Chris M0KPW had a couple of days off from work this week and he asked if I fancied a little bit of SOTA activity.
Not a good start to the activation as the one we chose G/LD-048 Top O Selside we could not access, as the road up the east side of Coniston water was shut off. We then opted for an easy G/LD-050 Gummers How.
I really went for a bit ot fun, but I did take the Alinco Tri-band Handie and the 23ele 23cm aerial, I managed to work three stations but failed with fourth. So Nil points for me, it’s pretty damn hard to qualify a Lakeland summit on 4/6mtrs and any microwave band.
Tuesday I was busy, so I couldnt accompany Chris out, but I did go for my dog walk on Kirkby Moor G/LD-049 on Wednesday. This time just the Alinco and two ele PCB aerial, but alas, just one valid QSO and one fail.
I was talking to Ross G6GVI via email, he suggested using my SG-Labs amplifier the the Alinco handie.
So I tested this in the shack, I could now produce 7w on low power and 15w on high power, with the added advantage of the pre-amp in the SG-Labs linear making the Alinco much more lively.
Ross, notified the guys he works usually that I was going to be on. Also after being inspired by following Andrew G4VFL on his QO-100 travels, I’ve loaded up APRSDroid on my phone and the guys could follow me to the summit.
I switched on, put a call out and back comes Ross 5/9 plus everything, then with him liasing I go on to work another five stations on 23cm FM. What a rare treat to qualify a summit easily on 23cm FM all QSO’s were easily 90kms, not bad at all.
I asked Ross if there is any way of notifying the guys in the North West of any planned 23cm activity, apparently it was all pretty informal. But since Ross has started up 23cm-NorthWest group on Groups.IO, so hopefully in the future It will not be Nil points for me so often when I take the microwave kit out.
Nick G0HIK
