The GM3HAM Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society took part in the 2011 RSGB UHF-Microwave Trophy Contest on 7th – 8th May from our usual site on a hilltop near Gatehouse of Fleet. All bands from 432 MHz to 24 GHz were operated under very average conditions. The weather was atrocious at times with very heavy rain but without the high winds that wrecked our station and aerials in VHF NFD last July. The statement that “there’s nay coos in the field” was technically correct, but they had been there in force very recently as our boots soon testified!
L-R: Joe GM4LHJ, Brian GM8BJF, Pete GM4BYF, John GM8OTI, Alan GM3PSP, Mike GM4IGS & Peter 2M0PJA.
Photo by Colin GM4HWO.
Upon arrival at the portable site on the Friday evening we quickly pitched our tents and adjourned to the Masonic Arms in Gatehouse of Fleet for dinner and a few beers.
Among the regulars were L-R: Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF.
We were very pleased to be joined by visitors Peter 2M0PJA & Joe GM4LHJ from the Livingston club.
We then returned to the operating tent where things seemed a little blurry …
… and people appeared in strange colours.
The next morning everything was clear again and the aerials went up without any problems.
Mike GM4IGS was in charge of the generator which ran without problems and very economically.
The very long 23cm yagi was assembled by John GM8OTI, Pete GM4BYF and Brian GM8BJF.
The (also very long) 70cm yagi was assembled by Andy MM0FMF, Brian GM8BJF, Chris MM0ZCT, Robin GM4YPL and Pete GM4BYF.
Then Pete GM4BYF got up the step-ladder to mount his dish for 13cm and 9cm, assisted by Andy MM0FMF and Chris MM0ZCT.
Close-up of the microwave gear of Pete GM4BYF. Because of potential feeder losses this must be operated at the base of the dish, and protected against the elements when necessary. Operation is typically only when it is not raining!
Pete GM4BYF testing his microwave gear watched by Mike GM4IGS, Chris MM0ZCT and Andy MM0FMF.
Brian GM8BJF (in the natty bush-hat to protect his reflective surfaces) setting up his dishes for 10GHz and 24GHz.
Brian GM8BJF is just posing in this shot.
Andy MM0FMF and John GM8OTI show a lot of interest in the very low-power microwave beacon that Brian GM8BJF is holding. He placed it on a wall across the field and used it to check the line-up of his dishes.
Looking south towards the complete GM3HAM/P station.
Colin GM4HWO working ’em on 70cm.
Robin GM4YPL (father) and Chris MM0ZCT (son) at the 23cm station.
Protective rain-cover is visible at Brian’s microwave station while Pete works on a problem in his station.
Pete found that the receive side of his transverter had failed due to a dead diode.
With the help of Andy’s soldering iron, Pete replaced the dead diode with another one “borrowed” from a less-critical application elsewhere in his station.
Brian is just posing again in this shot with Mike.
Brian’s “fine tuning” tools for his microwave station.
“Key down” to provide a signal for a distant station to tune to.
Back at the Masonic Arms for dinner (and a few beers) on Saturday evening.
L-R: John GM8OTI, Mike GM4IGS, Peter 2M0PJA, Brian GM8BJF, Andy MM0FMF, Robin GM4YPL, Chris MM0ZCT, Joe GM4LHJ, Colin GM4HWO and Pete GM4BYF.
Sunset on Saturday night. It then rained heavily all night and most of Sunday, ceasing only at the end of the contest.
… and of course we were enveloped in cloud at times while the rain poured down.
Pete GM4BYF nevertheless managed to make a number of useful microwave QSOs in between the downpours.
… as did Brian, including the use of rain-scatter (sounds like aurora) and reflecting the signals off the Lake District mountains when the direct path to the southern part of the Isle of Man was screened by mountains.
Group shot taken at the end after dismantling the stations (and when the sun came out again):
L-R: Andy MM0FMF, Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM8BJF, Mike GM4IGS, Chris MM0ZCT, Robin GM4YPL, Pete GM4BYF and Alan GM3PSP.