Woodland Radio Weekend Event

 Woodland Radio Weekend Event 

On the 29^th – 30^th of October 2022

We held our First Ham Radio Weekend at the Woods.

This was a Trial to see if the Woodland Car Park would be any good for Hosting a Ham radio Event.

Unfortunately due to prior engagement's many of the CARA Hams invited to the Event could not make it.

MW0NRO (Alen) & myself  2W0POE (Jon)  were the only two that attended the event.

The Weather was predicted to be showery but mild so we went ahead and continued with the event even though it would be only the Two of Us attending, Two's company Threes a Crowd as they say !

I arrived around 11am on the Saturday morning and did an inspection of my woodland while waiting for Alen to arrive. The week before I had done some maintenance as there was a snapped Willow Branch I had to remove from across the Track and had to cut back the willow with the chainsaw to clear the woodland track. I also did some strimming with the brush cutter getting everything ready for this weekend. 

On inspection Saturday morning I unfortunately found that 3 trees had came down across the Boundary fence with the Farm adjacent. Though not Urgent they will have to be dealt with at some point in the Near future. Hay Ho forestry work keeps you busy. After doing my woodland rounds I put the Kettle on for a coffee and Just as it Boiled Alen arrived.

We both had a Coffee and I took Alen for a tour of Narrows Wood & the Surrounding Cwmgilla Forest. We walked along the woodland tracks chatting and photographing Fungi while Alen was Identifying them with an App he had on his Phone. We found many species of Fungi Fly Agaric, Tawny Grisette, Stump Puffball, Earth Ball, Mosaic Puffball, Hedgehog Fungus, Trooping funnel , Boletes , Amethyst Deceiver and Candles Snuff Etc. Very interesting to see what Fungi was about this time of year. 

After our tour around the woodland we went back to the car park to set up camp. Alen opted for using a one man tent next to his Car & also set up his Toilet tent. while I would be Car camping in my Camper & also had my own Toilet Tent up too. Between the two camps we used a fishing brolly that I had brought with me and couple of camping chairs. I also brought a fold down BBQ for Us to cook on & use as a fire pit. Alen brought a small fold up table which was ideal between the chairs under the brolly.

After we had both set out our Camps we then both got to the task of setting up our Ham Stations. Alen was using an Elecraft KX3 on a long wire which he attached to a branch in a Near by Oak tree. Then across towards the boot of his car where he was sitting in a large Padded moon Camping chair. My station was out of my Go Box consisting of a Large Padded Case box containing my Yaseu FT 450D a LifePO4 battery to power the rig & a Difona HFM1 vertical antenna mag-mounted to the Van roof. We were both operating our Rigs at just 10Watts QRP. 

We were both pleasantly surprised to find that My woodland Car park was a very good spot to receive radio signals on all the HF Bands. We had a lot of radio coming through from the United States ,Canada ,Europe  and even from Australia. Bands 15m, 20m and 40m were chocka block with contest callers. The 17m band was mostly coming from the USA while 12m we could Hear calls from Georgia, USA, Canada, Germany & Australia.

Unfortunately as both of Us were Operating QRP at only 10watts we found it Difficult to make any contacts, in fact I think we failed to get out as there were so many stronger stations out there. Though we failed to make any radio contacts this time we will defiantly be trying from here again at some point in the near future.

That Evening we both enjoyed a Couple of Quarter pounders on the BBQ washed down with a Large Bottle of Spanish Red wine while listening to the Tawny Owls hooting in the Woods & watching the Stars in the Dark Clear Sky.

The Following Morning after we had both packed our kit away and Alen had left for home. I planted out 50 New Basket Willow cuttings along the Brookside. Before heading home myself as the Haven's opened with loads of rain.

Time to Say Goodbye to the Woods for another Day!.

Regards John De 2W0POE 73!