After my Friday’s fiasco I initially wanted to stay at home and put some effort into modding the bag, making some pigtails and maybe build a Slim Jim for my home QTH, well … may be to do some house work too However, weather has started to pick up and at the last minute all my plans has changed - I am going to Howth!
It is an easy summit in all respects, only 10 min walk from the car, excellent take off in all directions, no or very little RFI from the masts.
I’ve started as usual 2m FM, after getting those 4 QSOs QSY to SSB, 2 contacts with Ian @G0XBU nr. Manchester and Seamus @MI0YBH were inspiring so next QRG is 144.050, CW contact with Don @GW0PLP went perfect although we were unable to establish a contact on FM earlier. Then Ian @EI3LH - you were booming with your FT-290 !!! Mike @G1SCT has answered my CQ and we had a QSO with RST 529/419 and 405 km between us.
Then back to FM, few extra contacts and wrap up!
The only thing I didn’t like was Dublin traffic! Instead of my usual M50 route I’ve stupidly went through town both ways and got all possible roadworks available on my way
Great report and it was so good to get you in the log with my cake tin antenna!
The FM QSO I used my FT-65 with the MML 144/40 as I didn’t want to mess around just in case the FT-290R let me down. You were a perfect 59 so glad I got 59 back, showed the MML 144/40 was working as usually I get a 51 or 55 with just the HT and cake tin.
I did flick over to the 290 while you bagged more FM traffic. Even with the squelch up or down, your signal was still 59+ on FM with the 290 and MML amp. My FT-290R was delighted to be doing the job it was built for once more in it’s newly restored life! The king of All Moder’s!
I heard you say to QSY to SSB which I did and I could hear you bagging QSO’s (though audio was garbled of course) but obviously my antenna polarity wouldn’t help me here. I did switch to the built in telescopic antenna to test but no joy.
When you switched to CW I really struggled to hear you. You were definitely there in the noise but the signal was so weak I got you calling CQ SOTA and your CS and summit reference. I knew you heard me as you gave me the R R R FB and my callsign when I sent my ‘EI3LH K’.
The problem I had was getting your RST, I think you were sending me 5NN 5NN but I couldn’t be 100% sure so I stepped aside to let others make QSO’s. Glad to hear I was booming in your side! Maybe my Bingfu mag mount antenna isn’t quite tuned right for the CW portion of 144?
Just for your notes, I was using the FT-290R, Adiemod Turbo 6000 switch and my 100+ year old straight key I recently restored. Glad they all worked!
Well done on the activation. Ben of Howth and all the trails round there are fairly regular training run haunts for me this year. The cliff loop is fantastic for walking or running.
EDIT: Just looking back, I activated Ben of Howth last September and have you and @GW0PLP in my log book. I remember it was very windy that day. I strapped my 7m mast and Slim G to the trig point in your photo there!
Top tip, use a band pass filter up there. I found it helped me a lot due to the nearby tower.
Aha! That actually makes sense! I was suspecting something is not quite right
“R R R” was intended to go to Mike G1SCT after he confirmed my locator correctly.
I was calling you several times and indeed gave you 599 (or 5NN, don’t remember now), but didn’t realise you barely hear me! Especially after pointing the beam your direction and having an FM QSO S9++ each way earlier. It should definitelly be better than that.
I see some head scratching ahead Are you sure 290 CW circuitry is spot on?
Yep, I had the 290 sent away to the local EI Radio Doctor who gave it a full NCT and also repaired my FL-2010 and MML 144/25 recently too. All 100%. I think it was my antenna, you were waaaaay down there in the noise. More like a 22 than the 599+ over on FM.
Not to worry, another day so. At least I was a strong RX on your side, that’s great!
When I copped on that you were sending your locator as well, that’s when I stepped aside as I couldn’t hear anyone on the other side of the FM or CW QSO’s beside yourself of course and I didn’t want to get in the way of others.
I’ll try again with a different antenna another day definitely. Maybe the RHM-12 and tune it close to 144.050 and see how that goes, reckon I could get over the Irish Sea easily with the MML bucketing 40w out of the 290!
Ey good job! I was there on August 15th 2024, but bad prepared just quansheng so I only got one contact.
This time I found out that SOTA had led me to plan a night in the small village of Howth. That time, the contacts were made the night before in a cozy tavern with local people who kindly came over to ask what a Spaniard was doing alone on that Wednesday night.
Sometimes you remember a fantastic QSO, and other times you remember experiencing something that seemed to have been lost in the pleasure of traveling.
However, weather has started to pick up and at the last minute all my plans has changed - I am going to Howth!
so I only got one contact.
