With quite a few summits alerted for today, I figured a trip to Gun was in order.
So, this was SOTA activation #250 for me!
After working at both the Milton Keynes and St Neots rallies, this weekend and imbibing in one or two more Extra Cold Guinness than I should have done with the other traders, I can’t say I was exactly over the moon to hear the Alarm this morning.
The drive to Gun was frustrating due to road works causing a big delay, nevertheless, I was there in good time. As the bands are so unpredictable, I decided to take an antenna farm with me. 5/8 over 5/8 colinear, 7m fishing pole antenna and the excellent Antron-99.
Tuning up the A-99 for the 20m band, my first contact was with with DL9MDI for a couple of points but more importantly another S2S.
An Immediate change to the colinear 2m fm, I found the band in fine shape, my first contact being an unexpected s2s with G4CQZ/P on G/SC-006, no chance of this contact from Gun unless there was a lift. The calls rolled in the best of them being a 200 mile contact with Don G0RQL in Devon. A very welcome S2S from Allan GW4VPX/P on GW/SW-003 also was also logged.
A change to 12m and the A-99 produced 10 calls before eventually, a qsy to the fishing pole and the 40m band for a S2S with Barry M0IML/P on G/SE-013.
Back to 12m and still working with the fishing pole, I found the band very quiet. A quick change to the A-99 and I identified a not too strong, but highly prized P29 calling. Amazingly, there was no pile-up and I got P29FR on my third call for what may be my best contact of the 12m challenge so far.
Tuning up the A-99 for 17m found K4DY and Rich N4EX.
And a quick look on 15m found YB3FBZ in Java.
60 contacts with 10 S2S, so all in all a very nice 250th activation.
Thanks to all the chasers…
Picture of the antenna set-up for today’s activation, can be found at the bottom of my QRZ page.
73 Mike
2E0YYY