If anyone is planning a VHF/UHF activation of Grt Orme, unless you have a filter box of tricks, don’t bother. VHF/UHF is unworkable. Even Bob G6ODU, chucking 150 Watts at me just about got through the noise. I even changed antennas to see if there was any difference…none. Bob informed me there were loads of stations calling, but I couldn’t hear any of them
Only heard one other station GW3NPS/P Alan, who was not a SOTA participant and seemed to have some height. We had to qsy to the repeater to have a qso. We were joined by GW7SBO who thinks there’s been some work carried out on the Grt Orme antennas. Well whatever has happened up there, it’s not good news, bearing in mind the last time I worked 2m fm there, I found 64 contacts.
As for HF, that was pretty average after the weekends bonanza. S’pose that’s radio for you
If you were using your FT857D, I would be surprised if you had as much trouble as it appears, as my FT897D, which is virtually identical eletronically perfoms quite well in areas of high commercial QRM.
If you were using a fancy handheld & Colinear, well, you only have yourself to blame Hi!
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
Edited to add:
Just seen your reply to Andy & I am surprised. In the video below, my FT817 which is a fraction of the size of either the FT857 or FT897 hardy batted an eyelid on Billinge Hill, even with a J-pole / slim jim connected. The only problem I had was finding enough chasers up & about at the silly time in the morning I was up there Hi!
I seem to recall you had problems on Gun G/SP-013, but I think that was with the VX8 handheld.
Interesting result on Great Orme, I wonder if anyone else has used an FT857 on VHF up there & had similar problems?
I seem to recall you had problems on Gun G/SP-013, but I think that
was with the VX8 handheld.
Interesting result on Great Orme, I wonder if anyone else has used an
FT857 on VHF up there & had similar problems?
Hi Mark, I made 64 cotacts on the same rig and the X-300 collinear about 5 weeks ago. Today, I started with the simple bunny ear dipole and then an X-50 collinear. +60 of almost constant QRM up there.
In reply to 2E0YYY:
I keep an old Kenwood TR-2600 (2m only) to hand for noisy locations. Heavy, and almost the size of a brick, but a narrow front end. Not been up any hills with it though…
73 Graham G4FUJ
