Our site at Trimingham (This image is from a previous year)
VHF National Field Day 3rd/4th July 2021.
Some of The Crew 2021
144MHz VHF NFD 2021 Here is a short summery of the event by Linda G0AJJ. PS: ( NFD stands for National Field Day)
Setup Crew and operators
Alec G3YOA, Richard G6VOV, Peter G6ZRV, Malcolm 2E0YFO, Scott M0BLH, Linda
G0AJJ, Pete G4PLZ, Alan G0TPH, Phil M0VSE and Dave G7WHI
Section entered: Restricted Bands: 432Mhz, 144Mhz, 70Mhz and 50Mhz.
Callsign: G6IPU/P
Locator: JO02QV Site: Trimingham. 61 m ASL
Bittern DX Group VHF team entered the restricted section of field day operating from their
usual site at Trimingham after missing last year because of the Covid 19 lockdown.
The group operated on 4 bands, using an IC7300 and a dual band 7 – 8 ele for 4/6m, an
Elecraft K3 with transverter and linear to a 17 ele LFA for 2m and an IC9700 with a 20 ele
yagi for 70cm.
Most of the antenna work was completed on the Friday evening with final testing on Saturday
morning. Unfortunately the rain hit just before we finished setting up on Saturday and then
persisted with heavy showers for most of the day, including the odd rumble of thunder.
No field day is complete without its challenges, and apart from soggy clothing and wet feet,
we also encountered a few problems with equipment that had not been utilised for nearly two
years, but thanks to some quick thinking and hard work from the team we were up and
running before the 3pm start.
Conditions across all four bands were generally poor and with a disappointing lack of
activity, although the 6m station did have a good flurry of contacts during Saturday afternoon
which included logging TC3EC at 2487km. Conditions on 4m were absolutely dire with
70cm also struggling to find any activity. 2m was not much better and we had plenty of
time to make and drink tea between QSOs! I wonder if Wimbleton and football was a
bigger attraction!
Claimed scores are as follows:
6m – 67 QSOs, total points = 14,498, 873 P/QSO with the best distance TC3EC 2487km.
4m – 24 QSOs, total points = 9,006, 210 P/QSO with best distance GM4ZUK/P at 515km.
2m 100 QSOs, total points = 52,666, 320 P/QSO with best distance HB9GF at 804km.
70cm 31QSOs, total points = 7,850, 262 P/QSO with best distance OZ1ALS at 608km.
A break in the weather on Sunday presented us with a chance to dry out and enjoy bacon
butties for breakfast in the sunshine. The fine weather lasted most of the day enabling us to
pack all the equipment away before the next belt of rain arrived late afternoon. It was a very
tired and damp group of people that left the field on Sunday afternoon, but despite the
weather and poor conditions it was an enjoyable weekend and an excellent team effort by
everyone. Sincere thanks to all who turned up and participated, particularly those who
travelled from out of county. Thanks also to those who brought along their own equipment
for the club to use over the weekend, and to Dan for the use of his field.
Due to Covid restrictions all the contesters used there own microphone headsets and there was copious quantities of sanitiser which was diligently used, also social distancing was practised throughout the week end.
Linda G0AJJ