SOTA cycling trip from the Ibañeta pass

I started my sota cycling trip from the Ibañeta pass, this nice place brings me good memories. From here there is a forest trail will take you straight to the top Ortzantzurieta.

Just taking a rest between Ortzantzurieta and Txangoa. 

The hard wind unbalanced me several times, forcing to put my foot on the floor. I even thought to go to alternative summit but the will to explore new lands pushes me forward.

EB2GKK/P station at Ortzantzurieta, EA2/NV-012

 I fix my aerial in the geodesic vertex, my working conditions have been a Yagui 3 elements and 12W. Fog covered the summit during the first part of the activation, then the sky cleared but the wind continued beating my yagui.

EB2GKK/P station at Ortzantzurieta, EA2/NV-012

On my way to the second summits, a strong gusts of wind makes me out from the narrow path. Unlucky the rear wheel hit on a big stone causing a brake in the gear change.

Gear change was broken.

I resigned to continue the planned route,  unable to reach the next summit, Urkulu by bike.

EB2GKK/P station at Txangoamendi, EA2/NV-170

I decided to return after activating Txangoamendi, it will not take me long because most of my backtrack was downward. Seeing that I had plenty of time decided to approach to a nearby summit, Girizu. This time bringing VHF/HF radio equipment.

The tree of life and the steady wind at Girizu.

Suddenly the silence was broken by the cry of some birds in flight, first thought sounds of ducks but after looking up I found out that the size of these birds was higher than a wild duck, they were several groups of birds flying in "V" !!!

A crane in flight, photo from google.

I did not know that would be positioned in the middle of the Siberian Crane's migration route on their way down south. These migratory birds also known as "Grulla", fly thousands of kilometres each year leaving their breeding sites in the northern hemisphere at the beginning of winter to spend the winter months in the southern hemisphere.

 Crane´s migration route, photo from google.

I am sorry for not having a good digital camera near but some station from their QTH also enjoyed hearing the squawking of these birds on the 144 MHz band !!! 

EB2GKK/P station at Girizu, EA2/NV-042

I would spend other day lying on the ground, looking at the clear sky but we are warned by the cry of these birds in flight that the winter is approaching into the Basque lands. The sun was setting and the weather started to cool down rapidly.

While I was collecting my things inside the rucksack, I said to me: "It was not a bad day, after all"
73s de Inaki

First weekend calling CQ SOTA & WWFF !!!

Esta vez hemos podido disfrutar de un largo fin semana de campo y radio, sin pasar mucho calor en altura. Tres días de campo activando varias referencias SOTAs y sobre todo dando a conocer estos espacios naturales de nuestra zona.

This last weekend, I have been enjoying a long field day, especially without becoming overheated from the summits. Three days activating several SOTA references and especially making known their Natural spaces.

The first was Orisol, EA2/ VI-014, which is located on Natural Park Urkiola popularly known as our Little Switzerland , 2nd one Recuenco, EA2/VI-007, which is located on Natural Park Valderejo a small Oasis with natural pools and 3rd one Txurruko Punta, EA2/SS-009, located on Natural Park Aizkorri-Aratz, the Basque Highlands.

Here the three Natural Parks that I have activated for the World Wide Flora Fauna during this weekend. Click on the image for more information... 
 

EAFF-184 Parque Natural Urkiola

EAFF-185 Parque Natural Valderejo

EAFF-178 Parque Natural Aizkorri-Aratz

Estas tres actividades se han realizado en Portable, trasmitiendo desde cumbres ubicadas dentro de los correspondientes espacios naturales protegidos, siendo la actividad válida para ambos Diplomas SOTA y WWFF.  

For more information on World Wide Flora Fauna and National EAFF program , please have a look at next links...

                                             

Durante estos tres días solo estuve activo en las bandas de 10 & 20 metros en SSB, aunque intenté los 10 metros la propagación no acompaño y me centré principalmente en la banda de 20 metros ya que es donde más actividad hay para dichos Diplomas.

EB2GKK/P station at Orisol, EA2/VI-014

From these summits, I have been operating with my IC703 at 10W with a new half wave inverted V dipole, but to my mind these last afternoons DX conditions have not been very bright. Anycase with this type of antenna I got greater impact compared with a single vertical aerial used before.

EB2GKK/P station at Recuenco, EA2/VI-007

Sumando las tres actividades se han logrado un total de 236 QSO´s sobre todo con EU y un total de 28 entidades trabajadas.

EB2GKK/P station at Txurruko Punta, EA2/SS-009

I had a total of 236 contacts in the log, making contacts with 28 geographic entities like Austria, Azores, Balearic & Canary islands, Belarus, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian European & Asiatic, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.

During last days I saw that some stations were kind enough to spot me on SOTAWatch and other popular cluster, It highlights the benefit of spotting. 

Aspectos a destacar desde Orisol…. 

I went on to work a lot of EA stations on 10m SSB before QSY to 20m, propagation locally on 10m seemed to be very good this time. It was very pleasing to get Francisco, EA7JGZ/MM on 10m, he was sailing around the Ibiza island, in EA6 (5/5 sent).

After activating the summit for about 2hours, I had a total of 95 contacts in the log on 20m SSB and 10m SSB.  It was time to pack up and go down.

Ready for back home from Orisol.

Aspectos a destacar desde Recuenco…. 

I found a free frecuency on 14Mhz to be clear and put out a CQ call, this was immediately answered by a big pilleup. After 2 hours on the summit, a summer storm was approaching and I was forced to do QRT when the first raindrops began to fall.  

Recuenco, walking along the edge of the mountain

Aspectos a destacar desde Txurruko Punta…. 

Russian Asiatic and Morocco contacts on 20m also surprised me from this summits, signals were fine and very readable. Not strong signals at the end of the activations but very comfortable contacts.

Looking backward, Txurruko Punta behind horses

Todas las estaciones contactadas recibirán de cortesía la QSL en formato electrónico vía eQSL.cc, los interesados que no disponga de este servicio se las puedo re-enviar via email sin problemas. Al mismo tiempo referente a las actividades relacionados con el programa WWFF World Wide flora & fauna subiré los logs electrónicos al coordinador del programa nacional EAFF para que estas entidades y referencias trabajadas se os acumulen de forma automática.

All QSLs will be send via eQSL, someone interested who does not have this service I could send it again via email without problems. At the same time concerning the activities related to World Wide WWFF Flora & Fauna program I will be uploading the electronic logs to the EAFF program manager.

Gracias a todos con quienes he podido contactar desde estos espacios naturales.

Thanks to everyone who helped get on these Summits and Natural Parks On The Air!

73 & 44

EA2/VI-008 Ballo (1198m), EH->F window was opened !!!

"Nice Tropo opening on 144Mhz band was predicted last weekend, EH->F window was opened"

We know that VHF radio signals are normally limited to a maximum area of approximately 150km, this last weekend we had a new chance to break our limits.

I was following this magical window during those three days and finally on sunday after four summits I could rest... let me start from the beginning.

After my radio break and favored by good weather I planned three walks for this weekend, visiting once again summits from Aralar, Elgea and Opakua mountain areas.

Aralar mendiak, are located in the heart of Basque Country, people say that Pyrenees start here in the Aralar mountains. I could check it easily just looking the whiteness of the snow, how it forms a line of junction between these two mountain ranges. 

I started activating Sarastarri, from where I had an incomparable panoramic view of this mountains.

EB2GKK/P station at Sarastarri, EA2/SS-057

This picture taken from this first summit shows far away my second target, snowed Ganboa.

Last hour of the route I found more snow than expected so I reached the summit with some delay.

The cold keeps the last snow on the summit

The following picture shows us the beautiful snowed Pyrenees in the horizon line from Ganboa summit.

EB2GKK/P station at Ganboa, EA2/SS-056

Next day on saturday, my steps headed towards the Elgea mountains in particular towards Aumategi summit.

This was spring day, ideal to relax and have a quiet day while I was waiting for strong beat signals of the tropo. Nothing of any special had taken place so we spend rest of the time talking with local chasers.

EB2GKK/P station at Aumategi, EA2/SS-003

Finally on sunday came the great day, I headed to the high grassland of Opakua mountains.

My working conditions was the Yagui 3 elements and TM-V71E set up to medium power, 10W.

EB2GKK/P station at Ballo, EA2/VI-008

The strongest levels arrived after lunch time from our neighboring country was what made me think of turning the yagui to France, getting from Ballo summit far contacts over 350kms. 

Tropo forecast map

Many local stations have been surprised here once again, listening my CQ SOTA calls in English...
I worked a total of 21 stations of which 3 are from France, including 2 Summit to Summit contacts with EA2OX and EA2BDS. Do not think that this band is dead in our area EA2, I hope this activation will inspire other stations to use this band&mode also for DXs.

EB2GKK/P station busy at Ballo

Next map I show you some of the more distant contacts from IN82uu:

13:05,145475,FM,EA2LU, IN92dt
13:11,145475,FM,EA1BOT, IN82sl
13:39,145475,FM,F8GGD, IN95uq
13:48,145475,FM,EA2BDS/P, IN83ie
14:38,145475,FM,F6FIC, IN96cm
14:49,145475,FM,F1MRO, IN95lq 

It is true that I have been following the tropo propagation forecast report maps, so this time I have not been surprised. About the selected summit I can say that it has been successful to point my aerial towards French lands. I feel a little sad for not having a big pile up from that side but looking forward to improving this result next time. Anycase, I was very lucky to get these french contacts.

If some UK stations were there QSYing and trying to contact me… I am sorry if we were so close, maybe next time the wind blows from another direction.

Looking forward to hearing you during the next tropo pass.

73s de Inaki.

EA2/VI-003 Aratz (1446m), Surprised by Tropo !!!

"Really it was an amazing day today from Aratz that I will not forget it easily"

I started my walk not very early in the morning, this summit is very close to my home and the day dawned with fog. While I was approaching the summit clouds were dissolving and the sun began to warm my body. The climb is made by the traditional path that starts from Araia, described in previous spots in my blog

 

Track followed

I fix my aerial in the geodesic vertex. My working conditions have been a Yagui 3 elements and TM-V71E set up to medium power. After reading the user manual of this transceiver I knowed that it was providing 10W instead of 15W said during my activation.

EB2GKK/P station at the summit

I was following the tropo propagation forecast reports last days and the selected summit has been successful.

Tropo forecast map

Many local chasers have been surprised also here in EA2, listening my calls in English... not in Basque. I have worked a total of 43 stations of which 10 are from UK, 4 Summit to Summit contacts of which one has been worked with MW0ECX/p from GW/SW009, it has been also great for Neil, as he told me he was operating from the summit with 5w from his TH-F7E into a vertical dipole. 

This time I only worked 2m-FM but getting far contacts over 1100km until the batteries died out at about 15h30utc. Here I show you on the map some of the more distant contacts from IN82uw:

11:48,145525,FM,EA2DYS/P, IN92nw
11:56,145525,FM,EA2LMI, IN92eu
11:59,145525,FM,EB2JU, IN83mg
12:09,145525,FM,EA2DCA/P, IN82rb
12:13,145525,FM,EB1CU, IN83jj
12:18,145525,FM,EA2BDS/P, IN82jr
12:35,145525,FM,M6NRW, IO82wg
12:37,145525,FM,MW0ECX/P, IO81jw
12:51,145525,FM,EB1HYS, IN82mq
12:52,145525,FM,EA1HDN, IN91as
13:04,145525,FM,2E1GNZ, IO83to
13:06,145525,FM,G0OHY, IO82gw
13:10,145525,FM,G0EWV, IO83to
13:16,145525,FM,G3SMU, IO83so
13:20,145525,FM,G0JEI, IO93ic
13:35,145525,FM,EA2EDN, IN92eb
13:42,145525,FM,G4PGJ, IO92et
14:21,145525,FM,MW0RHD, IO72tw
14:47,145525,FM,GW0IRT, IO81jt 

I was very lucky with the several DX into UK worked for a whole hour while the magic window remained open. It was absolutely great, I attach here some comments comming from contacted stations also show their amazement.

Hello Inaki,

yes it was an amazing QSO. Conditions were exceptional - I could hear you calling other UK stations clearly for a good hour. Thank you.

I hope we can make another S2S QSO again this year!

73s de Neil, MW0ECX

kaixo Inaki

Thanks for eqsl from SOTA EA2/VI-003, really amazing dx for 2metre FM 1102 km. In over 30 years of operating on 2m this my best ever dx on 2m FM and first over 1000km!

I hope we can do it again someday.

73 de G4PGJ Dave

Eskerrak agur.

Hello Inaki,

it was very good to work you today from SOTA EA2/VI003

May I compliment you on your English very good, the attached picture is me just after I worked you, I was using the handheld transceiver Yaesu VX-170 ON 5 Watts into a vertical aerial on my roof @ 350 feet asl.

QSL card is 100% via eqsl.cc

My locator square is IO72TW

Best 73 God bless. 

Bob MW0RHD

Hi Inaki

it was good to work you on the sota summit ...you were very lucky to get the good contacts very good skip to uk hi ... you were coming in very well on my old kenwood tm731e abt 20w into d/band anttena on my roof you were verry good 5/3 to 5/5 at times good hi ..ok inaki e.qsl is good by me and i also send you my personal card ....so all the best from les G0JEI

Thanks a lot to all local chasers for your calls and company, also to the good friends spotting me on Sotawatch. I hope this activation will inspire other stations to use this band for DXs. 

Looking forward to the next tropo pass, 73s de Inaki.

Next pictures were taken during my way back after packing everything.

Ready for back home

The cold keeps the last snow on the summit

Looking backward, Aratz from Elurzuloak