Trip to Dunstable Downs

It was a fine warm summer evening for the July UKAC. I decided to trek long distance to Dunstable Downs (IO91RU). A site I had visited previously albeit unsuccessfully on 24GHz on the way back from this year’s rally.  Its an amazing place with a clear view from West through to East, being further along the Chiltern Ridge from my normal Lacey Green and Xmas Common sites. Its also slightly higher at 243m ASL.

I co-sited with Jules M0UGA/P who was testing his 5GHZ WBFM 1.1M Grid Dish, and Phil M0NVS/P who was operating on 13cm. Richard G8FUO/P also joined us to work some stations. 

 

Sunset on Dunstable Downs IO91RU

On 5GHZ WBFM conditions were very poor with an extreme amount of noise in all directions form Wi-Fi and other data sources. We tried with the usual suspects - Stewart G0LGS/P, Matt 2E0MDJ/P at 104Km but no QSO’s took place. We had terrible problems finding a clear channel. So in the end using a couple of sets of gear, we worked each other for just some local points!

Dunstable Downs Visible Horizon (Source:HeyWhatsThat)

At the end of the evening the 13cm contest was still underway and Phil kindly allowed us all to grab a few QSO’s on that band to add to the Drowned Rats tally. A very enjoyable outing and great to operate on 3 SHF bands. But it was a long way to go to a site that was problematic on 5G, so I won’t be returning for a while. The sunset however was amazing, and the views were spectacular!

On 10GHz conditions were reasonable and 6 QSO’s were completed with G4LDR (IO91EC), G4CLA (IO92WJL) G0LGS/P and 2EOMDJ/P (IO81XW). It was great to work Peter G3PHO (IO93GG) and Nick G4KUX (IO94BP) for the evenings ODX of 323km.  Both M0UGA/P and G8FUO/P both worked stations on 3cm.