Thursday 4 March 2010

GS3PYE

Well, time for another blog post me thinks...

GS3PYE

For the 1st 2 weeks of May, 3rd-14th off the top of my head, myself along with a number of other radio amateurs from the Camb-Hams group will be operating from the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides (EU-010). We will hopefully be operating on most bands from 160m-10m as conditions allow, on SSB and datamodes. There is a possibility that there will also be some 5Mhz operation as a number of us have NOVs for the experiment. Callsign will be GS3PYE (Callsign of the Cambridgeshire Repeater Group) from the cottage we will be staying at and probably our own callsigns whilst out on trips around the island and other islands which we may be going to.

Planning is still taking place but, as many of the group members did this trip last year as well, most of the details will be the same.

I must say, I am looking forward to this trip a lot as it will be the first larger scale trip I have been on and will be more organised than any trip I have been on before.

Not sure there is much more I can add to this at the moment.

As always, keep an eye on the cluster whilst we are up there. If you are a friend of mine, please be aware that I will not be able to be contacted via mobile phone whilst up on Harris as I am on Orange and Vodafone is the only network that works.

Thursday 30 April 2009

*DAY 4 ON EU-116*

Well, yesterday was nearly a bit of a washout; it was cold, wet and very windy up at the point of Ayre! Never the less we did manage to work about 60 stations on a combination of 80, 40 and 20m.

Today we are going up to the North West of the island (Not sure of the name of the place) for the last day of operations. As ever, look out for us on 80/40/20 and possibly 2m SSB/FM.

73 de all

Wednesday 29 April 2009

*DAY 3 on EU-116*

Well, yesterday was quite good. Operation from the first hill (that I can't remember how to spell) was good, Kevan and I managed about 40 contacts on 40m whilst Matt and James managed the contacts they required for the activation of the summit. We then drove down to Laxey and got the train up to Snaefell (I can spell that one! :P), once we got to the top we took a look around and then set up the 2m station (Yaesu FT857, 7m fibreglass telescopic pole and sota beam), initially trying SSB and struggling to make contacts. We were called by a friend of ours in Essex (2E0WMG) but he was right at the noise level as were many other stations, so we decided to switch to FM. This proved a good move as it didn't take long for all 4 of us to work the necessary number of stations to 'activate' the summit (This being the first summit Mark M(D)0MJH had sucessfully 'activated' however he was using GT7SRA this time)

Special congratulations must got to James M(D)0ZZO for his 150th unique summit activation (Snaefell)!

Right, today goes as follows:

We will be at the Point of Ayre for the majority of today running a number of bands/modes. Please look out for us on 80m/40m/20m SSB and possibly datamodes (PSK31 probably) and 2m SSB/FM.

I best get a move on as I think they're waiting for me down in reception.

73 from all here

Mark

Tuesday 28 April 2009

*DAY 2 on EU-116*

Another lovely day on the Isle of Man, well, so far. There is a chance of rain later this afternoon/this evening.

We are just getting our gear together and will shortly be heading out from the hotel. Today's plans are as follows:

We are driving over to Slieau Freoaghane (GD-002) where James MD0ZZO and Matt 2D0XIS will be climbing it to activate it on 2m/70cm. Meanwhile , Mark MD0MJH and Kevan 2D0WMG will be setting up on HF (most probably 40m around 7.150). (Hopefully today's HF operation will be more fruitful than yesterday's where we struggled to work more than about a dozen contacts between the two of us.)

After GD-002, we will be making our way over to Snaefell (GD-001) and all be heading up there. Operation will be on 2m FM/SSB.

73 for now from all here.

Monday 27 April 2009

*DAY 1 on EU-116*

You join us here on what looks like it could be quite a pleasant day on the Isle of Man (EU-116 for IOTA).

Today's plans are as follows:

James MD0ZZO and Matt 2D0XIS will be climbing South Barrule (GD-003), Mull Hill (GD-005) Bradda Hill (GD-004). Exact activation times are not yet known.

Meanwhile Mark MD0MJH and Kevan 2D0WMG will be active somewhere on either 80m (around 3.685) 40m (around 7.150) or 20m (around the IOTA frequency of 14.260). Also active may be GT7SRA.

Plans for later in the week are yet to be finalised but will include a trip up Snaefell (GD-001) and up to the Point of Ayre at the very northern tip of the island. Keep checking this site for any further details

73 from all here.

Monday 13 April 2009

**DXPEDITION NOTIFICATION**

Right, still not sure if anyone ever looks at this blog... but, as I have put it onto my entry for an expedition on RSGBIOTA.org that I am doing, I thought I'd best update it!

MD0MJH

Myself (M0MJH/MD0MJH) along with Kevan (2E0WMG/2D0WMG), Matt (2E0XIS/2D0XIS) and James (M0ZZO/MD0ZZO) will be on the Isle of Man (EU-116) between the dates of 26th April and the 1st May 2009. Activity will be on HF (mostly 80/40/20m but possibility of higher bands if conditions allow and 160m if space allows) from most locations across the island with the addition of VHF/UHF whilst on summits, of which Matt and James hope to do all 5 on the island.

Also look out for club callsigns of GT3CO and GT7SRA.

As we are told there will be wifi access in the hotel we are staying at, I should be able to post to this blog whilst we are there.

Can't think of anything more to add at the moment.

73 de M0MJH

Sunday 20 April 2008

MJ0MJH :D

Well, after months of 'planning' (most of it was just chucked together to be honest), myself and Kevan 2E0WMG are in Jersey (EU-013). Drove down in my car down to Weymouth and got the ferry from there at 1200hrs. Had to stop off in Guernsey's port for some of the passengers to disembark and then it was back to the sea for the final leg to Jersey. Once we got off of the ferry we were driving towards the customs queue and Kevan said "Oh gawd, please don't stop us! I don't want to have to unpack any of this lot!" (talking about all the radio gear in the back) and I think he jinxed us. As I was getting the landing cards out of my pocket, one of the customs officials waved us over. We had a nice little chat, he asked us how long we were staying, where we were staying, the reason for the trip etc. Kevan did his speal about amateur radio and he sent us on our way. We finally got to the hotel at about 5pm.

We went out and went onto 20m earlier from my car. Countries worked included Brazil, Malta, Saudi Arabia and Iraq! Not bad for 50w and a 20m hamstick (I think I used 100w temporarily for Iraq)!

73 DE MJ0MJH