2m update…
Well, this will certainly go down as one of my more eventful activations.
Arrived at the trig point of G/WB-005 at about 0830 local time. Set up the station and reached for the mobile and log book. No mobile or log book, I’d left both of them on the front seat of the car.
So, back down to the car to retrive both items. After about 20 minutes Txing I noticed the SWR was higher than normal on the triple 5/8 collinear and it certainly was not performing as I would have expected.
Soooooooooo, once again, back down to the car to retrive the X-300 collinear.
Having made the change, I noticed an immediate improvement in the signals. G1STQ who was about 5/1 was now 5/6.
After an hour or so, Simon 2E0CHV/P arrived on the summit, he hadn’t realised I would be up there. Simon had no HF gear, so I vacated 2m and set up for HF.
The mobile signal was non existent on G/WB-005 and I was having all sorts of problems trying to get spotted. It was Frank G3RMD who came to the rescue and in a moment of madness, I asked him to spot me on 21.275 when what I actually meant was 14.275.
It was then that things started to go from bad to worse. There was huge pile-up on 21.275. After an age, I finally managed to get G1STQ on the mobile and he spotted me on 14.275, the correct frequency. However, this was far from the end of my woes, as this frequency was now occupied and unworkable!
Then, the very last straw, two Rangers appeared in their sooty van and ordered both Simon and myself to pack up the the radio gear. Normally, they’re quite reasonable, but today they were having none of it.
Apoiogies to the HF chasers who were trying to work me. While I was talking to the Rangers, I did hear one station ask me to move up 5 Kc’s, but sadly I was forced to go QRT.
I did consider going to to G/WB-003 or 004, but by now, I wasn’t really in the mood.
To sum up, I’ve had better days
73 Mike
2E0YYY