Activities 2017
In the RSGB 80m Club Call contest – which started in February and finished at the end of July – we finished 12th out of 45 clubs in the General Clubs section. Thanks to Ken G0ITI, Geoff G0PFH, Richard G3UGF, Michael G8IC, Martin M0GQB, John M0JPA, Eric M0JCK, Colin 2E0HQJ, Dave 2E0SHT, Tony M6HFX, Chris M6IJT and Paul M3CVI for their efforts.
Our first event of 2017 was on 16th May when we went to Blackshaw Head in the hills above Hebden Bridge. The weather was very pleasant and we had a good time in the sun.
Ken G0ITI operating on 2m
Darren M0WIT setting up his I-Pro Traveler assisted(?) by John G7ELX who has his back to the camera
Chris M6IJT (left) and Phil M6HNO admire the erected – and adjusted – I-Pro Traveler
The following /P evening was on 20th June when we went to Norland Moor. Again the weather was very pleasant and we had a good time – even the midges kept away. The evening gave me the opportunity to allow a couple of members on the Foundation licence course to make their first HF QSO as one their practical assessment tasks. I see from my log, that I also had a QSO with a HB0/SP9FIH on 17m so the evening wasn’t all serious matters. I was using my FT-991 with a 40m doublet erected as an inverted vee about 8m high at the apex.
Unfortunately, we have no pictures of the evening’s activities.
As well as our /P evenings, HADARS took part in the Practical Wireless 144 MHz QRP Contest on Saturday 10th June. For this year’s contest the maximum power allowed had been increased to 5W so, after carefully measuring and setting the output, we used a Yaesu FT-991 coupled to a 9-element Tonna. We were hoping to use a 17-element Tonna but the wind was too strong for the rotator. In the event, we did a lot better than last year and ended 28th out of 64 participants. We were also awarded a certificate for Best Fixed Station which was a pleasant surprise.
The GX2UG station part-way through the PW 144MHz Contest
Colin 2E0HQJ at the microphone and …
… John M0JPA also assisted
Our third /P evening was on 18th July when we visited Blackstone Edge. Once more we had good weather although it was very windy – it generally is windy at this location but this time it seemed worse than usual!
There was great interest in Colin 2E0HQJ’s new ‘portable’ aerial …
… getting there …
… and it’s up – despite the wind (but not necessarily pointing in the direction which Colin wants!)
Just to give the lie to John G7ELX’s nickname of “the licensed listener”, here’s a picture of him actually on air. In the background is Gary, at the time unlicensed but now 2E0FGR
For our final /P evening of the year, we returned to Blackshaw Head. The August event usually finishes early because it gets dark around 21:00 BST but it also gets quite cool as the sun nears the horizon.
There were some excellent signals coming in including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, America and Myanmar but, using only a portable station running 70W, meant we weren’t able to break through the pile-ups.
Club members at Blackshaw Head – from left to right, Chris M6IJT, Barry M6VBG, Martin M0GQB (at the controls), Eric M0JCK and John G7ELX listen to the signals
The demonstration station at Blackshaw Head Fete with M0GQB on the rig
Our final planned /P activity took place on Saturday 9th September when we took part in Churches On The Air operating GB0BHM from Blackshaw Head Methodist Chapel. We’d had a good time last year and were hoping for a similar result this time. Unfortunately, it was not to be – a solar CME erupted a couple of days before Saturday and conditions were still poor (just like the preceding week during the Blackshaw Head Fete). As last year, we used a Yaesu FT-3000 with auto-ATU connected to the foot of a 40m doublet erected in the churchyard. We worked 30 stations on 40m SSB but only two of those were other ChOTA stations.
The club’s 40m doublet erected in the churchyard for ChOTA 2017
The weather might seem nice and sunny in this picture but the auto-ATU at the foot of the 40m doublet erected in the churchyard was wrapped in a plastic for additional weather protection and later on the weather protection was much needed!
The ChOTA station inside Blackshaw Head Methodist Chapel with John M0JPA at the microphone
That’s all our /P activities for 2017. Now that Autumn has arrived, we won’t be doing anything outside but we will have the club rig “on air” on Tuesday evenings, probably using one of the digital modes such as the new FT8. Have a listen for G2UG and give us a QSO!
Ken G0ITI in his shack
My thanks go to Ken G0ITI who is almost the only person who remembers to bring his camera to our events and so is the one who takes all the photographs on this page. As a result, he rarely appears in front of the camera, so here’s a picture not taken by Ken G0ITI showing him in his shack. Thanks for all the pictures, Ken!