Saturday 24 June 2017. I’m constructing a 1296 MHz 12el 23 Yagi, I got little distracted from the yagi when I decided to take a break and build a 23cm 1296 MHz 1/4 wave ground plane antenna. Here it is.. Materials: N Type flange socket 70 mm length of 2 mm diameter copper wire 300…
How do you get on 23 cm 1296.2 MHz USB for SOTA activations without forking out loads of dough for an ICOM IC-910 or IC-9100? Answer a lightweight all mode 2.5 watt 23 cm transverter from Hristiyan LZ5HP in Sofia Bulgaria. The current unit on offer is version 2.3. The 23cm transverter’s default configuration is…
Wednesday 11 January 2017 – 8:00 am (21:00 UTC) joining the VK VHF DX Net from Tuggeranong Hill 855 metres ASL for VHF Aircraft Enhancement propagation (AE). Purpose of today’s SOTA activation is to: experiment with low power 500 mW (QRP); qualify Tuggeranong Hill with the FT-817ND power output set to 500 mW for QSOs…
Thursday 12 January 2017, Andrew VK1MBE and Andrew VK1AD activating SOTA peak Mt Budawang VK2/ST-015, grid QF44XM. Surprising success at working ZL1 on 6m 50.120 MHz at 5 watts QRP SSB, that’s right not CW or digital modes, yep voice mode SSB from SOTA summit Mt Budawang VK2/ST-015 for two ZL1 QSOs over 2340 km…
Tuesday 20 December 2016 6m opening lasting several hours. Operating from my home QTH (QF44MP) 9 km south-west of Canberra GPO, I made several 6m Sporadic E QSOs today plus Matt VK1MA, currently on Norfolk Island 1909 km (1,185 miles) north-east in the South Pacific Ocean, reported hearing me call CQ on 50.110 at 01:15…
Saturday 24 September 2016, planned SOTA activation of Mt Domain, 1506 metres ASL Namadgi National Park Maidenhead Grid Locator QF44KM I’m out with Al VK1RX, our focus for this SOTA activation is to have fun and for Al to pick up 9 activators points to pass through 1000 points for the SOTA Mountain Goat Award.…
Sunday 11 September 2016, planned SOTA activation of Boboyan Divide, 1510 metres ASL, and Pheasant Hill 1455 metres ASL. Maidenhead Grid Locator QF44MC and QF44LD I’m out with Al VK1RX our focus for this SOTA activation is to have fun, earn 16 SOTA activator points and complete a combined 17 km walk starting at 07:45…
Sunday 21 August 2016. A Triple Treat SOTA activation of three VK2 summits – Bald Mountain VK2/SM-052, Big Badja VK2/SM-059 and Dampier VK2/ST-007 93 km south-east of Canberra. Today is also day 2 of the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW) we are putting our trust in the SOTA gods for good NVIS propagation on 3.5…
