Getting prepared for motorcycle adventures on HF this summer has moved a tiny step closer. After making a few phone calls trying to decide where I should source the foam for my motorcycle back-box, I took a trip across the old Severn Bridge earlier this week to a company in Bristol – Foam Cutting and Design on Barton Trading Estate – and what a fab bunch they are. It’s a small world we live in as one of the chaps I met when I arrived was none other than fellow amateur radio operator Gareth, M0RCE. Quite literally I simply provided them with the rectangular size for the foam cuts I needed, and the guys at FCD did the rest.
Gareth was a star, allowing me to take the rectangular cut to the bike, drawing around the perimeter of the back-box, after which he asked one of his colleagues to use the enormous band saw to follow my lines… and hey presto – a perfect fit, as can be seen in the image.
Next step is to mark out and cut the shape of the IC7300, not entirely sure I will be able to also fit the little LDG tuner I have to accompany the IC7300 – maybe on its side it might fit. Watch this space…
Inclement weather this weekend means no motorcycle /p operations for me during the next few days, but summer is on its way thankfully meaning it won’t be long before I can visit many of the beautiful locations I’ve operated from in previous years on VHF but this time, on the HF bands.
For me on my little 125cc, the ride across to Bristol entails a trip over the old Severn Bridge using the motorcyle/bicycle/person path – nice views looking westwards towards the Second Severn Crossing, for sure.
Perhaps as an informative FYI for anyone outside the UK who may be reading this, the river Severn – I believe – has either the second or third highest today range of any river in the world, so what you see in these images is not dirty water or sewage, it is quite simply silt, shifted up and down the river twice a day from the enormous volume of water passing each change of tide.
Believe it or not, in the spring time there are regular 13m tides! Huge eh?
If you have made it this far, you really ought to consider what you do with your time, but huge thanks nonetheless. Enjoy!