UK POTA Rain and Shine

by Matt (W6CSN)

Bletchley Park

Most readers of this weblog are in all probability conversant in Bletchley Park and the importance of this place in breaking the codes utilized by the axis army forces in the course of the second world battle.

The electromechanical techniques developed and used right here to assist the codebreakers of their day by day work led on to the digital digital computer systems of the mid-twentieth century, after which to the trendy world as we all know it.

After boarding the London Northwestern Railway at Euston station, the hour lengthy practice journey took us from central London, by the suburbs, then the pastoral English countryside to the station at Bletchley, simply south of Milton Keynes.

Bletchley Park is a 5 minute stroll from the practice station at Bletchley, the city of the identical identify. In step with the previously clandestine nature of the work at Bletchley Park, there aren’t any loud indicators to welcome you, simply the Union Jack flying over the nondescript customer middle in Block C.

Exiting the customer middle, any ham will shortly spot the three-element SteppIR Yagi perched atop a roof-mounted tower. Additionally from the tower, a folded dipole extends over the the Block B constructing which homes the Alan Turing museum reveals. The opposite finish of this antenna farm is plugged into GB3RS, the newbie radio station for the Nationwide Radio Centre of the RSGB.

The pleasant and useful workers of amateurs on the NRC performed an important function in my hoped-for plan of activating Bletchley Park for Parks On The Air.

Surprisingly, the POTA web page for GB-0507 confirmed solely a handful of activations of this iconic location. Seeing as this can be a heritage website, I despatched an e-mail to the NRC about week earlier than my go to asking for recommendation on tips on how to be a welcome visitor POTA operator.

Notice, the NRC is colocated on the grounds of the museum however they aren’t part of Bletchley Park. The NRC is a separate group.

Martyn G0GMB, the Director of the NRC, kindly responded to my enquiry and knowledgeable me that particular person newbie radio exercise shouldn’t be typically permitted on the grounds of Bletchley Park as a result of variety of guests they obtain and issues about RF security. This might clarify the low variety of activations.

Martyn urged I might arrange within the overflow automotive park couple of minutes stroll down the street from the customer middle. Whereas not on the grounds of Bletchley Park correct, the parking zone operation would nonetheless be within the spirit of POTA and would moderately depend as a sound activation location.

After I arrived at Bletchley Park on Friday afternoon, I used to be met by Mervyn G4KLE who was anticipating me due to a be aware left by OM G0GMB. Mervyn requested the place all my gear was and I motioned to the pack on my again.

As a result of my radio and antenna was a low impression, minimal footprint QRP setup, I used to be informed that I might make use of the picnic desk simply out the aspect door of the GB3RS shack, with my antenna setup simply beside it. This dead-end spot was not on any of the paths frequented by park guests and my antenna wouldn’t be simply seen.

This was a significantly better association than attempting to activate from a parking lot with no automotive! I shortly deployed a GRA-GNT micro tripod with middle spike pushed simply into the tender floor. The GRA-7350T loaded vertical and a set of quick radials offered an SWR of 1.05 to 1.

I selected the QMX as a journey radio whereas in Britain as a result of with it, the general package may be very light-weight and compact. Except for the tripod the entire package matches in my carry-on. The GRA-GNT antenna mounting package has to fly in checked baggage as a result of a number of aggressive trying spikes that would definitely be flagged by airport safety.

One of many show instances contained in the NRC reveals an authentic QCX radio produced by Hans Summers G0UPL, so it is just becoming for the QMX to be operated in its ancestral homeland.

I scheduled the activation for the entire day on the POTA app and fortunately the RBN connection was working properly and noticed me simply moments after beginning to name “CQ POTA DE M/W6CSN” which was programmed into message slot #1 on the QMX.

I had no concept what to anticipate working a POTA activation in Nice Britain and the place many of the awake ham inhabitants could be European. As such I used to be a little bit stunned when the primary name was from K2UPD in Kentucky, USA – and he was loud.

All through the hour that I used to be on the air there was alternating intervals of sunshine and clouds with occasional gentle rain. The rain was nothing that couldn’t be dealt with by the Ceremony-In-The-Rain logbook and by merely closing the flap of the Maxpedition pouch that held the radio and battery.

Nevertheless, needing simply two extra contacts for an entire activation, the skies began chucking down rain in massive portions. At this price each the station and the operator would quickly be completely soaked. I unexpectedly made an association with Mervyn G4KLE the place he turned the facility down on GB3RS as little as it could go and I labored him each as GB3RS after which G4KLE to complete out the ten.

Whereas that stunt could have stretched the spirit of the foundations, they had been legitimate over-the-air contacts and counted for POTA. I used to be merely working him line of sight off the aspect of his beam.

I shortly bundled all of the stuff again into the GB3RS shack and tried to dry the wettest of the gear earlier than stowing all of it again in my pack.

I can say with confidence that with out the type help from Martyn, Mervyn, and the entire gang on the Nationwide Radio Centre that my try to do a POTA activation at this essential historic website wouldn’t have been profitable, if it even occurred in any respect. They are surely a terrific bunch of fellows.

In the event you ever go to Bletchley Park, which I extremely advocate, and are enthusiastic about doing a POTA exercise it’s crucial that you simply contact the folks on the NRC forward of time and make applicable preparations. GB-0507 is a delicate and traditionally important website, don’t simply present up with a bunch of ham radio gear and count on that you simply’ll be capable to function.

A few days after the profitable tour to Bletchley Park, I had a while obtainable within the morning and I had been eager to do one other POTA activation whereas in London. Hyde Park is smack within the middle of London and is designated POTA reference GB-0401 – I figured now was good time to attempt to get it.

I consulted the marvel of deception that’s the London Underground Map and noticed that simply three stops from our lodge on the Jubilee Line would take me inside strolling distance of Hyde Park.

Invoice Bryson in his e book “Notes from a Small Island” has this to say in regards to the London Underground Map:

What a chunk of perfection it’s, created in 1931 by a forgotten hero named Harry Beck, an out of labor draughtsman who realized that if you find yourself underground it doesn’t matter the place you might be.

Alighting at Inexperienced Park station it was roughly 1 / 4 mile stroll to Hyde Park Nook. I stored going, deeper into the park, hoping to place a ways between the working location and what I thought could be larger RFI emanating from the trendy city atmosphere on the edges of the park.

A park bench which backed up towards an space of taller grass appeared like a sensible choice because it was off the principle path and I might arrange the antenna in an space unlikely to be frequented by folks.

After recognizing myself, I once more set to calling CQ POTA with my “M/” prefixed callsign. Circumstances weren’t nice it appeared, however I did make three contacts earlier than the rain as soon as once more started falling in earnest.

Ready out the rain showers was not an choice as I used to be working out of time. Nevertheless, since theoretically I had till 11 o’clock that evening to finish the activation, I might come again later within the afternoon and attempt to wrap it up.

It took a number of hours to assist my daughter to complete packing up and getting moved out of her residence and again to our lodge, from which we’d go away early the subsequent day for Heathrow for our flight again to San Francisco.

After an early dinner we discovered our approach again to Hyde Park which was a a lot busier place now than it was at 8AM. The park bench which I had used earlier was unavailable so I discovered a spot to arrange the station on the fringe of a broad area.

This time round, whereas there have been undoubtedly stations on the bands, they both weren’t listening to me or not within the temper to reply my QRP calls.

The week of strolling throughout (and beneath) London, the chilly afternoon climate, and sitting on the bottom making no contacts lastly bought the higher of me. After an hour of attempting I made a decision to throw within the towel.

The three contacts made that morning must do. I uploaded my log to POTA later that night from the lodge. Whereas not thrilled with being the primary to try, however not full, the activation of Hyde Park, I put a optimistic spin on it. All the opposite activators that come after me don’t have to fret about being the primary to bust an activation right here. Hello Hello.

Conclusion

Rain and Solar, full and incomplete activations, these radio outings in Nice Britain had been a whole lot of enjoyable and enabled me to tick the field subsequent to one among this yr’s ham radio targets, which was do to a POTA activation abroad.

73 de M/W6CSN

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