With the exception of the power lead, the kit which comprises the set up used to belong to my father, Ian M1APT. The 2 metre mag-mount aerial was used for RAYNET events (and now will be again) and the Icom IC-260E was used at my house when I was a teenaged amateur. The hand-mic came with the radio, and the power-lead I hashed together myself this week from two Maplin plugs (12v "cigar-lighter" plug - £2.50, and a "build it yourself" molex - £1.39) and a couple of pieces of cable plus an inline fuse and holder.
(Car rig set up and being tested with a Yaesu VX-1 on my driveway)
I left at about 20:30 so that I'd have time to nip to McDonalds, get up the hill, and get set up before 21:00. I managed to get caught by the level-crossing going both ways, so was cutting it a bit fine by the time I got set up - but that's the price you pay for a Large BigMac meal I suppose! I got parked up in the car park at the top of Butts Lane, dashed to get the kit out of the boot and set up, and at barely two minutes to nine, the set crackled to life... only to find that they'd already started some time ago!
Once I'd broken into the conversation, the SARS net consisted of myself, Peter G4BLS and Dave G0UAI. We've all known each other for a long time, and we had a good chat about everything from retirement to gardens to trains and more! The net lasted for a good 20 minutes or so, and then everyone said their good nights. If I remember rightly, my fellow net participants were based in Hampden Park and Hailsham - and I was getting a good 5 and 9 from and of both.
(Radio and "dinner" in the car :-) )
Fortunately, I had remembered to bring my mobile phone, which appears to cause very little if any interference to the rig as long as it's more than 6 inches away while transmitting. I had posted a status message on my Facebook before leaving, saying where I'd be and on which frequency - and while talking to the others, had checked to see if there had been any responses. There had - and once the net had closed for the night, I waited for a few moments rather than unplug the rig, and surely enough Lemmy swiftly swooped in.
He's based a good 15 miles from my position at the top of the hill, although it helped that he was up on a hill of his own (well.. it's not like he owns the hill or anything - but you get the idea). We were getting a smashing 5 and 9 from each other - which I was rather chuffed about with not really knowing what to expect from my rather old kit in a mobile setup. Again, we had a great chat, and it was really good to catch up as we've not really come across each other for a few years now other than on Facebook and the likes. In fact - when we last met face to face, I didn't even know that he had an amateur radio licence!
As we finished up the conversation, the sunset faded and it was time for me to go back down the hill - and try not to hit any of the sizable hiking party who headed down the steep road about five minutes before I left. A rather geeky night, but one I'll be repeating as often as possible I think! The kit is in a bag at home (so breaking into my car will get you nowhere!) ready to chuck into the boot whenever the urge takes me - and that is likely to be quite often. M1DRB/Mobile is now on the road and no longer relying solely on a 1W handheld for getting involved!
(Great sunset over Butts Brow between 2115 and 2145ish)
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