Its nearly the end of the 2015 10GHz portable season, so a useful point to look-back and reflect on my 2015 activity on 3cm this year. I've taken the gear out /P on 6 occasions:
- Sunday 31st May (UKuG 10GHZ Cumulative Session #2) - First outing this year, decided to pop over to my local high spot Knowl Hill Common, south of the A4 between Reading and Maidenhead (IO91OM). Tried with Brian and Dave M0HNA/P (Walbury Hill) and Neil G4LDR (Salisbury) but I could not get the 10GHz system to function due to a relay problem. I could hear and work both stations on the 2m SSB talkback frequency using the FT290R Mk1 2.5W into its telescopic whip.
- Monday 8th June - I was traveling to the Reigate area so visited a roadside site, very close to GB3SEE (IO91VG). Being LOS to the Beacon the signal was very strong and proved that the RX side of the transverter was now working fine. On ON4KST chat I found John G4BAO in Cambridge and we tried a 3cm test, but nothing was heard at either end.
- Sunday 26th July (UKuG 10GHz Commutative Session #3) - I drove to West Wycombe Hill (IO90OP) but could not hear G4LDR. On the way home I roved to Knowl Hill Common IO91OM) and this time I heard the Reigate Beacon GB3SEE at good strength, but failed with Neil again on 3cm as the 75km path was too obstructed in the the SW/W direction on 3cm.
- Monday 3rd August - Third time lucky, G4LDR worked easily from Coombe Hill, IO91GI proving that both the TX and RX were now all good.
- Sunday 27th September (UKuG 10GHz Commutative Session #5) - I worked Stewart G0LGS/P from a site near Christmas Common (IO91MP) and also Martyn G3ZME/P at 147km. I roved to Lacey Green Windmill (IO91OQ) and worked G0LGS/P again.
- Sunday 4th October (RSGB October UHF/SHF Contest) - That morning I was near St Anne's Hill Chertsey (IO91RJ) with my brother Rob G1TYY, so we arrived at the site to try and work M1CRO/P (Walton-On-The-Naze) and John G3XDY (Ipswich). I failed with both unfortunately as the viewpoint proved to be good to the North, but dense trees and overgrown bushes obstructed the NE/E direction. M1CRO/P did hear my SSB and I think if I’d had a longer time window to operate, we could have made a QSO. I listened for the GB3SEE (Reigate), GB3CMS (Danbury), GB3PKT (Clacton) and GB3MHX (Martlesham) beacons but none were heard. Key lesson learned - try and visit sites to check them out before the day of operation! The location was also popular with the public and whilst I don’t mind answering questions, I smiled when someone asked “What’s that dish for, are you trying to contact Mars?”