Sunday, July 17, 2011
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
I got an invite to join the Galway VHF Group in 1993, which I did. The Groups' activities were mainly AREN (Amateur Radio Emergency Network). Basically providing back up comms for all types of voluntary groups ... motor rallies, hill walking events, water events and so on. Took up a lot of spare time, mainly on weekends.
Galway VHF Group in action
After a long struggle with the CW (Morse code) finally had a go at the CW exam in Limerick in 1999 but failed!. Had another go at it in Ballybofay, Co. Donegal later in 1999, this time I got it.
This enabled me to apply for a Class A licence, which I did. I was issued the call EI3IX at the back end of 1999. Had no HF gear at the time so lost my hard earned CW experience.
My main interests in amateur radio at this stage is really VHF and above. Hope to be setup on 23Cm (1.2Ghz) & 3Cm (10Ghz) by March 2009.
Tonna 55el 23Cm yagi. EI7FAB/m working EI3Ix/m
Have a number of rigs, ranging from a Yaesu FT-50 & Yaesu VX-7 for handheld use to Yaesu FT-847, Icom IC-7400 for base use. I have a Philips FM1000 converted for 4 meters (70Mhz) and an Alinco 605E dual bander for mobile VHF/UHF use. Not forgetting the trusted Yaesu FT100 which I have use for many years as a /p rig.
Antenna's at the moment ... well I have a double sized G5RV (204ft) at about 10ft above ground to cover 160 meters (1.8Mhz), Watson-300 dual band for 2 meters (144Mhz) & 70Cm (433Mhz). Thats it, have a lot in boxes but have to get masts up first!!!.
Inishturk Island radio activation May 2001
During May 2001 I activated the 2 WAI squares, L57 & L58 on Inishturk island during glorious sunshine. This was primarily a VHF operation, and proved very successful on VHF/UHF. It was my first time activating an off shore island and I thoroughly enjoyed it, although it was hard work lugging all the gear up & down hills.
Clare Island radio activation June 2001
About two weeks after the Inishturk experience, with the weather still very warm I decided to activate the two WAI squares on Clare Island. This again proved successful, with many stations in Mayo & Galway worked on VHF/UHF.
Inishkea Island radio activation trip, August 4th 2002 
Inishkea (South Island) approaching the beach
This is the trip I was beginning to think would never happen after 4 failed attempts due to bad weather !, but it eventually did on Sunday, 4th August 2002.
The Geraghty's (Boat owners) rang at 21.30hrs to confirm that the forecast for the morning was "flat calm weather conditions". However the final decision to go was not made until 22.30hrs Saturday night. Again I thought it was going to fall through, this time the weather was not going to be the cancelling factor, it was operator related as Enda EI3IS, nor Dermot EI6DZ could make it on this occasion. However Martin Conway (SWL) from Westport came along to help out with carrying some of the gear.
We arrived on Inishkea south Island at about 11.30hrs, and were setup to operate from F52, IO44VC in one of the ruined houses at 12.10hrs. Rig used was a Yaesu FT100, Auto-tuner was a Yaesu FC-20, running 60W from a sealed lead acid battery into a G5RV.
I brought a Honda 1000w generator, inverted type (Switch mode) with me for the trip, along with a sealed lead acid battery 17A/hr. The battery was to be used for the hike down to the south square but the generator gave me a lot grief with Qrn signal 7, this of course wiped out all weak signal stations, so I had to use the battery right from the start, as a result I dropped the Pwr back to 60W from the original 100w to conserve battery Pwr.
A total of 17 stations were worked from F52 on 7.068Mhz. We were Qrx from F52 until 13.00hrs. At this point I disassembled the station and we travelled the 2Km by hoof ! south to F51.
EJ3IX on Inishkea (South Island) working HF.
I arrived in F51 at 14.00hrs approx. A total of 21 stations were worked from F51 on 7.068Mhz. Stations from EI, MI, M, MW, MM & LA were worked. HF conditions did not seem to be good, originally I thought it was my station set up, most stations were weak enough, more peaked at 5/9 then dropped down to 5/1.
When all were worked on 7.068 I tuned up on 21.265Mhz & 21.317Mhz, although I called Cq there were no replies, and all heard were so weak, they were un workable.
Once all had been worked on HF we hiked back to F52 to set up for VHF/UHF. We set up for 50Mhz, 70Mhz, 144Mhz & 430Mhz, unfortunately nothing heard on any of these bands !!!. It was no doubt my location as I could not open any of the repeaters Mayo, Galway nor Limerick. I was using Maspro yagi's for 144 & 430, vertical was used for 70Mhz, the G5RV tuned up (Just about) for 50Mhz, but nothing heard.
This was very disappointing because I have activated 91 out of the 93 Mayo WAI squares to date. Of these only F51 & F52 have not given me a VHF station in the log !.
WAM (Worked all Mayo) Award
This award is based on the well known WAI (Worked all Ireland) Award system. Basically the objective is to activate or work as many of the Mayo National grid squares as possible. There are 93 in total between mainland & off shore islands.
The National grid squares are 10Km x 10Km in size. To take part in this excerise all you need is an OSI map. A GPS can also be used, but the OSI map is essential where two or more Irish Counties may share the same grid square.
To date I have activated 91 of these grids, the only two left are Blackrock Lighthouse off the west coast of Achill and the Bills Rocks, south of Achill island. A boat or RIB is required for these two grids.
