With the skies totally devoid of cloud, the sun shining and the temperature a few degrees above 20°C, this could only mean that in my part of the world spring has finally sprung, which ultimately meant that a last minute Sunday afternoon ride was ...more
145Alive and my First Visit to Twmbarlwm in 2023
Well, a few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon after I had finished work, the weather was the warmest it has been so far this year, so at 3:00 in the afternoon I decided on a quick ride the 10 or so miles to ...more
2023’s Motorcycle Adventures on HF getting a step closer
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 ...more
Lighthouses on-the-air – an overview of East Usk Lighthouse
This is a very belated post about last years Lighthouses On The Air event in August. Thought I should at least document something. Lighthouses have long served as beacons of safety for seafarers navigating treacherous waters. But did you know that lighthouses also play ...more
Getting ready to get back on the motorcycle and head to the hills… on HF!!
Admittedly I sort of gave up a little last year on this blog, for no specific reason other than I was too busy doing many different things; field days out with friends, rides with friends, kids and grandkids etc. But in 2023 I want ...more
Llandegfedd Reservoir (Lake) in the Spring
Today – Tuesday 26th April 2022 – I decided on a last minute ride to Llandegfedd Lake, which this year appears on all the web based literature to have been renamed by Welsh Water from Llandegfedd Reservoir to Llandegfedd Lake. Didn’t know that happened, ...more
Great Views (and some VHF) from the East side of the Blorenge
Didn’t plan on going far today (19th April, 2022) due to the cooler temperatures, but as I headed off on the motorcycle – cameras, radio and antennas all packed up, I was enjoying the ride more than I thought and made a spur of ...more
Slimjim or Dipole for 2M portable? Let’s take a look…
Using state-of-the-art electronics and highly sophisticated instrumentation to perform detailed scientific tests, analytically comparing the relative performances of 2M Slimjim and 2M Dipole antennas, I once again headed out on my trusty motorcycle to meet my buddy Richie, MW0LGE on Twmbarlwm mountainside 1,100 feet ...more
56 miles on 2M at a cold ‘Mountain Air’ viewpoint
All I’m thinking when out on my bike currently is… when will the warmer days start to arrive, eh? The weather looked pretty decent as I glanced out of my study window this morning, giving me the kick I needed to once again get ...more
Nice day for a SOTA activation with the new 2m dipole
As the weather appeared to be holding up – which for me meant it wasn’t below 5˚C and also wasn’t raining… I thought I should try out my recently acquired 2M dipole. So I headed out on the bike to a local SOTA summit, ...more