Gun G/SP-013 Brief Report

Activation Reports
1

Well anyone who took the trouble to activate a summit today, must have come down with a nice tan …I certainly did!

Met G1STQ at the trig point as arranged and that’s where it all started to go wrong for him …you really couldn’t make it up! Anyway, no doubt, he’ll be along to tell the tale a bit later.

There seemed to be hundreds of portable and mobile stations dotted all over the country due to the plethora of contests on VHF, so trade was brisk.

I started on 2m FM then had a quick look at SSB. There was plenty of DX on SSB, I worked a couple of GMs before qsying back to FM. Trade was steady all day with contacts as far as North Yorkshire and down to Stratford-upon-Avon with Walt G3NYY/P even further south IIRC. However, a really nice contact with Steve GD7DUZ from his home QTH, on the IOM made my day. This was the first time I’ve ever worked the IOM on 2m FM from any summit, but from Gun, this must be a exceptionally rare.

There were a few S2S to be had M0RCP/P on Pen-y-ghent, G4ASA/P Dave on G/SP-002 Black Hill, who was on the verge of topping himself until he made the 2m S2S contact with me, that was necessary to qualify the summit. Also Brian, MW6OXO/P on GW/NW031 working the contest.

Bottom line 101 contacts logged all 2m.

Of course, helping G1STQ, probably cost me another 250 contacts, but hey, what are friends for :wink:

73s and a big thanks to all the chasers…

Mike 2E0YYY

2

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Amazed that you missed Rob GD4RQJ/p on Bradda Hill. He was a good strong signal when I was /m on the way to Buxton.

Thanks for our contact.

73

Richard
G3CWI

3

In reply to G3CWI:

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Amazed that you missed Rob GD4RQJ/p on Bradda Hill. He was a good
strong signal when I was /m on the way to Buxton.

Yup, shame to miss that one. One of my failings, I tend to just sit on the same frequency and don’t look around enough.

Thanks for our contact.

My pleasure.

73 Mike 2E0YYY

4

In reply to 2E0YYY:
…it all started to go wrong for him…

OK then… My last activation report was called ‘Not The Best One’ and at the time I assumed that my next hillside venture would be better. Not so.

I have been off work for 2 weeks and am starting to feel better so I thought a gentle stroll on Sunday would be good for me. Get me off the sofa and see how much better I really was.

Decided to have a go at PSK on HF followed with a play on 4m - the first outing for my new Wouxen radio and the first time I have tried PSK portable.

The stroll from the car park took me much longer than expected…perhaps I am not as well as I thought/hoped I was. Dragged myself to the trig point and found a nice spot to wait for Mickey. Decided to unpack my kit as a more slow and thought-induced set-up for HF today was needed as I was not feeling to great.

DOH! Where is my slab battery?

Still connected to my charger at home. “Bother” was muttered and I pushed on glad to know I re-charged the internal batteries of the ft-817 on Friday. 2.5W not as good a 5W, but better than none.

DOH! Where is my di-pole?

Either in the laundry drying out from my last activation and put away kindly by Mrs. STQ or on the ground somewhere on Titterstone Clee where it dropped from my rucksack. “Bother and damnation” or words to that effect.

I sit and sulk but have to be cheerful when Mickey appears, looking in desparate need of an American goat to get all his kit to the trig. (Great videos on youtube).

“I know” said I…“4m - thats the way to do it”. I spotted myself and started using my new Wouxen. And I called and called and then gave up. “Bother”. but no-one around. Shame as I was looking forward to using it.

I switch to 70cms…a band I have used very little - and never for an activation. Had a few radio problems (I must read the manual sometime) but after half an hour I had 5 qso’s in the log and about time too. I had started to feel a bit ‘off’ so thought I’d call it a day. Took me 5 seconds to pack up this Wouxen - much easier than hf afterall. Heard Mickey speaking with a Scottish station so I tried him with just 2.5W on my ft-817 and it’s rubber duck. 5/9 both ways. Made me a bit more cheerful as I bid Mickey a fond farewell and wandered back to the truck.

A hard mornings radio…hopefully the next one will be better?

Who knows?

Thanks to the stations worked and sorry if I missed anyone today - brain just not working as it should. Back home now and back on the pills.

73’s, John.

5

In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike

HF was certainly a nightmare today on Black Hill G/SP-002.

Had called you a few times on the H/H on 2M to no avail, put the Rubber duck on the FT-817 and still no result, so in desperation connected the inverted ‘V’ to the 817 and it worked. Thanks for persevering.

Teach me to leave the 3el yagi in the car thinking I wouldn’t need it.

Dave G4ASA

6

In reply to G4ASA:

In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike

HF was certainly a nightmare today on Black Hill G/SP-002.

Had called you a few times on the H/H on 2M to no avail, put the
Rubber duck on the FT-817 and still no result, so in desperation
connected the inverted ‘V’ to the 817 and it worked. Thanks for
persevering.

No problem, Dave. Really pleased you qualified it.

Teach me to leave the 3el yagi in the car thinking I wouldn’t need it.

Not an easy summit for VHF coupled with a depressing walk :frowning: However, my collinear did work reasonably well up there. Thanks for the S2S and hope to catch you on another summit soon.

Best 73

Mike
2E0YYY

7

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Trade was steady all day with contacts as far as North Yorkshire and down
to Stratford-upon-Avon with Walt G3NYY/P even further south IIRC.

Hi Mickey! Many thanks for the points in the Hill Toppers Contest … yes, I was located 10 km NW of Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, which is not a bad haul for 2m FM. Congrats on your 101 QSOs from Gun! You actually made more QSOs than I made in the contest … my final total was 97 in 4 hours, running 10 watts to a 5-over-5 slot fed yagi.

BTW, there were two contest stations active on Walbury Hill!

Hope to work you on FM again on your next activation. I have a new toy! Can you guess what it is? :slight_smile:

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

PS: On Saturday afternoon I was out activating G/WB-024 on 2m FM and I heard G4TCU/P on G/WB-009 working S2S with M1EYO/P on The Cloud. Sadly, I could not hear M1EYO/P. The Cloud is very difficult to work from down here. I have very rarely even worked Tom on his customary perch during contests.

8

In reply to G3NYY:

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Hi Mike! Many thanks for the points in the Hill Toppers Contest …
yes, I was located 10 km NW of Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire,
which is not a bad haul for 2m FM. Congrats on your 101 QSOs from
Gun! You actually made more QSOs than I made in the contest … my
final total was 97 in 4 hours, running 10 watts to a 5-over-5 slot fed
yagi.

Always nice to talk to you, Walt.

BTW, there were two contest stations active on Walbury Hill!

Hope to work you on FM again on your next activation.

Look forward to that…

I have a new
toy! Can you guess what it is? :slight_smile:

ROTFL
Is it long, thin and white? :-))))

73
Mike 2E0YYY

9

In reply to 2E0YYY:

ROTFL Is it long, thin and white? :-))))

You got it in one. It came from RadioWorld near Walsall.
:-)))))

73,
Wlat

10

In reply to G3NYY:

You got it in one. It came from RadioWorld near Walsall.
:-)))))

Dave at RadioWorld must love me!

I’d be grateful for your comments after you’ve taken it out for a test drive, Walt.

Make sure you take a sharp pencil with you :wink:

73
Mickey 2E0YYY

11

ROTFL Is it long, thin and white? :-))))

I have a spare one or two of those (including the W300) - perhaps I should try it out somewhere soon !

I did try a smaller X5000 on WB-009 a few weeks ago, I made a few contacts, but nothing like the number that Mike manages each time he goes out !

Stewart G0LGS

12

In reply to G0LGS:

Mike stays up all day and calls CQ a lot - both factors that make a major contribution to his QSO numbers.

73

Richard
G3CWI