Well its been a strange start to 2020 radio-wise. Just 3 outings so far:
- January SHF UKAC - I headed to Swallowfield (IO91MP) to find a very muddy farm gate which made set-up extremely difficult. On 3cm I encountered several issues with the FT-290R Mk1 which was swapped out for the FT-817ND. I could Rx G4LDR, G4ASR/P, G3PHO and M0GHZ but they were unable to hear my QRP. This site has lots of high hedges and trees in close proximity, and is topgraphically shielded in multiple directions. So whist it is useful for 70cm and 23cm, it proved rubbish for 10GHz. With the terrible mud and various rig problems I left the 13cm and 6cm gear in the car. The site has a clear horizon to the NW and on 9cm with the 60cm Offset Dish, I managed a single, easy QSO with Mike G8CUL (IO91JO) at 31km. The 9cm Bampton GB3LPC beacon was also audible at 54km.
- March UKuG Low Band Contest - I took my re-boxed 9cm kit, 60cm offset dish and 5m LDF-450 heliax up to Dunstable Downs (IO91RU) for the afternoon for a play. I met up with Jules M0UGA who was testing 23cm. I'd not finished the sequencing of the 9cm DB6NT, so hastily attached the Pluto SDR as a lash-up. Really pleased with the TX, easily managing 20W+ out from the Stealth Microwave SM3437 amplifier. I was loud with G4ODA (IO92WS) and MOHNA/P (IO91GI). Frustratingly, I could not hear either of them, despite lots of tweaking with the Pluto SDR settings and changing SMA patch cables. It also rained several times which at least proved to be a good test for the new IP66 waterproof enclosure. Subsequently, with the Covid-19 pandemic impacting our lives in the UK, we are in lockdown with no /P activity allowed.
- March SHF UKAC - I decided to find out what 10GHz would be like from home! Using the drive-on plate and with the car on the front drive and the 60cm Offset Dish at 7m unguyed as there was no wind - I tried with Dave G1EHF who could just hear me. I heard David G4RGK who is local in Marlow, but he could not hear me. The Reigate 3cm beacon GB3SEE was received at 539, 52km away. In the last 10 minutes of the contest I was super pleased to complete a 2-way QSO with David M0GHZ (IO81VK) at 93km. Significantly, these are my last UKAC points to the Drowned Rats Radio Group (DRRG) after 5 years of contributing. From
April 2020 onwards I fancied a change, and I've decided to join
Northern Fells Contest Group (NFCG). This is a bunch of highly skilled,
highly experienced VHF/UHF and mostly /P operators, based in IO93/94/84
squares. A really friendly welcoming team of folks who I can learn from
and contribute to - especially around SHF - which was sadly not a focus
with DRRG.
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| Enjoying my radio from home with tea breaks! |
I've been re-purposing my /P gear so that I can operate from the garden, used the time to build a 4/6M dipole, constructed a new sturdy mast mounting bracket for my 2M 9-element Tonna, and re-wired power cables and coax patches. This means I'm now good to go on 6-4-2-70-23 with outdoor rotatable aerials. I have a choice of either the 7M swagged poles or the 5M EA telescopic mast, using my mini-tilt stub mast planted in the back garden.
The plan is to use the next couple of months whilst self-isolating, to finish re-boxing (and adding sequencers, LNA's RF Amps) for 13cm, 9cm, 6cm (using the Pluto SDR) and finally 3cm. Also I need to fix my 6cm WBFM kit, although there is unlikely to be anyone in range using that mode. For sure 24GHz from home will be interesting! Hopefully at some point during 2020 I'll be able to go out /P again - I'm certainly looking forward to that. Meanwhile, stay at home, enjoy your GHz radio and stay safe!