300+ miles on 2m FM? Arizona SOTA S2S Madness from CA

K6ARK activates W6/SD-026 in the San Diego mountains at 5,764' to make multiple 2m / 144MHz 300+ mile Summit-to-Summit contacts to Arizona activators.

[@503Nick]

That is an awesome contact!

[@jsieb]

Awesome FM contacts! I love that homemade beam setup, super cool!

[@K6ARK]

Yah, it turned out even better than I expected. Pretty awesome

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

328 miles, 2m FM, 50 watts. Wow!!! I could feel your buzz of achievement. That really is something. Thanks for sharing!

[@K6ARK]

Yes! It was awesome. We don't often get 2m propagation in the Western US, so this was special to me. Sometimes it's the rarity of success that makes the challenge that much more appealing. Thanks for the comment!

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

@@K6ARK We don't have really big mountains in the UK but we do have areas of high ground. I'm too old for really heavy duty SOTA but you've inspired me to try some hill/portable work next Spring.

[@ambroinaz]

Very cool video. Awesome S2S to AZ sota folks!

[@paul-1963]

Brilliant, love the beam

[@Mottersmotters]

Great video Adam fantastic work great to see the Zepp out in the field. Super Job. Motters M7TRS 73

[@ricsanders69]

I want to build that Yagi!! :-D great video...thanks!

[@TechGearJunkie]

Very cool. Looks like a future build project!

[@K6ARK]

It's worthy. I recommend a slightly stronger boom than fiberglass arrow shafts unless your priority is portability. My whole antenna sans mast weighs less than 1 lb.

[@danhober150]

Cool. Wx7mb used to live here in San Diego.

[@markdoyle8713]

Love what your doing.I attempted a pota and had a ball. Met another pota at the top . Super nerd fest. Good times , just used my arrow 2 with a Kenwood d-74 he did aprs and I did 2m voice. When I watch your videos I have my Cw app listening to play along. It actually works. EE

[@georgewashington7444]

Hey man love your content! I am all VHF SOTA spent many hours calling for 4 QSOs but I am to close (MG) to go HF now. My most remarkable QSO on 2m FM was 235 miles confirmed from the Summit of Mt Marcy NY state into West Long Island. I was using a FT60R and 3 element Yagi. Can’t wait to switch over to HF with my MTR4bV2! 72!

[@m1hax]

Great work

[@K6ARK]

Thanks Richard, CA doesn't often get ducting like that, at least as I have experienced. It was really cool!.

[@m1hax]

@@K6ARK I think the best I have managed was 125mi S2S both using 5w HTs.

[@dafyddr8678]

Awsome video Adam ...Dafydd M6ULU UK

[@ptsmonvideo]

Hi Adam! You have to give a lesson on how to support antennas on hard/rocky ground. I’m in Menorca and missed some activations due to not being able to secure my mast in this kind of ground.

[@twobikesandadrone]

Can't wait to do some SOTA activations in the near future....and while I don't know any code, your videos are starting to put that bug in my ear for sure! Do you have a video for your beam build?

[@W6RIPRadioAdventures]

Wow! Real Sweet!!! Is that like a new Record??

[@K6ARK]

For me, yes! Previous best was 194 mi.

[@BrianJurkowski]

Good day, Adam! Greetings from Canada. Thanks for the great video. This was... INSPIRING!! ...do you mind if I ask what kind of transceiver you were using for your 2m QSO's?

[@K6ARK]

Brian, the transceiver is a Yaesu FT-857.

[@Bob814u]

I just got an Yaesu FT-857 and am looking forward to working VHF and UHF SSB and such. I have done most of the HF stuff so now I want to challenge myself with VHF and UHF. Maybe I can get another chance at working you and videoing it again. 73! de KE5ES

[@russosacalione]

Parabéns amei a antena de 6 elementos aprendendo muito com vc gosto muito de sota uma hora vamos marcar forte abraco py4lds

[@gizmo702_3]

That is fantastic! What are you looking at on your phone?

[@K6ARK]

I use my phone to log using VKPort-A-Logger. I was also checking for spots on Sotawatch.org

[@Gravel_Rat78]

Those are some super cool contacts... what are you using for the masts?

[@JaronActual]

This doesn't surprise me. My cheap 5W HT is hooked to a homebrew 20 AWG antenna hanging from a PVC pipe in my front room, and I can easily use repeaters 50+ miles away ( on good days I can do it on 1W ). 50W with a better antenna, and a good front end to hear the response? Oh yeah, you can get some range. I bet if you didn't have to fight the weather and you knew the exact direction to point your antenna, 350 or maybe even 400 miles would be doable. It seems so few people bother experimenting with FM or VHF/UHF ( because it's not *REAL* radio! ;) ) so not many know what it's really capable of. You can find all sorts of HF antenna plans, guides, and crazy ideas online, but if you search for 2m antenna plans, 99% of the results are "Just build a J-pole," all re-using the same wrong calculator and dimensions. Too many people blindly accept what some "expert" told them years ago. And thanks for the Morse subtitles for us non-code heathens.

[@K6ARK]

150-200 mi is the most you can get even from a mountain top without special propagation (typically tropospheric ducting) on 2m due to curvature of the Earth and terrain. I have made a few QSOs on 2m over 300 mi, with 328 mi being my best. It's incredibly good fun, and I really enjoy working 2m over long distances. Thanks for the comment, and I'm glad you enjoyed the show!

[@bntravelin2]

oh hell yeah de ne7ts

[@johnslaterlll3355]

Hi Adam, I have a question on your 6 element beam? Do you have a print to make that or where I can find a similar idea? I do SOTA in the mountains of NH. Would love to make that! Thanks. And also you should try to make a trip up to the northeast! Great peaks over here. Thanks John KB1EEU.

[@K6ARK]

Yes, I do! I did not invent it... I used someone else's plans... www.qsl.net/dk7zb/2m-short/5-ele.htm Good luck with the build. Would love to get out there and bag some peaks. I

[@harshba]

@@K6ARK Thanks for the link! I love making antennas.

[@stillthakoolest]

Hi. What are you doing on that phone or tablet during contacts? Logging or just writing callsigns?

[@OE8ACT]

What app are you using for logging your QSO's and how is this strap called for mounting the phone to your leg? Very nice videos keep on going! 73 from Austria

[@K6ARK]

Now I'm mostly using OutD log. VK Port-a-log is good too. The leg strap is just a magnetic phone mount and a velcro elastic strap. I made a build video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iX3CdaJolttnd8U

[@OE8ACT]

@@K6ARK Thank you for your answer. 73 de OE8ACT - Patrick

[@justinshephard5262]

Awesome activation! What is that strap on your thigh holding your phone? I see it being very useful...KN4WXI

[@K6ARK]

Home-made magnetic phone holder. Sounds like I need to make a video for that one...

[@K6ARK]

Here it is... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iX3CdaJolttnd8U

[@jeremywho2289]

What radios are you running there? I see the KX-2, not sure about the other two.

[@charliebrown556]

I was running an ft897 at 50w with a j-pole. Charlie NJ7V

[@K6ARK]

I had a Yaesu FT-857 at 50w hooked to the beam and a Wouxun HT hooked to the extended double zepp.

[@BrekMartin]

Hi, little CW experience here. What’s with all the E characters in the CW?

[@K6ARK]

In morse, a string of "E"s means "error" or "I made a mistake" and is then typically followed up with a corrected repeat of what was intended.

[@BrekMartin]

@@K6ARK Thanks!

[@reidlanham2011]

Very cool VHF beam. Any details on how you made it?

[@K6ARK]

Thanks Reid. You can find photos and more info here: m.facebook.com/groups/37631909313?view=permalink&id=10157823129309314 Or here: photos.app.goo.gl/QjMwqW6jJvMLwitN9 Design copied from: www.qsl.net/dk7zb/2m-short/5-ele.htm

[@muhammadyusufusman7369]

What is portable radio are you using i affricate you.

[@pupeno]

Do you keep a log on your phone? What apps do you use?

[@K6ARK]

Yes! I use OutD Log. It's a great app for SOTA logging with very simple export/upload functions for SOTA.

[@pupeno]

@@K6ARK Thank you.

[@muhammadyusufusman7369]

300+ miles of 2m FM? What is the Dimension of 6 element yagi i need space. Sir paul pillip

[@bntravelin2]

headphones

[@h.sapienstechnologicus8865]

Now THIS is a flavor of HAM I favor. Not the old farts regurgitating same lame HF stuff.