Saturday 16 June 2018. The weather around Canberra is cold wet and windy as a deep low, 994 hPa passes over south-east Australia. Today’s top ambient temperature is 9 degrees C while the feels-like is a chilly 2 degrees C. Tomorrow’s forecast is for a chance of snow down to 800 m ASL. My QTH…
Sharing with my SOTA followers. Repost from my SOTA UHF – SHF blog covering 23 and 13cm activations. For your entertainment the post includes a 12 minute video. via SOTA – 2.4 GHz 150 km Summit to Summit 73, Andrew VK1AD
Originally posted on VK1 SOTA on 1.2 and 2.4 GHz:
I recently purchased a 13cm transverter from SG-Lab. I have constructed a 13cm Bi-Quad antenna for use on local suburban SOTA summits, however I will need a high gain 2.4 GHz antenna for SOTA activations 100+ km from Canberra, but not one as bulky as a Grid-pack…
I’m enjoying the challenge of 23cm 1296 MHz homebrew antenna construction for SOTA purposes. My 23cm portable antenna collection includes: 12el DL6WU Yagi 12dB gain – lightweight boom construction using a folded dipole; 6el DL6WU Yagi 9 dB gain – ruggedised all brass construction gamma matched, ideal for the Australian scrub bash; and 2el HB9CV…
Homebrew 23cm (1296 MHz) HB9CV yagi antenna for SOTA To get the 23cm amateur started, SG-Lab’s 23cm 1296 MHz transverter is supplied with a PCB 23cm 2el HB9CV antenna. I am very happy with the performance of the PCB version, having worked Rod VK2TWR in Nimmitabel from Mt Taylor in Canberra, that’s a 130 km…
VK1AD 23cm (1.296 GHz) 6el Yagi – Construction of a rugged solid brass DL6WU yagi ready for the SOTA backpack! My collection of 23cm SOTA antennas includes two DL6WU homebrew folded dipole yagis, 6 and 12 elements. While both antennas offer excellent gain, their lightweight design means they are limited to summits with limited scrub bashing,…
Saturday 8 July 2017. Thee enthusiastic SOTA activators Andrew VK1MBE, Al VK1RX and myself have plans to activate three summits Bald Mountain, Big Badja Hill and Dampier in the Gourock and Deua National Parks, 2.5 hours south-east of Canberra. Our plan is to rotate two SOTA stations between Bald Mountain VK2/SM-052 and Big Badja Hill…
This week I received three SOTA 23 cm Microwave Certificate Awards from Barry GM4TOE, SOTA Awards Manager, UK. SOTA Microwave Awards – Simplex Operations on 23cm 17 June 2017 SOTA 100 km 23 cm Microwave Award – Operating on 23 cm SSB from Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037, I worked Rod VK2TWR in Nimmitabel, over a 131…
Sunday 18 June 2017. I recently purchased a new 2.5 watt 23 cm 1296 MHz transverter from SG-Lab in Sofia Bulgaria. The package includes a 2el HB9VC PCB yagi which has turned out to be a great addition for portable work, particularly from a hilltop with a good uninterrupted view of the horizon. Today from…
I recently purchased two 23cm WA5VJB PCB 3el yagi antennas without SMA connectors, that was a deliberate decision as I wasn’t sure how I would use or mount the PCB yagi. For a recent SOTA activation I quickly soldered a short length of RG174 to the PCB pads which served its purpose for two activations,…
