Elitism In The Hobby

Elitism? In Our Hobby? Surely not?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "Elite" thus:

"noun: a group of people considered to be superior in a particular society or organization: the country’s educated elite"

I prefer The Free Dictionary's definition:

"The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favoured treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources."

I hate elitist attitudes and snobbery of all kinds and it seems it exists in our hobby too. While such attitudes are often considered par for the course in some amateur radio circles, I was surprised to find it tucked away in a little corner of our hobby. Those with common sense will know that there is good and bad in all walks of life, but we are probably all guilty of it to some degree. We're all human and have opinions, but when these have a detrimental effect on the hobby and particularly to newcomers, something needs to be said. We should stand up against bullies and those who feel they are somehow superior to others.

An antipodean DX forum recently made sweeping statements about the SkywavesDX FM forum and its members, pointing some rather unsavoury fingers, accusing the membership of being parochial and making "excessive noise" in forum posts. OK, we have our niche interests and foibles, but, as polite as the tone of the message seemed when first read, it clearly dug deeply into the running of the group and the personalities of some members, leaving a very bitter taste in the mouth.

The person in question (I am unsure if he is a co-owner or moderator) who made this cruel attack, skilfully worded the post so it came across as a well-meaning message, yet it was highly critical of those lesser mortals who struggled to receive anything 'even half-decent' (ooops. snobbery there perhaps?). It also suggested that these barbarians were holding back the real enthusiasts. This is not the first time this person has been highly critical of Skywaves.

We have to ask the question, was SkywavesDX really deserving of this assessment? Well, whether it was or not, it was just plain wrong to have made such a post in the first instance. What right does he have to be so judgmental? He is one of the main faces of this forum, yet he is obviously unable to see the damage he is doing to it. This person has caused such a stir in the world of broadcast DXing lately that he has actually succeeded in deterring newcomers to the hobby and even making those established give it up and sell their equipment it would seem (there is documented evidence of this) and actually forced a member to close down his radio blog. This man has done nothing other than to alienate himself from everybody in our hobby, especially those who are not in the same privileged position as himself. He actually stated that DXers who didn't have high end receivers and towering aerial arrays should not be taken seriously and should leave the hobby.

The same man even suggested starting a European FM DX forum for beginners so they could be kept away from their established superior DX forum.

My feelings about this are so strong that I felt that this matter could not be swept under the carpet. Normally one could laugh off such snobbery, but it became clear that this bickering was having quite a detrimental effect on the hobby and some of its aficionados.

Who am I to speak out? Well, I have always been one of those people who speaks his mind and I admit that I don't always do it tactfully. I don't have the 'gift of the gab', but I will shout loudly if I feel something is unfair. Most of us have hobbies of one form or another. Some of us like to follow our local football team, others follow their favourite TV soaps or pop groups. These are all interests, no matter how big or small, but the fact is that they are almost always more fun when you share them with others. There is nothing to be gained from withholding information and there are huge benefits when you pass on useful and helpful information to others. Sadly, there will always be those highly competitive members who want to keep everything to themselves. Of course, they are perfectly entitled to do so if they wish, but what a shame that is. Personally, I find these people rather greedy and obnoxious.

The great thing about our radio hobby is that we all start off on an equal playing field. A good friend and fellow DXer occasionally reminds me that propagation is simply an act of nature over which we have no control. We are at its mercy and there is no telling what it will do and who it will affect next. It can be very localised or affect large areas. It has predictable and unpredictable qualities and it these are accessible to all of us. The idea of attaching elitism to something so unpredictable is just ridiculous. Compare to fishing for instance: Do you stand a better chance if you have a bigger rod and some prime bait? Of course not. That doesn't tell you where the fish are. Even smaller rods can pull in a bigger catch than that guy with the huge rod. It's just about being in the right place at the right time. Anybody can catch the big one. It's a bit like a game of hide and seek.

One of the greatest gifts in this hobby is the ability to help newcomers and I would urge all those who share our fascinating hobby to do just that: Offer useful tips and guidelines; Share your experiences; Alert others to DX events whenever possible. You can do this individually or in your club or society. Why on earth would anybody in their right mind want to cast certain members of the DX community aside and tell them are not be welcomed if they don't achieve certain minimum distances in their logbooks or they have less than 15 elements on a tower, which must be at a minimum height of 40 metres? (It's true. It's been stated!) There is nothing wrong with trying to raise standards, but don't leave those less fortunate out in the cold.

So far, I have avoided mentioning names and I really do not wish to 'out' the culprits, but I will mention names if this gross unfairness continues.

Tropo > Spain, Brittany, Holland & Belgium Continues

The Hepburn forecast predicted that conditions would move towards Scandinavia in the morning but that didn't happen. Instead, conditions continued into Brittany, although they weren't as good as on the 18th, yet Lierganes was heard briefly and with a very weak signal on 105.0 just after midnight.

I hope it's not too long before I see a return to Breton tropo as this part of France has been lacking here on the east coast. Even Spanish tropo has been more frequent here!

Tropospheric:
107.6 0946 BEL Hit FM, Bornem/Fort (vlg-ant)  Jingle ID ands pops  353 km

 87.6 0951  F  RMC, Le Havre/Harfleur (76)  Phone correspondent, as web  406 km **

107.1 0959  F  France Bleu 107.1, Paris/Tour Eiffel (75)  Phone in, as web  497 km

107.4 1039  G  Leisure FM, Coggeshall/Pattiswick (EN-ESX)  OM and oldies, as web stream  142 km

** Personal Skegness 'First'

Tropo > Spain, Brittany, Holland & Belgium

Before moving to the east coast I had expected Spain would be a rarity here, if it was ever going to be received at all. After all, this is the east coast and the sea path goes off in the wrong direction completely.  How wrong I was in my assumption!

Today's tropo opening just produced Lierganes on 102.9 & 105.0 - probably the two easiest frequencies. Signals almost peaked noise-free for a time.

Brittany also put in a appearance and even gave results from low powered stations. Here is the full log:

Tropospheric:
105.0 0840  E  RNE R.5 TN, Liérganes/Peña Cabarga (CNT-S)  Phone-in, as web stream  1128 km

 87.9 0848  F  France Culture, Parthenay/les Chateliers (79)  OM, as web stream  712 km

 89.2 0851  F  France Culture, Cherbourg-Octeville/Digosville (50)  OM as 89.0  413 km

 90.6 0852  F  France Inter, Nantes/Haute-Goulaine (44)  Serious OM, as web stream  675 km

 91.0 0853  F  France Musique, Alençon/Mont d'Amain (61)  Classical music, as 88.7  498 km

 91.4 0854  F  France Culture, Angers/Rochefort-sur-Loire (49)  OM interview, as web  650 km

 92.1 0855  F  France Musique, Laval-Evron/Mont Rochard (53)  Clasical music, as 92.0  550 km

 92.2 0855  F  France Musique, Tours/Chissay [41] (37)  Clasical music, as 92.0  646 km

 93.2 0856  F  France Inter, Angers/Rochefort-sur-Loire (49)  Same serious OM, as others  650 km

 93.8 0856  F  France Musique, Sens/Gisy-les-Nobles (89)  Clasical music, as 92.0  577 km

 94.2 0857  F  France Culture, Nantes/Haute-Goulaine (44)  OMs discussion, as 98.0  675 km

 94.6 0857  F  France Inter, Chartres/Montlandon (28)  Same serious OM, as others  531 km

 94.9 0858  G  BBC London 94.9, London/Crystal Palace (EN-GTL)  Talk, as web  194 km

 95.1 0900  F  France Inter, Laval-Evron/Mont Rochard (53)  ID and news  550 km

 98.1 0907  F  France Culture, Chartres/Montlandon (28)  OM, as 98.0  531 km

102.9 0909  E  RNE R.3, Liérganes/Peña Cabarga (CNT-S)  Almost noise free  1128 km

100.7 0915  F  France Bleu Cotentin, Cherbourg-Octeville/Digosville (50) BLEU.COT RDS on XDR! 413 km

 87.8 0927  F  Radio Courtoisie, Cherbourg-Octeville (50)  OM talking, as web stream  414 km

 93.7 0930  F  Contact, Montreuil/le Bois-de-Sel 2 (62)  Dance music, as web stream  302 km

102.6 0934  F  France Bleu Basse Normandie, Caen/Mont Pinçon (14)  BLEU.B.N Solid 3 bars!  469 km

101.6 0947  F  NRJ, Flers/la Chapelle-Biche (61)  Pops and jingle ID  498 km **

 99.9 0950  F  France Inter, Tours/Chissay [41] (37)  YL and OM, as web stream  646 km

105.0 0952  F  France Bleu Touraine, Tours/Chissay [41] (37)  OM, as web stream  646 km

 89.9 1017  F  France Musique, Rennes/Saint-Pern (35)  Jazz, as web stream  564 km

 97.4 1022  F  France Musique, Angers/Rochefort-sur-Loire (49)  French OM, as web stream  650 km

 97.8 1024  F  France Culture, Tours/Chissay [41] (37)  Definitely Tours. As 8.0  646 km **

106.0 1039  G  106 Jack FM, Chillerton Down (EN-IOW)  Jacks World Of Sport  300 km

101.6 1118  F  France Bleu Haute Normandie, Neufchâtel-en-Bray/Croixdalle (76)  YL, as web  381 km

 88.0 1520  G  Real Radio, Wrexham-Rhos (WA-WRE)  Pops, as web stream. Scatter  225 km

100.9 1523 IRL Today FM, Kippure (wic)  Irish sports commentary  443 km

 91.3 1538 IRL RTÉ 2 FM, Kippure (wic)  Stay with 2FM  443 km

 91.8 1539 IRL RTÉ 2 FM, Mount Leinster (car)  90 to 92, 2FM ID  480 km

 91.2 1542  F  Contact, Abbeville/Behen Blockhaus (80)  Dance music, as web stream  358 km

107.4 1915  F  Europe 1, Granville/château d'eau (50)  Football commentary, as web stream  505 km **

107.0 1916  F  Skyrock, Granville/château d'eau (50)  Ads and ID  505 km **

 87.7 2029  F  RCF, Dieppe/la Côte Enragée (76)  Choral chants, as web stream  364 km **

 87.8 2031  F  Décibel, Dinan/Barrière (22)  Sombre French song, as web stream  550 km **

 91.8 2038  F  Fun Radio, Saint-Malo/Dinard (35)  Club beats, as web stream  531 km **

 92.6 2044  G  Radio Verulam, Saint Albans (EN-HTS)  ID and song by Starbuck  162 km

 90.6 2130  F  France Inter, Nantes/Haute-Goulaine (44)  Clanking pots and pans, as web  675 km

 89.8 2214  F  France Musique, Abbeville/Limeux (80)  Strange music, as web stream  364 km

 96.7 2219  G  Heart Hampshire and West Sussex, Crabwood Farm (EN-HPS)  Pops, as others  259 km

 97.5 2220  G  Heart Hampshire and West Sussex, Fort Widley (EN-HPS)  Pops, as others  272 km

101.8 2221  F  France Bleu Loire Océan, Nantes/Haute-Goulaine (44)  Oldies, as web  675 km

 87.9 2224  G  Ramadan FM, Milton Keynes  Prayers, as web stream

 95.0 2311  F  MFM Radio, Dinan/le Clos Gastel (22)  Jennifer Lopez track, as web stream  550 km **

 97.5 2314  G  Conscious FM, London pirate  Jamaican promos & ID **

 99.0 2322  F  Radio Bonheur, Lannion/Park Crec'h (22)  Vocal ID in promo  557 km **

100.6 2327  F  France Bleu Picardie, Abbeville/Limeux (80)  Euro disco, as web stream  364 km

101.0 2329  F  Tendance Ouest, Saint-Lô/les Romains (50)  Disco tune, as web stream  456 km **

103.4 2334  F  Fun Radio, Nantes/Haute-Goulaine (44)  Banging techno, as web stream  675 km **

107.0 2339  G  Heart - South West, Redruth (EN-CNW)  Heart Club Classics  503 km

107.3 2343  F  BFM Business, Brest/Lescaouidic (29)  Business talk, as web  629 km **

107.9 2349  F  RMC, Audierne/Plouhinec (29)  OMs talking and laughing, as web stream  665 km **

** Personal Skegness 'First'

Welcome To My Blog!

My blog begins on the hottest day of the year so far - Saturday 18th August 2012. It's 32 degrees in the shade and I am trying to keep cool (as opposed to "be cool", which I am almost certainly not).

I am new to the Blogosphere (what an awful word), despite having had the occasional play with Blogger over the last few years. I decided it was time to make a start and capture my life-long hobby in the Blogger time-capsule for all posterity. (Anyway, I'm fed up paying through the nose for having this information hosted elsewhere!)

Some pages will appear before this entry as I will add a few older bits and pieces of radio related information.

While radio is the main concern here I know that other off-topic aspects of people's daily lives tend to appear in their own blogs, so I am sure I will be no different, however, I plan to concentrate mostly on radio matters.

Comments will always be welcome.

Happy reading!

A Very Flat Bandscan!

What does the FM band sound like in Skegness? 

This video shows a scan across band 2 under 'less than flat' conditions and demonstrates how empty the band can be here on Lincolnshire's Lindsey Coast. My FM5 was beaming approximately 150 degrees (slightly south of south-east) which would normally give me the best range of continental signals via scatter. The continental stations listed in the video are usually received much better than this.

Planning Permission / Neighbours

We are not experts in this field but we recently ran into a few problems with our neighbours who were convinced that our FM5 (receive only) aerials were causing interference to their digital TV. They submitted a complaint to the local housing association who then demanded that we take down our aerials. We didn't have planning permission and they even said that this would not have happened had they not received any complaints. They were clearly aware that the aerials had been there for more than a year. This was a great disappointment, not to mention a complete surprise as our neighbours had always been fine with our radio hobby. Suddenly, we felt that we had lost our life-long hobby, so we hurriedly put in an official application for permission to re-erect the aerials. Thankfully, this was granted in under two weeks! The whole experience has taught us a lot about some of the 'dos and donts' of planning permission relating to aerials. 

To fill you in with the basics, our accommodation is rented from a housing association. My partner is disabled and we live in a disable-adapted bungalow. We are in the fortunate position of living right on the edge of town, our garden facing the sun and overlooking miles of flat, open countryside in the Fenland region of England. We only have neighbours on one side and, as mentioned above, they never had any problems with the erection of the various aerials we have used over the last 18 months or so. 

It is well-known that we live in a poor signal area and there is an ongoing campaign to get a low power digital TV relay for the Skegness area. Loft tiles are notorious for reducing signal levels at VHF frequencies and higher. While our FM5 aerials are receive-only, you can understand how the less technically informed would make an incorrect assumption that our strange-looking aerials and rotators might be a source of interference. 

For more than a year, we had two Triax FM5 beams, fitted with Fringe Electronics) pre-amps (which really made the difference to very weak signals, often dragging them out of the noise where they would not have been audible without them!). We also had two other masts for amateur radio use. One had two nine element beams (horizontal and vertical, just as the FM5s) while the other had a three metre beam for 6m. We also used various other aerials from time to time, including a Sandpiper MV10 and a vertical whip for 10m. I never dare bring out the beast - my four element 10m beam. Now THAT would have been a potent aerial for this sunspot cycle. All the aerials used rotators so the neighbours would have been aware that these aerials would turn around from time to time. 

During the beginning of the summer E season we were suddenly made aware that our immediate neighbours were getting breakthrough on their home cinema system (not on the TV itself) when using 2m FM! Even when we used one watt of power! We checked the connections and the SWR across the bands and everything was in order. Coax cables were mostly buried underground. Without wishing to sound discourteous, it is generally accepted that most interference issues result from the person who is receiving the interference as opposed to the ham who is transmitting. For the benefit of any reader who is not a radio ham, all hams have to study and pass a series of technical exams which focus on subjects such as aerial theory, operating procedures, circuitry relating to amateur radio which includes basic electronics and transmitter interference - ensuring that they fully understand how to avoid causing interference. Fact: transmitting in the amateur radio bands should not cause interference to other services if it is installed correctly. Most of the time the problems are caused by broken cables in the neighbour's properties, poorly screened television equipment or just cables which are so long that they resonate and act as receiving aerials. 

So back to planning matters: Our housing association describe themselves as "very strict but very fair" and they clearly did not have a problem with our aerials. They have known about them ever since we moved here 18 months ago and actually told us they would not have asked us to remove them had there not been a complaint, so they are then forced to investigate and act accordingly. They agreed that we weren't causing a nuisance. They had been doing their research however and knew we were radio hams and even knew our callsigns. 

Because of the complaint we were ordered to remove the mast and all aerials and told to apply for planning permission. They said that the aerials would never be allowed on the garden again and that all aerial structures are strictly to be attached to the property, should permission be granted. They must be erected by a CAI approved installer. We later found that a CAI-qualified installer was 'preferred' but not absolutely necessary. It's all about safety which is completely understandable. The installation should be 'safe' and would be inspected after installation. 

Now, please note that our housing association is classed as a private landlord. Had this been a council house matter things would have been different and, as we understand it, councils may appear to be more lenient when it comes to granting permission for amateur radio structures. Local councils have to stick to set rules and guidelines. The procedure is longer and can be costly. The private landlord are legally able to make up their own rules and enforce them. Obtaining permission from a housing association may involve a simple phone call or a written letter with detailed photographs and product information, etc. No fees are involved. Permission is usually granted in a month or so (the first application took less than two weeks to be approved) and is given in writing, detailing the relevant conditions. 

It is possible to go directly to the council to ask for planning permission even if you live in housing association accommodation. But even if the council grant permission, the housing association can still refuse permissions as they have the final say. 

Most hams and radio enthusiasts I know have never applied for any kind of planning permission. It may be more trouble than it is worth if you are only intending to erect a simple aerial or two. Basically, just stick them up and hope that nobody complains. You SHOULD be OK, providing you aren't intending to erect something the size of Belmont. Consider the relevant safety aspects, etc. 

It is highly unlikely that permission to erect a general FM band 2 aerial will be refused. This is almost considered as a basic human right since you are paying your licence fees and have the right to be able to receive clear reception of BBC services, etc. It would be unreasonable for a private landlord to refuse this. 

Another key point in getting written permission for a rooftop aerial is "start small" and then apply for something bigger. I have now spoken to several planning officers, private and commercial and they all agree on this. Some amateurs suggested to us that we should go straight to the top and ask for a tower system with several aerials, assuming that permission would be granted to use at least 'some' of them. This is not a good idea. The planning officers themselves have told us this. 

Our housing association have told us that, should neighbours complain about our aerials, they would ask us to take them down immediately. I explained that this was unfair and that this would result in me having to remove the aerials should one neighbour lodge a complaint. They could not possibly cause interference. I pointed out that it was the job of OFCOM to investigate interference issues and not the housing association. Thankfully, they took this on board and added a clause to their permissions letter explaining certain complaints in the future would need to be passed to OFCOM. 

An interesting point to conclude: As many hams know, while private landlords and housing associations can tell you to remove your aerials, only one person has the right to actually demand that you cease your amateur radio transmissions. The housing association cannot do this. Your local council cannot do this. Not even the police can do this. Legally, only a representative from OFCOM has the power to force you to cease transmissions. 

I Am Not A Proper DXer!

Sorry - it's another grumble. Looking through some old emails on various radio groups I have been surprised to see how much criticism some DXers receive regarding the way they enjoy the radio hobby. Much of this is technology related though, which suggests that some enthusiasts are reluctant to change with the times. As a DXer, it's bad enough being singled out as a weirdo because you have a niche hobby, but you would expect that we hobbyists would all get on well together. This is not always the case, for now we have divided ourselves up into even smaller, "nichier" (is there such a word?) little communities. We share a common interest, so what's the problem?

I have always considered myself to be a traditionalist, but if new technological innovations come along which are going to help me get more DX, then I am all ears. I can grumble about things as much as the next person, but I accept that we all have our preferences and we will all differ to some degree. So what are the main issues? Some examples:

There are those who prefer to 'listen' to their DX for several minutes while others just want to log something and quickly move on to the next signal. I was accused of being a "List Logger";

Some people like to DX with their broadband SDR receivers and record an entire band so we can play it back and catch everything on every frequency, while others say this is cheating and would rather have a big knob in their face! (Yes, I did say that) and listen to only one frequency;

Some of us radio creatures like to monitor DX Clusters so we can see where the activity is and 'chase'   accordingly. Some complain that this is cheating too!

I can't win! If I go by these moaning minnies then I am a "greedy, cheating list logger"! Some DXers obviously find this is wrong, but I think I can see their point. I would stop short of calling it cheating though. That is not fair. It is sad that a few DXers are happy to fall out about these issues since they see one way is right while the other is wrong. I have been criticized several times myself because I use an SDR receiver, then, blow me, somebody had a go at me for "list-logging" the other day as if that is the worst sin possible. Sorry, but if I catch a clear identification then I may log that stations and I am then ready to move on to the next frequency in search of something else. I have little interest in listening to the programme, but I know some people do and that is absolutely fine with me. Exactly what is wrong with "list logging" anyway, if you catch a positive identification?

Consider radio amateurs: "Radio Sport" has become a big part of the amateur radio community, resulting in things like the "Contest" and 'Field Day'. The purpose of which is to collect points while logging as many countries or grid squares as possible along the way. This is effectively the same thing - list logging, if you want to call it that. It's all a bit of fun and I would say "each to their own". For me, the radio ham contest gives me the opportunity to add new countries to my logbook without having to wait in a long queue for other hams to finish their chinwag. I can use 2m for a good old conversation.

As for the new breed of radio, the SDR (or Software Defined Radio), this has simply enable me to DX to my full potential. Before the days of SDR I would be able to listen to (or record - shock, horror!) one single frequency in the hope I would hear something new and exciting. I never used to think my location was a particularly good DX location, never once hearing anything from the North American west coast or from the Canadian Prairies on medium wave - these are considered the more difficult DX targets in the UK. The moment I got a Perseus SDR receiver I was able to record ALL the medium wave frequencies overnight and play them ALL back the following day, studying station identifications at the top of the hours I recorded. Once I was in this exciting new position to be able to listen to every frequency throughout the night, I missed nothing. If the exotic DX was there I would have it. As it happened, I DID receive many exotic west coast US and Canadian stations, not to mention the Canadian Prairies AND the Canadian North West Territories, plus the impossible ... ALASKA several times! So, whether you consider this cheating or not, I was suddenly able to realise the full DX potential of my location and my logbook grew in size proportionally.

Even the use of the "DX Cluster" has become a bone of contention to some. We can now see where the action is, thanks to radio enthusiasts reporting their DX 'as it happens' and seeing this display in lists or global maps online. We can then jump in and follow the action ourselves. No we cannot - we are cheating! Really? OK, I see this could take out an element of chance for some, but each to their own.

So, would I like to return to the dark ages and go back to single frequency monitoring with a tuning knob? NO! Will I continue to dash around the bands like there's no tomorrow before a propagation event finishes? YES! Will I continue to use DX clusters so I can see where the propagation is? YES! It's simple: For me, if it increases the size of my logbook then I will do it. Call me a List Logger if you like, but if you like to do the opposite then that's fine with me. There's no accounting for our tastes so let's just enjoy and stop being over critical of others.

The great thing about this hobby is that we can choose how we want to go about it: We can use as much or as little power as we like, as long as it is within legal guidelines; We can choose our receivers and our aerials as we can afford them; We can listen when we want, how we want and where we want; We can share our experiences with others or keep them to ourselves; It can be a full-time hobby or an occasional pastime. Neither is particularly "wrong" as such, though it is so nice when we can all share our experiences together. Whichever way you look at it, it's an engaging hobby. We should learn to accept each others preferences without falling out. Sadly, we are all human too. Where do you stand with this?

Normanby Top DX Trip

My first 'proper' DX trip of the year took place today, concentrating on the 2m amateur band. 

This time I was not alone. Accompanying me were Jane, M6VVP (my other half) and Victor MM6ECO, a friend who was on holiday from Scotland. evening. 

It was good to meet Victor for the first time and I know he also enjoyed the visit to the Friskney & East Lincolnshire Communications Club on the previous Tuesday. We were also privaleged to be allowed to use the club callsign "MX0LFC/P" for our trip. Click here to visit FELCC 

So, three intrepid DXers travelled from Skegness to the highest point in Lincolnshire: Normanby Top - the highest part of the Lincolnshire Wolds at 551ft (168m) above sea level. 

Looking west from Normanby Top
"Wolds Top", as it was formerly known, lies approximately five miles north of the town of Market Rasen and approximately 20 miles north-east of Lincoln. The summit is marked with an Ordnance Survey triangulation station, which was erected in July 1999 as part of the Ordnance Survey national GPS system. This hill is also home to a National Air Traffic Control station - the giant 'golf ball' at the top. 

National Air Traffic Colntrol, Normanby Top
Although this hill is far from being of mountainous proportions, it enjoys stunning views over all points of Lincolnshire and beyond. The Humber Bridge can also be seen on a clear day. Sadly, our visit coincided with warm, humid weather - ideal in some ways, but the humidity was apparent in the air, making the distance quite hazy. Indeed we were lucky to avoid some heavy downpours which were apparent to the west and north of us. 

Equipment in use was an Icom IC7000 mobile transceiver and a Cushcraft VRX2 colinear. The colinear was approximately 15 feet above the ground. 

Cushcraft VRX2
The log below includes most of the QSOs. A few additional ones were lost due to QSB, etc. Conditions were below average so no exceptional distances were achieved, our furthest contact being from Oldbury in the West Midlands. We enjoyed four hours of non-stop DXing and good old nattering, each of us taking it in turns.

Thank you to all those who responded to our calls. We look forward to working you again in the future. 

73 

John 
G1VVP 

 Call    Name QTH   In Out Power
 M1AIU/P Gareth, Bourne, Lincs  5/1 5/5
 G4FPO Ken, Selby, N Yorks  5/1 5/3
 G0MZZ Tony, Leeds   5/1 5/1
 M1AKT/M Dave, Barnsley, S Yorks 5/3 5/5
 2E0WJC Bill, Pudsey, Leeds  5/5 5/9
 2E0GLE Graham, Grantham, Lincs  5/1 5/2
 M0GUU Arthur, Sleaford, Lincs  5/1 5/1
 G7CNM/P Dave, Lincoln   5/1 5/1
 G0CEG Peter, Lincoln   5/9 5/9 +
 G0UAN Nige, Winston, N Lincs 5/9 5/9 +10
 G0IOR John, Scartho, NE Lincs 5/7 "+"
 G7ZRT Ron, Boston   5/6 5/9 +50
 2E0EEY Chris, Leeds   5/2 5/9
 G4NPS Jim, Grimsby, NE Lincs 5/7 ?
 G1HCI Richard, Grimsby, NE Lincs 5/7 ?
 M3LFY Terry, Bawtry, S Yorks 57 ? ?
 G0JJR David, Sheffield  5/9 5/9 +
 G6LCS John, Tideswell, Derbys 5/1 ? 2.5W
 G6LCS John, Tideswell, Derbys 5/4 ? 25W
 M3NRQ/P Paul, Sheffield  5/1 ?
 M0TCP Keith, Oldbury, W Mids  5/1 5/1
 MR0MFP Chris, Sutton On Sea, Lincs 5/1 5/6
 M0KIS Alan, Sleaford, Lincs  5/6 ?
 M0ODV Rob, Hull   5/4 5/7
 M3VXT Craig, Chesterfield, Derbys 5/5 5/7
 G6ZBO Mike, Nottingham  5/1 5/9
 G1PPP Jim, East Stockwith, Lincs 5/9 ?

Moving To The East Coast

After living in the dreary North Midlands all my life, I finally managed to escape to the coast. I have never been a fan of the Midlands and have always wanted to live by the sea. 

In 2009 I met Jane, who also had the same long-standing ambition. We decided that the time was right to realise our dreams. 

There are some things we will miss, not least being so close to the Derbyshire Dales and the beautiful Peak District. It is also a shame to leave old friends behind, but the distance from Skegness to Nottinghamshire has not been so restrictive that our friends haven't come and stayed with us. The North Midlands has often been considered one of the friendliest places in the UK - a fact I wholeheartedly agree with. 

One thing is for certain, radio reception possibilities should dramatically increase by the sea. The east coast will be a perfect location for many forms of DX, especially on the FM broadcast band as it's almost empty! So I plan to continue my FM and MW broadcast DX hobby in earnest. Jane and I are looking forward to our new life by the sea and experiencing a new world of radio.

January 2011 Update

It's now been four months since our move and we are feeling very settled in our new home! 

Moving to the east coast has been one of the best things we did: The air quality is so much cleaner for starters. You can actually see the stars and the Milky Way in the night sky; We live within walking distance of the beach; We have some of the best beaches in the world too; We are a stone's throw from the Lincolnshire Wolds - a kind of mini Peak Ditrict and designated an "AONB" (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty); We have peace and quiet, living right in the edge of town, overlooking fields for miles;  We live close to some charming rural communities and country pubs (which serve a wealth of real ales) and we have several nature reserves close by, all natural habitats for some quite exotic wildlife, not to mention plenty of secluded areas suitable for beverage aerials! 

The weather has been far from what we expected too. Thankfully, we missed the severe winter chill which was experienced further inland and only had a few inches of snow which lasted for two to three weeks. It's the first time we have ever seen snow-covered beaches! The locals tell us it is almost unheard of to have lying snow on this coast as it usually melts the moment it lands. We also discovered that the east coast is recognised as being the sunniest part of England. After living here for only four months we can only agree with this. It is usually sunny, with cloudless skies, even when the weather forecast predicts cloud! Even on the colder days of mid-winter you can actually feel the warmth of the sun. beating down on you, something I have never noticed inland. 

The option to move to Skegness came quite unexpectedly. Personally, I had never considered Skegness as a town in which I wanted to live. My childhood memories of visits to this area were of endless amusement arcades with bingo callers, lots of noise, bright lights, overcrowded bars and fairground rides, but since living here and getting to know the place properly, I find it extremely pleasant and a hundred times better than my old location in Nottinghamshire. It has it's tacky side, but so do many UK holiday resorts. I actually find it a very pleasant, attractive town with plenty of open spaces and gardens. The surrounding countryside is beautiful. Just one thing, however, we are always amazed by the number of people who consider the nearby parish of Ingoldmells to be Skegness. While it might be classed as a suburb of Skegness, it is approximately four miles away and world's apart.

Did I mention radio? Ahem! Although we have only been here for a short time, several amazing DX possibilities have been realised. Medium wave has produced astonishing reception of broadcast stations from Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines, China, Taiwan, the US state of Alaska, plus the Canadian North-West Territories and British Colombia! We will erect the amateur radio aerials asap! 

Broadcast DX on band 2 has also exceeded our expectations with a plethora of continental signals from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and even Spain! All this at a time of year when conditions are probably at their poorest. Band 2 is almost devoid of local stations here! The nearby giant Belmont mast does not present any problems. Even Portugal has been received via tropo here! 

One Of The Best Tropos On Record?

Sunday 10th October 2010 saw an excellent spell of tropospheric DX on 2m. This was actually in the middle of a sustained period of exceptional tropospheric propagation which had affected most of Western Europe. Many long-standing European DXers considered this to be one of the best tropospheric events ever!

Many radio enthusiasts were blown away by the intensity of the signals and the distances worked during this period. 

This spell of propagation had been with us for a few days but the evening of 10-10-10 saw the peak for my location in the Midlands. The signals were so strong that I had to venture to the dizzy heights of the Axe Edge in Derbyshire to see how the conditions were over there. 

Arriving at the Axe Edge shortly after 18:00 I erected my 2m HB9CV on a small mast at the side of the car, making it approximately 3-4m above the ground. Before firing up the IC7000 I had a tune across the FM broadcast band. I was stunned. Using only the small vertical telescopic whip on my car I discovered that the whole FM band was awash with German signals. This is surprising by itself since German FM broadcast stations transmit in horizontal polarisation. All signals were in fully quieting stereo! No English stations were audible because they had been wiped out by the strong German signals! I was almost convinced I was living in Germany! 

Quickly to 2m SSB where it was difficult to find an empty channel on which to call as the whole of Europe seemed to be exchanging signal reports, so I found a 'relatively' clear frequency and gave my first CQ. Instead of having to wait endlessly for a response, as can sometimes happen, I was bombarded with a pile-up of European stations responding to my call. It was difficult to pick out an individual callsign. 

First I exchanged a report with Martin, PE1BIW, however it was the second QSO which amazed me: LY2WR, a club radio station in Vilnius, Lithuania. The distance involved between their location and the Axe Edge was a staggering 1775km (1100 miles) and the signal reports were S7-9 making it an easy copy both ways. This is my personal record for tropospheric DX. 

After reading the accounts of other hams a few days later, I discovered that my signal had been heard at 5/9 by a DX listener in Latvia! 

I went on to work other stations in germany, Sweden and Poland. Admittedly I had a great advantage being so high in the Peak District and with an excellent take-off in the direction of mainland Europe, but it was not long before curiosity got the better of me again and I wondered if I would be able to achieve the same distances from home, so I quickly wound the aerial and headed back, where I continued to work stations in several European countries. 

Here is the log for the evening of the 10th October 2010 on the Axe Edge:

  Call   Grid  Snt Rcd
  PE1BIW JO32bt 5/7 5/8
  LY2WR  KO24fo 5/6 5/7
  SP1O   JO73gk 5/6 5/8
  PA3HEB JO22rm 5/7 5/7
  PA1MV  JO21ex 5/7 5/9
  DC2JWR JO31mf 5/7 5/9
  PE1LJS JO22oi 5/7 5/9
  DO9PL  JO31lg 5/7 5/7
  DL8YAU JO41hs 5/8 5/9
  DL1DBR JO41bn 5/9 5/9
  DK3WG  JO72gi 5/3 5/3>
  ON7CX  JO10nt 5/4 5/9+30!!
  DL9OLI JO51lx 5/1 5/5
  DL1OLI JO41bp 5/3 5/7
  DF5NK  JN59op 5/5 5/3
  SM7NR  JO76rc 5/5 5/7

Once I returned home I worked the following stations, all using a Cushcraft four element rooftop beam - exluding ON4HP which who was worked on the FM section of 2m using a roof-mounted Cushcraft VRX2 2x5/8 wave colinear. Further FM QSOs were made on the 11th into Germany. I hope it is not too long before such an intense tropospheric lift is experienced. 

  Call   Grid   Snt Rcd

  DL9YBZ JO31KU 3/1 5/1
  DF1AN  JO63SX 5/1 5/4
  DK5JM  JO43QS 3/1 5/5
  ON6SX  JO20HV 5/2 5/5
  PA3CUK JO22FB 5/5 5/9
  SP1FJZ JO84EE 5/1 5/5
  OZ1HXM JO45LT 5/3 5/3
  ON4HP  JO20QV 5/1 2/3