Lots of activity in GM today. Great to see @MM0VPM Alan out and I was after some completes. Sadly the bands were shocking and I had no chance from EA8. I was worried for a while on my first summit EA8/GC-004 that I may walk away without the activation.
13cms and 2m were the way to go !
Weather was stunning. I managed a complete thanks to a 2m S2S with Fraser MM0EFI on Lochnagar. 2x S2S on 13cm with Alan MM0VPM on Goat Fell GM/SI-006 and Cir Mhor GM/SI-011. S2S on 2m with Tom MM1EYP and Jimmy MM0HGY on Broad Law GM/SS-029. Finally Jack GM4COX was 59++ as he was only 30km distant on 13cm. So as he has a new IC-9700 and I had my IC-705 we had a long chat using DV on 13cm. It sounds horrible but I think I’ll be trying some tests when we are out playing on 13cm in future to see if DV is more viable in weak signal strength conditions than FM is. The theory says it should be. But by how much?
Setup at the trig point. IC-705, SG-Lab 13cm transverter, VX-170 for 2m coordination
Huge thanks to all who managed to work me today.
More reporting later although I can confirm that 3 on Arran is as tough or tougher than 5 around Ey.
Stunning weather (for Scotland )
I’m also stuck on an island with limited high points, and have strayed into the POTA zone in order to get some contacts to check out my travel rigs and antennas, and try to get some mental oil to clean the rust out of my Morse Code Cogs…
Rick (temporarily VK/M0LEP/P)
Rick,
Your trip to Rottnest has stirred up some memories of a visit in 1985. Now I want to do it again!
Hope your antenna issues are resolved and you can get onto the bands you planned for.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2DA
Yep. Sorted out the 15, 20 and 40 metre links just fine, and made some contacts. Most of the ones on 15 were Japan, while 20 brought in a couple of eastern states and 40 got one in WA. Initially the tuning for 15 was a bit off, but I had a pair of tail-ends with the appropriate bullet connector, so setting for 15 now takes opening the links and then adding the tails. 20 and 40 were fine as they were, so something must’ve been messing with my tuning when I cut the link for 15. Need to test the 17 and 30 metre links some time.
