LB/OS-001 Grønliåsen

A short VHF activity test at Grønliåsen. The usual equipment, FT-817 ND, a 50 W amplifier, and a 3 element yagi (SotaBeams) suitable for portable operations. Not very great conditions at my QTH. In the end I ended up with 5 QSOs, best QRG was 414 km.

DXCC: LA, OZ.

LAFF-0060 Svartskog

 Recently I purchased a KX-2, a really excellent rig for portable operation which I really enjoy using. Included was also the AX-1 antenna. I knew many HAMs use it frequently and have reported surprisingly good results. But how well can a 1.2 meter high antenna actually perform? I have had a MFJ-1899T for several years, which is a similar antenna, but I have never used it for SOTA/LAFF operations. I have been afraid that the efficiently is too low. If I remember correctly, a pedestrian-mobile web-site claimed the MFJ 1899T was 6 dB down from a 1/4 GP on 20 meter. (However, the MFJ do radiate. It performs very well on 10 meter, and I have worked PA on 40 meter from the living-room table with 5 watts.)

A quick test (3 minutes test with AX-1, then a 3 minutes test with 1899T, both 20 meter CW). Around 50% more skimmers (reversedbeacon network) heard my testing with the AX-1 than with the 1899T.  However, it was no significant difference in the signal strength.

From this finding, I thought it could be of interest to test it in order to get some hands-on experience. Thus, I headed out to LAFF-0060 Svartskog, around 10 minutes drive from my QTH. In addition to the AX-1, I also brought with me a 10/20/40 meter EFHW. The end fed was put as a sloper up in a lazy way. The feed point was around 1 meter above ground, and the other end 4-5 meters.

I started to call with the AX-1, and continued to call until all chasers were worked. Then I changed the antenna to the end fed, and called for almost the same time length.

So what was the result? Eight reversed-beacon skimmers heard my calls with the AX-1. All but one did also hear my calls on the end fed. In addition I was also heard on 14 more skimmers with the end fed. The SNR was 2 dB higher with the end fed. I worked 9 stations with the OK reports. After changing antenna and putting out a spot, I worked three more stations. The reports with the end fed was around 2 S-units higher. Since only three more stations were worked with the end fed, almost all chasers were worked with AX-1. That surprised me, and it shows that AX-1 must be a very good compromise antenna. Before going home, I also worked stations on 17 and 15 meter with the AX-1.

So, I'm absolutely satisfied with the AX-1 (and KX-2 of course). If this had been a SOTA or POTA activation, I would have fulfilled the requirements. As a LAFF activation, I would have needed around 4 times as many QSOs. But that could have been possible if the conditions had been a little better.

DXCCs: DL, EA, F, HA, I, LZ, OM, S5.

LA/OS-003 Tryvannshøgda

Today, SOTA.no arranged a meeting at the summit. Several HAMs had brought with them 100W rigs. And several of LB8CGs excellent trapped wire vertical antenna. I borrowed a rig, and worked 5 QSOs, two of them were chasers from California, and one was a S2S (LA6FTA from EA7, running 5 watts from a FT-817 into a 7 meter LW). So, the conditions were really great, and I had a great time at the summit.

 DXCCs: EA, F, W, UA.

LA/OS-003 Tryvannshøgda

A quick activation when it's still 2023. This summit must be LAs most easy winter-bonus summit. It was sunny, calm, 3C, and good conditions. At the end, I had 23 QSOs (5 CW, 18 SSB) from 9 DXCCs, among them 2 S2S.

 DXCC: DL, EA, F, G, GI, GM, HB9, ON, SP.

LAFF-0063 / LA-1330 Midtsjøvann

It's the third time a activate this nature reserve. It's only around 15 minutes drive from my home QTH, there are picnic tables at the site, and thus a convenient area to activate. It was partly cloudy, calm, 10C, and good radio conditions. Even though it is late fall, two persons had a skinny dipping when I arrived.

I managed 55 QSOs (16 CW, 39 SSB) from 20 DXCCs, all on 20 meter.

 DXCC: DL, EA, El, F, G, HA, HB9, I, LY, OE, OH, OK, OM, ON, OZ, S5, SP, UA, YL, YO.

LA/OL-067 Blåhøe

A quick activation of this drive-in summit. Party cloudy, a rather cold breeze, and temperature 10C. The radio conditions were fine. I logged 31 QSOs (18 CW, 13 SSB) from 13 DXCCs, among them were 4 S2S. So all in all, I had a great time at the summit.

The equipment used was FT-817ND and a linked dipole. All QSOs were made on 20 meter.

DXCCs: DL, EA, EA6, El, F, G, HB9, OE, OK, SP, UR, W, YU.

LA/OL-184 Kvitberget

Kvitberget is always a nice summit to visit. The scenery is very beautiful. Today, the weather was excellent, sunny and 17C. In addition, the conditions were excellent too, and many chasers were QRV. This resulted in 45 (16 CW and 29 SSB) QSOs from 17 DXCCs.

 The equipment used was FT-817ND and a linked dipole. All QSOs were made on 20 meter.

 DXCC: DL, EA, El, F, G, GI, GM, HA, HB9, I, OE, OK, ON, S5, SP, UA, YO.