SOTA DX

The Summits on the Air (SOTA) program for amateur radio operators is increasing in popularity with the expansion of the program to all VK associations VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, VK8 and VK9.   As the take up improves and newcomers chase and activate local VK summits, a number of ‘old-hands’ are starting to draw their attention to chasing SOTA DX using CW and SSB modes.

VK1 to Europe (scroll down for USA on 20, 17, 15, 12 & 10m)

A small group of VK1 activators started experiments in November 2013 by activating local summits with the aim to propagate signals long path to European countries, offering SOTA DX chasers the opportunity to log VK1 summits.  A spin-off of this activity is EU and UK activators are reciprocating by activating summits in the same UTC time window to Australia.  The propagation of signals on 20m (14.300 to 14.350 MHz SSB) between mountain peaks in Europe and Australia is producing good results in VK1, my home SOTA association.

What is the ideal timing for DX to Europe?  Experiments conducted from the east coast of Australia show the ideal window can range between one hour and 90 minutes leading up to sunset.  Experiments conducted in December produced EU contacts as late as 09:15 UTC or 20:15 local AEDT.  With the change of seasons moving from summer to autumn the window will change as the daylight hours shorten.  In the table below you can see the DX opening start time peaks in January. EU short path signals at this time of the day are uncommon.

My recommendation to anyone who wants to try SOTA DX, is to start at least 60 minutes before sunset.  If you don’t know the forecast sunset time for the summit, go to the SOTAWatch summit details page and check the sunset time details.  In the example below for Mt Taylor on 31 October 2014 the sun will set at 08:33, as viewed from Mt Taylor.

31 Oct 14 – Mt Taylor Sunset 08:33 UTC (local time 19:33)

Informing others

How do you communicate your intent?  In addition to posting the summit alert at least 48 hours in advance, I strongly recommend you post a note on the SOTAWatch reflector.  The reflector is an invaluable tool that allows chasers and potential activators a means to communicate in real-time. If you are after a S2S contact then say so, don’t leave it for someone to guess.

On the day.  Check you gear, antennas, coax, battery charge state, power leads, headlamp etc.  What antenna support do you need to take?  Have you considered the summit environment, are there little Aussie critters that bite, do you need to take insect repellant?   If you rely on a mobile phone to check for SOTA spots, as most of us do, is the battery fully charged?  If you’re a checklist person, then make a checklist.

Good luck..

Results of my experimentation with SOTA DX and long path propagation.

SOTA DX to Europe and UK on 20m between 14.300 to 14.350 MHz SSB

Date	VK Summit	UTC Operating Period	Duration (min)	No of DX Chasers	DX S2S contacts	Unique Countries	Radio & Power	Comments
15-Nov-13 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	07:20 to 07:45	25	2	Nil	2	FT-857D 35 watts	First attempt at SOTA DX
23-Nov-13 Saturday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	07:45 to 09:00	75	9	3	5	FT-857D 40 watts	3 days notice on SOTAWatch reflector
29-Nov-13 Friday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	07:15 to 07:40	25	4	1	2	FT-857D 40 watts	storms reduced the activation period
3-Dec-13 Tuesday	Mt Majura VK1/AC-034	08:15 to 09:20	65	22	Nil	11	FT-857D 40 watts	Chaser numbers growing
7-Dec-13 Saturday	One Tree Hill VK1/AC-035	07:20 to 09:35	75	23	2	11	FT-857D 40 watts
14-Dec-13 Saturday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	08:15 to 09:15	60	24	Nil	9	FT-857D 40 watts	Peak before Christmas
12-Jan-14 Sunday	Bimberi Peak VK1/AC-001	09:00 to 09:53	53	9	1	6	FT-817ND 5 watts	QRP from the highest peak in VK1
18-Feb-14 Tuesday	Mt McDonald VK1/AC-048	07:35 to 08:35	60	21	1	10	FT-857D 40 watts	Return to SOTA DX
25-Feb-14 Tuesday	Mt Majura VK1/AC-034	07:10 to 08:25	75	31	2	11	FT-857D 40 watts	VK SOTA DX ‘news’ is spreading
4-Mar-14 Tuesday	One Tree Hill VK1/AC-035	07:20 to 08:35	75	34	1	15	FT-857D 40 watts	New countries
7-Mar-14 Friday	Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041	07:20 to 07:40	20	4	Nil	3	FT-817ND 5 watts	short QRP activation
8-Mar-14 Saturday	Mt Coree VK1/AC-23	07:10 to 07:25	15	12	1	7	FT-857D 40 watts	storms reduced the activation period
9-Mar-14 Sunday	Bowning Hill VK2/ST-042	07:20 to 08:00	40	13	Nil	8	ICOM IC 703 10 watts & FT-857D 40 watts	Joint activation with VK1DA started at 07:00 UTC
19-Mar-14 Wednesday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	06:54 to 08:12	75	20	3	8	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:20 UTC
01-Apr-14 Tuesday	Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038	06:50 to 07:50	60	23 with 2 IOTA	Nil	9	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:00 UTC  2 IOTA contacts
12-Apr-14 Saturday	Livingstone Hill VK2/SM-093	05:30 to 07:05	95	31	1	15	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 07:55 UTC
15 Aug 14 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:25 to 07:15	50	20 with 1 IOTA	1	9	FT-857D 35 watts	Sunset 07:35 UTC  1 IOTA contact
22 Aug 14 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:30 to 07:31	61	49	1	17	FT-857D 38 watts	Sunset 07:40 UTC  1 S2S contact
29 Aug 14 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:30 to 07:52	82	56 with 1 IOTA	3	18	FT-857D 50 watts	Sunset 07:42 UTC  3 S2S contacts and 1 IOTA
31 Aug 14 Sunday	Spring Hill VK2/ST-036	06:00 to 07:30	90	65	1	20	FT-857D 35 watts	Sunset 07:42 UTC  3 S2S contacts. 3 USA and 1 Mexico
6 Sep 14  Saturday	Mt McDonald VK1/AC-048	05:50 to 07:10 start too early	80	16	4	10	FT-857D 35 watts	Sunset 07:44 UTC  4 S2S contacts. 1st S2S with France
12 Sep 14  Friday	Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038	06:00 to 06:55	55	11	2	8	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 07:51 UTC  2 UK S2S contacts.  CME flare impacting conditions
17 Sep 14 Wednesday	Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043	06:20 to 07:35	75	16	4	9	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 07:55 UTC. 4 S2S
21 Sep 14 Sunday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	06:30 to 07:50	80	31	3	12	FT-857D 35 watts	Sunset 08:00 UTC. 2nd S2S with France.
28 Sep 14 Sunday	Mt Ginini VK1/AC-008	06:25 to 07:20	55	20	4	12	FT-857D 38 watts	Sunset 08:05 UTC. 4 S2S, first for Liechtenstein and Spain.
03 Oct 14 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:35 to 07:35	60	16	6	7	FT-857D 35 watts	Sunset 08:10 UTC. Record number of SOTA DX S2S contacts 6.
29 Oct 14 Wednesday	Mt Majura VK1/AC-034	06:50 to 07:50	60	28	2	15	FT-857D 38 watts	Sunset 08:30 UTC.  2 UK S2S
31 Oct 14 Friday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	07:10 to 07:55	45	13	2	11	FT-857D 38 watts	Sunset 08:35 UTC. 2 UK S2S
04 Feb 15 Wednesday	Mt Majura VK1/AC-034	07:30 to 09:00	90	3	0	2	FT-857D 38 watts	Sunset 09:10 UTC
13 Mar 15 Friday	Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041	07:00 to 08:10	70	35	3	14	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:30 UTC
21 Aug 15 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:50 to 07:20	40	13	Nil	8	FT-857D 30 watts	Sunset 08:30 UTC
07 Oct 16 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	06:10 to 07:50	100	18	2	12	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:10 UTC. 2 UK S2S
09 Oct 16 Sunday	Mt Majura VK1/AC-034	06:30 to 07:50	80	19	Nil	10	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:10 UTC
22 Oct 16 Saturday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	06:00 to 08:10	140	12	6	7	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:30 UTC. 1st Greek and Japan S2S QSOs
28 Oct 16 Friday	Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043	07:00 to 08:25	85	14	1 (JA)	8	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:30 UTC. 2nd Japan S2S QSO
5 Nov 16 Saturday	Goorooyarroo VK1/AC-036	23:00 to 03:10	4 hrs	4	1 (JA6)	2	FT-857D 40 watts	Seeking SOTA S2S with Japan
9 Nov 16 Wednesday	Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041	06:50 to 07:30	40	14	Nil	8	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:40 UTC. Thunderstrom at 07:40 UTC. 1st SP2 (Polish) station worked
11 Nov 16 Friday	Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041	06:45 to 08:40	115	10	1	7	FT-857D 40 watts	Sunset 08:40 UTC.  S2S with Mike 2E0YYY
15 Oct 20 Thursday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	0600 to 0800 UTC	120	22	0	11	FT-857D 50 watts	Sunset 08:20 UTC.  20m open for 1 hr

VK1 SOTA to Europe and Russia Short Path on 28 MHz

Date	VK Summit	UTC Operating Period	Duration (min)	No of DX Chasers	DX S2S contacts	Unique Countries	Radio & Power	Comments
5 Feb 16 Friday	Mt Ainslie VK1/AC-040	07:30 to 09:10	100	16	Nil	7	FT-857D 30 watts	First attempt at EU short path on 28.485 MHz

VK SOTA to North America on 14, 18, 21, 24 and 28 MHz

Date	VK Summit	UTC Operating Period	Duration (min)	No of DX Chasers	DX S2S contacts	Unique Countries	Radio & Power	Comments
14-Mar-14 Friday	Mogood VK2/SC-049	22:00 to 22:40	40	6	Nil	1 USA	FT-857D 40 watts	First attempt on 10m for USA
21 Mar 14 Friday	Gibraltar Hill VK2/ST-016	21:20 to 21:55	35	10	Nil	1 USA	FT-857D 40 watts	Second attempt on 10m for USA
22 Apr 14 Tuesday	Yankee Ned Hill VK2/SW-026	23:50 to 00:10	20	6	Nil	1 USA	FT-817ND 5 watts	28.510 MHz
30 Jan 15 Saturday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	21:10 to 21:40	30	2	Nil	1 USA	FT-857D 40 watts	28.485 MHz
27 Nov 16 Sunday	Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037	19:15 to 21:00	105	5	1 W6PNG	1 USA	FT-857D 50 watts	21, 24 and 18 MHz

Updated 18 October 2020 –  First SOTA DX attemp during the solar minima

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