For the July UKuG 24GHz
contest I decided to go to Walbury Hill near Newbury. On the way I visited
Remenham Hill (IO91NM78) and Shiplake Row (IO91NL18) but unfortunately nothing
was heard or worked from either location! Just outside Kintbury on the A4, I
stopped at a farm entrance (IO91GJ69) to quickly work Dave G1EHF/P on Walbury
Hill. This was an easy 7km LOS path using WhatsApp for talkback. I was pleased
to get a first QSO in the log to prove that everything still worked!
Walbury Hill at 297m (974 ft) is the highest natural point in South East England. I've been there several times for VHF NFD and other contests, my last visit was for the June 2019 SHF UKAC. It is an amazing place with a full 360-degree horizon and take-off in all directions. On the hill I met Phil G3TCU/P who was competing in the 4M Trophy, and Dave G1EHF/P with his 24GHz and newly built 122GHz NBFM system.
Again using Zello, Peter GW4HQX/P called in from the Blorenge (IO81LS19, 122km) who was co-sited with Keith GW3TKH/P. A QSO with GW3TKH/P followed and then with GW4HQX/P, both fully readable on SSB. A new country Wales and ODX for me, I was very pleased to smash through the 100km barrier, twice!
Roger G8CUB/P who had been at Hackpen earlier in the day, was now close by at the sister hill Combe Gibbet (IO92GI25, 2km). A quick easy QSO was completed on 24GHz just before Dave G1EHF/P worked him on 122GHz. The NBFM activity on 122GHz using the VK3CV boards looked great fun! QSO's seemed to take place relatively easy after overcoming some initial tricky alignment.
Most of the /P folks left to work that were in range had assembled in Stockbridge and were trying to QSO back to Roger on 47GHz, 76GHz and 122GHz. Dave and I managed to get the attention of Neil G4LDR on 144.390MHz and a 24GHz armchair copy NBFM QSO was completed (IO91GC68, 26km) to wrap-up a very enjoyable day.
Really pleased to make 6 QSO's on 24 GHz with 6 separate stations from my 2 locations, 4 QSO's were first initial contacts (G4FRE/P, GW3TKH/P, GW4HQX/P and G4LDR/P). Interestingly 3 contacts were organised and used Zello for talkback, 2 used 144.390MHz and 1 WhatsApp. ON4KST contributed to 0 contacts. It was fantastic to work beyond 100km, with 2 contacts at 122km to increase my all-time ODX. Overall a great day out!
Walbury Hill at 297m (974 ft) is the highest natural point in South East England. I've been there several times for VHF NFD and other contests, my last visit was for the June 2019 SHF UKAC. It is an amazing place with a full 360-degree horizon and take-off in all directions. On the hill I met Phil G3TCU/P who was competing in the 4M Trophy, and Dave G1EHF/P with his 24GHz and newly built 122GHz NBFM system.
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| G1DFL/P 24GHz Walbury Hill |
It was very
busy at Walbury in terms of talkback, with 144.390MHz and Zello (SHF Chat) both
buzzing with traffic! ON4KST when I logged in was surprisingly quiet, everyone
had disappeared. Using Zello for talkback, second in the log was Dave G4FRE/P
at Cleeve Common (I081XW81, 74km) who was a massive signal. This QSO instantly
increased my all-time 24GHz ODX, previously 67km
from Hackpen to Winchester in 2017.
Again using Zello, Peter GW4HQX/P called in from the Blorenge (IO81LS19, 122km) who was co-sited with Keith GW3TKH/P. A QSO with GW3TKH/P followed and then with GW4HQX/P, both fully readable on SSB. A new country Wales and ODX for me, I was very pleased to smash through the 100km barrier, twice!
Roger G8CUB/P who had been at Hackpen earlier in the day, was now close by at the sister hill Combe Gibbet (IO92GI25, 2km). A quick easy QSO was completed on 24GHz just before Dave G1EHF/P worked him on 122GHz. The NBFM activity on 122GHz using the VK3CV boards looked great fun! QSO's seemed to take place relatively easy after overcoming some initial tricky alignment.
 |
| Great to work 122km and Wales, twice! |
Most of the /P folks left to work that were in range had assembled in Stockbridge and were trying to QSO back to Roger on 47GHz, 76GHz and 122GHz. Dave and I managed to get the attention of Neil G4LDR on 144.390MHz and a 24GHz armchair copy NBFM QSO was completed (IO91GC68, 26km) to wrap-up a very enjoyable day.
Really pleased to make 6 QSO's on 24 GHz with 6 separate stations from my 2 locations, 4 QSO's were first initial contacts (G4FRE/P, GW3TKH/P, GW4HQX/P and G4LDR/P). Interestingly 3 contacts were organised and used Zello for talkback, 2 used 144.390MHz and 1 WhatsApp. ON4KST contributed to 0 contacts. It was fantastic to work beyond 100km, with 2 contacts at 122km to increase my all-time ODX. Overall a great day out!