RF Circuits

Today I had a couple of hours spare to do some /P operating from Dale Airfield. 

Now disused... in the early 1940's the airfield was in the frontline of WW2. 

Aircraft based here defended the Atlantic convoys by mounting antisubmarine patrols. 

Today the area is uncannily quiet and the aircraft of war have given way to sheep.

Parking at the access point to the airfield overlooking West Dale Bay, I made my way about half a mile or so to set up at the edge of the taxiway, right on the cliff top overlooking the spectacular Marloes Sands – Lat 51.715 Lon -5.200. 

Unlike the forecast given twenty-four hours earlier for sunshine I was met with a fine drizzle that fortunately stopped by the time I was ready to start operating.

     

I was using the FT-817 running 5 watts from the internal batteries to a 20m half-wave end-fed vertical attached to the ubiquitous fishing pole. 

Solar flux was in the 80's again so no DX, although stations in Germany, Netherlands & Bulgaria were contacted. 

With the exception of one of the German stations worked on 40m all the others were on 20m. 

CQ calls on 17m & 30m produced no results.

All in all an enjoyable couple of hours and once I’d started at least the weather stayed dry.

73s Charles GW0LVH.