This weekend saw the start of the Queen's Jubilee special event call 2Q0IJK after 3 days of calling I racked up over 350 contacts with over 900 hits on qrz.com and also getting in the list of top current hot call signs. The pile ups were mental and I am looking forward to alot of qsl requests from all the station's that have worked me so far. By the end of the month I am hoping to work over 1000 stations also making it a record for my first special event call sign. My partner Emma MQ6EOW also had a great response and the pile ups was even bigger for her, she also got 2nd in the world for the top current hot call signs on qrz.com at one point and is also hoping to work nearly a 1000 stations before the end of the month. More information on qrz.com and the qsl card is available from our qsl manager Charles M0OXO.
73'S for now more updates throughout the month on the special event.

SOTA G/NP 004 SHINING TOR

Today myself and Linden M6PZZ activated our 3rd summit Shining Tor, the day started with a bit of breakfast and cup of coffee from subway in Stockport then onward to the Cat & Fiddle car park. On arrival there was plenty of mist and fog around so we could not get our bearings and not doing this Summit before we were unsure where we had to go after asking in the Cat & Fiddle pub we were still no nearer to finding out where to start the accent to the top. After a short drive back down the road we spoke to a guy walking his dog who pointed us in the right direction by this time the fog was starting to clear slightly so we could make out certain reference points we had been told by the man walking his dog. At no time on our accent or decent from the Summit did the rain stop bouncing down it wasn't a good day for a SOTA activation but we were not going to let that stop us. We made it to the top of the Summit within 30 minutes and to be honest did not want to start getting all our gear out so we just used our handhelds, mine a kenwood thf7e 5 watts and Lindens a yaesu vx8r 5 watts. I worked 4 stations M0VFO Steve, 2E0ZRA Chris, 2E0LKC Peter & 2E0LMD Ann that was enough to get me 2 points for activating the Summit so thanks to you guys for working me.

Below are a few pictures taken on the day as you can see it was wet and windy lets hope on my next Summit there will be a bit better weather 73's 2e0ijk Dave

SOTA G/NP 010 PEN-Y-GHENT

Today 06/04/12 Easter weekend I activated my 2nd summit Pen-Y-Ghent with Linden M6PZZ. It took just over an hour to get to the top stopping a couple of times on the way for pictures and for a rest. It was a cold day with snow on the ground which made it hard going and made us tired quite quickly. Arriving at the top we took a drink of coffee and started setting up our stations. My portable station the Yaesu FT817 mfj tuner and SRC X80 vertical antenna. Lindens station was a Yaesu VX8 handheld with a home made 2 meter beam. I had 5 contacts on 20 meters and then interested in how Lindens beam was working he let me put some calls out on his station working 8 stations on 2 meters including working 2E0YYY/P Mike on Summit G/SP 011 Freeholds Top a nice Summit to Summit qso. It was a great day and we are both looking forward toarranging our next SOTA activation within the next week or so.

Thank you to all the stations who worked 2E0IJK/P Northern Pennines 010 Pen-Y-Ghent below are pictures of the day.

SOTA G/NP 017 Fountains Fell

Today 31/03/12 I activated SOTA G/NP 017 Fountains Fell with Chris M0RSF, Neil M3UNG, Linden M6PZZ and Ian M6WRX all pictured above from left to right. It took about 55 minutes to reach the top of the summit stopping on the way to take pictures. A great day was had by all and we all had some great contacts. Linden, Ian & Neil all working on 2 meters FM, Chris working on 70cm FM and myself on 20 & 15 meters SSB. The station I used was a Yaesu FT817 with 5 watts into a vertical SRC X80 antenna strapped to a fence post tuned by my MFJ 941e tuner. My first contact was on 20 meters into New York N1EU calling me with a great signal into my portable station on top of the summit. I had a total of 38 contacts 33 on 20 meters, 4 on 15 meters and 1 on 10 meters. We all plan to activate our next summit in the coming weeks so keep visiting for more details. Thanks to all the stations who called 2E0IJK/P Fountains Fell for my first ever SOTA activation I look forward to the next one 73's.

Fountains Fell G/NP-017 SOTA activation 31/03/12

Saturday 31st March 2E0IJK/P will be active from SOTA Fountains Fell G/NP-017 using 2 meters FM and possibly 40 + 80 meters bands and weather permitting of course. I plan to be there for around 11am and on the air for 1130am. Also listen out for M0RSF/P, M3UNG/P M6PZZ/P & M6WRX/P they will be accompanying me on the activation of the summit

2Q0IJK CARD REVEALED

To celebrate the queens diamond jubilee 2Q0IJK will be active from the 5th of May to the 10th of june 

on SSB and on the digital modes. The above qsl card will be available for working the special event station via M0OXO. A big thanks to Charles for the efforts sorting out the qsl card design.

To mark the 2012 olympic games and the queens jubilee 2E0IJK will operate special call signs 2O0IJK & 2Q0IJK over the month of june. A special qsl card will be available for working the relevant call sign and more information will be available in due cause.

This weekend 2E0IJK was at the home QTH of Linden M6PZZ helping install his new co linear and HF antenna's. Thanks goes out to HZ1SK Samir for the fantastic report on 10 meters after installation of the doublet was completed. Pictured is Linden with his cp6 vertical antenna.

Another Weekend Another Wind

This weekend I have taken part in the RUWW PSK CONTEST taking part with my beam

 and tower down again at only 13ft due to high wind. After making a moderate 244 contacts

I have submitted my logbook to the contest manager to see how I do. 

Also guess what when the contest had finished the Sunday was wind free 

typical of the British weather. I have also uploaded my logbook to ultimate epc and I am now 45th in the uk using the psk award program

New Year New Shack For 2E0IJK

More shack pictures

A new year a new shack for 2E0IJK. After aquiring more radio equipment it was time to make more space in the shack. After a trip to my local B&Q for a worktop after taking some measurements, the new shack construction was underway. The racking went up with no hassle at all and after a few measurements and cuts to the worktop it slotted straight into position. Now the most important bit deciding where to put all the equipment, of course making sure all the coax and control cables were long enough to reach each radio or atu unit. The reason of constructing a new shack was my recent purchase of the Kenwood TS-830 so it took pride of place as you walk into the shack along with my faithfull Icom 756 proiii. Above is a picture of the finished shack and I look forward to working some new contacts as the year progresses from it.