Monday, July 15, 2024

HF and 6m portable from Barr Beacon (nr Birmingham)

In April 2009, I decided to take advantage of the improving spring weather to conduct a portable operation from Barr Beacon, a local high point near Birmingham. Barr Beacon, at about 227 meters above sea level, offers a good vantage point for radio operations.

For this outing, I kept my setup relatively simple using no more than a simple wire antennas - just an end-fed half wave for 20m (one of the Par End-Fedz range) in a vertical configuration on my 10m pole, and a doublet for the higher bands. These were easy to transport and quick to set up, which is always a benefit for portable operations.

The more interesting part of my antenna setup was a homebrew 6-meter Moxon rectangle antenna loaned from a buddy of mine (Richard M0SNR). It's a two-element array that offers performance similar to a small Yagi but in a more compact form, making it ideal for portable use.

My transceiver for this operation was a Yaesu FT-857D, a versatile rig that covers HF through UHF bands, making it well-suited for portable work where space and weight are at a premium.

Operating from Barr Beacon provided some advantages. The elevated position helped improve my takeoff angle, particularly beneficial for the 6-meter band where even a small improvement in height can make a significant difference.

On HF, I made several contacts across Europe using the wire antennas. Conditions were fair, with the higher bands (20m and up) providing the bulk of my contacts. Nothing extraordinary in terms of DX, but solid QSOs nonetheless.

The 6-meter band, however, was where things got interesting. The Moxon antenna performed admirably, living up to its reputation. I was able to work several stations across the UK with strong signals. The real treat came when I managed to work into Southern Europe - making contacts with stations in Spain and Italy. While not extreme DX by 6-meter standards, these contacts were gratifying, especially considering my modest portable setup.

This operation reinforced my appreciation for the 6-meter band. Often called the "magic band," 6 meters can provide surprising propagation, straddling the line between HF and VHF characteristics. The contact into Southern Europe was likely due to sporadic-E propagation, which can offer excellent opportunities for DX on this band, especially as we move towards summer.

The homebrew Moxon proved its worth during this outing. Its compact size made it easy to transport and set up, while its performance was notably better than a simple dipole would have been. This experience encouraged me to experiment more with antenna construction, particularly for portable use.

Radio:  Yaesu FT-857D
Antenna:  Assorted
Power:  50w
Location:  Barr Beacon, Birmingham

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