Essex 2m Activity Day 2015 Report

Saturday the 28th of March 2015 saw several stations in Essex take part in a 2 metre activity afternoon.

The activity was championed by the Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club (TAARC) to encourage Essex to make more use of 2 metres, and to get Essex talking. The 2m activity event ran for three hours from 1pm to 4pm.

Thurrock Acorns GX4HKO

The club station of the Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club GX4HKO manned by Stella G0EKP started operating from 1pm, contacting people from around Essex, London and South England

TAARC Chairman Nicholas Wilkinson said: “I am delighted with the number of people who got involved. Whenever you run a new activity you plan for a successful day but it’s not until after the event you can reflect back and evaluate if the event was and in this case it was a huge success and we are already talking about running a similar event later in the year”.

Thurrock Acorns: David M5ABP, Stella G0EKP, Peter G4FQF and Simon M1GGY
Thurrock Acorns: David M5ABP, Stella G0EKP, Peter G4FQF and Simon M1GGY

 

Essex Ham at Shoebury East Beach

To show support for this 2m initiative, Essex Ham activated 2 metre stations from Shoebury East Beach.

Shoebury East Beach 2m Activity Event - March 2015
Shoebury East Beach 2m Activity Event – March 2015

Two 2 metre stations, both Yaesu FT-857s, with Steve 2E0UEH’s 5-element beam on one, and Pete M0PSX’s home-made Slim Jim on the other were set up.

With two 2m stations in close proximity, only one radio was active for transmission at any one time, with the other being used for monitoring.

Operating at Shoebury East Beach for the March 2015 2m Activity Event
Operating at Shoebury East Beach for the March 2015 2m Activity Event (Pic: Richard M0CLZ)

Several handhelds were in use too, and two HF verticals were deployed by Peter G0DZB and Steve 2E0UEH for HF action, mostly on CW.

Antenna Farm for the Shoebury 2m Activation Event
Antenna Farm for the Shoebury 2m Activation Event (Pic: Richard M0CLZ)

Thanks to the 14 people who turned up on the day, including: David G3SVI, Dorothy 2E0NCE, Keith G7FFI (and Mrs FFI), Myra M0MYR, Nick 2E0DVX (and Maj), Pete M0PSX, Peter G0DZB (who traveled down from Colchester), Richard M0CLZ, Rob 2E0LMX, Steve 2E0UEH and Tom M0ABA (plus harmonic)

Getting Started at Shoebury Beach - 28 March 2015
Getting Started at Shoebury Beach – 28 March 2015

A very chilly and blustery day on the beach, but good fun, with plenty of time to try a few new things, and help with some mentoring. Given that many of the HF bands were busy with the CQ WPX contest, HF may have been a tricky band – but great to be out making use of 2m.

Nick 2E0DVX and Rob 2E0LMX working 2m FM at Shoebury East Beach
Nick 2E0DVX and Rob 2E0LMX working 2m FM at Shoebury East Beach

Highlights of the afternoon in Shoebury included:

  • Working Stella and Dave from Thurrock Acorns, who were using their callsign GX4HKO for the event
  • Making contact with Paul M0LRE and Edmund M0MNG who took part from Firle Beacon in East Sussex. Essex Ham member Edmund has shown considerable support for us in the past, and it was great to work him first via a repeater in Kent, and then direct using SSB on a homemade Slim Jim.
  • Working Tom G0SBW, who was HF Pedestrian Mobile on a beach in St Osyth – Tom attended a recent Skills Night do demonstrate his pedestrian kit
  • Plus of course, Maj’s cakes!
Peter G0DZB working Tom G0SBW, who was HF Pedestrian Mobile
Peter G0DZB working Tom G0SBW, who was HF Pedestrian Mobile
Ever the optimist - Nick 2E0DVX hoping for sun
Ever the optimist – Nick 2E0DVX hoping for sun

Essex Hams at Galleywood Common

Two Essex Hams not able to attend the events in Thurrock or Shoebury set up at Galleywood Common – Thanks to James 2E1GUA, Brian M6UHN (and Preston) for taking part from Chelmsford.

Brian M6UHN and James 2E1GUA at Galleywood Common
Brian M6UHN and James 2E1GUA at Galleywood Common (Photo: Brian M6UHN)
James 2E1GUA working 2m at Galleywood Common March 2015
James 2E1GUA working 2m at Galleywood Common March 2015 (Photo: Brian M6UHN)

Thanks also to the members of Essex Ham and other amateurs across the area for making contact with the team at Thurrock Acorns and with our stations in Shoebury.

Great also to hear Neil G0RNU from the newly-formed Essex AR DX Group (also running 2m SSTV) and Dave G4AJY from SEARS supporting the event too. Perhaps a little disappointing that a few more of the other clubs didn’t step up to support the Essex 2m Activity event…

Well done to the team at Thurrock Acorns for setting up the event and getting Essex on 2m. Plans are already in progress for a repeat of this – and those of us who braved a chilly Shoebury beach, are hoping for a sunny Summer event!

 

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9 Comments

  1. Edmund M0MNG 27 March 2015 Reply
    • Pete M0PSXAuthor 27 March 2015 Reply
  2. Edmund M0MNG 29 March 2015 Reply
    • Pete M0PSXAuthor 29 March 2015 Reply
  3. Paul W (M0LRE) 29 March 2015 Reply
    • Pete M0PSXAuthor 30 March 2015 Reply
  4. Paul 29 March 2015 Reply
    • Pete M0PSXAuthor 30 March 2015 Reply
  5. Edmund M0MNG 2 April 2015 Reply

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