While over on GD land for the Manx Rally 2025 helping out with rescue duties we had some downtime between shakedown and a night stage.
After shakedown stage (only one start line fire) dealt with by the onboard fire extinguisher system, a fire stick and two or three more from the start line the fire was out. One of the rescue crew got stuck in to help with the fire.
Both crew OK but p*ssed off as they didn’t even get to start.
0 car - Car that goes into stage before the actual 1st car
Back to Douglas and we parked up at the hotel, got changed and heading to get the tram from Douglas > Laxey > Snaefell. £18 return
After spotting to try and get people aware I called CQ from the trig using a FT3D.
Interference from the masts did not help and while I could sometimes hear people they soon dropped out and disappeared - I did hear a GI station call back but lost them in the interference - must get a SOTA beams filter
The first two contacts came quite easily on 2m. Kept calling CQ and no joy.
Decided it was cake and a brew time in the cafe.
Cake and brew consumed, I returned and tried again. Made one more on 2m and then switched to 70cms and managed to get a mobile station.
4 contacts done…Phew!
The mast
Action shot
After this we(the rescue crew came up the hill on the tram with me) descended the hill on the tram back to Douglas to get some grub and then return back to the rally for the night stage.
Some rally info. Night stage went OK until we heard screech of tyres and a thud.
IoM ambulance on the event (not the one I was crew chief for)
The car that met the rather solid dry stone wall
Both OK(ish), but sore
Cheers
john
M0VAZ
