Hello Mike,
Could you share your setup please? How much power do you use?
I could hear you in OE but not the other way around.
Thanks everyone for taking part.
73 Joe
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Well what a day AND propagation was good to HA OE and SV as well on 20m. 12 Sota’s contacted today and10 on 20m :-0 Prop gods smiled on us today 
Best best result of all just checked me Mountain Hunter award and i have gone Platinum possible thanks to the two NA Sota,s I reached today. Must been couple years since last reached any NA Sota’s.
God damn happy with that
Just a shame we had that storm raging through peaking 133mph in place not far from us and was peaking 80+ here on top of this exposed part of town and me antennas still in air working. Other wise would been good day to test out the inverted HB V res 40/20m DP and 80m L/coils antenna.
2E0FEH karl SW UK Kernow
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Looks like I wkd 12 EU stations but only 7 were s2s. Total contacts 40 ish. Will figure it all out maybe tomorrow.
The QRM was really tough on my end…I could hear multiple EU stations calling but it seemed like they were all the same signal strength.
Looks like overall the conditions may have been better last year.
Anyhow still tons of fun!
Thaks to all
Pete
WA7JTM
W7A/MN-119
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I consider this experience a great success!
60 QSOs
28 with 
and 
12 S2S, 6 of which with NA (4 and 2 )
This was my setup: 2 elements inverted L = inv L EFHW with 6m of slightly elevated counterpoise and an inverted L reflector.
My rig was FT-817ND @ 5W + MFJ-941B antenna tuner.
I’ll publish an activation report later.
Thanks everyone: organisers, chasers and activators.
73,
Guru
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Thanks Mike. I’m normally more hardcore than this - I normally sit it out in the weather but I wimped out by taking my backpacking tent today! Here’s another couple of photos:
QSOs: 53
20m SSB: 18
20m CW: 27
20m FT8: 3
2m FM: 5
S2S: 16
G4YTD/P on G/LD-052
SV2RUJ/P on SV/ST-079
M0NOM/P on G/LD-050
G6GGP/P on G/CE-004
G8CXK/P on G/CE-004 x2
S58R/P on S5/BI-057
S52CU/P on S5/BI-029
VE2DDZ on VE2/ES-010 x2
LZ1GJ/P on LZ/RO-144
NS1TA on W1/EM-020
M1BUU/P on G/LD-013
EA2IF/P on EA2/NV-151
LZ2AF/P on LZ/CB-012
SV2RUJ/P on SV/ST-078
DX: 15
AC1Z
K2VV
KB9ILT
AB4PP x2
K4MM
VE2DDZ x2
NS1TA
KG3W
VE2JCW
NW7E
N4LAG
VE3FJ
K3UL
NA S2S: 3 (see above)
SWL: 5 (SOTA activations I tried to call but didn’t get through/heard)
WA7JTM on W7A/MN-119
LZ1GJ/P on LZ/RO-144 (SSB, did work on CW)
KF7NP on W7A/MN-143
VA2EGD on VE2/AC-004
EA2GM/P on EA1/AT-208
Not bad. Not in the same league as a memorable EU-NA event a couple of years ago when conditions were fabulous! Definitely worth going out though! Not much joy on FT8 today.
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I am a very happy activator today 
Weather was not good at all - summit in cloud, wind and rain, so I had a problem with orientation of my delta loop antenna in the wind. Need to do some improvements.
All together 45 QSOs, 19 of them were s2s,
11 transatlantic QSOs, 2 of them S2S.
Heard many other NA activators, but no contacts made, also much qrm from contest stations on cw and SSB
Shame LU/HB9CDH/P on 17m and LU/HB9BHU/P on 17 and 12 m did not hear me. They were quite good signal into my antenna.
Thanks to all chasers, activators and organizers of this event!
73,
Mirko, S52CU
Edit 5.11.2019:
I saw those nice qso mappings last days, so here is my activation log on google map:
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I drove from Lecco city to Forcella Alta parking, the visibility was reduced to a few meters due to the thick fog.
From parking me and my dog Zac reached the summit in abt 15min.
Zac was tired due to yesterday running training and so he dozed off immediately near me.
I mounted antenna and after finding a confortable seat I started to calling cq in 20mt cw.
while I managed a log some station I heard NS1TA that answered me, the first NA s2s from w1/em-010.
During a break I qsy and I answered to M1BUU/P from G/LD-013 first time that I put in a log Colin.
I heard also VE2DDZ from VE2/ES-010 I abled to manage in a log.
I tryed to hear Tom M1EYP and Guru EA2IF but I didn’t hear any signal.
I kept calling until at 15:40utc putting in a log other EU and NA OMs and another eu s2s EA2GM from EA1/AT-208.
After 28qsos I passed to qrt.
A great day, I’m very happy!
thanks to All!!
73
Roberto
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For me the results over the pond were pretty much the same as last year, but the propagation produced far fewer EU contacts. There was a distinct shortage of NA summits to work. Unfortunately I missed a couple - one was too weak, the other disappeared abruptly (probably QRT). It was great to work you again Pete and a full hour before the expected time.
Propagation seemed to be somewhat better out west, indeed as far as Jerry NG6R in CA. I will prepare a report with more detail in due course, but would like to thank everyone on both sides of the Atlantic that went out to activate summits. Your support for this event is very much appreciated.
73, Gerald G8CXK / G4OIG
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Tnx Gerald! Always a pleasure to wrk u in these events!
Pete/JTM
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Well that was a blast. I’ll try to get a complete report up later, but the quick summary is “that was a lot of fun”.
I was a little late on the air, QRV 1330z. I was worried about being too cold to stay on the air as long as I wanted, but even though the air was cold, with bright sun and no wind I was able to work about 3h15. There was lots of QRM and the usual lots of QSB, but also much improved propagation, at least intermittently.
I made 62 contacts from Mont Hereford, VE2/ES-010 in Quebec. 39 European QSOs and 23 North American QSOs. I missed contacts with many of my regular NA chasers - maybe they were holding back to let the S2S through, or maybe they couldn’t break the pile-up caused by the European /P stations 
I made 22 S2S, 20 Europeans and 2 NA. Of the 20 EU S2S, there were 18 distinct calls and 15 distinct summits. Notably five of the S2S including four S2S EU contacts were on SSB. I had a computer with me and planned to try some FT8, but I was having too much fun on CW and even SSB to boot it up.
S2S:
HB9BAB/P
HB9EWO/P
HB9DQM/P
HB9AFI/P
M1EYP/P x2
G8CXK/P x2
M1BUU/P
M0NOM/P
G6GGP/P
LZ1GJ/P
LZ1WF/P
LZ2AF/P
S58R/P
S52CU/P
WA7JTM
KF7NP
EA2IF/P
EA2GM/P
DL3TU/P
IW2OBX/P
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It was a good day on HB/ZH-004. WX was OK, no rain but a bit cold. I was QRV with my FT-891 set to 25W and a triple leg GP for 20m, which also did a good job on 17m with a tuner. I set up a dipole for 40m as well, however did not really make use of it .
45 CW and 4 FT8 QSO’s, thereof 22 with and . 2 DX S2S contacts with NS1TA and WA7JTM. Thanks a lot for your patience, signal levels were just above the noise in CW. No luck in SSB, I heard KF7NP, but did not get across even after increasing the power to 100W.
My battery was not completely depleted when I left, but after working CA I decided it’s not going any further west and I followed my XYL’s call for dinner
73 Jens HB9EKO
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G/LD-013, Old Man of Coniston, M1BUU/P, 8pts
I found it hard to be motivated this morning, I wasn’t impressed by the weather forecast and I didn’t really fancy the walk to be honest. Somehow I got myself ready and left the house at about 09.30am (=UTC, whoop!).
The journey to the start of the walk was uneventful and I was walking a little before 11am. The top was shrouded in cloud but thankfully it wasn’t raining.
The route I took brought me up through the old slate mine workings.
At about the level of the tarn, I entered the mist, which would accompany me all the way to the top.
I’d taken the lazy option, I’d opted to use my MTR-5B (165 grams) and home made vertical antenna. I decided that my operation plan would be to find a clear frequency and just sit on it all afternoon. I settled on 14.058 and stayed there for 3 hours. I’d taken a large 3S LipPo to ensure plenty of battery life (and voltage).
I love my MTR-5B, it has a cool memory feature that allows auto CQ. After a couple of CQs, Jan, OK2PDT called me and then Rich, N4EX, called in straight after. I think I may have smiled at that point!
I had a pile up early on but after a while activity died off. I had poor phone signal but I managed to send a text spot to encourage another round of callers.
By the end, I’d had 58 QSOs, 15 from NA chasers and 2 NA S2S (NS1TA and VE2DDZ). QSO of the day for me was NW7E in Oregon - I haven’t worked west coast before. I’m still in awe of that contact, just the thought that I made the radio and antenna with my own hands and contacted someone so far away, must’ve been due to the lucky anvil…
The rain that had been forecasted didn’t arrive and there was no wind at all. The cloud lifted and I was treated to wonderful views of the lake and tarn.
The tarn was so still, it was like a mirror.
I think it has to be up there with my best SOTA days ever!
73,
Colin
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Had a great time today. 53 contacts including FT-8 and 4 S2S, 2 USA, 1 Spain and 1 UK. I got a late start but had enough time to run the batteries dry once I got to nearby W2/NJ-009 overlooking the Hudson River. There was no time to setup the RigPI as I had dreamed of for portable FT-8 so it was the netbook.
I did find a great new mounting point for a fiberglass mast complete with nearby sitting stones and a nice view. It did have its share of large centipedes though.
The end fed wire required a split bead today and mercifully I had one on me. I ran 100w.
Most curious was NG6R not hearing me on FT-8 at 100W but armchair copy on 50SSB???
Was great to hear from F5LKW but we couldn’t make the trip on the air, ah well. Hopefully next time.
What a great event!
73, Tom, N2YTF
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I’ll reiterate what everyone is saying - the propagation Gods decided to sprinkle magic dust on activators yesterday.
The weather forecast in the Lake District was for light rain - I spent 15 minutes trying to put a small tarp up, with little success as I didn’t have any cord with me. In the end it did serve a purpose to throw over the equipment and my head but for the most part the weather Gods played ball too.
Steamers at Lakeside
QRV between 13:00 and 17:00 UTC I made 121 QSOs, all voice using an FT-857, 4 x 4200maH Zippy Flightmax LifePo4s and a SotaBeams quad band linked dipole at 8m:
- 13 S2S with 4 into North America and Canada
- Possibly the shortest 20m SSB S2S ever with G4TDW/P who was on G/LD-052 - 12 miles away
- Best DX was West Malaysia 9M4RM at 6,440 miles!
In that time I also operated 2m FM, 80m SSB and 40m SSB - worked a big pile up on 40m which was great fun.
I’ll do a full report for the reflector today. Thank you so much too all activators and chasers for making the effort to participate! It was an historic day for me.
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Yes, easy to overlook when you’re packing up in a hurry 
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G/CE-004 Bardon Hill
This is my local hill with a drive of 54 miles from home, yet I hadn’t been on this one since 2006 and I could only remember the summit itself and a little of the ascent. The journey to the parking spot took a little longer than expected as the locals were driving likes wimps, obviously freaked out by Storm Pablo which was raging further south and we were only receiving a glancing blow. Paul G6GGP (G4MD) was ready waiting when I arrived just before noon.
The rain stopped more or less as I arrived and we endured a very slippery path up to the summit. At the top it was blowing a gale, so we decided to descend to where we could get some shelter, but still be close enough to the edge of the quarry that cuts into this hill to get the advantage of the take-off.
Have tarp and trees… make shelter.
Paul tucked into the vegetation
We set up in reasonably close proximity of one another and were ready a little after 13:00z. Mike NS1TA was the only Stateside station spotted and he was soon in my log. We both then called and worked Tom M1EYP/P before Paul found a frequency and called CQ while I spotted him. I sat listening to him working stations thinking he was running about 25 watts from his 857D, but I later found out he was just using his 817ND which is housed in a waterproof container. Paul worked the frequency until the chasers dried up.
At 1411z I bagged Malcolm VE2DDZ on CW and shortly afterwards Pete WA7JTM to qualify the summit on S2S contacts. After that we basically took it in turns to call, Paul taking the SSB slot and me CW. My first session netted me 8 contacts in 7 minutes, 6 of which were NA. When the frequency went quiet, I did a bit of tuning and then passed the baton to Paul. A further session an hour later netted a further 9 contacts, 5 of which were NA. I was called by Guru EA2IF/P during this session for my second EU S2S.
Just before 16:00z we both went to S + P mode and alighted on Malcolm VE2DDZ calling on SSB. I called him and then realised Paul had done the same. Malcolm came back to me and Paul followed on. I concluded my activation with a contact with Eric VA2EGD on CW.
This was the first outing for my newly acquired IC-703 which I ran at 2.5 watts to drive my small MX-P50M linear to around 25 watts output. The low receive noise made it a real pleasure to use this rig, though the 250Hz filter is a little sharp - useful for ignoring those contest stations! The antenna was my 20 / 17m link vertical. By the end, I had 23 QSOs in the log - 11 from NA chasers and 4 NA S2S (Malcolm VE2DDZ twice). The getaways were Alan NM5S who just couldn’t hear me through his NA pile up and Burke KF7NP who was a great signal on SSB, but suddenly disappeared while Paul and I were waiting to try to make contact.
IC-703 making its SOTA debut
Overall a much-needed great day out on what is a very mediocre hill, but it was the radio that mattered and that, given recent comments on propagation, exceeded expectations. Many thanks for all the contacts and for the support for this event.
73,
Gerald G8CXK (G4OIG)
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Believe it or not, when I called you and we made our QSO, I wasn’t aware it was you, Gerald, as I’m more familiar with your G4OIG callsign from all your post on the Reflector and I didn’t recognise you under G8CXK. It was only later, when reading this thread, that I realised I had made S2S with one of the organisers of this fun event. Great!
Thanks for the S2S.
73,
Guru
Note: the one of and the s in bold above have been added later.
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Well it is not just me Guru… it wouldn’t happen if activators didn’t go out on the hills. Also Ed DD5LP and Barry N1EU are on the organising committee, such as it is. The event now more or less runs itself. We have a well-established time period and even the Spring and Autumn dates seem to be falling in line. There remains the potential for an extended event in the summer when people want one, but that doesn’t need my input to take place. I am just grateful that we can work to the common goal of making DX S2S contacts and long may it remain so.
73, Gerald
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I did lose the bung to my 5m Travel pole on Chaine des Alpilles last week. Very annoyed. Does anyone sell them or will I have to scour eBay?
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