Foula Island June 2005 –  GM4ODA/p

(IP80xc)

                  Click on the picture to learn more of the island

Picture courtesy of  Charles Tait

Operators are:

 

Keith GM4ODA/p

Keith is a highly competent and experienced VHF Dx-pedition operator and organiser.  Amongst his previous Dx-peditions have been Iceland, Faeroe Islands, St Kilda, Shetland Isles and The Western Isles.  Keith, along with others, has been responsible for activating many of the “rarer” squares on VHF and higher bands for Amateur Radio Enthusiasts across Europe.  Keith is experienced in all mode contacts from SSB to HSMS to WSJT / JT6M.  He is an enthusiastic “home brewer” and the cornerstone from which the group has evolved.  He is founder member and holder of the Five Bells Group callsigns – G5B, G4SIV & G8ZHP.

 

Paul GM1GSN /p

Paul is a member of the group and this is his second Dx-pedition / holiday with Keith GM4ODA/p.  His debut was on Keith’s visit to Iceland last year – the first year of Paul’s retirement.  Paul has been responsible for the adaptation of a large flatbed trailer in which they managed to get the kit over to the island and subsequently converted it to a shack – looking somewhat like a Romany caravan.  Paul does not often operate a radio.

 

Operations to date:

Until now Keith and Paul have successfully made contacts across Europe on 2m, 6m and 4m with an occasional contact on 70cms and on 23cms.  Modes vary from SSB, WSJT & CW.  Keith even popped up on the UK Activity Contest on Tuesday night.

Upon arrival Keith found that the 23cms kit was not working, but that was quickly fixed.

Thursday saw their first serious attempt at WSJT and caused alarm when something went wrong and although calling at the peak of the Arietids meteor shower and being heard all over Europe, he failed to respond, causing such alarm amongst his fellow radio enthusiasts that the “local” police were alerted to ensure that he had not fallen over a cliff and left the radio/computer running.

From Keith, from Paul and from myself (Bob, G1ZJP) THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH for such concern and good wishes.

 

Weather has been very poor with force 7 winds and a lot of fog. Indeed both operators are now suffering from heavy colds.  Paul is becoming increasingly deaf and Keith is losing his voice.  As the weather has been so poor, Keith reports that there has been no ferry to or from the island for several days and their personal food supplies are beginning to run short.  There has been concern for several days that “the shack” may have been blown away by the wind overnight, despite being very well lashed down!  Antennas are difficult to hold in position due to the wind.

 

Phone coverage to the island is poor, text or radio on 2m band being the most successful contact for them.

 

The two have about 35–40 minutes walk from their accommodation to the shack and 35-40 minutes return walk twice a day for their operating periods.

 

Return from the island is expected on Saturday next 18 June.  There may be some 6m activity from them on Shetland if conditions permit, whilst they wait for a return ferry to the main land.

 

Operating Frequencies: ( Random operations – NO skeds, sorry)

 

6m WSJT – 50.230 MHz

2m WSJT - 144.360 MHz

4m WSJT – 70.210 MHz

 

all SSB contacts will be random frequencies, although Keith has favoured 144.280MHz

 

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY – may your hopes for a new square in the logbook come true on their 2005 Dx-pedition / holiday.

 

Paul – GM1GSN/p in Grey (background) <<<<<>>>>> Keith GM4ODA/p in Red (foreground)

Picture @ G4ODA’s QTH – RSGB March Contest 2m & 70 Cms

 

 

The Five Bells Group with leader G4ODA in centre (grey sports jacket)

 

© all pages & images copyright – The Five Bells Group ©

 

Contact via:  (please remove the blanks in the callsign)

g 5 b@qsl.net

 

Please Note that THURSDAY 16th June 2005 will be their last FULL day of operations

 

Keith still will NOT take “skeds” BUT  …….. 

 

If you want to maximize your chance of working  IP80 then here is what I suggest.  Please send a very brief note to – g5b@qsl.net.

Give –

Your CALLSIGN

Your LOCATOR

BANDS you are interested in working IP80

MODE – SSB / FSK / CW

A time “WINDOW” when you will be monitoring

 

I will try to QSP this info to Keith in a text message (please remember that phone contact is poor & intermittent) – please note that ..  THE FINAL DECISION ON WHERE HE POINTS ANTENNAS & WHO HE WORKS / CALLS IS WITH KEITH GM4ODA/p

 

I wish you GOOD LUCK. & 73