Just two facts which tells how special this contest was:

– after approx. 20 years my friend Aleš decided to join me and participate in contest!

–  I finally made my first rain scatter QSO!

Walking time was aprox. 2,5 hours long with a heavy load. We missed 2h of the contest and if I look now this where the best hours for 3cm RS. This time there were no  problems with equipment, everything just worked well.  Unfortunately we were without GPRS signal, but we setup WLAN connection, with some limits – connection was possible only while we’re standing on the place where LOS was.

When I first heard RS signal I thought it was signal coming directly in the IF, because I was listening OE8 station.  🙂 After while (when I unpluged transverter) I realized that this was 3cm signal.  Whatever  a bit latter I did my first QSO on RS – OK2A in JO60jj, 455km.

I was without sleeping bag so I sleep only 2 hours then I woke because it was so cold. 70cm and 2m bands where almost empty so I had nothing to do 🙁

Next day around noon UTC again great RS appeared over the Alps. Like day before I heard again DF0YY station from JO62GD, but much stronger. I did several calls but with no luck. I realized that power of 200mW is not enough for such distance, but I was still capable to work several QSO over 500km. For more details click on picture below.

More than 80% of the ctest I’ve been working with 2,5W, and both ODX QSOs (70cm & 2m) where done by 2,5W only. Reason was energy saving, because in had only 23Ah of accu capacity available. When I came back to home I saw that there was still 8Ah in the battery.

 

I heard also DK5AI, SP6GWB, DL6NCI, OM3KII,…

 

All photos made by Aleš, S56AW.

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An excellent weather forecast forced me to prepare things for the contest. So for now, I  know that I’ll be active on Sunday (prob. on Sat. too) from 2000mtrs high mountain on S5 north border. Location is wide open to S, SW, NW, N and NE.

Picture below shows panoramic view from top to all directions. (Click for large view)

 

Primary 3cm band will be used with 80cm offset dish and only 250mW.

I hope I’ll be QRV on ON4KST chat if GPRS connection will be good enough, otherwise for sked please write SMS on my mobile:         00386 31 *************

Hope to see you in the contest!