SOTA Activations and Outdoor Operations

For those interested in SOTA or outdoor portable operations, I am attaching some recent photos of recent operating locations from which I have been working. In addition to SOTA activations, I do some maintenance and custodial work for the Alpine Club of Canada so I have been operating from the ACC back-country huts. The video link below is a short tour of one of the huts I visit frequently which has a short clip of my operation within the hut.

Sota set-up on Allstones Ridge

sota activation in Japan as JJ1TLL

With Troy (VA6TNA) on a SOTA activation of Corkscrew Mountain

Great Cairn Hut, Selkirks.

Elizabeth Parker Hut, Yoho

Fryatt Hut, Jasper

 

  • #1 written by VA6MPM
    about 4 years ago

    Thanks for your comments John. At our latitude, most Alberta SOTA guys use a small amplifier. Mine will boost my KX2 to 30 or 40 watts which makes things much easier. However I have done several activations without the amplifier. If I am on a multi-day hut trip, I don’t carry the amplifier due to the extra weight. I love my Elecraft KX2 but it is also the only HF radio I have ever owned or operated. I use it at home as a base station tied to a bigger amp. I am up to 32 countries so far in the past year on my simple station with a simple dipole antenna.

  • #2 written by VA6SGL
    about 4 years ago

    Thanks for brief insight about your adventures. Are you running an amplifier on your SOTA activations? How do you find the Elecraft KX2?

  • #3 written by VE6BLD
    about 4 years ago

    Thanks for this great post Paul!