Contest Fail

In an effort to be more active on VHF/UHF, I decided to have a go at doing the RSGB UKAC 2m contest, this year.

To ensure nothing went wrong, I spent the 2 days before the January contest, prepping.

I dug the 6-ele homebrew yagi (based on a clever design by M0UKD) out and checked everything was OK. In the midst of the detritus on the garage floor, I managed to find the portable 12V supply that I had made several years ago and had so far never used and I gave it a good overnight charge.

I would need a torch, so that was charged up too.

A decent run of RG58 was found and a new PL259 fitted on one end.

A short patch cable with a BNC to connect to the aerial was also located and put in the bag, along with the FT-817, along with a notebook and pencil.

On Tuesday night, I loaded everything into the car and headed up to Dunstable Downs.  I managed to find somewhere to park and then set about setting everything up.

It was freezing cold and a gale was blowing, making it difficult to erect the yagi on it’s 6ft pole, but I managed it.  It would have been easier, had I not forgotten the torch, which was still on charge on the kitchen worktop!

Back in the car, I rubbed my frozen hands together as I twiddled around the dial and I was pleased to hear plenty of stations coming in.  I grabbed my notebook and pencil and reached for the microphone.

Aargh, where was the microphone?

I’d left it in the shack. D’oh!

Still, we learn from our mistakes.

Hopefully.

At 10pm I decided I’d had enough and took the aerial down.  As I removed one of the guylines, a sudden gust of wind took the arial and smashed it into the ground, breaking two of the element mountings.

Oh well, roll on February.