SOTA Reactivation Mt Ainslie and EU DX

Saw a posting by Andrew VK1NAM who was going to activate Mt McDonald and try chasing EU DX, figured might as well join him and activate Mt Ainslie. This summit is most suitable for evening activations as there is a road to the top and it is practically in the city, and is very quiet electrically.

As per my first activation parked out of the activation zone and walked up the road to the top.

I walked around to the proper tourist lookout to see if any better position to operate. There are some tables and chairs here but too many tourists about.

So returned to the operating spot I used last time, a 'round metal thing' on the very summit.

Set up my SOTA shack on the concrete base, with a mouse mat for comfort.

40 m and 20 m fan dipoles run out to nearby gum trees.

Got on 40m at 07340z working S2S with Andrew VK1NAM/p on nearby VK1/AC-048, Mt McDonald. Then VK2LAX Rod and VK2JI Ed on VK2/HU-093 Mt Elliot. Worked several chasers in VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5.

Just before 0800z got on 20m after the 40m contacts dried up. Found the band packed with DX, managed  to find a quiet spot on 14.280, spotted myself and called CQ SOTA.

I got jumped on! Generated a good pileup of EU stations from several countries. Bit of a shock after only working VK/ZL on previous SOTA activations. After a while a couple of Spanish stations came up on my frequency and started chatting so moved frequency and continued. After it went quiet went up to 14.335 to chat to Andrew VK1NAM who sounded like he had also been very busy, going by spots. While chatting we had a station call in, 2E0YYY Mike on a G summit, G/SP-013. He worked Andrew first then myself. Pleased to make a S2S to England on 5w! Over 17000 Km, possibly more as long path. Andrew left me with the frequency as he had a bit of a walk back to the car. Continued working DX until dusk at 0900z, then pulled down the station and headed home for dinner.

Here is the list of callsigns I worked.

40 m

VK1NAM/P Andrew S2S VK1/AC-048
VK2LAX/p Rod S2S VK2/HU-093
VK2JI/p Ed S2S VK2/HU-093
VK1RX Al
VK2CCW Michael
VK3FPSR Peter
VK5GJ GReg
VK3PF Peter
VK2YK Adam
VK3FRJK Ralph
Vk3ANL Nick

20m

OE9HRV Herbert
G4UXH Colin
OE7FMH Franz
HA5LV Victor
VK6NU John
G6TUH Mike
VK1MDC Mark
IK4CBO Georgio
DK9JI Alfons
G3MWV Dave
EA2CCG Joaquín
DF5WA Bert
EA3HND Jaime
VK1NAM/p Andrew S2S VK1/AC-048
2E0YYY/p Mike S2S G/SP-013
HB8MKV Rudi
VK1MA Matt
G0RQL Don
EA2LU Jorge
DJ5AV Mike
G4OBK Phil
HB9BHW Hans
SM6DER Sten