QRPTTF is an annual event to encourage QRPers to get out of the
house and operate portable “from the field,” and of course, have fun. This year's theme was
“Happy Trails” – that is, operating from or
near an historic trail, and SOTA activators were once again encouraged to join in with the event. Although this is mainly a US centric event, it is starting to take on a more international flavour and I was aware that quite a few European SOTA activators would also be participating in the event.
Being in the middle of a run of three night shifts meant that I'd have limited time to operate, but with reasonable weather forecast I was willing to give it a shot anyway.
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| Cleeve Hill |
My choice of operating location was my local SOTA summit, Cleeve Hill -
G/CE-001.
Cleeve Hill
is the highest point of the Cotswolds at 1,083 feet (330 m). It
commands a clear view to the west, over Cheltenham the River Severn and
into Wales; and to the north over Winchcombe. It is a conspicuous
outcrop on the edge of the limestone escarpment, (sometimes called the
"Cotswold Edge"). In keeping with the
Happy Trails theme, it is also crossed by the
Cotswold Way, a 102-mile long-distance footpath, officially inaugurated as a National Trail on 24 May 2007.
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| Set up in the lee of the Gorse bushes |
I awoke at 1300z after 5 hours sleep (after a night shift)to find a
fine sunny day. However looking out over the hills I could see some big
black thundery clouds.
By the time I'd packed, got my stuff
together and driven to "my hill" it was just coming up to 1500z. It was
still sunny but there was a huge black cloud heading my way. I took my
tent with me from the boot of the car as there was every indication that
I may well be in for a soaking.
I set up the antenna, an EFHW on a 7 metre roach pole, and pitched the tent in one of my little
secluded spots in the lee of some gorse bushes and got tuned up a couple of
minutes after 1500z start time and just as the first hailstones hit my head. I
retreated for cover as the hail came down with a vengeance. Sitting
inside my tent listening to 15m, I noticed a strange tingling effect in
my ears from my earbud phones. Touching my ATS4 caused me to jump as I
took a belt of static. I quickly pulled the antenna from the rig (useful
things those phono plugs!) and threw the feeder outside in the hail. I
had to sit it out for over 30 minutes listening to the hailstorm
outside.
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| ATS 4b in full swing |
Once the hail had subsided, a CQ on 15 metres immediately brought K4DY - Les in NC, followed
by Barry N1EU on W2/GC-002 however I notice that Barry didn't log this
contact even though I thought we'd completed OK. Rich N4EX was next in
the log but with only a report of 439 I knew either conditions weren't
good or my setup wasn't as good as usual. I could hear plenty of weak
TTF signals on the band but most of them had corresponding very weak
pileups and I just couldn't get through.
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| End of the day |
A switch to 20m brought a short flurry of SOTA chasers from
SP,OH,DL,OM,OK,G,CT1 before drying up. A coffee and a bite to eat and
then some S&P for S2Ss brought OK2BDF/P on OK/PA-009 and OZ/LA1KHA/P
on OZ/OZ-008, both on 30metres.
Another foray on 20m added LY,UT,EA4 to the country list.
A
break for more hail and then back to 15m for a UT, K2JT - Joe and at
last Bill, W4ZV on W4C/EM-047 who I seemed to have been chasing around
all afternoon.
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| Sunset as I pack up |
An excursion onto 40m added LA, HA, DL and I in the shape of I/OE7PHI.
Conditions just seemed really poor with a high noise level, especially
after last weekends good offerings so it was back to 20m to sweep up
before I had to leave for work. In the bag this time were Ric - G3CWI/P on G/SP-004, N1EU again, this
time Barry logged me :-) and the last contact of the night was Tom -
M1EYP/P who I first read as N1?? for a final S2S on G/SP-015. I listened
and called a bit more on 15m but I was cold, and I had to get packed up
an get away. It was unbelievably cold as I packed up, rolling up the tent in a covering of hailstones froze my fingers.I was back to the car and drove straight into work for another 9 hour night shift at 2100z feeling a bit washed out :-(
I thought overall conditions were lousy but maybe it was just my setup.
A
quick analyses on RBN between signals from G3CWI, M1EYP, G0PEB and
myself show I was 6dB down on Richard most of the time. I really should
have located to a better position on the west facing slope for a bit of
"gain".
An enjoyable event none the less:
32 QSOs
16 DXCC - CT,DL,EA,G,HA,I,LA,LY,OH,OK,OM,OZ,SM,SP,UR,W.
6 S2S for 24 points.
Results here (placed 16th)
