Lets make that " batteries last" I can lend you a few if you need them. Have fun up there.
Compton
1 Like
Haha thanks, that would be awesome Compton!
I’m thinking it is time for a new buy soon. Torn between the Sentry 9ah Lifepo4 in a hard shell (+400g) or just more same with the 8400mah zippys.
April QST has an article about a 3/8 wave vertical on 20m, saying that the angle of radiation is a little lower than for a 1/4 wave, the feed impedance is about 200 ohms + some inductive reactance, so it can be fed by a 1:4 transformer and a series capacitor. I think its length is very close to a 1/4 wave on 30m so I am planning to use my 30m vertical as an antenna on both 30m and 20m with appropriate feed arrangements. I have switchable radials between 20 and 30m.
Will be interesting to see how it pans out.
On 40m it will be the ZS6BKW doublet on a 10m mast.
Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
Hi Andy,
Here’s mind findings in short from this morning.
Please remember these are based on Southern Germany and propagation into the UK, especially on 40m appears to be different (better), possibly due to the extra “hop” needed by the signals to get down here.
-
40m Long Path opened to VK/ZL at 0630UTC with strong signals into the UK but weak, although still readable signals into southern Germany. The path was open until at least 0715UTC.
-
20m Long Path, with much stronger signals into Southern Germany opened abruptly at 0735UTC (at 0720 there was NOTHING on the band) - looking at PROPQuest, the opening coincided with the 3000km MUF getting over 14MHz. This Long Path channel was open until 0815 but may have opened again later as around 0815, the 3000 km MUF dropped below 14MHz again for a short while.
Please note the stations heard were fixed stations in Australia and New Zealand, not portable stations.
The two VK stations that I worked on 20m were 5-5 with me and I received reports of 3-3 and 3-1 in return. (I was running 20w PEP into a VP2E pointed rougly NW at least one of the VK stations was running 400w PEP, I’m not sure what antennas were in use).
On this basis, portable to portable (i.e. S2S ) contacts on Saturday may be difficult, so don’t forget to pack some headphones.
73 Ed.
Later Update: my complete Blog on this mornings activation is posted here: DD5LP/P – April 4th 2019 – DL/AL-179 Weichberg – Trial run for S2S event. | DD5LP / G8GLM / VK2JI blog
Thanks Ed. I might see if I can get up a little earlier then
Hi Ed, thanks for the s2s this morning. Nice to see some VK/ZL action on the dry run for Saturday.
The wind was fierce and it was bitterly cold on GW/NW-070 Gt. Orme this morning. I had my doubts about the fishing pole surviving the activation.
7 VK and 2 ZL contacts finishing in my log was a surprising result considering the solar numbers. Ernie VK3DET, was running barefoot 100 Watts on both 40m and 20m.
VK3, 4, 6, and 7 worked.
73 Mike
2 Likes
It’s been a hard week for me but I’m hoping to be able to drag my backside out of bed tomorrow morning to join the party!
Best of luck everyone.
Mark. M0NOM/P
1 Like
Getting up early or staying overnight on the summti?
Anyway, DP9X will be on DM/NS-008.
Ahoi
Pom
Tomorrow, approximately from 05.30, we will work in a company with Vladimir RX9WT from the top of Mount Tora-Tau. We hope for friendly communication on the air and new meetings peak-peak.
Last year’s experience was positive and left unforgettable impressions, which I tried to convey in the video offered for viewing.
6 Likes
Looking forward to this, making the hike to G/LD-018 sleeping bag, hip flask and rations for the night.
73
Graeme
5 Likes
Take Care!
Hope to work you tomorrow from DL/AL-179 73 Ed.
About to depart on way to my summit VK1/AC-048 within the next hour or so.
Will be aiming for work on 80/40 but have 20 should I need it for the DX work.
VK1MIC
CHASER. 03.26 utc. 6/4/19
I’m QRV and RX on the bands SSB & FT8. Watching Sotawatch for spots. 100 watts here to a Doublet.
Don GW0PLP.
I went QRT early this time, so here’s just a short report:
HF and WX conditions were rather poor: Fog, little rain and wind with no more than 5°c on DM/HE-003 until I left.
Early starting time did not help much. Still happy to have worked some s2s, three of them DX.
I only ran 10 watts out of my KX2 into a triple-leg-vertical (see picture).
Thanks to everyone for participation, looking forward to trying again on April 20th.
Chris, DL4FO
6 Likes
Hi there,
I operated in Japan as JM8ITC on JA/YN-053. Started at 0400 UTC, very slim pickings. I managed 4 local contacts including a summit to summit. Stayed on peak for 2 hours, no skip on 40, 20, 15 or 10. From my perspective a little disappointing.
The good news is that a had a magnificent view of Mt Fuji, absolute blue sky day.
Lets hope that propagation improves for 2020.
Leave for Oz tomorrow, home Monday.
Brian
VK3BCM/JM8ITC
4 Likes
First QSO VK1MIC 
Heard VK1AD, but Andrew couldn’t hear me 
Also worked Siberia
Almost as good was the bacon butty afterwards (don’t tell my wife, but I had 2, it was so good) 
Thanks again to the organisers. I had a great time
3 Likes
Thanks for the party today could only stay until UTC 0600 today. Had good contacts really surprised to work Wade on 80m ssb at 0430 long hale to vk1 during the daylight but he was a very clear signal. Made 6 S2S qso’s heard a few others but they were working other summits so did not barge in to work them. Had a clown sending 73 with an S as well during couple of my cw qso’s but my chasers were too smart for him and did not get confused. DX S2S with JP3DGT in Osaka on 17m, saw some EU spots but could not hear anyone on 20m cw. Really nice wx out today but still in drought here so very dry.
Regards
Ian vk5cz …
1 Like
I headed to Mt.Randall VK6/SW-039 and was on the Summit about 05:30 UTC with lots of time to spare.Here is a photo of the late afternoon, was quite cool and windy at this time but temps were about 27C earlier in the day so not a bad day for SOTA. About 60-90 mins before Sunset when photo was taken, just before I packed up.
Living in Western Australia as far as Sota and amateur radio in general is concerned has its own challenges with isolation, time difference, and propagation all making operating portable that little bit more challenging. I have taken part in quite a few of these events and they are always great fun and you get the chance to work other Sota Operators on Summits in VK ZL JA and European Countries.
Today my plan was to run about 40 watts with my FT-857 through a tuner into my L shaped " fishing reel" vertical with radials. I’ve used this antenna before and it worked quite well.
I used my longer pole so I had to change the dimensions to suit, with a longer vertical section about 7 metres. When set up I found it would not tune on 20 metres and some other bands, so I had to quickly come up with an alternative. I unwound the vertical wire from around the pole and as it had a banana plug, I plugged it directly into the tuner SO-239. I grabbed 2 of the radials and joined them together and made a single counterpoise. I just stripped some wire and wound it round the SO-239 to attach it.
Everything tuned up much better so I was on the air at least.
20 meters looked dead so that was not looking good for LP Europe. Having a look around the bands I saw a Spot for JP3DGT/3 on 18 Mhz CW and worked him first call. 10 Mhz seemed to be my best chance of some more contacts, so I spotted myself and quickly worked quite a few VK and ZL Sota Chasers and quite a few Summit to Summit Contacts all on CW.
I could hear Mike 2E0YYY on 40 and 20 SSB but he could not hear me. I did work 2 VK S2S SSB stations on 40 SSB VK3IL and VK1MIC and they were the only SSB stations in the log.
Ended up with 1 JA S2S, and 8 VK S2S Contacts . Only 14 in the log all up 10 on 30 CW, 2 on 40 SSB, 1 on 20 CW and 1 on 18 CW.
3 Countries worked VK,ZL and JA. No Europe today. BUT CW ruled the day, goes to prove what a great mode it is for SOTA.
Thanks to all the Activators and chasers and the guys for Organizing the Event, I ended up with 39 S2S points in the bag, I’ll take that anyday.
73 John VK6NU
6 Likes
Thanks for trying John. 20m was hard work.