Forum HF sked

[Marc Lurie]

Hello all,

My software suggests the following:

UT 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
U 10 10 10 7 7 10 14 18 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 18 18 14 14 10 10 10 10
R 10 7 7 7 7 10 10 14 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 14 10 10 10 10 10 10
S 7 3 3 3 3 0 0 10 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 10 7 7 7 7 7 7
L 1 1 1 1 1 10 10 10 14 14 14 14 14 14 10 10 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Which shows that 18MHz is the recommended requency from 08h00 UTC until 17h00 UTC, with 14 MHz being the secondary frequency.

What time would any of you like to make the sked (Saturday or Sunday, I'm free both days), and please suggest an 18 and 14 MHz frequency where we can meet. I guess the QRM will be on your side, so you should chose the frequency.

I'll also be online on this forum at the same time.

'73 de ZS6HZ

[timbott]

Oh dear, no one seems interested Marc, apart from myself, and it will be a couple of weeks before I am re-equiped again but then I will be up for it.

Sunday would be best for me if we are going to try and make this a regular sked.

Just as a matter of interest please would you explain in more detail how to understand 'what your software suggests'. I sort of understand it, but then I sort of don't too:o

cheers, Tim

[Highway_Star]

Just spotted this.

I'll stick the radio on if I'm around.

[Marc Lurie]

How about Sunday at 15h00 UTC?

I'll be on the radio and on the forum as well.

[AJC]

Any contact yet?

AJ

[Marc Lurie]

I'm on 18.126, and there are Europeans coming through. It's now 15h11.

Anyone there?

Marc ZS6HZ

[Marc Lurie]

Nothing heard on 18MHz. I'm listening on 14.226 at 15h37

Marc

[Marc Lurie]

Nothing heard, but there is a lot of QRM. Let's try 14.215. It's now 15h41 UTC

[AJC]

Doesn't look like anyone with the capability is around at the moment Marc. :(

AJ

[Marc Lurie]

Well, I'm hearing Swiss, Italian, Russian and North African stations, so the poms should be coming through.

I'll give it another try on 14.170 for the next few minutes. It's 15h51 now.

[Marc Lurie]

I'm chatting withe ZS1RJQ in Cape Town on 14.170MHz if you'd like to join in...

16h05

[Marc Lurie]

Nothing heard, but I did have a long chat with ZS1RJQ in Cape Town, D60VB in the Comores, and S52ST in Slovenia.

Perhaps next week, 14.170MHz, 17h00 UTC?

[Highway_Star]

I listened, heard not a thing, but to be honest that's not uncommon. Prop to Scotland is dire just now and QRM is generally S9 all the way.

That and the usual weekend plethora of contests keep me away from HF during daylight hours, especially at the weekends.

[Marc Lurie]

Prop to Scotland is dire just now and QRM is generally S9 all the way.

It's a real problem everywhere. We're really at the bottom of a cycle low at the moment. Hopefully things should start improving soon. I remember the fantastic propagation that we've had at solar maximums...

[vzh7gk]

Sorry, been away from work for a while and didn't see any of this. Wouldn't have been able to make last Sunday - hospital visiting...:eek:

I shall try to keep up in future. Still trying to get radio kit into 90 :confused: . 'Playing' trains saturday and marshalling for the MSCC Production Car Trial on sunday, so I guess this coming weekend is out too... :(

Cheers,

[G-Cam]

Are we going to try again tomorrow?


in a couple of years time we can all use 10m & a wet bit of string and will be able to hear each other!

[Marc Lurie]

Are we going to try again tomorrow?

Sure, why not. :) What time's good? Should we say 15h00 UTC on 18.125MHz to start with?

I'll also be on the forum like last week.

[vzh7gk]

I'm marshalling on the Morgan Sports Car Club's Production Car Trial today. Very unlikely I'll get home in time...

Good luck, I hope conditions are better...

73

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Sure, why not. :) What time's good? Should we say 15h00 UTC on 18.125MHz to start with?

I'll also be on the forum like last week.

I hope to be listening out for you Marc. will be on the Foum too.

[Marc Lurie]

Hi all,

I'm on 21.196 at the moment, and Europe is booming through. Let's give it a bash OK?

It's 14h56

[SeriesIIIOwner]

QRM on 21.196 here South Coast UK

[Marc Lurie]

Perhaps the better way to do things is for you guys to tell me a frequency, and then I'll listen for you. There's a lot less QRM this side.

Please suggest a freq on 21, 18, and 14 MHz, and I'll scan between the three frequencies listening for you.

The callsign here is ZS6HZ

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Calling you on 21.202.5 very quiet here

Call here is M0LRE

[Marc Lurie]

I'm listening. I have an Italian on freq, but he's very light.

[G-Cam]

21.202.5 - quiet in Gm land?

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Nothing heard here very quiet Freq.

Any Ideas??

[G-Cam]

want to try 20m? If we can find a gap between the 'CQ Contest' calls!

[Marc Lurie]

Lets give 20m a try. You tell me which freq.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

want to try 20m? If we can find a gap between the 'CQ Contest' calls!
Any ideas, I'll follow. All very busy here

[G-Cam]

14.217.500? quite here at the moment.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

14.217.500? quite here at the moment.
Lots of contest stations here (IT9RBW)

[Marc Lurie]

I'm there now. A little QRM, but not serious. 14.2175

[G-Cam]

I think they should ban contests...they really do my head in!

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Too many contest stations on 20m, , Any Thought on 17M 18.1175 quiet over here.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I'm there now. A little QRM, but not serious. 14.2175
IT9RBW on that Freq here

[Marc Lurie]

Let's do one more try on 18MHz. You guys suggest a freq.

The contest is a total pain in the ar$e.

[G-Cam]

IT9RBW on that Freq here

Yip - he has just jumped in on a 'quite spot'! Typical

[SeriesIIIOwner]

18.1175Mhz

Quiet Here now

[Marc Lurie]

I have a scandinavian very strong on 18.1175. Can we try somewhere else?

[G-Cam]

18.114.00 - quite here at the moment?

[SeriesIIIOwner]

18.1500Mhz quiet here ???

[SeriesIIIOwner]

What's better for you Marc??

[Marc Lurie]

18.150 is silent here. Let's give it a go.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

18.150 is silent here. Let's give it a go.
Calling on 18.150

[G-Cam]

Calling on 18.150
Ditto

[vzh7gk]

Guess I'm probably too late? (15:43z).

Just been listening to a Miami station 3 kHz lower...

(PCT finished early - still trying to get the mud out of my clothes :) ).

73

[Marc Lurie]

I can hear M0LRE calling me, but the signal is so light if there was any QRM I'd hear nothing.

I've tried replying, but you obviously can't hear me.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Sorry Marc I can't hear you. I don't think were going to be any to do it today.

At least some of my signal is reaching you.

[vzh7gk]

Gent from Wiliamsburg Pa about 18,151.2

[G-Cam]

got to leave you to it i'm afraid - just got a visitor.
we can try later....or there is always skype!
NO SKYPE contests (yet!)

[Marc Lurie]

Graham, can you find a clear freq on 21MHz?

[SeriesIIIOwner]

got to leave you to it i'm afraid - just got a visitor.
we can try later....or there is always skype!
NO SKYPE contests (yet!)
Very True.

My Skype name is paulm0lre

[vzh7gk]

I'll have a look (listen?)...

[Marc Lurie]

I see madoobri is following this thread. He's probably laughing his lungs out at a bunch of sad old gits trying to coax life out of the ether with technology that's 100 years old. :)

We could always try morse...

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I see madoobri is following this thread. He's probably laughing his lungs out at a bunch of sad old gits trying to coax life out of the ether with technology that's 100 years old. :)

We could always try morse...

:D

[vzh7gk]

21,422? (I am on the 80m vertical though).

[Marc Lurie]

I'll give it a try on 21.422

[vzh7gk]

Been plagued with local QRN on lower frequencies at this QTH - looks like it may be increasing in frequency. There is a station on 422, but my noise level is up to S4 now and the DSP is not coping...

[Marc Lurie]

Graham, I heard you on 21.422 but also very light.

I think we need to wait a while until the bands improve...

[Madoobri]

I see madoobri is following this thread. He's probably laughing his lungs out at a bunch of sad old gits

Who me? ... never!! :rotfl: :snig: :heheheheh:sobbing: :juggle:

[vzh7gk]

OK Marc, I think you're right.

I can run 400W, but don't think that will make sufficient difference. Looks like I now have to find where the higher frequency noise is coming from!

OK. I'm going to pull connection here (dial up!).

So, it was worth a go. Perhaps in another month or so things might be a little better.

Cheers, 'FUJ

[Marc Lurie]

Well, the upshot of this little saga is that we know that we have to wait for better solar conditions to do this reliably. Conditions should be much improved in say... two years or so. :confused:

[Marc Lurie]

OK Marc, I think you're right.

I can run 400W, but don't think that will make sufficient difference. Looks like I now have to find where the higher frequency noise is coming from!

OK. I'm going to pull connection here (dial up!).

So, it was worth a go. Perhaps in another month or so things might be a little better.

Cheers, 'FUJ

I am running 1000W (whoops, who said that!!!). Correction: I'm running a LOUD 400W into an 8 element log-periodic, so if you couldn't hear me, then there's nothing else we can do. Local noise is obviously very high at your QTH.

Let's leave it for a while.

Cheers,
Marc

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Well, at least no one can say that we didn't try :)

[Madoobri]

Well, at least no one can say that we didn't try :)

10/10 for trying lads :)

[G-Cam]

10/10 for trying lads :)


I agree.

I notice no-one suggested CW?...........



THANK GOD!

[Marc Lurie]

I agree.

I notice no-one suggested CW?...........



THANK GOD!


I did. We're still a bit backwards here in the colonies...

--... ...--

[timbott]

I have just ordered 'equipment' from W&S so there is a chance I might be up for my first HF contact this sunday:)

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Look forward to hear you soon timbott.

[timbott]

Look forward to hear you soon timbott.

In my siggy, GW6NLO, what's yours????

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Mine's M0LRE ;)

And yes it realy is LRE :D

[Marc Lurie]

Hi all,

I won't be available for the next fortnight as I'm out of the country. (Perhaps I will get the opportunity to operate as ZS6HZ/9Q :) ).

I'll be in the Congo from Saturday until Wednesday, and then I leave for Senegal and Guinea Bissau on Friday, returning Wednesday 21st.

Cheers,
Marc

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Hi all,

I won't be available for the next fortnight as I'm out of the country. (Perhaps I will get the opportunity to operate as ZS6HZ/9Q :) ).

I'll be in the Congo from Saturday until Wednesday, and then I leave for Senegal and Guinea Bissau on Friday, returning Wednesday 21st.

Cheers,
Marc

I wonder what bands you'll be working, Marc? Maybe the opportunity to work a few more countries then :)

[Marc Lurie]

I wonder what bands you'll be working, Marc? Maybe the opportunity to work a few more countries then :)

I don't know if I'll be able to get onto HF at all. I'm going to the Congo to consult, so I'll probably be nowhere near a radio.

I'm doing some installations in Guinea Bissau, so I might be able to take my little Yaesu 807 with me and jury rig some sort of antenna. The installations are all VHF unfortunately, not HF.

Cheers,
Marc

[vzh7gk]

Safe trip Marc.

What have you got then Tim?

73

[timbott]

What have you got then Tim?

Gone for the Yaesu FT-897D with mobile aerials for HF & 6/2/70

I will be /M to begin with so I can get to some decent locations (Pembroke is in a bit of a dip) but I hope to build an ATU and sling some wire aerials up at home in the not too distant future.

Any one got any details and diagrams for building an ATU for 160-10M that they would be happy to copy and send to me:)

cheers, Tim

[Marc Lurie]

Timbott,

Have a look at this site (http://www.ac6v.com). If it's not here, it doesn't exist.

Marc

[timbott]

Timbott,

Have a look at this site (http://www.ac6v.com). If it's not here, it doesn't exist.

Marc

Thanks for that Marc. I had a great morning. Had my new kit delivered and found an ATU on Ebay and I got it for 60 quid - which is less than I could build one for given the cost of decent sized variable capacictor's

This is the third time I have come into the world of Ham Radio and hopefully I will stay for life this time:)

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

Gone for the Yaesu FT-897D with mobile aerials for HF & 6/2/70

I will be /M to begin with so I can get to some decent locations (Pembroke is in a bit of a dip) but I hope to build an ATU and sling some wire aerials up at home in the not too distant future.

Any one got any details and diagrams for building an ATU for 160-10M that they would be happy to copy and send to me:)

cheers, Tim

Good stuff!
Spent the weekend trying to finish off the /M installation. Now have 160m - 70cm plus 4m FM. APRS not finished yet. Somehow I seem to have added one more aerial mount than planned :confused: . IC-706 control head is not exactly where I wanted it - preferred it to be at top of dash but couldn't find any mounting screws long enough to get through the top dash rail padding! Might have to spend more and buy the head mount so it can go above the dash.
All cabling needs a serious tidy up too :eek: .

I've spent a bit of time activating WAB areas in Pembroke/Carmarthen (not done any islands yet), so if you're out and about Tim, I haven't collected many from that region yet! ;) .

Third time back into amateur radio? I hope there's enough people here to keep your interest up - look forward to seeing your /M install later this year (mine might be tidy by then!).

Marc, that AC6V site is magical!

73
Graham G4FUJ
(Hopefully testing hf /M lunchtimes this week - from the works car park).

[timbott]

I've spent a bit of time activating WAB areas in Pembroke/Carmarthen (not done any islands yet), so if you're out and about Tim, I haven't collected many from that region yet! ;) .

Well it is coming together slowly, I might even be ready to actually switch the rig on later this week:o Then I plan to be out and about regularly in Pembrokeshire, starting on 2M, the band I am most familiar with whilst I learn how to drive the new toy:rolleyes:

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

Look forward to catching you soon Tim.

What antenna did you end up with for HF?

Depending on the conditions I may be able to work you - I'm still not /M due to being unable to work on the landy to any degree for the last few months due to my health. I have the rig - and the ATU - just need the 108" whip and some time to work out where to install it - Might end up doing as Marc suggested and mounting it on my Frontrunner rack!

I can work from the home QTH - 20m is best as I still have not got much else sorted out antenna wise. I can also do 10m + 17m vertical. But the conditions are poor at the moment.

[timbott]

Look forward to catching you soon Tim.

What antenna did you end up with for HF?

Got a Sandpiper ATX-Driveabout. Dunno what it is going to be like as it seems to be all things to all bands:rolleyes: but it is summat to get me started:)

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

HI Tim,

I've got a Atx driveabout. (As you can see from the piccy with it on the car)

Thats set for 20m. On mine I need to use the shorter whip on 40m and 80m. The other whip on the roof is for 4m. I mainly use my ATX on 20m and 17m to good effect even with only 5 watts (FT817).

I was complemented on 58 report from a UA9 (Western Siberia) while mobile in town last week.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Just mocked up ATX on Landrover using a couple of pretty standard gutter mounts so you can get the idea.

On the other mount is a Quad Band Diamond.

[gail185]

There's nothing guys.


__________________
Walcott CB (http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/walcott-cb-sales-inc-620/) - Get Catalogs and Brochures of Walcott Cb Sales Inc.

[timbott]

Anyone up for a sked tomorrow afternoon, say 14.00 BST. You suggest a frequency though as I am a bit (well a lot) of an HF rookie:o

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

Anyone up for a sked tomorrow afternoon, say 14.00 BST. You suggest a frequency though as I am a bit (well a lot) of an HF rookie:o

cheers, Tim

Nobody:(

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

Oh well, I'll go and play on 2 metres then:(

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

Sorry Tim,

Was at work all weekend.

How about next Sunday?

Cheers,

[madrat]

Its a shame i sold my 706 mk2g would of been good to chat proper on hf
i got sick of all the contests all the time (they always say 5an9+ but ask for your callsign 3 times lol)
i just use 2m an 70cm when i get time now

oh and my callsign is M0RAT

[timbott]

Sorry Tim,

Was at work all weekend.

How about next Sunday?

Cheers,

Next sunday sounds good to me Graham, early afternoon any good for you? What band do you reckon would be best (I've just spent 25 years on VHF/UHF:o ) My mobile vertical can (supposedly:rolleyes: ) do 6 to 80 metres including the WARC bands. I'll have a play over the next couple of days and see if it actually works:eek:

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

Hi Tim/All - will be on on Sunday as well.

we will give it a go.

M0RAT - echo your comments - 5% of Hams take part in Contests....and drive the other 95% off the air! Last weekend was horrendous as there was a BIG contest on. They were even operating SSB in the CW part of the band plan!

I also think the definition of a 'split second' is.....the time between shouting 'cq contest'....and then shouting 'cq contest' again! :)

[vzh7gk]

Hehe, know what you mean about contests...

Sunday, mid-afternoon'ish say, 15:00a (BST) or so on 80m.

Now, there's only 2 problems with that: 80m at my home QTH suffers with S8/9 noise (bl00dy broadband / computers / CPU controllers :eek: ) so I'll have to go out /M - so no connection to here;
the WX is, at least presently, looking good for sunday, so SWMBO might want to go out in the 'other' car - no room for radio! If that happens I will post non-availability here. I must give the FT-817 a try - antenna mount is on the rear luggage rack :D .

Frequency, let's try around 3,757kHz, just below WAB - you never know there may be one or two collectors looking for the area you are in (this is made up from the 10k OS grid square and the County or Unitary Authority, e.g. my home is in SO92 Gloucestershire) - I collect them, I might ask ;) .

Did you check your hf tx capabilities Tim? I see you're selling the Suzi?

73

[timbott]

Hehe, know what you mean about contests...

Sunday, mid-afternoon'ish say, 15:00a (BST) or so on 80m.

Now, there's only 2 problems with that: 80m at my home QTH suffers with S8/9 noise (bl00dy broadband / computers / CPU controllers :eek: ) so I'll have to go out /M - so no connection to here;
the WX is, at least presently, looking good for sunday, so SWMBO might want to go out in the 'other' car - no room for radio! If that happens I will post non-availability here. I must give the FT-817 a try - antenna mount is on the rear luggage rack :D .

Frequency, let's try around 3,757kHz, just below WAB - you never know there may be one or two collectors looking for the area you are in (this is made up from the 10k OS grid square and the County or Unitary Authority, e.g. my home is in SO92 Gloucestershire) - I collect them, I might ask ;) .

Did you check your hf tx capabilities Tim? I see you're selling the Suzi?

73

3 o'clock Sunday is good for me. HF is up and running this end but I haven't tried the aerial on 80 yet but will try it later on and make sure everything is working fine. 3.757kHz 15.00 BST sunday sounds OK to me Graham. I will probably go /M myself as I live in a 'not too favourable' position for radio. I'll make sure I get my WAB details sorted:)

Yep, planning on selling the zook and getting a jellymould:eek:

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

So who's up for it tomorrow afternoon then?

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Hi Tim,

I'll be on, though i will be /mobile from Swanley in Kent and only QRP but will give it a go at 3pm.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

For information Graham, the WAB square is TQ56 and the Maidenhead Locator is JO01CJ.

I hope to hear you all later.

[timbott]

I will give it a go from home as I haven't had time to sort myself out for /M yet. I will be running 100 Watts though into a vertical and if others are in a good position it might just work:)

I have just worked out my locators so I hope I have got them right:o

SM90 & IO71NG

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

Oh dear, QRM here at S7, I don't stand a bloody chance:(

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I'm on frequency now and have been listening for about 30 mins.

I can here KMR and I think i can here you Tim, but signals are weak apart from KMR who is peaking about s6.

I've only got 5 watts here today, and you obviously can't hear me.

Hope you all managed it, hope to try again soon

73

[timbott]

Heard Graham (just) and managed to contact a G8 breifly (was that KMR???) but summat here is playing hell with 80, QRM is ridiculous, without that I reckon I could have done it without a problem:)

I would have made the effort to go /M but carting all the stuff into the motor and then carting it all back into the house again - not normally a prob but I work 12 hours on a Sunday night so it is just hassle - now on any other day of the week I'm up for anything:rolleyes:

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

I went /M to Birdlip. Parked up where I was scaring the motorists driving by :) .

Started calling at approx 14:55. Mike G8KMR, a local and an acquaintaince of many years, called me at around 15:05.

I could just hear you Tim, but not sufficient to make out your callsign etc. I have the same problem with received noise on 80m at home, hence going out /M. Mike could hear you, in and out of the noise. He's got a pretty large wire doublet up.

I think 15:00 may be a little early for 80m. Also, there had been afairly large CME a day or so before which won't have helped hf propagation.

Most lunchtimes (13:00 - 14:00 local) I'm sitting out in the 90, listening around 3760, unless I fall asleep (which is frequently! :D ).

73

[timbott]

Anyone up for saturday (tomorrow) night on 80? I have made a 'long wire' aerial that seems to be doing a reasonable job (bearing in mind my crap location radio wise:( ) and have a small vertical too (on top of my shed!)

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

Hi Tim
Will give it go if its later on at night...I have a long wire up for 80M

[timbott]

Hi Tim
Will give it go if its later on at night...I have a long wire up for 80M

Name your time and frequency and I will be there:)

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

3.675 MHz 'ish?

Above 3.69 the noise here is horrendous (and may be below that too!).

Depending upon time I'll try to be in the shack...

73

[timbott]

3.675 MHz 'ish?

Above 3.69 the noise here is horrendous (and may be below that too!).

Depending upon time I'll try to be in the shack...

73

Sounds fine Graham, I'll tune in to 3.675 'ish' this evening and give out the odd CQ call and listen, say, from 20.00 BST onwards:)

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

Sounds fine Graham, I'll tune in to 3.675 'ish' this evening and give out the odd CQ call and listen, say, from 20.00 BST onwards:)

cheers, Tim

Nothing but noise here, I'll bash out a few CQ's on or around the above frequency starting at 22.00 BST for an hour or so and see what happens:)

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

The QRM/N is S9 here at the moment........I can hear something but can't filter out enough noise to copy what is being said!

[timbott]

Are you getting the contest? Bloody mayhem here, a load of Europeans shouting CQ Contest:(

I did bang out some CQ's between 22.00 and 22.30 BST on 3.675 but what with the contest and noise at S7 here I wasn't very optimistic:o

I did work the Isle of Wight this afternoon under really flat conditions on my long wire, and heard GM's coming through well earlier in the week so I reckon it could be possible with a bit less QRM. (and bloody contests!!!)

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

Still no joy this end due to S9 QRM.........2 L8 4 me 2 head 4 the hills (and away from all the neighbour generated noise!)...........How about we give it a try 2mo morning?
I normally catch the local RSGB news @9am - so the radio is on........then I'll b out 4 a while working on the Landy.....Thinking about going 2 Billing....But not 100% sure now as I see that the camping is all sold out!

Graham

[vzh7gk]

Wretched broadband has a lot to answer for! All I could hear was noise on Saturday evening. Out marshalling yesterday, so missed any potential activity.

40m was quite good inter-G lunchtime today, but needs checking on a daily basis - many days it's only open into EU etc.

Roll on the rise of sunspot activity!

73

[G-Cam]

I spent yesterday on 6m - FAB conditions - worked 7 different countries and 11 different locator squares........:D

HF is a dead loss at the moment due to local QRM.:(

80/160m is OK after about 1am.......when everyone goes off to bed and switches all their gizmo's off!:rolleyes:

[vzh7gk]

I don't think my neighbours switch theirs off!
Makes me wonder whether it's a 'leaky' cable (rf wise!) out in the street. :(

73

[timbott]

I will be up in the Preseli Hills, Pembrokeshire on saturday afternoon. I will probably be mostly on 80m, around 3.770MHz, but, will have capabilities for most bands if requested:)

cheers, Tim, GW6NLO

[vzh7gk]

I'm in Hill Control at Prescott this weekend.

Following weekend we're off to Norfolk for a week, so will be on or around 3760 / 7060 most days, giving out WAB areas (when not engaged in the holiday bit!).

Good luck with the run into the Preselis - there's a lot of areas I want from around there!

73

[Marc Lurie]

I will hopefully be active over the evenings of 21st to 24th September operating as 7P8/ZS6HZ from Lesotho. Roger Whittle and Andy Deaves will be there as well, and although I know it's going to be difficult, perhaps we can get a sked set up?

In Lesotho I'll have virtually no QRM, so I'll probably hear you OK. It's the other way round that'll be a problem. :rolleyes:

[timbott]

I will hopefully be active over the evenings of 21st to 24th September operating as 7P8/ZS6HZ from Lesotho. Roger Whittle and Andy Deaves will be there as well, and although I know it's going to be difficult, perhaps we can get a sked set up?

Sounds good to me Mark, it would be great if all the licenced LRUK lot could get together on a chosen frequency on a chosen time and date between the 21st to 24th September.

I'll head for the hills:)

cheers, Tim

[SeriesIIIOwner]

Did try and work you Tim, but couldn't hear you unfortunatly, although I did have a chat with Dave in Derby (G1VAB) as you proberly heard.

Hope you had a good time.

de M0LRE

[timbott]

Did try and work you Tim, but couldn't hear you unfortunatly, although I did have a chat with Dave in Derby (G1VAB) as you proberly heard.

Hope you had a good time.

de M0LRE

Paul, thanks for trying. I was getting you 51-53 but I was away from any sources of interference, my s-meter was completely dead, unlike the S6-8 of noise that I get at home:(

I worked a station in Tiree, Scotland later on and he was on the top of a hill too and although we weren't giving each other much signal the QSO was quite easy. It just goes to show how much noise is created by all the modern appliances that we insist on running in built up areas nowadays:(

Anyway Paul, I could hear you, let me know if you get out and about and we'll give it another go:)

cheers, Tim

[G-Cam]

Sounds good to me Mark, it would be great if all the licenced LRUK lot could get together on a chosen frequency on a chosen time and date between the 21st to 24th September.

I'll head for the hills:)

cheers, Tim


I'm happy to give it a try.
I'm almost /m in the Landy now :) Just fitted the FC-40 (in the wing) and will be getting a 2.5m long whip this week I hope. It will give me 7Mhz-52Mhz on the whip (but I will be able to link up a longwire to the feedpoint for 80m & Topband).

Most of my operation tends to be on 6m at the moment despite having put a Cobwebb up @ the home QTH)

[Highway_Star]

Cam, interested in your thoughts on the Cobwebb.

I've got a Hustler 6BTV, it works very well, but it drags in noise something awful, so often I have to restrict my working to the hours of darkness when every bvgger goes to bed and switches off all the household gadgets.

[vzh7gk]

21st - 24th?

Have to be an eveing for me - Fri & Mon I'm at work (though I could try between 12:00 - 13:00z - if the WX isn't good, otherwise I'll be in the Mog, or on the 'new' bike :) ).

22/23 I'm Hill Control at Prescott again - postponed meeting from the 'flood time', so evenings OK all 4 days...

Edit: I shall be /M in Norfolk from Sat 8th - 15th, 3.760, 7.060 for WAB plus other frequencies as and when... Watch out for spiky blue 90 :D

Cheers,

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I've got a Hustler 6BTV, it works very well, but it drags in noise something awful, so often I have to restrict my working to the hours of darkness when every bvgger goes to bed and switches off all the household gadgets.

I also have a 6-BTV at home and personally I don't really find it any more or less noisy than any of the wire aerials I've had up before. Anyway good luck with it.

de M0LRE

[Highway_Star]

Interesintg. Have you got any ground radials down? Or just grounded it with a spike?

[SeriesIIIOwner]

My BTV, is mainly grounded using a 4ft 1 1/2 inch ali pole, driven into the ground with approx 18 inches sticking out for mounting of the aerial.

There is a 15 ft wire from the base to an earth rod at the other end of the flower bed, and thats it.

I have worked Florida on 80M and Indonesia and W Malaysia earlier this year on 20m i think too.

[Highway_Star]

That's pretty much how mine is set up, save for my earth spike is 18" away from the antenna. I tuned all the sections using a mates antenna analyser, the SWR on each band did exactly what it said on the tin. I've got the home made (co-ax wrapped around a CDR pack lid) coils at rig and antenna end and I'm getting nothing like that kind of performance. I can't hear US stations, never mind work them! Eastern Europe, Germany etc no problem, but beyond that, not a hope. I'll try a longer earth run though.

Mind you the QRM round here is appalling, it's S9 across most of 20m most of the time.

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I wouldn't worry for the moment that you can't here the US. I've not heard much from there for a while either, although there wa a station on last night about midnight (loal time) but his signal was so poor that i could hardly hear him, were at the bottom of the 11yr sun cycle, and conditions are so bad at the moment on 20m that it seems like we've almost slipped abit further down.

Be optimistic, things can only get better. I know that just about anyone can work the US or anywhere alse for that matter with a beam enough power and a nice quiet location.

The rest of us just have to work abit harder at it.

[Highway_Star]

That's true, you get odd times where the prop seems to pick up, but on the whole it's poo just now:D

Last weekend I was able to work most of the UK and Ireland on 2m which was fun, but it's closed up again now.

[Marc Lurie]

I will be on air operating as 7P8/ZS6HZ from Lesotho from Friday 21st September to Monday 24th September.

I'll be on 14.226Mhz (if it's occupied, look at 14.234 MHz) on Friday evening between 17h00 and 18h00 UTC, mobile from Malealea in Lesotho, and I'll also try to be on the same freq. at the same time on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Conditions have been lousy lately, but perhaps we can manage a QSO or two.

'73 de ZS6HZ (soon to be mobile in 7P8 land)

[timbott]

I will be on air operating as 7P8/ZS6HZ from Lesotho from Friday 21st September to Monday 24th September.

I'll be on 14.226Mhz (if it's occupied, look at 14.234 MHz) on Friday evening between 17h00 and 18h00 UTC, mobile from Malealea in Lesotho, and I'll also try to be on the same freq. at the same time on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Conditions have been lousy lately, but perhaps we can manage a QSO or two.

'73 de ZS6HZ (soon to be mobile in 7P8 land)

Sunday for me Marc, I'll drive to a decent location and give it a go:)

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

Marc,

If I'm home in time, will give Friday evening a bash...
Possible Sat / Sun, will just have to see how Prescott pans out.

73

[SeriesIIIOwner]

I have had a listen, although I nearly forgot, :(

I have had SSTV on 226 and about s6 of noise on 234

Maybe try again tomorrow, If I'm here

[timbott]

I'm still up for a crack on sunday, /P on a nice high bit of ground above Newgale beach, Pembrokeshire:)

cheers, Tim

[timbott]

Marc,

If I'm home in time, will give Friday evening a bash...
Possible Sat / Sun, will just have to see how Prescott pans out.

73

Any luck Graham? Will you be on tomorrow?

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

Didn't get home until 17:45z on Friday.
By the time I'd unloaded kit required for Prescott it was 18:30z...

Saturday's motorsport overran (but was a good day!).

Yesterday (Sunday) was home in plenty of time. Lot's of EU plus RTTY on the lower frequency and a very strong 9A on 325... Tuned around for a while but couldn't hear you Marc.

How was Newgale Tim? I can recommend the Victoria at Roch for good food / ale, though the last time we were in the area the landlord was moving on to run a B&B just down the road.

Cheers,

[timbott]

How was Newgale Tim? I can recommend the Victoria at Roch for good food / ale, though the last time we were in the area the landlord was moving on to run a B&B just down the road.

After all my plans I never did get to play radio yesterday:o Did go to Newgale though and went in the sea:)

I have heard the Victoria at Roch is good but never been in the place. Need Ali to pass her driving test;)

cheers, Tim

[Marc Lurie]

We were operating on sked, but could hear nothing from the UK. I contacted a russian or two, but that's all. Sunday night was absolutely swamped by loud Italians. I gave up after about 20 minutes due to bitterly cold weather and a beckonning bottle of sherry. :D

[timbott]

Anyone up for a play on 80m (or anywhere else!) next saturday night?

cheers, Tim

[vzh7gk]

So much for the hope that the bottom of the sunspot cycle would pass this year...

Looks like we're in for a bit more of a wait gents...

73,

[timbott]

Over Easter anyone???

cheers, Tim

[L81ker]

Sorry, didn't see yr post till today - easter over already -was up in York.

Has anyone else fitted one of the radio mounts that 'Eddy' sells on Ebay? I bought and fitted it to my '05 FL1, but I'm having problems getting a good ground going for 2M.

I've got an old ex-military antenna that will work fine as a vertical when tuned with the FC-40 and my FT-857D and I plan to try that for 20M mobile....

I'm interested in any other antenna mount solutions that anyones used with a freelander that didn't involve drilling holes in the roof - that'll be my last resort because of the resale value.

Cheers, Clive
G1WZM