Hi all
Subject to weather, VK is planning a mass activation for Saturday 7 December 2013 starting around 07:30 UTC.
Details of activators and summits will be posted closer to the date.
We are looking to work the northern hemisphere SOTA activators S2S and SOTA chasers.
I have received interest from activators in VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5 associations. More details to follow next week.
73
Andrew, VK1NAM
SOTA blog http://vk1nam.wordpress.com
In reply to VK1NAM:
I’ll be there Andrew although the weather is looking a bit cool for our ‘summer’.
Peter
VK3ZPF
In reply to VK1NAM:
Hi all
The VK team is planning a mass activation Saturday morning UTC looking for EU/UK summit to summit contacts. We have at least 7 activators with alerts for summits ranging from 1 to 10 points. There may be one or two more waiting to post an alert.
On the EU side how is the weather forecast for possible activations?
We hope to see more EU/UK alerts in the next 24 hours.
73
Andrew, VK1NAM
In reply to VK1NAM:
On the EU side how is the weather forecast for possible activations?
Bad. Snow and very windy, I hope to be able to set up the rig.
73 Lutz
In reply to VK1NAM:
Hi Andrew, strong storms in forecast with many new snow for us later at morning.
in moment @00:20utc its very windy and it seems it building up from hour to hour. so i don´t think there are many activators out here in south DL…but who knows ? 
vy 73 Klaus DF2GN/p
In reply to VK1NAM:
Summit Jyranvuori (OH/JS-066) is ready for VK Mass Activation. Today I was installing my link dipole there and testing it getting 18 cw qsos less than one hour. Longest qso was with WG8Y (Ohio USA), 10 watt is powerful!
Bad luck was to loose cable between tuner and RX/TX and also power supply cable. Good luck was that I had another power supply cable with and I am capable to continue operating. But now I cannot operate on SSB frequency because of bad SWR. So VKs, I hope that some of you would also operate with cw!
There is 10 cm snow and couple of minus degrees in Jyranvuori. On the morning at 07.30 UTC there is fully dark, hungry bears and wolfs around. Nevertheless I promise to operate all stations whose call I can identify!
73, Saku OH2NOS/p
In reply to VK1NAM:
It looks like your activation windows might cross greyline to NA (at least W1). If you guys do 40m, could you activate above 7.125 or work split? I’ll try to be awake around 0800-0900Z to hopefully do some chasing. If I’m up and can hear you, should I post a spot?
In reply to K1MAZ:
Yes we can work above 7.125. A spot would be useful.
Andrew, VK1NAM
SOTA Blog http://vk1nam.wordpress.com
In reply to K1MAZ:
It looks like your activation windows might cross greyline to NA (at
least W1). If you guys do 40m, could you activate above 7.125 or work
split?
In reply to K1MAZ:
Nick, last weekend I tried for NA just under 7.200 including spotting that I was trying for NA, but not a squeak. Happy to try again during the VK mass activation tonight.
Will be operating an FT897 at up to 80 W into an OCF dipole cut for 40m and might also have a delta loop and 40m vertical on the squid pole.
Matt
VK1MA
In reply to OH2NOS:
But now I cannot operate on
SSB frequency because of bad SWR. So VKs, I hope that some of you
would also operate with cw!
As discussed previously on the Reflector, there are not many CW SOTA Activators in VK, and with the recent successes with SSB DX that may not change for a while.
I had hoped to be out on CW myself but a family commitment has made that almost impossible.
However I am taking the radio gear just I case I can slip up to the nearby summit.
73 Warren vk3byd
In reply to VK1NAM:
Hi Andrew and fellow VK-SOTA-eers,
Following my successful GM/VK activation (VK fixed stations only though!) on Wed 4th, out tomorrow Sat 7th. Dependent on Wx (my end) and propagation UK/VK-ZL?, should be QRV 0730/0800hrs Z and as long as I can survive on GM/SS-165 (air temp -3C down to -12C with wind chill on Wed - all the kit freezing up - arrrgggghhhhh!). 25W ssb/cw to 20M GP. Will check SOTAWatch for VK postings for possible S2S.
Hears hoping?
Catch-ya’s??
Jack(;>J
GM4COX
In reply to DL3SBA:
Weather forecast 2 degrees centigrade plus snowfall. Slight snowfall and rather cold for an activation in Austria (OE) @ Dec. 7, 2:39 UTC.
73 de oe1rhc
Reinhard
In reply to VK1MA:
Matt,
Part of the problem is that everyone is sleeping when 40 is open to VK! It’s about 4 in the morning in W1. Good luck and hopefully I’ll still be awake.
Nick K1MAZ
In reply to VK1NAM:
Hi all
Worked 53 contacts last night, including S2S with Lutz DL3SBA on DM/NW-226 and Stephan DL1LE on DL/BE-003.
Many ‘firsts’ achieved last night from a VK summit, I worked 3 stations in the U.S. and new EU countries such as Switzerland, Holland and Spain. ‘G’ was very well represented in my log along with many ‘D’ calls.
Thanks to all who participated (activating and chasing). I think we have demonstrated VK contacts are now on the SOTA map. EU/UK activators may see more VK chaser activity in the future.
Question to SOTA MT? Can you provide the metrics on VK S2S and VK to OS chasers? Of course we need all the logs recorded in the database. Perhaps later in the week?
73
Andrew, VK1NAM
I have worked today with:
VK1NAM/P
VK3IB/3
VK1RX/P
VK1MA/VK2
Next goal is a S2S with you guys!
Thanks all of you, c u soon.
73 Viktor HA5LV
In reply to HA5LV:
The following S2S contacts have been logged by VK stations so far with calls not starting AX or VK or VI
2013-11-29 , 07:35 , VK1DA/P , DF2GN/P , 10 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-30 , 07:28 , VK5CZ , SV3IEG/P , 4 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-30 , 07:45 , VK5CZ , DL/PA0SKP/P , 4 , 14MHz , CW
2013-11-29 , 07:17 , VK1NAM/P , DF2GN/P , 10 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:07 , VK1RX/P , DL3SBA/P , 2 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:15 , VK1RX/P , GI1NK/P , 4 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:21 , VK1RX/P , DL1DLF/P , 4 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-04-27 , 21:38 , VK5CZ , DF2GN/P , 10 , 14MHz , CW
2013-03-09 , 08:14 , VK5CZ , DL/PA0SKP , 4 , 14MHz , CW
2013-10-06 , 00:22 , VK1RX/P2 , VL5CZ/P , 2 , 7MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:44 , VK1DA , DL3SBA/P , 2 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:28 , VK5CZ , DL3SBA , 2 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 08:07 , VK1NAM/P , DL3SBA/P , 2 , 14MHz
2013-11-23 , 08:15 , VK1NAM/P , G1INK/P , 4 , 14MHz
2013-11-23 , 08:24 , VK1NAM/P , DL1DLF/P , 4 , 14MHz
2013-11-23 , 10:22 , VK1MA , M1EYP , 1 , 24MHz , SSB
2013-11-23 , 11:08 , VK1MA , 2EOYYY , 1 , 24MHz , SSB
2013-12-07 , 08:25 , VK1NAM/P , DL3SBA/P , 4 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-12-07 , 08:34 , VK1NAM/P , DL1LE/P , 4 , 14MHz , SSB
2013-12-04 , 07:19 , VK2JI/P , DF2GN/P , 10 , 14MHz , SSB
Andy
MM0FMF
Having seen this thread around 0800 UTC - I managed to get my first two VK Summits in the log (both on 14m SSB).
Thanks - hope you all had a good evening.
Last entries in my SOTA log prior to these were almost 2 months ago (I’ve just been busy doing other things).
Stewart G0LGS
In reply to VK1NAM:
Hi Andrew,
thank you very much for our S2S yesterday.
Unfortunately I failed to get VK1MA and VK1RX into my log, I heard them calling but there was too much european QRM for my 10W rig 
The working conditions on my summit were not really pleasant. The whole morning there were very high winds and the temperature was -6°C (according to the weather forecast the perceived temperatur was -13°C, including the windchill factor).
I started my walk early in the morning at 4:30 UTC with my headlamp on. After abt. 6.5km and 650m elevation gain I reached the summit still in the dark, snow height was abt. 30cm. Arriving there, I was really disappointed because it was very stormy on the summit and there was absolutely no way to set up my mast for the intended 20m half-wave dipole. But I was prepared for plan B: I could manage to set up a very low hanging delta-loop for 20m at the summit-cross on top of the summit. The combination with my 10W trx seems to play quite well
73, Stephan DM1LE
PS: Could you please correct my callsign in your log: instead of DL1LE it is DM1LE. Thanks.
In reply to DM1LE:
Hi Stephan
Thanks for the note and the summit to summit contact last night, another new summit for me to chase.
Not sure why I typed ‘DL1’ instead of DM1, it may have been the prefix for the summit being ‘DL’. I have it written in my log book as DM1LE/P.
SOTA database is now fixed.
Regards
Andrew, VK1NAM
SOTA blog http://vk1nam.wordpress.com
In reply to VK1NAM:
Thanks for the correction. Never mind, this is a very common typo. I guess because the prefix DM isn’t used frequently here in Germany, many are applying some kind of “autocorrection-mode” like in the commonly used office suites 
Looking forward to the next VK mass activation, hopefully under more pleasant conditions.
73, Stephan, DM1LE