SSB Field Day, 3-4 September 2016

SSB field day was held in the field next to Thomley Hall. This was convenient as our tower is kept there in a barn. We used the C3 beam for 20, 15 and 10m plus 40m separately fed. 80m used an inverted V from the top of the tower, some 20m agc. A 5-band vertical was used for the spotter station.

The site is about 70m asl and useful for VHF so we put up a 16ele Tonna at 8m with the help of a gin pole and rotated from the base. Andrews Heliax fed Chris’s (G7IVF) FT-857 with 50W. Call sign was G8PX/P and Scotland, France and Germany were worked although conditions were not very good and there was a shortage of operators.

For HF we used Colin’s (M0DDT) K3 and Expert amp with 400W op. Power was from the club’s new generator that behaved excellently throughout. We used the club’s FT-950 as spotter station.

We had a few difficulties with IT, some rain and solar storms overnight but managed 513 QSO’s in all with105 multipliers for an entry to the open section.

Operators were G7IVF, G8EWT, M0DDT and guest G7IXU and used the G5LO/P call sign.

The operators wish to thank all those that helped in setting up, supply of tea and efficient clearing up at the end. Overall it was a very enjoyable club activity.