First field experience

S57GP and S54MTB rode mountainbikes (MTB) to local SOTA summit. The expectations were low, because it was our first contact with SOTA activation. We started in Idrija with two small rucksacks with HAM equipment, two bottles and two bikes.

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Our destination was Kobalove planine (Mount Kobalove) with SOTA reference S5/TK-026. The summit is nicely visible from Idrija. We took the road through Idrija centre. The road turns right and uphill just in front of old elementary school. After few km we reached the tourist farm with some cows and beautiful views. The weather was excellent.

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The short cut just after the RC model landing zone is closed due to fallen trees after sleet few months ago. The path is maybe passable on foot, but not with bike. We took the road around and after half an hour we reached the pass with even more consequences of sleet disaster. The wood is picked from the mess which used to be good forest.

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After short descent on northern side of the Mnt. Kobalove we reached small fresh water spring and refilled our bottles. The extent of the sleet disaster is visible on every step. After few shortcuts over steep meadows we finally reached the summit. The weather changed and it started raining. We decided to wait under the overhang of the old TV transmitter house.

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After 15 minutes it stopped raining and we set the antennas, radio, batteries and other equipment in place. We placed one vertical and two dipoles and started CQ’ing SOTA on announced bands. Unfortunately there was no answer on 20, 17 and 15 meters. We answered to few calls from around Europe with good report, which means that our equipment was OK.

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After two hours we decided we had enough “SOTA” experience for the first time and started packing. The descent was really nice. We took lovely singletrail all the way to the Idrija. We ended our compact edition of the field day with productive PSK31 evening.

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Here’s our GPS track in GPX format (zipped): 2014-06-14 1316__20140614_1316

73 de S57GP and S54MTB.

 

 

 

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