PRC-351 and my first SOTA Activation

From M6FCT... Portable

So I decided to bite the bullet and buy myself a Clansman PRC-351, really I wanted the 320 for HF but baby steps, baby steps. The PRC-351 works on the 4 and 6 meter bands in the VHF area of the spectrum. However the channel spacing’s do not allow me to access the 6m specified channels. So I tend to stick to 4m's.

I chose one on E-bay as it had the charger with it. But when it arrived it had a 28v one as a posed to a 12v one. So I had to buy a new charger.

When it arrived I spent a week or so charging it in the car as I drove to and from work. Until the battery was full.

I decided the best way to do test my new kit was to go onto the Mendips; I toyed with the idea of Glastonbury Tor or Street/Walton hill, but thought where better than the Mendip Hills.

It then hit me that I could do my first SOTA (Summits on the Air) Activation.

Beacon Batch - G/SC-003

Summits on the Air, is basically an award scheme where you reach a summit and make a QSO (Contact) with someone to "Activate" the summit. If four or more QSO's are made you can get points, Points are awarded for the Activation of a particular summit, so the one I was doing was only worth 1 point. You get awards when you reach a certain number of points.

So today, 19/1/16, I went to Beacon Batch on the Mendip hills, only worth 1 point, but it was an experiment.

I took my nephew and we ascended at 945 and made it to the summit at 1015, I never realised just quite how unfit I was! I need to get out more.

I paths were EXTREMELY MUDDY!

When we reached the summit we set the kit up. The Clansman and the Baofeng with the antenna on my camera tripod. I have also purchased a Ground spike Antenna for the Clansman.

'CQ CQ CQ M6FCT Portable calling CQ on 4 meters, M6FCT' 

I began to operate at 1025... Nothing, nothing for 2 hours. I was cold -1 degree centigrade. I was fed up by 1130, I tuned into the repeater... not allowed to do this for a qualifying SOTA activation, but I wanted to test the radio. I heard people chatting and tried to join in.

No reply.

I kept trying with no luck, I tried other repeaters. I heard their acknowledge tones but no-one heard me.  

Eventually on GB3WR, M6USB informed all listening that he heard someone keying up but no audio. I thought, maybe it’s the microphone. So I plugged in my head set. Put out a call and got a reply. Thanks to M6USB, I now know my Baofengs internal mic is shot! I will attempt to fix it at some point. But I am happy to operate with my headset.

Log for 19/1/16

GW0WLQ was great; he spent ages with me talking about the clansman and Ariel's and such. He switched to 4 meters and I made contact using the Clansman! It was very quiet, he told me how to look for MODS to make it louder and improve the audio quality.

OK, so I didn't make enough qualifying contacts to get any points. But the activation was made and I will try again soon.

73's 

M6FCT

APRS-1

From M6FCT

Recently I have been driving to drive to Nailsea for work; it’s about an hour’s drive and can get VERY Tedious. So I had my Baofeng and the mag mount set up to listen. I was tuned into GB3WR, and heard some gentlemen talking about APRS. After listening to the conversation for a while; I thought I might like to give it a go.

I did some research and discovered that best way was to use an Android device with APRSDroid installed. I did not have an android device, but my mother did.

I asked mother if I could borrow it, she was not sure, so I left it for a while and took the opportunity to do some more research. A few days ago, I asked again and she lent it to me. So I bought and installed the software (APRSDroid). Plugged it into my radio via an audio cable and transmitted my first APRS burst. It took me a few attempts to work the app out but by the end of the day I had it going!

Since then I have driven to work in nailsea transmitting… or so I thought when I got there I found it sent one burst where as I had it set up to transmit a burst every minute or so. More to come on this project…

My Antenna Projects

From M6FCT

So, this entry is going to be about the 2 antennas I have made.

As mentioned in the last entry I already have a 2m/70cm mag mount antenna. I currently use this, not only on my vehicle, but also sat on top of my cameras tripod in the garden. It allows me excellent access to two local repeaters GB3WR in Wells and GB3WB in Weston-Super--Mare. I did used to use GB3FI in Axbridge as well, but that has now gone digital.

I also have the Baofeng UV5Re's Stock antenna, but I have used it once, I think. I prefer to use a telescopic antenna I have had from my ATC radio days.

So recently I have built 2 antennas and one extension for my telescopic;

The first of the antennas was a dipole for both the 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands... or so the instruction I followed said. Made from copper tube, an old drawer front and a LOT of cable ties, it produced a 1:1 on the SWR meter for both bands, happy days.

The second and more recent antenna was again a dipole but it was using two telescopic arms secured by a piece of baton. Bot antennas had a choke about an inch away from the feed point.

The third item I made was to allow my telescopic antenna to stick out of the side of my rucksack, so I was not waving antennas around whilst walking. It was made from an old loose leaf tea tin. With a female BNC plug in the top, a choke wound around an old solder drum placed inside the tin and a male BNC on the tail end.

I tested the item on GB3WRthe Mendip repeater. I had placed the item on the floor, put out a call and immediately got a reply. RST was about 3/6 but I put that down to it being on the floor inside. Half way through the exchange my little one woke up and began to scream. I had to cut short, but once she was in bed; I loaded the system into my rucksack and went outside. I tried GB3WB and once again got a reply this was a 5/9 and the gentleman I was talking to, I believe was the repeater keeper. He asked my QTH and my power output. (4Watts). I explained I was testing my new antenna system.

Not a bad little QSO.

My next plan is to make a little antenna to mount on the side of the house. It needs to be light and discrete, so I’m thinking of using something like old wire coat hangers, but we will see. I want to do some more research into antennas before I work on that project. I will keep you all informed.

73's

M6FCT.

M6FCT an Introduction

From M6FCT

First off, as this is my first entry to this blog, i'd better let you know a little about myself. The name is Mike and my QTH is Glastonbury, Somerset, England.
Im 29 at the time of writting and live with my wife and two daughters.

I am only active on two bands currently; 2M and 70cm. My rig is a Baofeng UV5r-e. Cheap? Yes. Effective? Also yes. I love my little radio. I also have a telescopic aftermarket antenna and a small duel band mag mount.

I first become interested in radio via the Air Cadets (ATC). An excellent organisation, devoted to helping the UK's youth gain experience, confidence and qualifications; modelling them selves on the Royal Air Force. I was part of 914 (Glastonbury and Street) Squadron.
When i was 18, i was sent on a course to obtain my VHF/UHF Provisional Licence. This allowed me to use set frequencies that were used by the ATC, whalst supervised. Utilising the standard joint forces voice procedure.
When I turned 20, i became a member of staff and joind the Devon and Somerset Wing Radio Team. I taught on many courses, but after about four years i left the Corps as i was about to get married and my partner had not long given birth to our first daughter.

Later i joined Sea cadets, also an excellent organisation, but when my wife fell pregnant again and started a new job, i left there too.

I soon began to miss radio, so decided to attend an amatuer radio club, i looked at the two local one's and decided upon Yeovil G8YEO
I went along on many occasions but soon decided that the distance was to great so stopped. But the club did agree to help me get my licence. My thanks goes out to the club, but perticularly George G3ICO for giving me the training i required.
I passed my Foundation licence on the 29th January 2015. My callsign M6FCT.

My first QSO, i regreat not writting down, I can tell you it was through GB3WR the local repeater and i belive the chap i spoke to was from Wales. I was sat on the veranda to my flat and had a god ole' natter. I could not use the radio inside as for some reason reception was not happening in the flat at all.

A few days later my wife went into labour with our second daughter. So radio was forgotten... sort of.
Whalst i drove back and forth to hospital i would have my little radio on, listening to the repeaters.

The morning after the birth of my daughter back in feb. I was supposed to be on the way to pick up wife and daughter, but on the way decided to go shopping for a mag mount antenna in maplins. Not sure this was a good idea, but i could now sit inside the flat and use the antenna outside. Which made one hell of a diffrence as it was bloody cold outside.

A couple of evenings later, my wife was feeding the baby in bed. The older daughter was asleep so i set myself up and had an excelent QSO with three others over GB3WR. It lasted about an hour. I was very happy.

Since then we have moved house and am now setteling down with our new arrival. So i am getting more and more into radio. I have built a number of antennas (which i will blog about later) and will so hopefully be delving into the world of HF. So am rather excited at that prospect.

Anyways, time to finnish now, so 73s and see you soon