Nice trip up Stikkvannskollen with its 361 meters above sea level. Well established tracks and the best signage I’ve come across on a SOTA trip so far! Didn’t stop yours truly from making a wrong turn on the way down though; causing an equal mix of annoyance and pride in my companion, who had suggested the correct direction where the track split. Clearly I needn’t worry about him getting lost!
I brought the FT-817ND, DigiRig[*] and my 20m dipole. I first attempted to erect the antenna alongside the watchtower, but that thing of course has a massive amount of rebar in it, and so I was rewarded with an SWR of 4.5:1 (and loud beeps from my SWR meter). Next, I positioned the pole at about 45° of one of the tower legs. This resulted in a very acceptable 1.2:1.
Less then brilliant conditions on 20m, but after some 35 minutes I’d logged the following with only 5W from the little Yaesu:
FT8
- SP2HJN Czeslaw, Poland
- LZ3CB Todor, Bulgaria
- OP4K Joe, Belgum
- M0OVG Stuart, England
- DK4RH Roland, Germany
- DL6NAC Dieter, Germany
- CU3HN Fabio, Azores
FT4
- M0DPK Phil, England
- TM150FOR, France
- ON4KBU Jose, Belgum
- OE3KLU Charly, Austria
[*] Yes, it finally arrived. Funny how it’s now faster to get something delivered by China Post then by the USPS!
