I will be activating Mt.Randall VK6/SW-039 on Saturday, hope to try for some DX on 10 metres ssb from around 09:00 to 10:00 UTC. I will have a try on 20 metres long path before 09:00.
Planning on getting to summit around 07:00 or earlier and will have a go on 12/15/17/30 metres CW and also some 2 metre fm and 40 meters ssb for locals from around 08:00.
As my plans usually go out the window, come activation time, its best to keep an eye on Sotawatch for spots.
I will be using an Alpha Antenna EZ Military vertical for this activation and plan on leaving the squid pole and linked dipole at home. I did manage to work EA and G’s on it last time so if conditions are reasonable I should make the trip on 10 metres. Power will be between 5-50 watts on all bands. Check Sotawatch for spots.
Yes, I think keeping an eye on Sotawatch for spots will be the ONLY way to find you, as you have said you could be active on any of seven bands and three modes!
Good luck with the activation and I’ll try to catch you. I have not yet worked any VK6 summit on any band, so it would be a new one for me.
To work into UK and Europe, from previous activation’s, it will be 20 metres long path or 10 metres thats why I mentioned them first. Others bands will probably be VK Sota chaser but I’ll take any I get.
[quote=“VK6NU, post:3, topic:9831”]but I’ll take any I get[/quote]From Kenya into UK I’ve found 15 metres best in daylight (Dec/Jan), but that is a rather different path and less of a time difference. However, I’d think 15 metres might be worth a try from VK6 if 10 isn’t open. – GL & 73, Rick M0LEP
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. With the predictions for 15m being good, as opposed to only fair for 10m and 20m, it may chuck up a surprise or two. My only reservation is 0900-1000 may be a tad early for the band.
[quote=“2E0YYY, post:6, topic:9831”]may be a tad early for the band[/quote]Yes, it may. I think most of my 15 metre activity from Kenya to UK has been from 1100z on, but eastern Europe and Asia has turned up earlier in the day (from Kenya). – 73, Rick M0LEP
I will listen out for you. I think I will try and improve my chances by phasing the vertical and beam together.
Anyway good luck with the activation.
Night night/ g’day
Mike
I thought I would see if I could hear the NA activators this afternoon but noise level on 20 here is S7 so shut down time.
I was thinking of sending you a QSL card for recent activities but I know you would toss it into the bin and then peel off the stamp to re-use. I may email you a card so then you can just press the delete button!
I’m glad you’re not fuzzy over the whole good/bad thing. Total protonic reversal would be nasty!
I would put it in the recycling bin to be fair. Then I’d call you, at your expense, to ask about the missing green stamps!
It’s quite cool up here. Or should I say it’s now about the right temp for December rather than the very mild WX we’ve had. Day off on Monday as the forecast is looking OK, I’ll see if I can find something to activate and get on LF as well as HF for a change.
I did run some predictions on VOCAP and it gave 10 metres at 09:00UTC as my best chance for UK, but the peak is about 12:00 and for 15 metres best time was 13:00 but I have to finish around 10:00 to get back to car before dark. There is also a bigger chance of hitting a kangaroo at dusk as they look for a feed around that time.
[quote=“VK6NU, post:12, topic:9831”]10 metres at 09:00UTC[/quote]Yep,VOACAP thinks the long-path might still be open for the eastern side of the continent, but it’s not there for Western Australia, or at least not 'til later, and much less effectively, so it’s short-path for VK6 now, if the higher bands are playing nicely. A couple of RBN skimmers (Singapore and Hawaii) spotted your CW earlier on 15 meters, though:
9V1RM VK6NU 21062.0 CW CQ 5 dB 16 wpm 0717z 06 Dec
KH6LC VK6NU 21061.9 CW CQ 7 dB 16 wpm 0716z 06 Dec
I’ve been listening on your spotted frequency on 10 metres for a while, but have only really heard splatter from other nearby stations. Hope you managed at least one or two contacts on the band.
Thank you, John, for the QSO on 10m.
Our first exchange with 52 signal report was while I was beamming long path but then I turned the antenna to the short path and we exchanged new 56 signal report. Much better this time.
Nothing copied from you on 15m.
Have a great weekend and I’ll look forward to copying you again from another summit.
Best 73 de Guru - EA2IF
Unable to come to the shack for the first part of your activation but made it at around 0900 UTC.
10 m was dead here - nil heard from you or anyone else.
On 15 m the band was open to JA - a couple of words in your voice appeared out of the noise but no callsign. I was a bit surprised by a VK4 giving you a 5X0 report (sigh!) but even more surprised when a VK3 only 10 km away gave you 5x9. My report to you is 0x0, no need to QSL and no it’s not in the log.
Not long back, Mt.Randall is a tough little summit, makes you earn your points. the track in is hard to follow and eventually you come to a massive wall of granite, the short cut is up the face zigzag fashion. The other route is go an extra 400 metres along a dubious track and horseshoe you you way back to the top of the granite wall. I chose the short cut again but tried to find the longer path on the way out. Eventually did after a couple of goes.
Weather was beautiful with a nice breeze to cool down the forecast 29C. Only problem was March flies in their hundreds, First time I’ve encountered them on a summit and wasn’t prepared. i was wearing shorts which was a major mistake, lesson learned there for sure. Its hard to send CW when you are killing 3 march flies at a time and the next batch are lining up to take their place. Some of them were 25mm in size.
Activation went ok, with a mix of bands. 10 metres was best and the only band I worked any stations outside of VK, Though I did work VK1,2,3,4,5 and 6 on various bands. Europeans worked were HB9AFI EB2JU IZ5ILK EA4ZK IZ4NIC IK1GPG EA2IF and EA2NW. These are the ones that made it to the log, so if you are not there I either didn’t hear you or lost you in the qsb. Signals were strange on 10 the station, anyone that I had a good copy usually had me good copy and if I was weak with them they were weak with me. I didn’t work anyone on 40, I’m not sure if this was down to antenna or conditions. I used the Alpha Antenna EZ Military Whip, with 3 radials. need to try it again on 40 but other bands were ok.
I will see how my photos came out and see if I can post a couple later.
Well done John,
and to the EU stations who managed to work you.
I tracked you from the start.
I caught fragments of you when you were on 21Mhz and that was it. Not good enough to call you.
The flying insects sound pretty dreadful.
Love looking at other Activation Photos from different countries, here are mine form VK6/SW-039 Mt.Randall. As you can see another glorious day in Western Australia.
Views from the summit…
March flies waiting their turn.
Portable shack,antenna tripod on left, 2 metre beam, keyer, amp and radio in the shade.
