Summertime Play

The Latest 2E0HTS Mobile Station 

This years summer holiday started by changing our vehicle from the Toyota Rav 4 for the shiny blue Toyota Avensis as seen below.

This presented a new install for me to figure out, I soon came up with a plan and carried out my new installation.

In this picture you can see my Maldol HFC-20 HF antenna mounted at the rear.

I ran a short ground wire from the antenna base directly to the chassis and managed to get 1:1 - 1:3 right across 20 meters. 

As for the rig I decided to give my FT-100 are well deserved rest and try out my FT-857. The first thing I did was in my workshop where I folded up some sheet aluminium to cradle the FT-857 face panel. I wanted to be able to clip it to the ashtray avoiding any permanent fixings.

Once I fettled the bracket to fit and work as I required I ordered a separation cable from ebay which arrived a couple of days later. I wired up the FT-857, fitted the separation cable, clipped the ashtray bracket in and bingo! I was back on the air /mobile in my latest Toyota.

I spent a fair bit of time setting up the audio settings found within the menu of the FT-857 and I have been making lots of nice QSOs around the world over the holidays ever since.

Trip To The Yorkshire Air Museum & GB0YAM

This was an exciting day for all of us as we got to walk freely around some impressive aeroplanes from the past and the present. The Yorkshire Air Museum is about 50 miles from my QTH and has a large number of aircraft and air force treasures to see.

  

There was so much to see and the sun was blazing, The large hanger housed some real beauts I especially liked the Halifax seen below.

Elsie, Louise and I managed to get some cockpit action as we try to imagine what it must have been like to fly these old aeroplanes. 

There was even more to see so I had a go on a Harrier flight simulator which was ace and wandered off to the communication tower.

The station is now active under the amateur call GB0YAM and I could hear the sound of CW booming through from across the base.

The Yorkshire Air Museum certainly had lots to see, we had a brilliant time and will return soon. The NAFFI style canteen was also good! 

Holiday Shack On The Moor Tops

If you have been following my antics for a few years you will all ready know about the shack on the hill. If your just dropping in for the first time I used to live on top of the Yorkshire Moors in a 40 ft Static caravan which was DX heaven. Nowadays its our quiet retreat where I get too spend quality time with my family. As well as been a beautiful scenic location its the home of my second shack where I am well equipped to work the satellites and most of the HF bands.

I reconfigured my set-up and introduced the FT-100 and FT-817 allowing me to work the SSB satellites as well as the FM ones. For HF I am using my good old trusty FT-767GX. I have worked lots of Dx on 20, 17 & 15m using it over the holidays recently, into places like Argentina, NA, SA, Eu and Australia. My Delta Loop is still up as is my other Hustler 6BTV and thankfully are both still doing a good job for me along side the home brew satellite antenna the IO-10 EL that I made a few years back. I have had lots of fun over the past fortnight making many QSO via FO-29 using the IO-10 EL. FT-100 and FT-817 combination.It seems to be working great as I also made some good QSO on 2m SSB.

SO-50 Satellite - 5 Watt QRP Operation

As well as playing indoors at the holiday shack Ive been outside with my ARROW satellite antenna and handheld rigs. I have worked some old friends as well as a few new ones via the FM satellite SO-50. The portable 5 Watt set up is great fun to use and very effective from up on the moor tops. I managed to catch a short video of one of the many SO-50 passes that I was active on, it features a QSO with another Simon who's call sign is G6AHX. Hope you enjoy the video and have a good weekend! 73 thanks for passing by, hope to be back soon de 2E0HTS - Simon