VK6NU/P on VK6/SW-037 looking Europe Saturday 1st Nov 07:00UTC

Activation Reports Pre-Planning
1

Hi all

My last Sota Activation I managed to work 13 countries in Europe. Hoping conditions this time will allow a few in the log. Conditions have been very bad lately so hopefully they improve by Saturday.

My plans are to activate VK6/SW-037 Boonering Hill, a new one for Sota Chasers. I will be looking for Europe on 20 metres around 14.310 ssb from about 07:00 onwards I will self spot via APRS so hopefully it gets through. The equipment will be FT-817 and a Hardrock 50 Amplifier running about 50 watts into a linked dipole.

The WX is going to be warm about 28C and its about a 7km walk to the summit, the summit is just off the famous Bibblumun walking track so it should be a fairly well defined path most of the way with a big rock at the end which is Boonering Hill.

For VK operators I’m planning on getting there early and will have a go at 24Mhz SSB around 24.960 from 06:00UTC give or take 30 mins depending on how I’m travelling. I might also try some CW on 30 metres if I have time. After long path Europe closes I will try 40 metres around 7.090 and also 2 metres VHF on 146.425 roughly between 08:30- 09:00 UTC or 16:30 to 17:00 local WA time. Hope to catch a few regulars and as ever if any S2S will be a bonus.

73 John VK6NU

1 Like
2

Hi John,

The 20m band was hard work into VK this morning, John :frowning:
The WX forecast for Saturday morning in the NW of England is heavy rain, but this may change.
I’ll see if I can get out for an s2s.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

3

Hi Mike

I was listening for you today but nothing heard, not even hearing the VK1&2’s at the moment. But the good news is I wasn’t hearing anything from home before my last activation and then it was happening when I got to the Summit. Hopefully this time will be the same.

The WX, soon it will be too hot for us and too cold and miserable for you. All part of the fun of SOTA.

A S2S would be nice if WX permits your end and the radio Gods are with us.

73 John VK6NU

4

Hi all

Really long day yesterday to activate Boonering Hill VK6/SW-037. 10 and a half hours from when I left home until I got back. After a 90 mins car trip it takes just over 2 hours to reach the summit. As this summit was never activated before I was not sure of the exact route to the summit. Luckily most of the path is part of the well know Bibbulmun Walking track I just stayed on that and eventually came to another path that looked a likely prospect to the summit, after a few minutes I came to a sloping rock face and with only 50 metre’s or so careful climbing I was at the summit.

I had just the station up and was sitting down having a drink when I noticed a large snake cruise past just about 5 feet from where I was sitting. I still had to set up the linked dipole at this stage so I didn’t venture far into the bush to attach the ends of the linked dipole.

Conditions were up and down with a fair amount of QSB but did manage 7 European countries and a number of the usual VK Sota Chaser. Europe opened up around 07:15 but was at its best around :08:00 UTC It closed at around 08:15 or at least I wasn’t getting any calls at that stage and then switched to 40 metres. Only VK6 worked on 40 metres.

European stations worked on 20 metres long path were IK1GPC,G6TUH,G0RQL,DJ5AV,G1JZY,G3RDQ,G0VQO,RA3PCY,G0TDM,OM1AX,EA7CB,DC7DX,IZ1GRH,EA2DT,G4OBK,EB2JF,OK2PDT.

All up 53 stations in the log, 3 of those were 2 metre FM back into Perth.
Equipment used Ft-817, Hardrock 50 Amplifier and a linked dipole on a 7 metre squid pole.

Had a fall on my way back down as our hills here are covered in a pea like gravel and its very slippery, gouged chunks out of my knee but nothing that wont heal in a week or so. All in all an eventful activation, managed to swallow 2 flies had ticks crawling all over me and a snake come visit. Just reached the car at dark after a 1hr 45 min trip back down most of it with a busted knee. Had a good clear run home and arrived home at 8:30 pm after setting off at 10:30 am.

Thanks to all the chasers, I have some video that I will try and put together into something watchable soon.

73 Till the next one.

John VK6NU

4 Likes
5

Hi John,
It was good to catch you yesterday morning on 20m SSB.
I only have a dipole for 40m so was pleased to get 54 report from you.
I see that you have logged my call as G3RGQ.
My call is G3RDQ.
Perhaps you would be kind enough to correct your log sometime.
Looking forward to the next time.
73’s David , G3RDQ

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That sounds like quite a bush-walk. I guess it might be a summit that won’t get many activations. I was listening quite a bit of the time you were on 20 metres, and heard several of the EU operators calling you, and a few of the VK folk too, but couldn’t ever quite hear you well enough to make it worth giving you a shout. Guess I need a better antenna…

Hope your injured knee heals well and quickly.

73, Rick M0LEP

7

Hi David

Bit dyslexic here, not a bad signal but some qsb at times but quite readable,
I’ve sorted the log.

73 John VK6NU