The Tip Run

So after getting my QDX up and running with FT8 on Android app at home the garden, it was time for a live test.
G/SE001 Walbury Hill is my local summit and around 30 minutes drive. However I had a boot load to take to the tip and Walbury Hill is close ish to the dump. We still have to book appointments for the dump so I thought I would try and make Walbury Hill on the way to the dump and this turned out to be a mistake!
Having never been to Walbury Hill before I guessed my way to the trig point but found it not publicly accessible so burned precious time finding a suitable spot.
I now had 20 minutes before needing to head off so got the vertical, base coil, counterpoise and tripod set up.
Plugged in the QDX to phone and started up the FT8 app.
At this point all looked good and stations were rolling in so I preceded to call a few with no luck. Odd I thought! Still carried on again getting no response. A check found the counterpoise connection had disconnected and also I was on 40m not 20m that the antenna was set up forπŸ™„. Less haste more focus. That sorted I now had run out of time but thought one last try to see at least some people f it was working. An II5 called CQ and I hit the screen, waited the 15 seconds for my transmission and then the decode!! Success as he replied and we completed. System torn down away to the dump just in time.



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