and i am sure that the same will soon be happening here in the UK and in other countries. This will not just be for a short period; we are all in this for the long haul.

Under the circumstances, I feel that there is no other action than to cancel this event and hope that we are in a position to hold one in early November.

Stay safe and keep well,

73, Gerald G4OIG / G8CXK

I don’t think we should completely cancel it.
Ok - maybe not everyone who wants that can go to the mountain - there are many countries in Europe and they deal with Corona differently - but it is possible to be active as a chaser.

I would only want to cancel it if the US and Canada imposed a lock down.

73 Armin

Okay, that is fine from a radio point of view, but we need to remember this is only a hobby. It would be socially irresponsible to hold this event. We need to heed the instruction to stay at home. Look at where Italy is now - that is where both the USA and UK will be in 14 days time. Other countries are on a similar timescale and we do not know what will happen from this point on.

This evening our Prime Minister has announced new stringent measures which include one period of exercise per day, a maximum of 2 people together outside (other than family groups living in the same house) and a number of other measures. Our police now have powers to stop, question and detain and non-essential travel has to stop from tonight. So unless you live within a few kilometres of a SOTA summit and can get there on foot, there will not be any activations taking place in the UK… and I doubt sitting on a hilltop qualifies as exercise. The UK is effectively in lock down.

My advice is to get on the radio when you can and look for others you know have an interest in SOTA. Let us take this as an opportunity to get to know each other better. Maybe 7.032, 7.118, 14.062, 14.285 and other SOTA hotspots could be used at least as calling frequencies. Let’s stick together through this crisis! My best wishes to you all.

Take care and keep well.

73, Gerald G4OIG / G8CXK

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So after reading this post, I made the effort to contact Paul-NA5N, the “owner” of the QRPTTF contest. After a quick discussion about it, he allowed me to bring the information here.He says the QRPTTF web site will be updated “SHORTLY”. Definition of shortly was not asked for or offered, so YMMV.

Texas and New Mexico are pretty much still into “Social Distancing”. So this is what Paul put out.

Gang,

QRP To The Field (QRPTTF) will be held this year on Saturday, April 18, 2020, the usual daylight hours in the U.S. time frame.

To comply with the isolation and travel restrictions most of us are now living under, there will be no theme this year, just a HOME and FIELD category. There is no special emphasis to operate from the field with most parks and areas closed, isolation concerns, or to not violate local restrictions. We’ll operate from HOME in “Take-Out” mode; FIELD operations are allowed only if you’re comfortable traveling to a location without violating local guidelines (or from your back yard).

April 18 also coincides with the annual SOTA S2S Trans-Atlantic QSO Party.
So, SOTA stations (most are QRP) will be on the air for the added bonus points, some from EU, and all SOTA station contacts also qualify for QRPTTF contacts. If you’re a SOTA op who prefers to stay home, then participate in QRPTTF instead.

I really struggled with this. Some communities are now imposing fines for being caught out and about; we all know the isolation and self-quarantine guidelines imposed on us and the uncertainties come April 18. So the emphasis this year is operate from HOME so we can all remain safe and still have fun.

Ham radio is the safest activity on planet Earth right now. We can associate with all our QRP friends on the bands without having to wash our hands after wards! :slight_smile: See you for QRPTTF on April 18 from the comfort and safety of your HOME. It might help your “Cabin Fever” just a bit.

I’ll be updating the QRPTTF website shortly.

72, Paul NA5N

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Many thanks for this Mike. To reflect Paul’s decision. perhaps those that were interested in activating summits in the S2S Trans-Atlantic QSO Party and those that were hoping to chase them can look out for QRPTTF stations working from their homes. It would be good to maintain the interest in making Trans-Atlantic contacts. Let us all hope this is all behind us by November.