So, the clocks went back 1 hour last weekend, what does this mean… it’s darker much earlier in the evenings ringing bells in my head says it’s time to start up some 160m mid-week madness again!
Question for you - who’s in for a S2S this time??
The normal culprits Kevin @MW0KXN and myself @GW4BML will be hitting the mountains this coming Wednesday evening the 8th of November, to erect the 7m pole holding 80m of wire in the sky! We also have another friend who wants to join our mad duo - Matt @MW0KAX, you don’t know what you’ve signed yourself up for buddy! hahaaa.
We plan to be on the SOTA summit of ‘Craig Y Llyn’ GW/SW-010 at approximately 20:30 UTC setting up our station to call out on top band at about 21:00 UTC. We will spot on every frequency, so please keep an eye and ear out for us - it would be great to work some stations from the SOTA community!
This is all subject to wx, but you know we are not shy from past experience if anyone wants to join in for a S2S, that would be fantastic!
Fingers crossed we’ll make a qso Brian - I thought this thread would have created more interest let’s see if we manage to hit the magic number on the night!
I’ve put an alert for The Wrekin G/WB-010 subject to weather.
To save a few minutes of wandering around in the dark deciding where to stretch out 80m of wire, and as it is only an hour from home to the summit, I’ve just walked up for a recce. Nice rainbow
I won’t be able to make this Wednesday but I will try and get organised for a later date. I made an EFRW a while ago which works with my IC-705 and AH-705 tuner but only at the SSB end of the band. I need to lengthen it to reach into the CW bit.
Love chasing your 160m activations, Ben, but I’m away from base this week and I don’t think my /p setup of a 41’ wire on a 6m pole might quite cut it for chasing….. Have a good activation. 73 Mike
Well I’ve just spent the morning creating a 160m dipole that might stand up on a summit. I know that it is twice the length of an 80m dipole, but after walking from one end to the other to trim it to 1.85 MHz it seems somehow even longer… IF the WX is OK then I’ll try the easiest (but not easy in the dark) nearby summit - Burnhope Seat (G/NP-003). Tomorrows job will include creating a bespoke laminated map that I can read without glasses so I can easily work out compass bearings as there is a distinct lack of path … I plan to operate from the AZ not the trig point as I know there is a large boggy bit to cross which isn’t particularly nice when you can see it so would be even more fun in the dark. I might try CW if I can’t qualify on SSB, if I do then please go slowly and don’t expect anything more than your call and a report!
Paul (PS Woody like most other sensible things will be tucked up in the warm so no excuses here for dodgy modulation…)
A reminder that you may catch some 160m activity this Saturday (11th) as it is the Club Call Contest 2000-2300 (but usually people around from lunch times setting up)
I put together an 80m/160m linked dipole last year, and will try it out in the next couple of weeks. Waiting now for a HD 12m fiberglass pole from Spiderbeam.
Admittedly, it’ll be a bit of an earth- and sky-warmer, but some RF should leak out sideways … fingers crossed!
Hi Rob,
I was very sceptical about a low dipole for 160m. Our initial activation last year used a 10m pole with the antenna in an inverted V which did the job just fine. The following week we used a 7m pole which also worked just fine. On subsequent weeks we had two occasions when we continued to make contacts with the antenna laying on wet ground following an antenna collapse.
The accepted theory would suggest that if we are serious about building an antenna for 160m it should be a vertical with a capacitive hat and an extensive ground field, but you may be surprised by how well you antenna works. Good enough is good enough.
Exactly! - theory is fine and dandy, but practice is another thing altogether. As others here said last year based on their own experiences, it’s surprising what a supposedly no-go antenna can actually do when fed with some RF juice.
So far I have achieved 41 chases on Top Band, mainly with a G5RV set up as a doublet but recently I replaced it with a 40m long doublet, both antennas only 7m above ground level. Both antennas are far from optimum unless you count their efficiency as cloud warmers, but I rarely fail to work any activation I can hear. Rob has the right idea - “mal sehen”!
ringing bells in my head says it’s time to start up some 160m mid-week madness again!
if anyone wants to join in for a S2S, that would be fantastic!
let’s see if we manage to hit the magic number on the night!
) as you guys!
. Have a good activation. 73 Mike