Seven members of the Lothians Radio Society took part in the RSGB Microwave Trophy Contest on 4th - 5th May 2013 from our usual site in the hills above Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. Most arrived on the Saturday morning, avoiding very wet weather on the Friday afternoon. The usual field was like porridge, churned up by tractors, and liberally covered with evidence of recent bovine occupancy! Using the callsigns GM3HAM/P, GM4BYF/P & GM8BJF/P, all bands from 432MHz to 24GHz were operated in rather poor conditions with low activity. Pete GM4BYF was using his recently-completed 3.4GHz equipment for the first time and was pleased to get two good QSOs with it. The weather was good but cold with the only rain falling during the night.
Submitted band entries:
Band Call Pwr W QSOs Points Best DX Distance km
432MHz GM3HAM/P 100 23 5597 G8P 556
1.3GHz GM3HAM/P 50 7 594 G0BWC/P 177
2.3GHz GM4BYF/P 100 2 207 GM4CXM 117
3.4 GHz GM4BYF/P 40 2 327 G4CBW 237
5.7GHz GM8BJF/P 4 0 0 - - (no activity)
10GHz GM8BJF/P 1 3 324 GI6ATZ 131
24GHz GM8BJF/P 1 1 90 GD0EMG 90
TOTAL POINTS 7139
See also RSGB Contest Committee list of all entrants:
http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/claim.pl?Contest=MayUHF&year=2013
Not a pretty site! Our usual field to the north of the road was waterlogged,
churned-up by tractor tyres and covered with bovine "stuff", making it unsuitable for this event.
Instead, we assembled the stations on the narrow strip which we normally use
just for camping, between the road and the dry stane dyke.
It was a little better than the field, but only a little!
Pete GM4BYF fitting one of the feed-horns to his dish.
Pete with his 2.3GHz (13cm) 3.4GHz (9cm) and 5.7GHz (6cm) transverters,
mounted in the back of his vehicle.
Brian GM8BJF watches as Pete GM4BYF tests his newly-built 3.4GHz transverter.
Brian GM8BJF getting his 10GHz and 24GHz stations set up.
Close-up of Brian's equipment for 10GHz & 24GHz.
Andy MM0FMF holds a 10GHz signal source while Brian checks his dish elevation.
And Pete GM4BYF uses his nifty digital protractor to check Brian's azimuth.
Andy MM0FMF, Chris MM0ZTC, Brian GM8BJF & Robin GM4YPL.
Robim GM4YPL, Chris MM0ZCT & Andy MM0FMF assemble the 2m beam
for the talk-back station, used to set up microwave QSOs.
Robin GM4YPL working the 70cm and 23cm station.
The weather was kind on the Saturday morning, with the Isle of Man visible.
The sky darkened later in the afternoon but the rain waited for the middle
of the night until just before breakfast on the Sunday.
A pleasant dinner was enjoyed by all in the Bank of Fleet Hotel on the Saturday evening.
L-R: Alan GM3PSP, Robin GM4YPL, Chris MM0ZCT, John GM8OTI, Andy MM0FMF, Pete GM4BYF & Brian GM8BJF
Then back to the operating tent to celebrate the day's achievements with some "patriotic liquor".
Alan GM3PSP & Brian GM8BJF.
Chris MM0ZCT & (dad) Robin GM4YPL.
Andy MM0FMF (with natty LED head-light) & Pete GM4BYF.
... and so to bed.
Next morning Alan GM3PSP was up bright and early (sort-of) to cook the traditional bacon & egg rolls.
Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF.
Pete GM4BYF back in action on the lower microwave bands.
Brian GM8BJF, with helpers, working on 10GHz, on a rather misty morning with low cloud over the nearby hills.
John GM8OTI helps keep Brian's dish aligned in the breeze.
John GM8OTI proudly shows his 200W 70cm solid-state linear amplifier which
he had used the previous day to contact GM3HAM/P from Hartside, Cumbria.
L-R: Robin GM4YPL, Chris MM0ZCT, Andy MM0FMF, Pete GM4BYF, Alan GM3PSP, Brian GM8BJF & John GM8OTI.