Pete GM4BYF and Mike GM4IGS upon arrival at the Gatehouse of Fleet site.
The GM3HAM/P contest group of the LRS took part in the RSGB 2m Trophy Contest from our usual site in the hills near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. The main innovation was the use of a 2 x 17-element beam providing high gain with good beamwidth. The unconfirmed score is 237 QSOs including G, GM, GI, GW, GU, F, ON, PA, DL and OZ. Best DX was OZ1BEF at 851km. After a nice Saturday, the Sunday Wx was dreadful with 3in deep water accumulating in the Scout tent. There had been 100-head of cattle in the field recently but fortunately the evidence of their presence was not as bad as had been feared! Photos by Peter GM4DTH & Alan GM3PSP.
Getting the poles and beams unloaded.
Getting things organized ready for the erection of the antenna the following morning.
Friday night dinner etc in the Masonic Arms – Pete GM4BYF, Alan GM3PSP, Peter GM4DTH, Danny GM6CMQ, Mike GM4IGS and Norrie GM1CNH. On Saturday we were joined by Andy MM0FMF and on Sunday by Brian GM8BJF.
Back on-site in the Scout tent discussing tactics for the contest with a little light refreshment.
Norrie GM1CNH, Danny GM6CMQ and Peter GM4DTH.
Peter filling in Pete’s shadows!
Pete GM4BYF and Mike GM4IGS from Largs who usually joins us for contests at Gatehouse.
Alan GM3PSP – Cheers – the chemistry is working.
Norrie standing to attention, waiting for orders!
Assembling the antenna had a number of complications. The very long 17-element yagis required the guys to drop at a very wide angle to avoid snagging on them when rotated.
Also the two yagis required correct phasing.
Peter GM4DTH was shooting video of the event.
He also brought his drone, which had produced beautiful aerial shots of VHF NFD in July.
Drone and controller / monitor.
Up she goes and Peter recorded the erection of the 2 x 17 element yagis which were to perform so well.
‘Left hand down a bit’!
The local farmers, who were busy in the next field harvesting grass for silage, were intrigued by our activities and received a thorough description of what we were up to. They were communicating between their tractors using CB.
Finished! (GM4DTH – Aeronautical Mobile)
The weather on the Saturday was changeable but with lots of sunny intervals.
Sadly the Sunday was dreadfully wet with the floor of the Scout tent becoming 3 inches deep in water.
Filling Norrie’s generator tank.
The 2 x 17-element yagi antenna which was a new configuration, providing a little more gain plus a wider beamwidth to make the beam-heading of weak stations easier. It performed very well indeed.
A lunchtime break at the Scout tent before the start of the contest at 15:00 local time.
Pete GM4BYF on the KST computer, Andy MM0FMF on the logging computer and Peter GM4DTH operating.
Later, Pete GM4BYF logging for Peter GM4DTH.
Pete GM4BYF logging for Alan GM3PSP.
It was standing room only at times in the operating tent!
Nice shot of the two tents and the antenna.