All set and ready to go for my first activation (ON/ON-008, Kemmelberg) on this sunny sunday afternoon.
After taking a few pictures from a french war memorial and cemetary and also from the radio tower (which I will post later on flikr) I was ready for my first SOTA activation!
I set up “camp” next to the big french memorial on top of the Kemmelberg. Plenty of space and nobody there. My slinky folded into inverted V and Icom 703 all powered up I started calling CQ. Managed to have a QSO with a GX on Isle of Wight and a DL station on an island. Looked around for SOTA people on 40 but didn’t find anyone in SSB. D*mn why did I forget my phone at home? Now I could not spot myself :).
But this wasn’t the real reason for my withdrawl. All of a sudden the place was packed with people, lots of people, too many people. Cyclers, walkers, motorbikes and cars, lots of cars all wanting to climb this hill.
What annoyed me most was the fact that people wanted to know what I was doing there, interested, but also reactions like “are you sure you are allowed to do this here”… Looking at my wife grinning behind the book she brought to read in peace, I gave up
I packed up and went home. Next time I will be going during the week or be searching for a quiet spot but that will be difficult on a sunny sunday. And I’ll make sure of being spotted on SOTAwatch
Sorry for the alert of an activation that never came.
Thank you Barry, but it was my fault to forget my phone hihi. So it would have been easier to find me as my signal was not strong (54 in G and 56 in DL)
Peter
P.S. Hope you’ve received my QSL card? Sent it directly somewhere last week.
Forgetting your mobile phone wasn’t your big mistake, forgetting your cw key was!!
If you had called CQ on 7.030–7.033 CW, I’ll guarantee you would have been heard and spotted and definately had a pile up for any ON summit, which you could work through at your own chosen speed.
Well done for attempting the activation Peter, I’m sure you will have a great time on the next one.
Sorry I missed you Peter, but I was out watching the Tour de France in Kent. It certainly seems that Kemmelberg is going to be a popular summit - three activations in the first week! I’m glad you tried for SSB QSOs because I had given the CW chasers a good opportunity on Wednesday, but sorry that you did not even get to qualify the summit for activator points.
I will remember not to visit on a summer weekend; it was nice and quiet when I was there, with maybe half a dozen people to be seen during my entire visit. Good luck next time.
Never mind about the not qualifying, I blame the nosy and noisy tourists for that :). But there’s always another day and it’s only an hours drive from my QTH.
Yes, I was surprised to see the place packed with people. Maybe it had something to do with the first sunny day after a long period of bad weather. But it is a popular destination. Should be deserted on weekdays.
The pictures I have taken, Les where do I put them? In the summit database or on flikr? Or do I forward them to you?
Peter, don’t forget, you may still enter your two QSOs for this activation into the SOTA Database. You won’t get the point, but the activation will be recorded and chasers will get their automatic ’ * ’ QSL/verification!
Just got home from work and found the SOTA chaser trophy in my letterbox. This is a very nice trophy !! Beautifully done and it will get a special place in my shack