Thanks Craig, my first SOTA QSO with you. 
Well done, your sig was well above my noise floor and the audio was clear. Thanks for persevering and taking an interest in VI10SOTA.
73, Andrew VK1AD
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Hi Andrew and it certainly made my day to even hear you never mind get itl , this was my very first VK SOTA contact so it’s a big thank you for activating , you were 4/1 when we spoke and I continued to SWL when you came up to 5/2 , congratulations on such an impressive log
Till next time 73
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multiband 1/4 wave GP
Hi Andrew, any details about your multi band G/P antenna
Geoff vk3sq
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Thank you for the “late in the day” SOTAWatch spot Craig - much appreciated. I had been monitoring for Andrew on and off for some time, and I had no copy short or long path. I saw your spot and the helpful comment, and took a last listen long path - there was VI10SOTA. Much appreciated Craig and Andrew.
73 Phil G4OBK
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Hey nice one Phil and must have been a good path into Yorkshire lol , I heard you call in and you was 5/4 on BS with me , I also heard nothing SP but was confident the LP would come good , ten mins after working Andrew I put out a few CQ,s and worked ZL South Island 5/8 the opening didn’t last long and soon closed after that
Cheers
Craig 2E0VRX 73
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Hi Geoff
Same antenna mentioned in this thread, now with four radials.
I’m sure I sent you an email in April 22 with the details.
Antenna set up yesterday evening
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Thank you & Good Job, Andrew!
It’s my 3rd QSO w/ VI10SOTA (1st 20m SSB).
When I called you, 20m band was so noisy in JA.
I did not copy everything you said, but understood most of it.
I will continue to follow VI10SOTA , also try to S2S some day.
See you. 73,
de JG0AWE / Hiro WAKA
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Hi Hiro san,
I started yesterday’s activation of Black Mt (vk1/ac-042) using my own callsign but a message from VK1AD suggested I use the Vi10sota callsign, which I did. So after our two contacts on 17m and 15m, we then had another contact on 15m and 20m under the vi10sota callsign. Your signal was very good on all bands, especially after the solar event earlier in the day. Thank you for all the contacts. I’m always interested and happy to make multiple contacts where it is on different bands.
After my activation the QSO count was about 40, with half on my own call on SSB and CW, and half being on CW only from Vi10sota. Conditions dropped out after about 0800 and while I could hear some EU signals after that, they were mostly at low signal levels.
I was glad to work some of the regulars also from Europe as well as a number of JA and ZL regulars. Conditions didn’t last long enough for my SSB session on 20m to yield any DX.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2DA
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Hi all,
I am planning to use special event callsign VI10SOTA on Sunday from Mt McDonald VK1/AC-048, for long path prop on 20m from ~0745 UTC.
The aim is to offer northern hemisphere SOTA chasers the opportunity to work VI10SOTA and a VK1 summit.
Ed DD5LP had posted an alert where he plans to use DL20SOTA. Anyone else interested in a S2S contact?
VK1 sunset is @ 0915 UTC.
I will spot when QRV.
73, Andrew VK1AD
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Thanks for your efforts, Andrew.
It would be nice to work VI10SOTA S2S, but temperature on Sunday morning is going to be in the range of -5C to -10C here.
I’m not sure I can make it 
Hope to see you soon, when the weather is a bit more friendly.
73, Roman
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Hi Roman
Thanks for the message, our summer Wx is all over the shop. Coolish one day then 33 to 34 the next day. Canberra is known for its freezing winter nights but chilly nights in December/January were previously rare.
I reckon March and April (autumn equinox) will be the ideal period for VK - EU LP and again in September/October. Nevertheless, in the meantime I will continue to promote VI10SOTA to SOTA chasers in the northern hemisphere. Keep and eye out for further posts at this thread.
I’m looking forward to a S2S QSO in 2023.
73, Andrew VK1AD
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Hi folks
The Wx forecast for today is rain and lots of it plus the chance of sever thunderstorms at the time when I would be ascending Mt McDonald.
Current rain radar image at 0750 local. The weather is moving from west to east.
I may change summits or cancel my plans altogether.
Until next time.
73 Andrew VK1AD
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The VK1 group had a successful mass activation day on the 1st of February, celebrating the 10 years of sota in vk1. Activators were on seven local mountains near Canberra. Mount Majura, Mount Ainslie, Mount Taylor, Mount Stromlo, Castle Hill, Tuggeranong Hill and Yellow Rabbit Hill were activated by Ian VK1DI, Andrew VK2ZRK, Andrew VK1DA, Matt VK1MA, Al VK1RX, Rod VK1ACE and Andrew VK1AD who operated as VK1NAM, the callsign he used 10 years ago on the first VK1 sota day. The callsign VI10SOTA was used by VK1DA at Mount Taylor.
There were a number of local chasers operating from home stations in Canberra on hf and vhf and in vk2, vk3, vk4 and vk5. ZL3MR was operating at zl3/cb-806 and was worked despite poor conditions, on both 14 and 21 mhz.
Gerard vk2io operated at vk2/sy-001 and Phil VK2JDL operated from VK2/HU-093 and most of the vk1 activators worked them at least once.
Notable contacts at VI10SOTA included JGØAWE Hiro who has now made 4 QSOs with VI10SOTA.
Also adding to the nostalgic vibe was a contact on 144 mhz using AM between VI10SOTA and VK1AD.
Thanks to all who made the day so enjoyable.
73 Andrew VK1DA
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Great to work you again Andrew on the LP bit of a scratchy one @ 3/1 , 4/1 but they all count
Cheers
Craig 2E0VRX 73
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Yesterday I activated Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041 for the purpose of promoting VI10SOTA to EU and other Dx chasers.
A big thanks to the chasers who stuck with me and waited patiently while I navigated my way around high powered stations who clearly didn’t hear me. I was pleased to hear one or two EU SOTA chasers backing me up by stating ‘frequency is in use’. In one case a QRO UK station moved 3kHz down only to bleed 5kHz wide 
. I changed frequency three times, 14.330, 14.343, 14.320 and finally took refuge close to the band upper limit at 14.345 MHz. I am wondering if I should try a couple of week day activations?
Great to work a handful of VK chasers, John VK6NU, Ian VK5IS, Nigel VK5NIG and John VK4TJ. 
23 SSB QSOs at 10 watts using an Icom IC-705 into a halfwave inverted V dipole at 7 metres above ground level. Isaacs Ridge doesn’t lend itself to a 20m 1/4 wave ground plane. See photos above.
Countries worked: France, Finland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, UK, and Germany. Although the current solar cycle is improving each month, the results indicate similarities to 2014 and 2015 where VK activators were working EU chasers at 5 watts.
VI10SOTA log from Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041. If you are not listed in the below log, I didn’t hear you!
Edit: I have checked the SOTA data ‘Show Who Chased Me’ records. There is one so-called chaser who did not work me given I went QRT at 0905 UTC and the chaser claims to have worked me at 0916 UTC. Hello!!!
| Time | Callsign | Band | Mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:39 | F4HZR | 14MHz | SSB | Micke s58 r53 |
| 07:41 | OH1MM | 14MHz | SSB | Pasi s58 r55 |
| 07:45 | SA4BLM | 14MHz | SSB | Lars s59 r52 |
| 07:47 | ZL1SKL | 14MHz | SSB | Soren s58 r54 |
| 07:51 | ZL4NVW | 14MHz | SSB | Matt s58 r53 |
| 07:51 | ZL3MR | 14MHz | SSB | John s59 r55 |
| 07:53 | OK2PDT | 14MHz | SSB | Jan s58 r33 |
| 07:54 | VK6NU | 14MHz | SSB | John s55 r55 |
| 07:58 | OE5HWN | 14MHz | SSB | Helmut s55 r33 |
| 08:00 | GW4BML | 14MHz | SSB | Ben s56 r33 |
| 08:03 | VK5IS | 14MHz | SSB | Ian s59 r56 |
| 08:09 | F4WBN | 14MHz | SSB | Chris s59 r56 |
| 08:13 | SP9JKL | 14MHz | SSB | Jerzy s58 r33 |
| 08:14 | DL6MST | 14MHz | SSB | Klaus s58 r51 |
| 08:16 | HB9MKV | 14MHz | SSB | Rudi s58 r51 |
| 08:17 | DJ2MX | 14MHz | SSB | Mario s58 r44 |
| 08:19 | SM5LNE | 14MHz | SSB | Jan s58 r52 |
| 08:24 | OE6RCD | 14MHz | SSB | Roland s58 r31 |
| 08:26 | VK4TJ | 14MHz | SSB | John s56 r51 |
| 08:29 | VK5NIG | 14MHz | SSB | Nigel s58 r55 |
| 08:34 | G4OBK | 14MHz | SSB | Phil s58 r33 |
| 08:38 | SM5LNE | 14MHz | SSB | Jan s55 r44 |
| 08:54 | 2EOVRX | 14MHz | SSB | Craig s55 r31 |
Map courtesy of SOTA Maps
My next outing with VI10SOTA is next Sunday, 12 February from Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037. FYI, I am planning an activation of Mt Ginini VK1/AC-008 (8 points), at 1700m ASL. I will park that activation for March/April 2023.
I look forward to promoting VI10SOTA to EU chasers throughout 2023.
73, Andrew VK1AD
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Was great to work you this morning @VK1AD Andrew. You were stronger to me on 14.330, about a 4/4, but I know why you QSY’d. I’m looking forward to another VK/ZL early morning S2S again soon keep up the good work 
Take care and 73, GW4BML. Ben
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Hi there,
looking forward to working this special callsign in the next weeks. Hopefully spring will come early this year (we had -10°C this morning), so we can do a S2S QSO from one of my local hills.
Just wanted to check VI10SOTA on QRZ.com but the callsign is not listed. You should probably put some information there also …
73 Martin, OE5REO
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Why? The target audience is here at the SOTA reflector.
Regards,
Andrew VK1AD
1 Like