Mills on the Air Weekend 10/11 May 2003
from Danzey Green Windmill

The weekend started when we all met up at Avoncoft Museum of Historic Buildings at 0930. We being Lee, G0MTN, Colin G6ZDQ, Reg M3OJO and myself, Pete M0COP. Colin and Reg had bought the caravan from which we were to operate and I had most of the contents of Wythall Radio Club’s shack in my car.

We had a good site at the museum, about 20m from the windmill and sheltered from the wind by a hedge. We shared the field with a Boer War re-enactment society camp.

The weather was a bit damp and cloudy but not raining. Mark, M0CZE, arrived and helped Reg set up the caravan and awning whilst Lee, Colin and I set up the antennas, for 2m, an 8 element beam at 6m and a Windom, suspended between a tree and the hedge, for HF. The radios were set up in the awning and a generator provided the power, unfortunately not enough power for the rigs, the kettle and the cooker, but the problem was solved when the miller opened up the mill so that we could use the mains supply. Reg then provided us with some excellent bacon butties and cups of tea.

We were on the air by 1100 but the conditions were very poor on HF and 2m was very quiet. On HF, Lee gave up on SSB and managed to make some headway on CW, whilst Mark plodded away on 2m SSB. We had asked Bromsgrove and District Amateur Radio Club if they would like to help out and Barrie, G4AHK, turned up and was soon working away on HF.

With the weather improving and a breeze developing, the miller soon had the sails set on the mill and from our vantage point we had a marvellous view of the working mill. David, G0ICJ, arrived at lunch time to swell the numbers, but with the propagation still poor it was difficult to improve the qso rate.

The afternoon peace was occasionally shattered by the sound of musket fire as the enactment group practised their manoeuvres. We packed up at 1630 as the museum closed at 1700.

On Sunday, Colin, Reg and I turned up at about 1000, the weather was a bit better, but the propagation was still poor. Chris, G0EYO and Wendy turned up at lunchtime, shortly followed by Vic, M0AEJ; Chris and Vic were soon working away. The radio conditions improved later in the afternoon and we had a pile up just before we packed up. Lee arrived to help dismantle the station, and by 1700 we were on our way home.

With the poor propagation over the weekend the qso’s were hard to come by with 61 contacts on HF and 47 on VHF. QSL cards have been sent to everyone in the log.

Thanks to everyone that turned up to help, and a special mention for Reg who kept us supplied with food and drink.

Pete, M0COP

army camp_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 013_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 014_wrc.jpg
bill 6 1 03 015_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 016_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 017_wrc.jpg
bill 6 1 03 018_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 019_wrc.jpg	bill 6 1 03 020_wrc.jpg
british soldiers_wrc.jpg	chris-wendy-reg_wrc.jpg	gb0dgw_wrc.jpg
reg_wrc.jpg	vic&colin_wrc.jpg

Click the thumbnail to see the full image.