Woke up this morning to hear the bands were a bit flat, but hold on, by diinertime I had worked Yemen once and Somalia and Palestine twice, the second Palestinian contact was on 10M SSB, not my strongest band!!
Just turned the radio on and there is 5X5RO S9 and superb operating, heard him work a stron SP, I went up, he went down, but soon sussed it and got him 5th Call!
Happy days again!
So I made a vertical from my bits of scrap and old fibre glass poles at the bottom of the garden, I wasn’t expecting miracles, but I have got them.
Ok I can’t hear the VK0/9M0 at S9 24/7, but I aint half working some DX with it! Just first called PY2JY with it on 40 SSB, also worked the guys on the saltees about second call… I rarely shout CQ more than 3 or 4 times without a reply..
30M, the antenna is also a killer, worked VK7 and other exotica with it, all in a 30 x 15 Garden..
Alright I’m running 400W, but I still get pile ups on CW and SSB. So was it worth it?
Hell Yeah, I’d even say it works better than my old fishing pole, this antenna is here to stay.
Ok, so this isn’t amateur radio, it’s my other passion in life, motorcycles.
We got up early today at about 645 am, got the leathers on and headed to “The Scotch” to meet up with some new friends. We were about third or fourth there, but within a cup of tea and a bacon butty, the ranks had swelled to just about 100 bikes.
We headed off, an amazing feeling to ride with so many, we were one of the first to land up at new Brighton for The Egg Run, but for close on 2 hours, the bikes didn’t stop. Close on 12000 bikes in the end.
Thanks to all the guys at the scotch for making us so welcome, also some of the amazing bikes, F4R, 848, 1098, 250LC, the yellow one was stunning! My two favourites of the day were a BSA gold star and a Norton International, British is still best!
Just worked 9M8Z, and what a cracking signnal Steve was at times, here’s a short youtube video.
Been a busy old week, had some time off work, and decided to potter a bit (!) Ended up making a vertical for 30/40M from old scrap aluminium tube and the base from a CB vertical, worked 5 continents in a weekend on 40 with it!
Also the Cobby is up another 7 or 8 feet, and what a difference that has made, it will only be temporary unfortunately.
Worked some great DX on the higher bands, and received a 10 over 9 report from Japan. Botswana, Peru, Venezuela, Australia and others all in the log.
Here is Stacia… For those who have heard hawkwind, silver machine (apt!) she was the bird with the huge Norks that danced on stage! So that is what the bike is called. And let’s just say that the grin on my face is huge!
The last 3 years has seen me share many, many adventures with a dear and faithful friend. We have been fishing and shooting together, we have embarrased a few others, and been embarrased by others. We have broken down together.
We have sat at the side of a road, in desperation together, as a Family member passed away.
We rode all the way back from Portsmouth at minus 16 degrees together, you never missed a single beat.
We have shared so many, many happy times..
We went on Wendy’s first “alternative” holiday together, we showed her how much fun that you can have and what camaraderie you bring. You helped me propose to Wendy on the very top of the TT circuit, Brandywell… And coming down from Kates into Creg-Ny Baa at over 120 MPH, you proudly waved a one wheel salute to the sky, something I will never, ever forget.
The guy on the Ferry back from the Island who couldn’t believe that a 600, two up had been quicker than he had over “The mountain” ZZR 1200? pah.. We had lost a peg, had Wendy Screaming ” Fucking give it some” and that wonderful ” Ha!” feeling.
I will miss you very much, my lovely girl. You have been a fantastic, faithful friend. I just hope your replacement brings as much happiness..
God Bless, AE51 RXD, Black 600 Fazer.
Was sat talking with Lee, G0DBE today, yakking about DXCC and how long I had been sat on 99 confirmed on LoTW only.. It’s been ag
es!
Uploaded my logs tonight, as i do every Sunday, and Blam!!! YV5EN has confirmed our 40 metre QSO the other morning to make it DXCC confirmed on CW now.
Also uploaded to Clublog and found that I’m on 68 Countries this year alone, so doing very nicely there!! Off to write an email of thanks to YV5EN, for making a decent weekend even better!……
Just popped onto his QRZ page and this is there, to make it even sweeter..
Yipeee!!!!
Been a busy boy the last couple of days, sold my beloved FT1000 MP, I really did have a lump in my throat as she went, as that radio and I have had some amazing adventures together. I will regret selling that radio for a good long while, but changes in my operating practices, and wanting to try something different has led to the change. I WILL have another FT in the future to complement the beautiful, pristine IC 7400 I have now in the shack. I saw the radio listed on Ebay, quite locally to me without any bids, asked a question, agreed with the response and made arrangements to collect the next day. The radio has had very little use, all knobs are extremely solid (oooer missus!) and she works like a dream.
After picking the radio up, me and Wen drove to a lovely little pub on The Wirral to get some food, it was rammed, so we ended up in a local wetherspoons for Sunday Roast… £5.99 with a pint? Not what we went out for but very nice all the same, shame the Chef couldn’t tell the difference between Beef and Pork… ahem… I guess we were meant to go there as no sooner had I ordered my Pint of Guiness, than I spied a brew by the name of ” Hilbre Gold” brewed on The Wirral! I was deffo having a pint of that! It got me all excited thinking that in just about 3 months time I will be back on Hilbre for my Birthday. I’m looking forward to being back on the solitary piece of land, this time, we will hopefully be blessed with mucho sunspots and be able to work the higher bands… Including 6M.. Hence the 7400! We will be barefoot, and I am now contemplating a 6M Moxon to raise on the 40 footer above Hilbre.
Anyway, thats my bit of news, off to do some research and catch you later..
Kev
