VK SOTA chasers and activators alike are preparing for a big SOTA day out on Sunday 30 Aug 15. For VK1 Sunday is a celebration to mark the end of the Canberra deep-freeze while our VK2 neighbours in NSW will celebrate the 2nd anniversary of VK2 SOTA. Over in the far west of Australia, VK6 will celebrate their 1st SOTA anniversary, congratulations VK6.
Standby for a full day of ‘all-mode’ action on 40m through to 2m, from the east coast to the west coast, across 3400 km of red earth. The list of activators and unique summits is growing! With 3 sleeps to go, check out Sunday’s VK alerts.
I’ll be out on my “local” summit Berndorfer Buchet (DL/AM-180) on Sunday from 0800 UTC (possibly earlier) trying for some S2S contacts back into VK. Perhaps someone will be up on my old “local summit” Mount Elliot VK2/HU-093?
Good one Andrew as it happens I have a two summit weekend planned starting Saturday then reclaiming Mount Arden as the storm stopped me going there on my last trip north, another 600km weekend .
will alert Friday night when I have idea of activation times
cheers Ian …
Thanks for info’ - will listen out. It seems I am in a bit of a RF black hole here with regards to propagation in recent days but hopefully things may improve.
Just been looking at the news about the wx in some parts of VK land - sort of matches here. Just looking out the window - heavy duty rain. In any event good luck to all.
Good luck with the Activation Andrew, sadly I’m working. Hope you get a shed load of DX, although I suspect the path to EU won’t be easy Many thanks for the s2s contact from VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo, in difficult conditions last Saturday.
Hi Mike,
RSGB GB2RS propagation predictions from last weekend was that towards the end of this week, things should start to get better. But they did also say it was hard to predict at the moment.
As long as you don’t send that horrible wet UK weather over here, I’ll give it a good crack at getting some LP S2S contacts (or at least chaser contacts) into VK on Sunday.
It is very hard here to defend playing radio when the weather is good when there are garden/house outside jobs to do.
When the weather is bad - eg. “oh dear cannot mow the lawn” it has rained/raining- good - if the propagation is ok. Bad propagation+bad weather = admin.
I hope you get a good shot with the LP/S2S. Not sure what it is like in Germany but here, for me, at x time zero heard from VK or elsewhere, then 20 minutes later ok so I guess stick around awhile until the wx or battery calls the end
I shall be out as part of this event on VK2/CT-006 Bonfire Hill. No activator points to me as have previously activated Bonfire February this year.
Still will make a 8 point target for the chasers.
Chose this summit as pretty easy to get to (hope the track is open after recent heavy rains) and a good supply of firewood as if all goes well shall camp there Sunday night.
DX, S2S will be welcomed, 5W QRP CW as usual.
Usual frequencies and may have a go at 10M if time permits.
Not certain on propagation as the recent solar flares have been playing havoc with the higher bands lately.
I’ll take the laptop etc to Rileys Mountain, VK2/SY-002 and be available for some digital QSO’s plus SSB & FM. A digital S2S would be nice, digital DX S2S even better!
40m, 20m, 15m, 10m, 6m, 2m.
May be another time Compton - I have the gear (android tablet, software and interface to FT817) but this time, I’ll be fitting the activation between being dropped off and picked up en-route to a meeting the wife is attending, so can’t take too much gear. I suspect you’ll be packed up by the time I’m set up in any case.
Revised ETA for QRV for me is now 0700 UTC.
Karl, in previous SOTA activity days in VK, the usual “S2S” priority rule is thrown out the window: everyone is a S2S! There’s one or two poor chasers trying to bust the S2S pileup. New Year’s this year, my first 22 contacts post UTC were all S2S contacts!
I shudder to think what a global QSO party would be like: but it sounds great!
but hopefully things may improve.
Many thanks for the s2s contact from VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo, in difficult conditions last Saturday.
