G/WB-011 Bradnor Hill

G/WB-011 Bradnor Hill

01/04/2018

Incoming!!

Second summit of the day.  Bradnor Hill is in the middle of a Golf course and it was the case of ‘incoming’ with Val on the lookout for wayward golf balls.  Now this summit is on Open Access land but it was rather disconcerting when you are in the ‘line of fire’.  I must say that all the players we met were friendly.  My first 3 contacts was on the FT270 (2m) whilst I was walking around looking for a suitable spot to set up the antenna.  Helen was on Ruardean Hill G/WB-021 for my first s2s followed quickly by the two the Cheltenham boys, Matt and Stewart….I had nearly qualified without even sitting down.

Golfers on the horizon

13:22z	M0YHB	144MHz	FM	Helen s2s
13:25z	2E0MDJ	144MHz	FM	Matt
13:26z	G0LGS	144MHz	FM	Stewart
13:49z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
13:50z	GI0AZA	5MHz	SSB	Esther
13:51z	GI0AZB	5MHz	SSB	Ian
13:59z	M3FEH	3.5MHz	SSB	Karl
14:11z	MW6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki s2s
14:12z	MW0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod s2s
14:14z	MW6BWA/P	433MHz	FM	Viki s2s diff band
14:15z	G4IZZ	144MHz	FM	Mike
14:18z	GW8TIX/M	144MHz	FM	Gerald

I eventually got the linked dipole up in the air,  spot up and waited for the pile-up that never came. The ever present Don RQL was my first contact on 60m making clear to me that the band was not in good shape. Next in the log were Esther and Ian then silence so despite repeated calls I opted to move to 80m. Karl was soon in the log after my spot appeared but I didn’t hear anyone else.

Sending another spot

Viki soon popped up on 2m from Aberedw Hill GW/MW-022 for an s2s on 2m and 70cms with Rod also getting in on the action. I think he had more success than I did on 80m so I can only assume that the band had improved. Two more in the log and as it was getting a little chilly and we had a long drive home I packed up and we bade farewell to the Golf course…don’t think we’ll return to this one.

Snow on the Brecon Beacons

My Activation set up

 (HF) Elecraft KX2 (10 watts) and 4Ah LiPo

(VHF)  Yaesu FT270 (5watts) and Kenwood TH-F7(70cms)  into a ‘cable tie’ dipole 

Antenna - 3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m extensions +80m loading coils)

Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX