GM0B 2008

INTRODUCTION :

The Mid Lanark Amateur Radio Societies contest group callsign GM0B was used for the first time with our participation in the CQ WW SSB contest in 2000. Our initial activity taking place from the island of Benbecula ( EU-010 ) in the outer Hebrides. Whilst we had extremely limited equipment, basic antennas and most of the group had little or no contest experience what-so-ever, our score was respectable, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and more importantly we wanted more !

In 2001 the contest location was changed to Dunnethead ( the most northerly point in the UK mainland ) both due to the original location being unavailable and to eliminate the reliance on ferries which are regularly cancelled due to bad weather. This site proved suitable for a few years whilst the group gained in operating experience, acquired better equipment and increased in numbers.

2003 found GM0B at yet another contest location, this time locally in central Scotland ( Stonehouse - IO85AQ ) at a scout centre with ideal accommodation and antenna space. The closeness of its locality being hugely beneficial as it eliminated hours of travelling, towing 60ft masts and trailers full with all sorts of gear “just in case”. The biggest advantage being if you forgot something you could simply nip home and get it. This location has proved suitable for several years now and hopefully will continue to do so in the future.

The groups activity significantly increased In 2007 with the GM0B callsign first being heard both in the IOTA contest, from the isle of Bute ( EU-123 ) and in the CQ WW CW contest from just north of Stirling. The group also participated in several VHF/UHF contests throughout the year, using the either the Mid Lanark's club callsign GM3PXK or an individual member's callsign. Whilst several new contests were activated, participation in the CQ WW SSB contest was cancelled due to the limited number of available operators.

This year 2008, the group has once more been very active participating in several contests and yes !, GM0B was back on the air as a multi-multi station for the CQ WW SSB contest. Ironically with the same limited number of operators that would have been available in 2007, but with everyone being full of enthusiasm.

GM0B - CQ WW SSB 2008 ( Multi-Multi )

In the lead up to the contest it was apparent we were once again going to be limited to only seven operators/erectors, however, the big difference this year was that all the remaining members had positive mental attitudes. Every one was “up-for-it” and were “raring to go”, even though the thought of erecting the antenna farm with all the towers, poles, antennas and miles of cable was daunting.

9:00am the Wednesday morning before the contest we arrived on site and Colin, MM0FCM with his 4x4 Range Rover drove into the field and positioned the 60ft trailer tower for the 40m Beam. Having unhitched, he jumped back into his car and accelerated only to find all four wheels spinning like fury and his vehicle sunk up to its axles in mud. - Oh Oh ! Not to worry Iain, GM0OQV with his 4x4 Land Rover Discovery promptly drove down, fixed a line to Colin's car to pull him out, only to find - Oh Oh ! we now had two 4x4's stuck in the mud. Fortunately, after a bit of to-ing, fro-ing and manhandling we managed to get both vehicles rolling downhill and keeping their momentum they managed to drive back out the field.

The three other trailer towers being located higher in the field, on slightly drier ground, were positioned without too much difficulty. However, as weather forecast for the next five days was storm force winds and torrential rain the worry of how we were going to get them out after the contest was heavy in all our minds.

The two element 40m Monobander was first assembled, fitted to the stub mast and cranked up to its full height above the trees. In the wind it immediately started flapping like a swan taking off, worried looks all around, but the shout was how's the SWR ? Something was wrong, the SWR was sky high, it had to be taken down for examination. After further investigation we found the choke formed several years before using coax cable had been damaged by water ingress. A new balun was fitted and analyser readings were good, it was now someone else's turn to crank up the heavy tower with the missing handle grip.

The four element 10m Monobander was next, being smaller it was quickly assembled, fitted to the mast and raised into the air for testing. Why was it resonating on 11m ? After a bit of head scratching and re-measuring it was found that the measurements had been taken from the wrong end. Down it came, elements were repositioned and then raised back up again for testing, yep all OK ! Whilst it takes seconds to described, putting it up, taking it down and putting back up again, it appears to take ages when you are in the field suitably clad in waterproofs, hat, gloves and wellington boots, your feet and hands are freezing and the wind drives the rain down the side of your neck and up the very cuffs of your sleeves.

This year due to the limited number of participants we decided to try a single 80m quarter wave vertical in lieu of our usual 4-Square, loaded Chelcom verticals and phasing unit. The vertical antenna was constructed using a single wire run up the outside of a 18m Spider pole, with the last 2m run horizontally towards the 60ft tower, like an inverted L. However, with the guy line positions and the storm force winds the whole antenna looked more like an inverted “S” for most of the time. Would it stay up ? only time would tell !

The 160m antenna was constructed in a similar fashion, but in a true inverted L format with the end of the antenna running horizontally towards 60ft tower supporting the 40m beam. We had to make doubly sure the tower was well supported and guyed as the 40m, 80m and 160m antennas were all connected to this tower and the wind was raging.

The next day, the 5 element wide spaced 20m Monobander with its 47ft long boom was assembled and fitted to the mast. However, as this antenna was positioned at the highest point in the field and would be subject to the full force of the wind, we decided to leave it resting on the ground until just before the start of the contest. We didn't want to test providence too early. Even with the bottom of the antenna resting on the ground and most of the antenna below tree level the upper elements were flapping frantically.

The 5 element 15m Monobander needing a bit of TLC had been taken into the building the night before and broken down, by literally snapping the rusty bolts, to take it apart for cleaning and re-assembling. The following morning it was positioned on its tower, winched up to its full height and well guyed like the others. The maintenance work had not been in vain as the SWR was flat across the band !

With the main antennas erected, we decided to install the receiving antennas for 80m as a single vertical can be very noisy on receive. Gordon, MM0GPZ suggested using EWE antennas and a switch box as we didn't have labour force, the time or the space to erect full size beverages. EWE antennas had been suggested the previous year, but pooh-poohed, not this year up they went to see how they would perform.

In the daylight hours, as well as erecting the antennas we reeled out the heliax, coax, rotator cables, switch box control wires and laid miles ground plane radials for the low band antennas. As you can appreciate we would have a good ground plane system this year as the radials quickly disappeared below the surface of the water and into the mud.

In the evenings, in the dry and warmth of the building, we assembled the transceivers, linear amplifiers, computers, flat screen VDU's, keyboards, rig controllers, rotator controllers, antenna switch boxes, voice keyers, earthing systems and wireless LAN for linking the six station laptops with Wintest logging software.

By early Friday, with the exception of a few outstanding tweaks, we were ready for the contest and several DX contacts were made using personal callsigns. Favourable reports were being received from the DX and things were looking good. Colin, MM0FCM worked his very first VK4 and it was on 80m. Six of us worked VK9DWX ( Willis Island DXpedition ) on 20m CW, virtually one after an other. The VK9 operator must have thought there was some incredible propagation between Scotland and Australia !

The operator schedule was written-up on the whiteboard and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…... CQ Contest, CQ Contest, GM0B. We were under way, but immediately something was wrong on top band, an antenna problem ? The second shift operators who were planning on heading to bed had to quickly dawn their waterproofs and head out into the dark, cold, wet and windy conditions. After an hour, top band was repaired, operational and working very well.

The first 12 hours of the contest flashed past and things were going well, big signal reports were being received on all bands with the exception of 10m which was closed to us for the entire contest. The only problem in the first period was that the 20m beam could not be rotated and was left pointing north. A combination of extremely strong winds and volt drop through the exceptionally long of rotator cable ( In retrospect, we should have cut it ) When the wind strength dropped a little the following morning the rotator started operating again.

The grey line and daylight appeared, it was exhilarating to be operating. On 20m Tom, MM0BHX worked Brazil, followed consecutively by Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Peru !! Later on 15m he worked Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia, all within a 15min period. It was like being on the internet, just point and click, or should I say point and PTT.

Time races when operating in the contest and you don't realise just how tired your brain gets. At the end of an operating shift, about halfway through the contest, I tried to work out just how long a snooze I could have before I had to be back on the radio, Lets see, we' re now working 4hour operating slots, the scheduled times are one hour late due to the second team being delayed sorting the top band antenna, the clocks have now changed from BST to GMT and my watch hasn't been adjusted. What time do I get up, on my watch ? .………. Can someone please give me a call when its my turn again.

The remainder of the contest shot past with only two further mishaps which were once again repaired in the early hours using the headlights of the cars to illuminate the field. The first problem, the elements of the 40m beam flapping violently in the wind snagged on the 80m antenna support rope and couldn't be rotated. It all had to come down, resolved and raised. The second, the 80m vertical ( or Inverted “S” ) finally snapped and had to be dropped, repaired and re-erected.

Despite these mishaps, resulting from the exceptional weather conditions, the group remained in high spirits and everyone thoroughly enjoyed participating in the contest. At the end, we were all too fired up to go straight to bed, even though we were exhausted. Several beers were called for and an initial debriefing took place.

Good points

Bad Points

Monday morning, after a full nights sleep we were up and out in the field dismantling the equipment and believe it or not, the rain had stopped and the wind had dropped. Even after several years of CQ WW multi-multi contesting, it still amazes me that we take three days to assemble the gear and only one to dismantle it !?

The final test for the group was how were we going to get the trailer towers out of the absolutely sodden, quagmire of a field ? Eureka !! a 300 yard long hawser was tied to the trailer, run up the field, through a pulley system fixed to a well rooted tree and onto the tow bar of a Land Rover. The vehicle simply drove down the road and the trailers were, one by one, pulled out of the field with Iain, GM0OQV (standing on the rear of the trailers as ballast) whooping and shouting “Ride them Cowboy !”

Tired and exhausted, but very contented, we returned home for a rest, already thinking - when is the next contest ?

Team GM0B 2008 :

Philip - GM0LIR Tom - MM0BHX Craig - M0BUL,

Iain - GM0OQV Gordon - MM0GPZ

John - GM0NBM Colin - MM0FCM

Thanks to Brian - GM0EGI and John - GM7GNK ( Who couldn't manage the contest, but assisted working in the field before and after the contest )

A special thanks to all who worked us in the contest.

Tom, MM0BHX ( GM0B )

GM0B - CQ WW SSB 2008