I'm an Ex-British Army Senior Non Commissioned Officer, 1st Battalion, The Queens Lancashire Regiment (QLR), having the honour of serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces from 1972 - 1993. I had the pleasure during my army career to have served on the UK mainland, Northern Ireland, West Germany (British Army Of the Rhine), Berlin, Cyprus, United Nations (Cyprus) and further had the pleasure of visiting Canada, British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS), America & The Gambia W. Africa while serving.
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I now live in Thornton - Cleveleys, near Blackpool, in Lancashire, The 'Red Rose' County on the northwest coast of England, known locally as the Fylde Coast with my wife Beryl and living close by are my two daughters and five grandchildren. I am currently employed as a Public Protection Officer with the Local Authority.
LANCASHIRES
I have the following interests:- Amateur Radio - Summits On The Air (SOTA), Wainwrights On The Air (WOTA) Castles And Stately Homes On The Air (CASHOTA) /Portable,/Pedestrian Mobile, Static HF Mobile, Walking and the completion of the 214 Wainwright and Outlying fells. Currently attempting to complete the Far Eastern Fells.
Passed M3 License in June 2003 receiving callsign M3EDX. Passed my Intermediate Licence on 9th November 04 and received the callsign 2E0EDX.
My Rigs are nearly all Yaesu being:- VX 170, FT-8900R, FT-817, FT-857 and the FT-900AT with the Woxun 4M KG-699E.
Antennas are varied being:-
VHF/UHF/SSB:
MRQ750 Super Gainer 6/8 2m & 3 x 5/8 on 70 Cms dual band mobile antenna and at the home QTH a Diamond X-50 Co-Linear Dual-Bander vertical mounted at about 35 feet with an 8 Element Chinese Maspro portable beam horizontally polarised for 2M SSB. For /Portable use I also have available a military ground antenna giving 4/6/10m FM, a SOTA 2m 3EL Beam, a Multi Functional Dipole (MFD) and a SOTA Rucksack Special. A MML 144/100s 100W 2m Amplifier and GaAsfet preamp is available for FM/SSB operation
HF:
Mobile whips for 15/20/40/80M. A Prowhip vertical 20/40M. The GM3VLB 'Islander ' 10 - 80M multi-band vertical antenna with resonant wires covering 20, 30, 40, 80m and the other for 10, 12, 15, 17m. The SOTA Bandhopper 11, 20/40M Linked Dipole and a Full size 1/4 wave vertical antenna for 20M with a 'Top Hat' and a MFJ-934 Ground Tuning & Tuning Unit incorporated within the /Pedestrian Mobile Trolley. For /Portable activations on the summits or otherwise have also acquired a SOTAbeams QRP 'Mountain Tuner' 40-15M and two Half-Wave End-Fed 40M and 20M dipoles with other bands to follow.
A FG-01 Mk2 1- 60 Mhz Antenna Analyser is also available.
Our Local 70 cms repeater GB3FC (Located in Blackpool - UK) can be found on 430.850 MHz Output with a + 7.6 MHz Shift and a 1750 hz toneburst or a 82.5 ctcss tone. 1750 hz toneburst or a 82.5 ctcss tone
IF YOU DO
IT ALLOWS OTHER DX STATIONS ON THE BAND TO LEAVE A SPACE ON FREQUENCY WHERE I'M WORKING TO AVOID SPLATTER OR BLEEDOVER... Thankyou.
The Wainwrights
The Wainwright’s are the 214 mountains (or fells) of the English Lake District, as described by Alfred Wainwright in his Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells. They are divided into seven areas, each a separate book in Wainwright's series.
The Eastern Fells are centered around Helvellyn and they primarily comprise of a north-south ridge running between Ullswater and Lakeland's Central Valley, running from Clough Head to Seat Sandal with the 950 m (3,118-foot) Helvellyn at its highest point. The Fairfield group lies to the south of the range overlooking Patterdale valley.
The Far Eastern Fells occupy a
broad area to the east of Ullswater, Kirkstone Pass and are bordered by
the M6 motorway and the A592 road running south to Windermere. At 828 m
(2,717 ft), the peak known as High Street is the highest point on the
ridge which runs broadly north-south and overlooks the hidden valley of
Haweswater. To the north of this region are the lower fells of
Martindale Common and Bampton Common. To the south are the fells
overlooking the Kentmere valley. Further to the east, beyond Mardale and
Longsleddale is Shap Fell.
The Central Fells are situated in
the heart of the Lake District, surrounded by the other ranges, are
lower in elevation than surrounding areas, with the highest peak at 762m
(2500ft) being High Raise. The range extends from the ridge between
Derwentwater and Thirlmere in the north, to the famous rock peaks of the
Langdale Pikes in the south. A spur also extends southeast to Loughrigg
Fell above Ambleside. The central ridge runs north over High Seat.
The
Southern Fells occupy the southwestern quarter of the Lake District and
cover a large area comprising of Great Langdale, Borrowdale, Wasdale,
Eskdale and the two Langdale valleys, a southeastern group east of
Dunnerdale and south of Little Langdale and a southwestern group bounded
by Eskdale to the north and Dunnerdale to the east. They include
Scafell Pike at 978m (3,209 feet ), the highest peak in England, and
Scafell one mile (1.6 km) to the south-west. The well know fells of
Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Esk Pike are also found in this region of the
Lakes.
The Northern Fells cover a 13km diameter circle
between Keswick in the southwest and Caldbeck in the northeast. It
contains the 931m (3054ft) peak of Skiddaw. Other well know fells in
this region are those of Blencathra (a.k.a. Saddleback) (868m / 2848ft)
and Carrock Fell. Bassenthwaite Lake occupies the valley. The range is
bordered by the River Greta in the south and Caldew river bounds the
eastern edge of the group, flowing away toward Carlisle.
The
North Western Fells occupy an oval area beneath the Buttermere and
Borrowdale valley systems with Bassenthwaite Lake to the east and
Buttermere and Lorton Vale to the west. Their southernmost point is at
Honister Pass.This area includes the Derwent Fells above the Newlands
Valley
and hills to the north amongst which are Dale Head and Robinson. To the
north stands Grasmoor, the highest in the range at 852m (2795ft). This
region also includes Grisedale Pike, Thornthwaite Forest and Lord's
Seat.
The Western Fells are centred around Great Gable and
form a triangular area between Buttermere and Wasdale, with Sty Head
forming the apex of the triangle. Ennerdale bisects the area, which
consists of the High Stile ridge north of Ennerdale, the Loweswater
Fells in the far north west, the Pillar group in the south west, and
Great Gable (2,949 feet / 899 metres) near Sty Head. Other fells include
Seatallan, Haystacks and Kirk Fell. This region also contains
Wastwater, England's deepest lake.
Alfred
Wainwright also produced another volume called The Outlying Fells of
Lakeland. These 116 mostly lower fells were included by Alfred
Wainwright in 1974, dedicated to those who's physical and other
disabilities and old age may prevent them from enjoying the more
challenging fells listed in the other seven guides.
It
is also a very useful guide for those wishing to get started with fell
walking that find the thought of taking on the challenge of the
Wainwright’s a little daunting. Many of the 56 walks described in this
book offer a pleasurable family day out for all ages and abilities. A
great way to combine Amateur Radio and an enjoyable walk in some of the
most beautiful countryside that the Lake District has to offer.
It
is with this in mind, that the Outlying Fells have been added to the
Wainwright’s On The Air programme, starting on 1st January 2012.
Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells are:
1. The Eastern Fells
2. The Far Eastern Fells
3. The Central Fells
4. The Southern Fells
5. The Northern Fells
6. The North Western Fells
7. The Western Fells
8. The Outlying Fells of Lakeland
As you can see from the slideshow below my latest interest is HF /Pedestrian Mobile QRP with the RealHFMobile Group and I can be found mainly on the 20M band from the coastline & beaches of northwest England and in particular the Fylde Coast area just north of the famous seaside town of Blackpool. I will be mainly concentrating on DX in the Pacific areas and so far have added both VK, ZL, Cook , Hawaii Islands and French Polynesia to my Pacific log in recent weeks.
The HF /Pedestrian Mobile trolley shown in the photograph on the left combines a full size 1/4 wave vertical antenna with a 'Top Hat', using the MFJ-934 Ground Tuning Unit with no radials, FT-857, 12V 60AHr battery and employing the 'Fresnel Zone' effect with the excellent 'groundplane' salt water of the Irish Sea, 'God's Linear Amplifier'.
Hi Dave,
Great to work you Dave, Pete and Ian. Wow! I have an MKARS80 txr. Think I need one for 20 mts. Fantastic fun. Well done lads. 73 Ian VK5IS
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tnx dave for the great contact again , and for ian 2e0edx, i tend to get mobil often so will listen for you in the mobil will be good to work u mobil to pedestrian, 73s mate .. roy VK7ROY
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2E0EDX/M working HF DX at 'The Tower' QSO with II2ANT, VK2ANT and VK7Roy on 20M LP.
VK2UZ QSO with G4AKC Dave, G7OEM Tony, G6UOI Pete and 2E0EDX Ian on 20 metres. All stations /pedestrian mobile from the real HF mobile Group.
Pedestrian mobile on most bands 7-21 MHz. Includes 1.5w AM contact on 7 MHz with VK3ZZ (approx 150km), VK3YE exchange of signal reports with 2E0EDX (also pedestrian mobile) on 14 MHz.
Based on a 5m telescopic glass-fibre pole, whose base has been modified to hold a 3/8" UNF stud which screws into a standard 3/8" UNF mount on a groundspike baseplate. An adjustable loading coil is attached to the top of the outer base section of the pole with a fixed (80m) loading coil immediately below it. There are two radiator wires, one covering 20, 30, 40, 80m and the other for 10, 12, 15, 17m.
Resonance is set by adjusting the slider on the adjustable coil. The ground-mounting spike when operating /P takes the antenna, the feed-line and the twin radial, as well as the spike. An SWR of 1:1 is usually easily achievable on all bands. The lower loading coil is out of circuit except on 80m.
I have recently added this antenna to the /P arsenal.
Postal costs increased dramatically in the United Kingdom in 2012 by + 30%
For one QSL card send 2 US Dollars
and a normal airmail envelope with your address on the face.
A thick/heavy envelope needs 3 US Dollars.
If you want two QSL cards for different callsigns i.e. 2E0EDX or 2E0EDX/PM (in production) please send 3 US Dollars and a normal airmail envelope with your address on the face
Please make my life easier.
Make sure the envelope is big enough for a standard QSL card!
Best is C6 size116 x 162 mm airmail envelope.
Please do not use long envelopes like DL size
Write your COUNTRY on the address.
All countries of the Universal Postal Union use C6 size
except USA/Canada who always have to be different.
Their A6 (Thompson's Standard) is a good second best
and is available in gummed airmail and white peel-and-stick
Please do NOT send stamps of any kind.
Please do not send QSL cards through the bureau as I'm not a member as it takes to long to arrive.
Any QSL cards without 2 US Dollars for postage & SAE (self-addressed envelope) will not be answered as there are to many direct QSL cards being received without monetary assistance. Unfortunately I have to take this action due to the increased cost of postage in the UK.
Alternatively I now accept EQSL cards for those who would wish to use this method for sending and receiving QSL cards
My address and contact information can be found under my callsign on QRZ.COM. Thanks in advance.