Four years after the first DX’pedition, we’re back to Mull!
Continuing the Camb-Hams traditional Scottish Island activations, beginning with Mull in 2008, Harris in 2009 and 2010, and Arran in 2011, we’ve decided to return to the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides (IOTA EU-008). But where the first year was part-time operation of a single station, in a cottage at the base of some cliffs blocking the path to North America, this year we’re going for something bigger…
- All HF bands from 160m to 10m covered with five stations on air simultaneously, all capable of running the legal power limit from five linear amplifiers
- 6m, 4m and 2m with a great take-off to the UK and Europe, again all at legal limit
- 10GHz (3cm) for a first-time activation of IO66 square
Equipment wise, here’s a taster:
- 3 * Icom IC-756ProIII transceivers (2 on HF, one on 6m)
- 3 * Elecraft K3 transceivers on HF
- Icom IC-910 transceiver for 2m
- Yaesu VL-1000 “Quadra” linear for 6m
- Expert 1K-FA HF linear
- Kenwood TL-922 HF linear
- Linear Amp UK Ranger 811 HF linear
- Ten-Tec solid-state HF linear
- Icom IC-2KL solid-state HF linear
- 800W solid-state or 500W valve 2m linear (construction pending)
- 300W solid-state linear and OZ2M transverter on 4m, FLEX-1500 driver
- 10GHz DB6NT transverter with 10W amplifier
- 5B4AGN and DuneStar transmitting band-pass filters
We’ll be on air from Saturday 28th April until Friday 4th May.
The main station will be located in IO66vh, on the south coast of the island:
There will also be a 24 hour activation from Lunga, IOTA EU-108 using the callsign GS6PYE/P. This will most likely take place from Sunday 29th until Monday 30th April – exact timings to follow.
Thanks to Martin Lynch & Sons for their donation towards the Mull 2012 DX’Pedition proving again ML&S’s continued commitment to the UK amateur radio scene.
You can follow our progress on this blog (latest updates below) or on Twitter, as @g3pye.
If you’re curious about what we’re up to in the shack on Mull, here’s a live* webcam:
*(uploaded every couple of minutes, assuming the Internet connection is behaving…)
To meet the team goto the dedicated Mull 2012 Operators page.
Request QSL via Buro
If you are reading this then I hope we managed to work you while on Mull. It was our best year yet for QSO numbers and we had lots of fun doing the DX’Pedition, speaking to so many people all around the world and we managed to work stations in over 100 countries without trying, DXCC it is then.
If you did work us and wish to receive a QSL card from your QSO via the buro then we can save you the time and effort of you sending us one. Making use of Michael G7VJR’s brilliant Clublog you can check your QSO history with us and then request a QSL card online, saving you sending us one. This is not a replacement to direct QSL cards, which should still be sent via M0VFC, but it saves you and us time organising buro QSL cards.
Use the search box to start.
GS3PYE/P Group Shot
The GS3PYE/P group stopped for lunch at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar on the way back from Mull. The gang’s all there, except for Steve M1ACB who has a face better suited to standing the other side of the camera and taking the picture.
10GHz station from the hilltop
The group decided to lug the microwave kit up to the top of the hill – approx 130m ASL, all systems go and waiting for QSOs at this stage!
Left to right: Terry G3VFC, John G4BAO, Rob M0VFC, Steve M1ACB and Dom M0BLF
Rob M0VFC tied to the tripod to stop it blowing over and John G4BAO operating 10Ghz
John G4BAO operating 10Ghz from the top of the hill
Satellite QSOs on Mull
This afternoon we made our first satellite QSOs, 2M0SQL (operating the radio), MM0VFC (Antenna Rotator), MM0LCM (Camera Man) went up the hill by the cottage with a clear take off all around. Using a FT-817 and Arrow antenna we were able to work two stations EA1JM and OM3WAN via AO-27 and hope to be on a few other passes during today and tomorrow.
CQ BBC Radio Cambridge
So this morning Dominic M0BLF had a different type of sked to keep, this one was with Jeremy Sallis on the BBC Radio Cambridge breakfast show. Dominic was live on the show just before 07:00 GMT.
You can hear Dominic’s QSO with Jeremy on BBC iPlayer which starts at 1h55m32s into the program (the link should take you there).
SOTA chasers
I’m loving SOTA chasers today. Just come back from an activation of Ben More, GM/SI-003 with my 40m CW rig. The first time I took it out I was worried that no-one would come back to me, and that my CW wouldn’t be good enough to actually work anyone.
Three times this week I’ve called CQ on 7.030+/-, and every time someone has come back to me and patiently accepted my ropey morse code.
While I love walking up mountains, you guys who keep the radio on in the shack and work SOTA activators deserve a shout.
Thank you.
The Shack Tonight
All five HF stations running in the shack tonight :
From left to right, M0LCM on 20m SSB, G4HUN on 40m SSB, M0VFC on 17m CW, M0DEG on 30m CW and G3ZAY on 15m CW.
The Antenna Farm at GS3PYE/P
This is the current antenna farm at GS3PYE/P :
See if you can spot the …
- Inverted L for 160m
- 1/4 wave verticals for 80m, 40m, 30m & 17m
- Tri-band beam for 20m, 15m & 10m
- Homebrew Spiderbeam for 20m, 15m & 10m
- Homebrew 6 ele YU7EF EF0606 6m beam
- Homebrew 7 ele YU7EF EF0407 4m beam
- 17 ele Tonna 2m beam
- 60cm dish for 10Ghz
We reserve the right to add, change or delete antennas during the week :-)
Just to complete the picture, this is the view from the base of Flossies mast, looking north-east :
This is what it looks like from the top of the hill :
VHF Squares Worked (6m, 4m & 2m)
As of 13:00z on May 1st 2012 here are the squares we have worked;
6m
Squares on 6m: IM57, IM58, IM59, IM87, IN50, IN52, IN53, IN70, IN72, IN73, IN78, IN83, IN89, IO62, IO63, IO70, IO74, IO75, IO82, IO83, IO85, IO86, IO90, IO91, IO93, JN37, JN58, JN76, JN78, JN99, JO01, JO02, JO20, JO21, JO22, JO31, JO32, JO33, JO41, JO43, JO48, JO55, JO59, JO62, JO63, JO65, JO66, JO72, JO77, JO79, JO80, JO81, JO82, JO83, JO90, JO91, JO92, KN09, KO02.
4m
Squares on 4m: IN89, IO62, IO75, IO82, IO83, IO85, IO90, IO91, IO94, JN79, JO01, JO10, JO20, JO21, JO22, JO30, JO32, JO33, JO45, JO46, JO48, JO50, JO54, JO55, JO65, JO70
2m
Squares on 2m: IN97, IO75, IO81, IO82, IO86, IO87, IO92, IO93, IO94, JN25, JN37, JN49, JN58, JN65, JN78, JO11, JO20, JO21, JO32, JO33, JO40, JO41, JO47, JO50, JO51, JO53, JO55, JO61, JO63, JO64, JO72, JO77, JO89, JO94, KO93, PM95
