IE-072: Not quite an activation, but almost

Old Reflector
1

Hello all,

I joined the SOTA reflector a few months back, hoping I’d get up and running soon.

Well, that didn’t happen, but I have managed to get everything ready now.

Today I went for a long walk up to the Ben of Howth, IE-072, with the intention of a test-run.

Well everything was great, the weather was fantastic (I even managed to get an unintentional suntan), slight easterly wind.

I had picked up an FT-817 and required bits and pieces a few months for some activations.

I also made up a dipole, like GW4BVE’s.

The only thing that left me down was a) the HF conditions (unfortunately, no control over that) and b) my antenna construction skills.

I used the completely wrong wire (way to heavy) for the antenna, and the lengths may not have been exactly correct.

I did manage to make 1/2 a QSO with a very patience G0NXA, Giles in Tewkesbury. He got EI8F /QRP. Not enough for the logbook.

The 80 & 40M opened up at approx 6-7PM with Russia, Germany, and Netherlands at S6-7. Alot of G ragchew-nets on 80M were very clear from 5PM on.

Anyway, I’ll be going back to the antenna drawing board (possibly purchasing an Elecraft T1, if the price is right).

Hopefully I will get the antenna problems sorted, and I’ll be back up again, and then to some more challenging east-coast summits.

I thought you might be interested.

regards,
bernard
ei8fdb

2

FB Bernard. More activity from EI SOTA would be warmly welcomed by the SOTA chaser community across UK and Europe. You will become quickly very popular, I’m sure, if you are going to be regularly putting some EI SOTA activations on, especially on 80m and 40m.

GL, Tom M1EYP

3

In reply to M1EYP:

Hear, hear!

Brian G8ADD

4

In reply to G8ADD:

Hi Brian/Tom

Hopefully, I will be able to proceed without too much troubles.

The biggest problem (antenna and HF conditions aside) was keeping the damn antenna vertical.

There was not much anchorage available. I had my fishing pole (20 euro from a local fishing shop) attached to my walking pole, and 2 guys attached, but the wind was quite strong and I had to hold it against the rocks.

Any tips regarding anchoring?

I will be hoping for another activation or two before I go on holidays in June.

thanks

bernard

5

Any tips regarding anchoring?

Yes.

If there is nothing to bungee the pole to (trig point, fence etc), then you can get a guying kit from SOTA Beams. This is a ring that slides over the pole down to just above the bottom section, with three or four (depending on version) guy strings, with loops at the end, together with lightweight alloy pegs.

I don’t know if Richard (G3CWI) sells these as individual items, or only as part of packages with his poles and antennas, but you could always ask.

Check out http://www.sotabeams.co.uk

Tom M1EYP

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