Camb-Hams

Saturday – April 18th 2009: 1745pm (By GM4HUN)

Well this has to be a Camb-Hams first – what a brilliantly successful first day!! Albeit after a very short night with negligible sleep (As usual!). Bob, Geoff and I set off from Gavin’s mum’s at 0308am for the long drive to the port of Uig on the Isle of Skye. The road was absolutely clear – apart from the odd deer – and we made excellent time, arriving an hour early at Uig. The views as the sun rose over this magical isle made getting up so early seem very worthwhile.

The others duly pitched up, and we all enjoyed a good breakfast on the ferry crossing to Tarbert on the Isle of Harris. The sun shone and the sea was a mill pond. Things were going well. They went even better!

We arrived at Liceasto expecting to have to wait until 4pm before we could get into the cottage, but we got in straight away. So at the time of writing we’ve got the G5RV strung over the loch; the 6BTV vertical up for HF Data modes; the Tonna and 6/4m Yagi up on the mast, and we’re about to make a start on assembling the Spiderbeam.

We’ve good internet access and Rob, M0VFC has done a splendid job getting the online log system running. So you can work us, and pretty much see the entry in the online log straightaway.

We’re underway on 6m datamodes and 80m SSB at the moment – running full power throughout.

The others are planning their SOTA’s and we’ll let you know what’s planned ASAP; Voi has been out mobile – working HF and into this weekend’s GlobalSET exercise.

Jim – the team chef has made a great start in the kitchen, with some wonderful cooking smells wafting around the cottage already.

The only downside is that mobile phone coverage isn’t great. But, hey – can’t have everything.