Post by 2e0edx on Jun 7, 2013 17:19:34 GMT
Pendragon Castle Activation 07/06
Well up with the lark this morning at 0600 hrs and what a beautiful morning with the sun already showing its true colours for the day. Washed & shaved and breakfast eaten, flask and butties made up and placed in cooler box plus lots of cold drinks, car all parked, XYL crammed in and at 0810 hours we were leaving home and heading for the A6 out of Blackpool and M6 northbound.
Off at Junction 38 and soon on the road to Kirkby Stephen where on entering the village a right turn was required to take us in the direction of Nateby. On arrival at Nateby we continued straight through and followed the road to Pendragon Castle G-521. After 70 miles we arrived at our destination. This is a location that Brian M0OYG of the CASHOTA Northwest England Group and myself had previously visited on a recce after activating Nine Standards Rigg for SOTA and John M0JFE of the Fleetwood Enthusiast Radio Group had talked about.
Started on 40m of which I found it difficult to find anyone on frequency but stuck at it and was rewarded with TM6JUN a special event station celebrating the 69th Anniversary of D-Day.
Callsigns worked:
TM6JUN 59 59 7.115 France
AO1WED 57 59 14.220 Northern Spain
GM3PPG 59 59 7.130 North Uist Outer Hebrides
EW8O 57 57 14.216 Belarus
YO2MTG/P 56 59 14.270
EA5IFP 33 57 14.285 Valencia
DK9ES/P 55 56 7.118 Germany SOTA
F5VIG/P 52 57 7.130 Brittany
SV9IOI 53 53 14.234 Crete
ON6WL/P 57 59 7.145 WWFF
Equipment used:
Yaesu FT-857
Prowhip 20/40m vertical - SOTA Band Hopper II 20/40m inverted 'V'
LDG Z100 ATU
12W 80AHr Battery
Car ramp plate
50W
Yaesu VX-170
SOTA 2m/70cms Multi Functional Dipole (MFD)
Conditions were very poor today on both 20/40M and I tried both the vertical and the SOTA inverted 'V and as you can see I 'band hopped' to manage the qualification, however, what a nice location and the 10 contacts required for an HF qualification were made. I took basic 2m FM equipment also thinking that someone may be activating The Calf, Nine Standards Rigg or Wild Boar Fell for SOTA but nothing heard.
At this time no entry is allowed to the field housing the castle with ongoing repairs to the fabric of the building being carried out although such repairs were not apparent at the time of the visit. If the field was open to the public there is plenty of room to put up dipoles etc. I had to be satisfied with using a small patch of grass across the road and running antennas by the side of the car.
All photos of the activation are shown in the 'Photo Gallery' on the main CASHOTA website plus the CASHOTA Northwest England Group Forum and the CQportable website.
Thanks also to Chris M0DOL for allocating the batch of castle references.
73's
Ian 2E0EDX
Well up with the lark this morning at 0600 hrs and what a beautiful morning with the sun already showing its true colours for the day. Washed & shaved and breakfast eaten, flask and butties made up and placed in cooler box plus lots of cold drinks, car all parked, XYL crammed in and at 0810 hours we were leaving home and heading for the A6 out of Blackpool and M6 northbound.
Off at Junction 38 and soon on the road to Kirkby Stephen where on entering the village a right turn was required to take us in the direction of Nateby. On arrival at Nateby we continued straight through and followed the road to Pendragon Castle G-521. After 70 miles we arrived at our destination. This is a location that Brian M0OYG of the CASHOTA Northwest England Group and myself had previously visited on a recce after activating Nine Standards Rigg for SOTA and John M0JFE of the Fleetwood Enthusiast Radio Group had talked about.
Started on 40m of which I found it difficult to find anyone on frequency but stuck at it and was rewarded with TM6JUN a special event station celebrating the 69th Anniversary of D-Day.
Callsigns worked:
TM6JUN 59 59 7.115 France
AO1WED 57 59 14.220 Northern Spain
GM3PPG 59 59 7.130 North Uist Outer Hebrides
EW8O 57 57 14.216 Belarus
YO2MTG/P 56 59 14.270
EA5IFP 33 57 14.285 Valencia
DK9ES/P 55 56 7.118 Germany SOTA
F5VIG/P 52 57 7.130 Brittany
SV9IOI 53 53 14.234 Crete
ON6WL/P 57 59 7.145 WWFF
Equipment used:
Yaesu FT-857
Prowhip 20/40m vertical - SOTA Band Hopper II 20/40m inverted 'V'
LDG Z100 ATU
12W 80AHr Battery
Car ramp plate
50W
Yaesu VX-170
SOTA 2m/70cms Multi Functional Dipole (MFD)
Conditions were very poor today on both 20/40M and I tried both the vertical and the SOTA inverted 'V and as you can see I 'band hopped' to manage the qualification, however, what a nice location and the 10 contacts required for an HF qualification were made. I took basic 2m FM equipment also thinking that someone may be activating The Calf, Nine Standards Rigg or Wild Boar Fell for SOTA but nothing heard.
At this time no entry is allowed to the field housing the castle with ongoing repairs to the fabric of the building being carried out although such repairs were not apparent at the time of the visit. If the field was open to the public there is plenty of room to put up dipoles etc. I had to be satisfied with using a small patch of grass across the road and running antennas by the side of the car.
All photos of the activation are shown in the 'Photo Gallery' on the main CASHOTA website plus the CASHOTA Northwest England Group Forum and the CQportable website.
Thanks also to Chris M0DOL for allocating the batch of castle references.
73's
Ian 2E0EDX