I have a 2m 150W PA from the late 80s. The Japanese manufacturer supplied with 2x chassis mount N connectors. I bought it second hand and the chap selling it said “I have replaced those stupid N connectors with PL-259s”. I smiled and said “Have you got the original N’s?” and he said no so I bid him down £20 on his price to pay for new connectors and my time!
Yes, I don’t know why, but the SO-239 reigns supreme still. Probably because there is enough market friction that it’s a hard sell to make the switch. But just image if you took delivery of your new IC-7300 and it had a pair of N sockets fitted as standard. Ooooh you’d be chuffed
Thanks for your informative and comprehensive reply to my questions.
For me a lifestyle change is what is required to loose some weight and get mountain fit !
So I reckon my radio ham connections will be on a lifestyle change too ! 259s to BNCs !
… this noting that the IC-705 and even my old IC-2E are BNC already !
The mistake I made was to buy my Spectrum Slim-G with 259 rather and BNC fitting. So will be changing this as well as going BNC on any antenna I make myself.
Hi Peter
Sorry to hear of your problems getting contacts from this hill which made me apprehensive when we (with M0JLA using HF) walked up this hill (with a few hundred other people - it was a Sunday) on1 June this year. We did the usual route from the Visitor’s Centre car park (NB loos were free when we started but 50p each when we returned!) although it turned out to be our only activation (thanks to the rain and over-tiredness) in the Loch Lomond area I was expecting to be almost inundated with so many people within range. We ignored the extremely popular ‘summit’ and continued on the West Higland Way a short distance further to go up the ‘proper’ SOTA summit (is it a few mm higher??) where we had exclusive use but could see the constant stream of people on the other summit. In windy conditions I set up the dipole (2½m high) with Yaesu VX7R and started calling at 1053 when I was instantly answered by the local activator, GM3YTS Rob, who had walked up to meet us on Dumyat on our last trip to the area. This was followed by a very regular chaser, GM0VEK Peter, Kirkintilloch in times gone by. By 1122 I had 15 contacts 2m -9 and 70cm -6 which wasn’t nearly as high as I had expected but still a good haul. Mostly around the Glasgow area but also reaching Edinburgh and Ayr with 5w. I must admit I had probably been helped by a SOTA alert (and spot) and a callsign which was recognised by quite a few callers who came to say ‘hello’ - a feature of 2m fm as usually, I get a small band of ‘followers’ if visiting an area and doing a handful of hills within a few days.
The rain had restarted so we packedup ( Rod had failed to qualify on HF but didn’t want to get everything wet - and didn’t really need the point!) swiftly and started the slow descent as I was finding the uneven stone steps had to be taken very carefully but eventually we were back in Balmaha in sunshine. I was amazed to see how popular the West Higland Way was - even spotted a husky carrying his supplies in his saddle bags!. Good luck to them in the turbulent weather around at that time.
Best of luck next time and I do recommend the far summit as there is even grass to sit on!. 73 Viki M6BWA
I operated from the same Summit as you in May (in a heatwave!) and managed to activate the summit. Even then on a Wednesday there were hordes of people walking the West Highland Way. I think I heard just about every European language that day plus some North Americans and one New Zealand couple. As a comparative local I was amazed at how popular the WH Way was. Hope to work you on your next trip up here.
73 Rob GM3YTS
