VK SOTA Weekend

This year, I’ve worked 22 on 20m during the morning. I suspect the majority were LP.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

Thanks, Mike & Tom. Having thus far failed to hear any VK6 SOTA well enoughh to try working them, I’d spent some idle time playing with the VOACAP point-to-point predicor ( VOACAP Online for Ham Radio ), and it’s been suggesting that the 20m LP window works rather better for eastern VK than for western VK. It’s also been suggesting that the LP window might work better for western VK at 17m or 15m rather than 20m, but I’ve not noticed anyone having much luck with 15m in VK. Of course, VOACAP’s guessing (though, hopefully, in an informed way), and may be guessing wrong…

73, Rick M0LEP

Hi Mike and Tom

The 2 VK6 stations that were on yesterday may not have been around for the LP opening. I was tied up with radio club activities and didn’t manage to get out. I was able to listen and do a little chasing but had to stop at 07:30 but I was hearing the European chasers working VK from 07:00.

On my recent Sota outings I have been able to work Europe no problem with 14 countries and 8 countries on the last 2 trips. Have also had a few S2S contacts including one with Mike. I would say best time for a UK to VK6 would be close to 08:00 But I’ve noticed the band seems to shut very quickly. Signals one minute silence the next.

I am planning a trip next Saturday afternoon to Mt.Dale VK6/SW-036, I will be taking some other VK6’s along and will be sharing the microphone around a bit. But will be looking for any S2S contacts.

Usual gear ft-817 Hardrock 50 amplifier and about 50 watts into a linked dipole. I will also be taking a multiband vertical along for other bands. Weather permitting etc. I will keep you posted.

73

John VK6NU

Well from a VK perspective it was a great fun.
This was the first time I have activity sort overseas contacts so I was a bit over whelmed to start with. 20 EU contacts (with apologies to the S5 stations who I keep send as SH) included two S2S.

Thanks also to those stations that kept their CW speed down, for me (like a few VK’s) CW is not my first language. The vast majority of my CW is done on a summit somewhere so keeping the speed down and sending calls twice will only speed things up with me.

73, Warren vk3byd

Bailed out yesterday around 07:30 hrs. At that time, Tom M1EYP/P was quite weak but readable on 14.057.Heard working Andrew VK2UH Unfortunately my phone coverage was marginal on VK3/VN-030 so spots and alerts were erratic at best and impossible for most of the time.(Possibly due to the heavy rain and cloud between me ant the cell tower) Trying to chase Tom before the storm came in proved npt to be possible. Packed up with lightning close by and lots of thunder. No sooner had we got back to the car that the heavens opened up, thus no EU DX for me this time. Must concur with Warren on how much it helps in keeping the speed down. This is particularly so with weak signals and it often also being at the end of a long day, failing light etc.
Rain persisted all night with 30mm recorded. Managed a short activation of Sugarloaf Peak VK3/VN-011. Operated in and out of the clouds with drizzle and gale force wind gusts.
Mt Vinegar activation to start the weekend went without a hitch.
73s All Tony VK3CAT

Hi Allan

I called you numerous times but couldn’t break through the EU pile up. For me the VK SOTA Party 14MHz to EU long path went reasonably well, working EU chasers and summit to summits in Austria and the UK.

S2S exchanges from VK2/SM-053 (8 pointer): Herbert OE9HRV on OE/VB-462, Tom M1EYP on G/SP-015, Barry M0IML on G/SE-015, Bill G4WSB on G/SC-005 and John VK2YW on VK2/SW-015. :smile:

Chasers on 20m: IK1GPG, DJ5AV, S58AL, VK5IS, VK6NU, OH9XX, VK2IO/M, ON5SWA, VK3YY, EA2LU and EA2IF.

VK chasers on 40m: 21 with 4 S2S contacts. Tally: 38 chasers, 8 S2S.

I didn’t hear Mike 2E0YYY, sorry Mike I was looking forward to a S2S exchange with you. Next time :slight_smile:

Thanks everyone for getting out of bed early and braving the cold conditions.

73 Andrew, VK1NAM

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Hi Andrew

I’m disappointed that we never made the s2s but as you say I was involved in a pile-up, however, having to change frequency a few times due to ‘Saturday morning nets’ meant I had a troubled visit to 20m :frowning:

Nevertheless I manged contacts with Matt VK1MA and Gregory VK8GM so thanks to them. I think your idea of the ‘VK SOTA party’ worked well with an enthusiastic response from both Activators and Chasers alike.

Take care on hills and I hope we can work s2s sometime in the near future.

73 de Allan GW4VPX

I agree with Allan about the VK SOTA party. I think we should have it fairly regularly. I would go out. I will however still go out without it.
Anyway I had a good day. Some equipment issues, and I took Andrew’s advice and concentrated on phone. Next time I’m out, I MAY try digital. I only managed 10 contacts, but I was happy with that. One S2S with VK6NI. And a 2M simplex over 86Kms with VK6FN!!!(It didn’t give me any points as I had worked him earlier).

I wish to apologise to the stack of VK3 Chasers. I could only just hear you in the QRM, not enough to work. Anyway, I shall be out soon AGAIN, so 73’s from me.

VK6MMB Michael.

Good view from SW-048

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Well I rounded off my own VK SOTA Weekend with Sunday (16th November 2014) teatime activation of The Cloud G/SP-015. Of course, there would be little or no prospect of working any VKs, but nonetheless the day’s excellent 10m conditions and activity, and my taste of DX from the Saturday morning, inspired me to get outdoors again.

Liam was at a mate’s 18th birthday do in Congleton between 4pm and 8pm, so my activation slotted into that time window. I ascended and chatted with a couple of mountain bikers. They only stuck around at the summit for a few minutes, then I was alone. Briefly. Even after dark, several more pairs of walkers visited the summit, some of them even without torches.

After setting up the 10m GP, I could hear that the band was still alive and well, packed with stations. The vast majority on there were US stations in the sweepstakes contest, but other tasty stuff like SV9 and VP8 was on offer.

What I couldn’t do was generate any interest in my transmissions. I tried various SSB frequencies, above and below 28.500MHz, and also CW and PSK31. I checked for activity in the AM and FM portions of 29MHz. I self-spotted. But in an hour and a half, I only managed 12 QSOs on the 10m band. Frustratingly, activity and propagation on 28MHz seemed to remain excellent throughout!

The 2m-handie-prior-to-descent thing added 7 contacts to the logbook, making an activation total of 19.

I am sorry I missed the party on Sat, but count me in for future events.
73 Angel

I am sorry I missed the VK SOTA party too. I was on DM/NW-236 QRV at 7:30 UTC but I have had a strong local QRM with S8 - S9+10 on the 20m band. There was a high voltage power line nearby to the summit and perhaps an insulator was broken? I had no chance to listen to the VK activators and switched to 40m. I will try next time, sure.

73 Lutz