G8BCG/P IO70RK near Polperro Cornwall

My home is in Herodsfoot - a great place to live but NOT a VHF QTH!

Herodsfoot - "at the foot of the long hill"

This is the take-off to the east. Other directions are pretty much the same.

My Portable Location

Original set-up | 2001 upgrade |2002 upgrade | current setup

So, I only operate portable / mobile. My normal portable location is only <1 km from home - just at the top of the hill behind the church in fact @ 162m asl. Though it is not a fantastic VHF site it is electrically VERY quiet and easily accessible. From seeing a spot on the net or receiving a call that DX is about, I can be up the hill and on air within 5 minutes. - This has paid dividends on many occasions. Check out my sound archives for proof.

So where is IO70RK anyway?

Click here to see a map of SE Cornwall and here to zoom into Herodsfoot and my portable site on the 160m contour near Coombe farm.

CX DX to the West - can't you just feel the Es?

CQ South America

400w on 50MHz + 433 talk back, 144 DX cluster and GSM-Internet

System Improvements 2001

When I made it past the 100 countries worked on 6m, things got a little harder!

With 350w from an IC756pro plus TE Systems Amp the limiting factor was the 3ele yagi at only 4m high. But the 3ele and glass fibre mast was the optimum for quick erection in the limited space at the side of the road. Fortunately, I've now been given access to a field about 100m north of my old parking spot. The site is slightly better than my roadside location and has enabled me to make permanent provision for guys and mast tilt base so that I can now get a 5ele MSquared yagi 6m into the air within a couple of minutes in any weather. Now the limiting factor is the drive to the top of the field in my 4WD - no problems so far *.

* well, just one - see below.

G8BCG/P 5ele yagi @ 6m Site access is sometimes a problem!

This is a good day - one night in February 2002 I got really stuck - sunk to axles with all 4 wheels turning - embarrasing tractor rescue the next day!

System Improvements 2002

Now at over 150 countries worked and with a failing solar cycle it's getting really hard to find new countries. So, my plan is to go for a pair of M2 6M7JHV 30' long yagis.

This is going to be tricky, bearing in mind that it has all to be raised and lowered by one person! As of 10/4/02 I've just got a single 6M7JHV @ 8m. That's all I can reliably lift until I get some clever Gyn Pole and winch bits and pieces sorted.

G8BCG/P 6M7JHV @ 8m

Secret Weapons

I regard the site as my main secret weapon - VERY quiet. Second is my SP6 pre-amp at the antenna - it works! Then there is the 3-500z - only used for special occasions, this combined with a trailer mounted generator enables me to develop 400w at the antenna - every dB helps.

IC756proII, Sony Vaio, GSM phone, IC706IIg, Kenwood TMD for packet & 70cm talkback, TE Sys 350w PA and sequencer, 2* Bird Thrulines etc...!

The secret weapon - 3-500zg for video and pile-up busting!

New Shack?

For 2005 I'm working on a new shack to replace the old caravan that we use for contest - click here for details