Friday 27 May 2016

ATNi and QRP

Before RSGB IOTA contest I will be looking to see if ATNi helps on that first day and always looking for QRP callers. I can usually tell the weak signals from the strong ones and upside down logic but I tend to work them first.

For those not in the know about ATNi, this similar to ATNO for DXCC but apply to IOTA...  and you do it as soon as QRV not on the last day. There are about 1500 IOTA and about 1400 IOTA chasers, there are about 35,000 DXCC chasers for 336 DXCC. Most IOTA island activators get many more non-IOTA chasers in the log irrespective of new DXCC or not especially if it is a needed DXCC.

For me ATNi is a concept and it means I will qso with IOTA chasers first if there are a few of you calling, the logging software should advise me (I hope) if a caller is an IOTA chaser or not. I will not have a note of which IOTA they may or may not have so I cannot stop them calling if they have the reference already but I will know if they are an IOTA HR member with over 100 confirmed IOTA. (I see there are c1400 of you out there and I can get that list of callsigns see the links here)

https://www.rsgbiota.org/info/index.php
and
http://www.g3kma.dsl.pipex.com/

Please listen for "HRAL ATNi KN". If you get HRAL as a return it was not a mistake and I didn't send 5NN it means I KNOW you may be chasing the IOTA.

Now EU-011 isn't rare, neither is the DXCC UK so I'll be testing this out to see if it works.

May sound dumb but if outside the contest if you already HAVE EU-011 please do NOT call and give others that need the IOTA reference a chance.


Please if spotted note <IOTA ref> HRAL ATNi so that others might notice it.

I've checked my AF-060 and AF-045 logs against IOTA Honor Roll and less than 20% were serious IOTA chasers.

Tuesday 24 May 2016

6m maybe from St Agnes

Will be outside IOTA contest but should be able (if asked) to operate some 6m

Squares...

St Agnes covers IN69TV73, and 83, 84, 92, 93, 94 and IN69UV03, 04, 05

Should be based in IN69TV73


but can move to 83 easily, like 10 yards away...

6m from KX3 into a 2el quad.

No will not be in the pre historic bits of St Agnes

I know the Cairns of Castella, these are way off to one side of where I'll be putting up antennas which will be in a field that has been used for generations and has half a dozen 1 ton milk cows wandering and crapping all over it much of the year.



There is a pre-history field system https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1015697 but I'll not be on that bit either but I suspect walkers that go around the island will probably just wander through the downs without realising what they are until they see the Cairns.


What they might spot are:


Periglis beach where I MIGHT if time have a go at 160m during the night.

 Cove Vean bay where there is a very shallow section, where I might test a 4 square

Something known as the Giant's Punchbowl

I suspect I might post contest  just wander around to Gugh and see the sand bar 


before going to the Turks Head.


That is bishops light house in the background... I did a drift dive down about 20m passing that at about 12 knots the current is so strong (that was back in 1986!)

Where is St Agnes EU-011?

OK satellite image...


The stations antennas will be at the far left of the island in the green area just below Troytown farm in the image. The station will be in the shed next to the milking parlour of the farm. This is the furthest West in the UK of any IOTA station in the contest.

Where is this in relationship to mainland UK?


Activate EU-011 29th July - 1st August 2016

Will activate St Agnes EU-011 29th July - 1st August 2016 including during the RSGB IOTA contest.

MK1K

My call sign is M1KTA, I hold SCC M1K and
'K' prefix NoV's held for MK1KTA and MK1K