Pocket-sized homebrew 40m CW QRPp/QRP transceiver

In May 2019 I activated Mt Dandenong VK3/VC-025 with my latest homebrew rig. It was a CW only activation, five QSOs completed, but while I was handing out 599s, the reports coming back to me from the chasers were well down. Over the next few days on OZSOTA (the VK SOTA discussion group) several chasers made comments to the effect that they could hear other VK3s but nothing much from me. When regulars Tony VK3CAT, Ron VK3AFW and Gerard VK2IO reported the same thing, the evidence for a problem at my end mounted.

Two activators, two summits in the Yarra Ranges (25/10/2019)

On the 25th October 2019 I dragged David VK3KR out to the Yarra Ranges for some SOTA fun. The story is told by the video. Thanks to all chasers!

Mt Little Joe (VK3/VC-027) and Mt Strickland (VK3/VN-030)

Sunday 23rd October 2016 promised to break a cold and wet spell in Victoria’s Spring weather that had deposited heavy rain, hail and snow down to 800 meters.  The night before, a bunch of keen activators had braved the weather to participate in a VK-ZL-G-Eu joint activation timed to capitalise on grey-line propagation.  Hats off to those who did go out because Melbourne’s weather was atrocious and a summit was about the last place most people would have wanted to be.  The next day, Sunday, dawned dry.  I considered going up to Lake Mountain for Federation Range but the snow cams showed a fresh coating of powdery white stuff, not enough to ski on but plenty enough to make it cold. What I really wanted was to christen my recently completed homebrew 7MHz SSB rig, codenamed ‘Summit Prowler One’.  The design and build story for this project in another post.  Mt Little Joe promised a good activation experience and a fresh mountain walk.

Mt Little Joe VK3/VC-027, Britannia Range VC-011 and Mt Bride VC-009

Mt Little Joe (VK3/VC-007), Mt Bride (VK3/VC-009) and Britannia Range (VK3/VC-011) form a popular same-day activator’s 10-point trifecta, all south-east of Warburton.  Getting to all three peaks is relatively straightforward.  On the day of my visit (31st May 2015) I decided to tackle Mt Little Joe first as the access descriptions and a few of the bloggers described several ways up and a particularly steep part of the climb.  Best to try this first up, not after having done two other ascents. I drove toward Warburton, picking up Old Warburton Rd on the Melbourne side, and looked for the sign to Back Stairs Track on the left (north) side of the road, about 1 km past Mount Bride Rd.