The castle or "borg" like it is called here has been destroyed by a fire in the eighties. But it has been build again. It is in private posession and not open for the public.
08-06-2019: The meeting did last a little longer as anticipated, so the activation started a little later.
The weather was not that good, lot of rain and heavy winds. At first I parked the car at a parking lot near de castle, because of the trees there was no possebility to install the fiber mast for the 3 band endfed. So I started with my modified DV27 mobile antenna. It took me 10 minutes to get spotted on the DX cluster and even that didn't help a lot. A few moments later I got a visitor in person of PA3BCB Gerard, he lives about 100m from the parking lot. After some chatting Gerard told me there was another parking lot that might have more possebilities, actually he also had a field in mind that he hired for a while but is unattended at the moment. I tried the other parking lot and Gerard told me were to find the field so I could take a look if I wished. I started on 20m again but it wasn't much successful. So I drove the car to the field and found it being in front of some houses. I didn't like to disturb the people and didn't want to get much in sight. So went back to the parking lot and found a place for my fiber mast between the trees and mounted the 3 band endfed. Working on 40m went on much better and 1,5 hour later the log counted 60 QSOs. Unfortunately forgot to record GPS location so will have to do that later but at least took some photos.
Update 12-6-2019: PA3BCB Gerard was so kind to send me the GPS
info. However I prefer my own screen with map and QRA locator so will try to make a screenshot tomorrow.
Update 16-6-2019: Add the GPS pisture from my own phone.
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| Can you spot the antennas? |
The weather was not that good, lot of rain and heavy winds. At first I parked the car at a parking lot near de castle, because of the trees there was no possebility to install the fiber mast for the 3 band endfed. So I started with my modified DV27 mobile antenna. It took me 10 minutes to get spotted on the DX cluster and even that didn't help a lot. A few moments later I got a visitor in person of PA3BCB Gerard, he lives about 100m from the parking lot. After some chatting Gerard told me there was another parking lot that might have more possebilities, actually he also had a field in mind that he hired for a while but is unattended at the moment. I tried the other parking lot and Gerard told me were to find the field so I could take a look if I wished. I started on 20m again but it wasn't much successful. So I drove the car to the field and found it being in front of some houses. I didn't like to disturb the people and didn't want to get much in sight. So went back to the parking lot and found a place for my fiber mast between the trees and mounted the 3 band endfed. Working on 40m went on much better and 1,5 hour later the log counted 60 QSOs. Unfortunately forgot to record GPS location so will have to do that later but at least took some photos.
Update 12-6-2019: PA3BCB Gerard was so kind to send me the GPSinfo. However I prefer my own screen with map and QRA locator so will try to make a screenshot tomorrow.
Update 16-6-2019: Add the GPS pisture from my own phone.
Update 9-6-2019: Log is uploaded. I received a short video from my activation from PA3BCB. Sound is not as good since there was a lot of wind....
Good luck! If I had realised this was happening, I would have tried to activate one of our 12th century editions - although they were of course built by the English to oppress the Welsh, so maybe should not be celebrated at all!
ReplyDeleteWell John, I was invited to join the group. Have done castle activations before years ago. Anyway, I hope to have some QSOs tomorrow. Today was not that good with only 4 QSO. 73, Bas
DeleteLeuk Bas, datje mee doet om de kastelen te activeren. En het lukt je toch aardig ondanks alle strubbelingen. Goed om te lezen dat de enfed nog steeds goed werkt. Zelf hoop ik binnenkort de draad weer op te pakken en wat paff gebieden hier in de omgeving te gaan activeren. Want het blijft een leuke zijtak van onze hobby. 73 Hans, PE1BVQ.
ReplyDeleteHallo Hans, ja de endfed is een prima antenne. Ik merkte wel dat het kastje waar de balun in zit wat warmw werd. Misschien moet ik op den duur toch eens een high power versie maken. Heb ook de mobile antenne een vergeleken met de endfed op 20m, dan zit er weinig verschil in...73, Bas
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