VK Land (Down-Under)

See Spots here night after night on VK Activators working 40M
Below 7.125 American Phone band
Do any of you guys Down in VK do CW ??? So NA might work you
I do hear some of the VK’s on SSB but I cant TX on the Freq they are working.
Maybe a Split ??? Listen up in the NA Phone band above 7.125
With a KW and my SuperLoop 80 I know I can work you guys down-under.
Dow (W4DOW)

Hi Dow,
There is a small band of CW activators in VK. Whilst SOTA has been running for a few years here CW SOTA has been a bit slower to take off. So do keep an eye on the Alerts.

I will let the VK Phone operators comment on working split into NA.

73,
Warren vk3byd

Hi Dow,
Keep an eye on the alerts as well as the spots and you will find regular CW activators although much less numerous than phone. 7.028 - 7.032 are popular with VK activators.
.
Mostly we look for DX on 20 m and higher - mornings for 10/15 m to US and afternoons for 15/20 to Eu. It’s the wrong part of the sunspot cycle (in theory) for reliable VK-USA 40 m contacts but hey if you can hear the activator call him.

Many of those who call on SSB can read CW so you could call on CW at 10 to 12 wpm and listen on SSB. Don’t forget to offset your CW signal 600 Hz low so it can be heard in the SSB mode.

73
Ron
VK3AFW

I’ve seen plenty of VK CW spots. Also some spots on bands other than 40 metres, though 40 metres does still seem to be the band of choice for quickly qualifying a summit as it gets the local chasers well. I remember hearing quite a bit of broadcast QRM above 7.1 last time I was in VK, which is at least part of the reason VK operators stay below that. There has been talk of moving somewhere above 7.2, but I don’t think anything much came of it.

I’ve been trying to persuade VK folk (and others) who’re using 40 metre dipoles that they could probably give 15 metres a try without having to change antennas, just on the off-chance that the band’s open…

73, Rick 5Z4/M0LEP

Thanks Ron Great Idea… I just didnt want to make anyone mad by calling on CW
I only been doing CW for 54 years now as of 1961
and already knew about the offset…
Thanks Dow (W4DOW)

If you’re hearing SSB stations below .125, post a spot and I’m sure the activator will be highly motivated to qsy up into your band.

What times are you typically hearing vk? Propogation can’t be that frequent but we have had at least one spot of a 40m vk cw station in NA on the RBN.

Andrew VK3JBL

Thanks Andrew.
I dont make a habit of post spots I just hear and dont work.
Might get it a try… MT may frown on that but I may give it a try
Thanks agn
73 de W4DOW (Dow)

Hi Dow,

I operate on 40m cw and often make contacts from home into w5/6/7 areas from about 0800 onwards. What time of day (UTC) do you hear VK? 0800 is pretty early in the morning for you I think, or around midnight?

If I hear you call me when I’m on ssb around 7090 I will hear and answer, maybe answer in CW to make it 2 way. What days do you operate? I may be activating a local hill on Wednesday this week, around 0700-0800. Happy to listen for you - there are some single character beacons on 7032 some nights, 7030 and below would be better but often hear big signals from EU, JA and W then.

On 40m I currently use a dipole for activations, not too good for dx but I’m willing to try. Let me know. andrew73@yahoo.com will find me.

73

Andrew
vk1da

Dow, a peculiarity of Discourse is that hash1 is an instruction to use the biggest, boldest font - hence (I think) your tag line being so “loud”!

Brian

Didnt know or was aware I did…
Sorry I EDIT and Removed it… (sorry)

Retired Every day as you see from my SOTA Log in W4V
Try to work as many SOTA Activators as I can. Really Enjoy it.
Thanks Dow

You are scoring at a great rate, well done! (Just got nosey and looked you up in the database!)

Brian

NO Problem. been a Ham for 54 years and have done CW from 1961 and I done Contest, 1010, RTTY, Digi Modes and I find SOTA one of the Best thing I have ever got into. Bad health with COPD problems I have to be happy just being a Chaser. Retired and spend a lot of time at the station…Working Cw and Chasing SOTA Activators. I really enjoy it and have fun doing it and at 68 Years old now it keeps what few Brain cells I have working. Check MY QRZ page for more info and pictures of my Stations and what the Old man does with his time here…
73 Dow

1 Like

Catching the Alerts and the band conditions working together is the trick from the east-coast in VA. (W4V)
Thanks

Dow, I am dropping my wife off at the Airport Sunday Morning (UTC 18/04/15 @ 22:00hrs)
Will be heading to a SOTA summit somewhere near by. If it is wet, it may be Mt. Macedon VK3/VC-007 where there is a shelter.
Will start on 15m CW (21.062). ETA is a guess @ 23:30 but could be a bit earlier?
KX3 - 10 watts and 20 meter double extended zepp doublet.
QRS 15 to 20
Cheers Tony VK3CAT
VK3CAT Communications

Thanks Tony, If the band conditions allow it I sure will be three watching you you on all spots and if I can here you I sure will give it a try… Thanks Dow W4DOW

Did work a w7 again on Wednesday from Vk1/ac-038 on 14.062 around 0800 UTC. Midnight or 1 AM his time I think. Signals were s7.
Andrew
vk1da

I was up and watching SoTA Spots around that time and Nothing heard on the East Cost in Virginia (W4V) here.
Band conditions not been real good due to Sun Spots Storms. I keep an eaye on the Alerts for upcoming activators and even set my Clock to get me up but some times I am already awake…
Dow W4DOW

Hi Dow,
for the east coast my observations are that the period of about 4 hours leading up to UTC 0000 is a much better time for signals into my home station. I often hear w1/2/4 calls at that time, but very rare to hear activators, so far. If we do activate on 25/4 around that time, will be delighted to make all the contacts we can into your part of the globe.
73
Andrew
vk1da

Have put up an alert for tomorrow Saturday the 18th, all QRP CW 5 watts. Think my times for VK2/CT-042 may favour the states around 0600 which is 0400 EST here.

Or earlier, my times posted are guesses as have not been to these summits.

Hope these times work in with your time zone.

Only thing is a rain front has moved in which may make access difficult.

Nick VK2AOH

To add. Hope to be at a remote unactivated summit on the 25th as part of the Australian Anzac Day and International Marconi Day. Hard to get to site and waiting for more up to date wx reports.