SOTA

Re: SOTA

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 10:20:39 +0000

This Saturday 10 March at 0630z the EU-VK-JA SOTA QSO Party takes place. There should be quite a number of sigs on 30m. Check SOTAwatch for alerts and spot details: http://www.sotawatch.org/alerts.php

Re: VK2IB/3

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 02:47:18 +0000

I waited a few minutes too long on 7032, thinking there was QSB, meanwhile apparently Bernard made a quick trip to 10116 perhaps before I got there, and several stations were hoping for a contact but it was not to be… found out after 45 minutes of calling that he has moved summit! However, it could have been skip distance, VK2 is booming in 599 but VK3 could be ZAN (Absolutely Nothing heard)!

With 599 here were VK1CT, VK2JDR… listening 10116 in the hope of the next summit Bernard!

VK2IB/3

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 01:50:13 +0000

I plan to be out on the hills tomorrow, Sunday 13th August, doing a couple of SOTA activations as follows:

01:30 UTC on VK3/VE-241 (unnamed Summit, 6 points)
03:30 UTC on VK3/VE-135 (Lockhart, 6 points)

Frequencies will be 7.032, 10.116 and 14.058 +/- QRM. I will also have 80m and the other HF bands available and am happy to QSY anywhere in the interests of playing with propagation, so if you make contact and want to try another band, just ask.

These will be CW only activations, though I will have SSB capability in reserve for use if I don't manage the required 4 QSOs to qualify the activation.

If the weather is nice (forecast looks promising), if the propagation gods are smiling, and if my co-pilot and I feel like keeping going, I may activate one or two more Summits along the same trail (the Eskdale Spur Track), but I'm not promising anything.

A typical SOTA exchange will consist of signal reports (genuine ones not 5NN!) and I'll send my Summit reference, but if I'm not running a pile-up (unlikely) I'm always happy to chat.

I have posted these details as Alerts on SOTA Watch (www.sotawatch.org) and will post spots on there when I get on the air tomorrow, so if you keep an eye on that you'll see where I'm up to.

Hope to meet some of you on the air tomorrow.

VK2IB/3 was on 7032, now on 3515, next will be 10116 and 14058

Re: SOTA

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 11:40:01 +0000

Great to make the contact on 30m today, Lou. My thanks also to the other chasers.

This was my first activation using 30m. I'm very pleased to say that I 'qualified the summit' (achieved the minimum requirement of four contacts) using this band.

SOTA ref: VK1/AC034
Summit: Mt Majura (about 6.5km NE of Canberra CBD)
Walk distance: 5km return
Wx: o/cast, winds 20-30km/h, 14c
Setup: FT817, linked dipole for 20 & 30m, RG174 coax, 5Ah SLA battery, 6m squid pole
Total contacts: 9

Four stations were logged on 30m:
VK5EEE 0307z S599 R569
ZL2AGY 0317z S599 R559
ZL1BYZ 0332z S599 R539
VK4TJ 0335z S599 R339

Some photos of the day are in my dropbox at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0d1hnwpyh7n9zu4/AAA9e2-_ztSavAcpancxH9HEa?dl=0

Re: SOTA

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 04:05:35 +0000

Good to be the first QSO from your activation, RST 569 with your 5W QRP /P. BUT, I had an S7 buzzing noise at exactly zero beat with your signal, this local QRM is every 8 kHz, and goes off after a long time then comes back on again. Have to trace it. It was exactly zero beat so could not copy you until you shifted frequency. It'd be great to see the list of stations you worked if you can post them, and any info on the experience and set up?

SOTA

Fri, 11 Aug 2017 04:41:54 +0000

I’m planning to activate SOTA summit - Mt Majura VK1/AC034 - on Saturday (12 August) at approx. 0300z.

Focus of the activation will be QRP CW on 30m.

Please lookout for activity spots on the SOTAwatch website: http://www.sotawatch.org/spots.php

73, Chris VK1CT