Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

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MM6PSX
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 24, 2015 10:28 am
Location: IO88kk : ND34

Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by MM6PSX »

Went out this morning to try to activate 5 or 6 coastal squares around Caithness.

Contest, Special Event Stations and conditions conspired to make it a poor attempt.....

Maybe at this time of year, it's better to try things mid-week.

Thoughts?

Or am I being a bit naive?

Alistair
MM6PSX
Alistair

2M0WTN, previously MM6PSX
Caithness Amateur Radio Society
g4iar
Posts: 600
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:05 pm

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by g4iar »

40m can get long skip at this time of year. Normally that would not matter for where you were, Alistair.

However, yesterday there was a geomagnetic storm as a result of a high speed solar wind stream hitting the earth. This was generated by a coronal hole on the sun and that can happen anytime, regardless of the time of year.

Contests are one of those things you have to live with! You can pick the major ones out from the contest calendars and try to avoid them, not necessarily by going out midweek, but another weekend. In the week is fine, but those unfortunates who have to work for a living keep missing out. (I'm not one of them!).

73, Dave, G4IAR
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MM6PSX
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 24, 2015 10:28 am
Location: IO88kk : ND34

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by MM6PSX »

Cheers Dave,

A bit better today and managed to active two more squares.

Enjoying WAB - thanks to all who make you feel welcome.

Alistair
MM6PSX
Alistair

2M0WTN, previously MM6PSX
Caithness Amateur Radio Society
g4iar
Posts: 600
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:05 pm

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by g4iar »

Pleased things went better, Alistair. I wonder if we met last year around ILLW time? We dropped in on the Caithness Club at Noss Head on the way to Dunnet and Duncansby Head lighthouses. Also a few popped in to see us - a few too many callsigns to remember, I'm afraid.

There's another contest next weekend, but this one could be useful! It's the IOTA contest and there may be a few nice UK islands up for grabs.

73, Dave, G4IAR
G0FEX
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:17 am

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by G0FEX »

Hi Alistair
Do not give up young man we are all listening but some can hear and others cannot, conditions are not good at present, but hopefully they will improve sooner rather than later, and if I have not said it before, Welcome to Worked All Britain, simply enjoy.
Cheers Ken G0FEX 8-)
MM6PSX
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun May 24, 2015 10:28 am
Location: IO88kk : ND34

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by MM6PSX »

Dave,
We didn't meet last year when you were visiting Caithness but maybe this year.
I think I read somewhere you are doing Duncansby and Dunnett Head Lighthouses again this year - if that's correct, I will make the effort to visit and put a face to the name. I will be at Noss Head with the Caithness Amateur Radio Society again.

Ken,
Deffo not giving up - WAB is my most enjoyable part of the hobby so far. It has made me get off my backside and get out and about. I really enjoy activating the squares up here in Caithness and am hoping to venture out into Sutherland sometime soon. I've been to places locally I haven't been to in years - great stuff!
Always a pleasure to work you and the many other regulars / net controllers who make us all welcome.

WAB is a great aspect of the hobby and one that everyone can enjoy - it also gives us all a goal to aim for which all appear to be set at the most appropriate levels allowing us newcomers to gain some confidence and work awards early on, thus whetting our appetite for more.

Finally, thanks to everyone who has made me welcome so far - appreciate it.

Cheers
Alistair
MM6PSX

73
Alistair

2M0WTN, previously MM6PSX
Caithness Amateur Radio Society
g4iar
Posts: 600
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 12:05 pm

Re: Fruitless attempt at activating coastal squares

Post by g4iar »

Hi Alistair,

Sorry not doing the same ones this year, I note that GM4EFR is going Dunnet Head this year. We like to try and move around a bit and plan to do Rua Reidh lighthouse on the west coast.

We do get about a bit, so hopefully we'll bump into you some time.

73,
Dave, G4IAR
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