Monthly Archives: October 2024

A Memorable Journey to Spurn Lighthouse: HFDXARC’s Annual Lighthouses on the Air Event

Every August, the HFDXARC team embarks on its much-anticipated pilgrimage to Spurn Lighthouse for the annual Lighthouses on the Air event. This year was nothing short of spectacular, with stunning weather and tremendous support from the dedicated team at Spurn Lighthouse, making the event even more enjoyable.

The team worked like a well-oiled machine, setting up camp with precision and teamwork. They quickly assembled the tent and raised an array of antennas, including verticals for multiple bands and an inverted V. The technical setup was equally impressive, featuring a Yaesu FT-2000, a Challenger 3 amplifier, and an FT8 station expertly provided by Ed (2E0HKZ).

What followed was an exciting string of global contacts, reaching distant corners of the world such as Australia and South America. Operators took shifts throughout the day and night, ensuring non-stop action on voice modes and making the most of the opportunity.

A special shout-out goes to Kerry from Yorkshire Wildlife for her invaluable assistance. Thanks to her and the fantastic off-road Unimog, the team made it down to the lighthouse easily, adding another layer of adventure to the experience.

The rugged beauty of Spurn Point provided a breathtaking backdrop for the event, making the weekend unforgettable for everyone involved. With the rare privilege of staying at Spurn Lighthouse throughout the event, HFDXARC had a unique chance to operate radios globally while fostering camaraderie within the team. It was more than just a radio event—it became a fantastic team-building exercise.

As the event drew to a close, the team couldn’t help but reflect on the bonds strengthened, the memories made, and the sheer joy of participating in such a unique event. The cooperation from the Spurn Lighthouse crew, combined with the stunning scenery and smooth logistics, made this year’s Lighthouses on the Air one of the best to date.

With each passing year, HFDXARC continues to grow stronger, and events like this play a vital role in nurturing a shared passion for amateur radio while forming lasting friendships. The team is already looking forward to next year’s event. Until then, 73 from HFDXARC!

 

Enjoy the Slide Show 

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CQWW Contest Preparations: Excitement at the Club!

Excitement is brewing this month at the Club as preparations ramp up for this year’s CQWW contest! We’re gearing up bigger and better than ever, with new antennas, masts, and a total of seven stations operating around the clock.

This year, our 10m and 15m stations will be powered from upstairs, featuring impressive four-element mono-band Yagis and Quads. Achieving this required a monumental effort to install new masts and rotators specifically for the contest.

Steve M0EBJ will once again roll in with his mobile trailer mast, adding a unique twist to our strategy and expanding our options for the event. Our phased verticals for 40m are complete, and we’re optimistic they’ll perform well this time around. Each element has been meticulously maintained, tested, and tuned, with custom coax runs made to measure.

We’ve also laid down new coax and control cables to the towers, with extra runs ready for deploying RX antennas and verticals as needed. Standby radios and amplifiers are on standby, and all bandpass filters have been revamped and tested, ensuring we can null out any interference.

Of course, our preparations faced a small hiccup when a recent storm visited, causing some minor damage to our main tower rotator. But our dedicated members swiftly took care of it.

This year, the M6C team has organized schedules to ensure we have full coverage of all open bands throughout the weekend. And let’s not forget the culinary delights in store! Our members and their spouses have planned a feast to keep our operators fueled and focused, balancing radio duty with delicious meals.

As we gear up for the contest, we hope you’ll listen in and call us if you hear our signals.

Unfortunately, this is our only closed event and is invite-only, but if you’d like to visit the club in the future, please reach out through our website.

Stay tuned, and wish us luck! Until the contest, 73 from the M6C team!

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