On 5th – 6th May 2012, members of the GM3HAM/P Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society again took part in the RSGB UHF – Microwave Contest. We operated on five bands – 432MHz, 1296MHz, 2.3GHz, 10GHz and 24GHz. A 144MHz station was also operated to set up the microwave contacts. Our location was on a hilltop above Gatehouse of Fleet in Kirkcudbrightshire where we have operated many times in the past. Conditions were good and so was the weather although cold with snow falling on hills not far away, as one of our SOTA enthusiasts testified!
Photos and captions by Alan GM3PSP.
A rainbow over the site on Friday evening but the wx was good for the weekend.
Nice view out to the Isle of Man, which Brian GM8BJF worked on 10GHz and 24GHz.
Planning strategy (yes – right!) in the Gatehouse Conference Centre (aka Masonic Arms Hotel) on Friday evening.
L-R: Alan GM3PSP, Brian GM8BJF, Mike GM4IGS, Colin GM4HWO & Pete GM4BYF.
Saturday morning – Pete GM4BYF working on the 23cm beam.
Mike GM4IGS assembling the 13 ele 2m beam used for setting-up microwave QSOs.
John GM8OTI working on the 70cm beam.
Pete GM4BYF with his 2.3GHz station.
Brian GM8BJF and his 10 GHz / 24 GHz station.
John GM8OTI with his neat 3cm beacon Tx for set-up purposes.
L-R: Pete GM4BYF, Mike GM4IGS, Andy MM0FMF & Brian GM8BJF planning microwave operation.
All set up and raring to go.
View of the site from the top of a nearby hill.
The impressive array of antennas for 2m, 70cm, 23cm, 3.4GHz, 10GHz and 24GHz.
Mike GM4IGS operating 70cm.
Pete GM4BYF on 23cm.
Brian GM8BJF working the Isle of Man on 10GHz.
Saturday evening back at the Gatehouse Conference Centre – summarizing the day’s activity.
L-R: Brian GM8BJF, Colin GM4HWO, Mike GM4IGS, Andy MM0FMF, Pete GM4BYF, John GM8OTI & Alan GM3PSP.
Sunday morning – looks like storm clouds brewing but we had no significant rain the whole weekend.
Sunday morning – chilly with snow on the nearby hills, as one of our members, Andy MM0FMF, a SOTA enthusiast, had enjoyed the previous afternoon, but the generator fired up first pull. This generator was previously owned by the Edgware & District Radio Society in London (a previous club of Alan GM3PSP).
Sunday morning and “cook” (Colin GM4HWO) is hard at work. You can almost smell that bacon!
Sunday morning – Mike thanks whoever attached him to the tent frame!
It certainly wasn’t Brian!
Brian checking his make-up on Sunday morning!
Brian GM8BJF now ready for more QSOs on 10GHz.
Andy MM0FMF and Mike GM4IGS using 2m to set-up microwave QSOs.
“Yes, it’s Andy on the mike here”.
Map of 10GHz QSOs made by Brian GM8BJF/P (from the red blob).
He also worked the Isle of Man on 24GHz.
Map of 13cm (2.3 GHz) QSOs made by Pete GM4BYF/P.