21 & 29/10/23 - A BOTA completion, and a bonus trig to trig..... B/G-0944 Crossland Moor and TP2622 Crossland heath.

 Unfortunately due to "life" I haven't been as active as Id hoped on activating the bunkers, i am quite lucky here, that I am within half an hours drive of several bunkers, but settled on the one at Crossland Moor, Huddersfield as my first one.

The Bunker is located in front of the Huddersfield Observatory, and has sadly been demolished, or rather the surface features have been, I'm unsure if the bunker its self is still underground. 

Anyhow, the bunker rues stipulate an activation is allowed within 1Km of the bunker site, and this one affords a nice easy Layby where you can sit in the car and fill yer boots! 

I first activated the Bunker on the 21/10/2023 on HF, using the little Xeigu G106 and an EFHW on 40M, but I ROYALLY messed up my timing, Worked all Germany weekend and the usual big station contesters were making life VERY difficult, with my little 5W QRP station! I persevered and with some internet assistance managed 17 calls, including a few into France and Belgium, but sadly short of the 25 needed to qualify a bunker as activated. I gave up in the end, as the band conditions were worsening by the second... 

Now this is where the rules work to an activators advantage, you dont have to do all 25 qualifying contacts in 1 session so I planned a return at some point...

I returned on the 29/10/23, I did take the HF gear, but planned on doing the activation on VHF, using the car antenna and the usual FT4XE handheld, I made a start calling on the 2M calling frequncey, but calls were slow! I needed 8 to qualify the bunker, and boy did I struggle!

The first out of the bag was G6XBF - Walt and then M7GDE - Andy K in Kippax, north Leeds. who proceeded to text his radio friends and DX groups he knew of to try and get me over the line, Thanks Andy!

I got a few more in the log, and then spoke to Paul, M0AIA/P who was at a trig point, we got talking and he mentioned there was a trig near to the bunker! A golden opportunity for a trig to trig... he helped me over the line with my last 3 contacts, and a change of antenna to the slim G helped AGAIN to get the last couple in the log, happy with 25 uniques, it was tick tick... bunker activated! 

Trig point TP2622 - Crossland heath

Bunker done, I was off to the trig point, its literally a few mins walk from the road, Paul had kindly agreed to hang around for a trig to trig. so i made my way over with the handheld, and called "trig to trig, trig to trig 2E0JWA/P" and we did it! A VHF trig to trig TP2622 Crossland heath to TP3676 Haw Cliff Top .. had a little QSO from the trig, and with the light failing and the temperatures dropping rapidly I made a dart back to the car!

A really nice trig point, in a picturesque location made a nice end to the activation.
Special thanks to the Bunkers on the Air crew, for setting up and managing a fantastic scheme, long may it continue! Andy K M7GDE for Rallying the troops and Paul M0AIA for telling me about the trig, passing some of his calls to me so I could get over the line, and for hanging around so we could get the trig to trig. Sometimes I am humbled by the amateur radio community's willingness to help others and keep the spirit of amateur radio alive..

Till next time 73s - Alan

Bunkers on the Air - A new Scheme for Radio Hams!

 Lets talk about Bunkers on the air...

As far as i can work out there was a previous incarnation of this programme, and they are NOT in any way connected. the following s a completely NEW award scheme Skilfully put together by A small dedicated team and will be starting as a one month event from the 1st to the 31st of October 2023! 

I will hopefully activating both on VHF and HF from 2 or 3 locations for this event as I think its great! The scheme is based around the former Royal Observer Core nuclear war observation bunkers stationed all over the country, all the details of which can be can be found on the Bunkers on the Air website! you can also find the rules, how to log and links to the Facebook group on the link..

The long term plan of the BOTA MT is to open up the scheme and expand its operating locations to other fortifications from WW2, the cold war ETC ETC.....

Good luck to all operators operating the event, and I hope to work some of you!!

73 - Alan

SOTA G/SP-017 - Billinge Hill TRIG #15 WAB Sq SD50 TP1362 - Billinge 3/12/22

Looked at this one once or twice, but the price of diesel has held me back recently, anyway it was my weekend to have my boy, and I had some business to attend to in the nearby town of Atherton so this fitted in perfectly with a trip to Billinge Hill.. FINALLY! 

If I am being completely honest here, I think the real reason I haven't visited was procrastination.. Anyhow, I digress!

I am fairly certain that Billinge must be the lowest summit on the SOTA programme, I honestly cant think of and havent seen another smaller. Mind you, dont be put off by its meagre 179M its a Marilyn.. Just! the walk up is pretty easy, and good practice for my boy, who, I am happy to add has finally stared training with me, for his Foundation exam!

Here he is, having just made the gentle walk up the slope to the Summit!

plenty of space up the top, but it is quite busy. Consequently daft antenna's wouldn't be a good idea! i set up on the trig, with the usual 6M fishing pole, and my NEW spectrum communications Slim G antenna!

Now, just let me take a few seconds out here... The Slim G by Spectrum Communications is an EXCELLENT piece of kit, honestly! I was previously using a homebrew "flowerpot" and while it served me well, the Slim G was in a different league, just so much quieter and less susceptible to noise.. if you want a lightweight portable antenna for £25 you cant go wrong!

Right, back to the action...... there is a large collection of transmitting towers adjacent to the summit, i would advise the use of a filter, so i deployed the SOTABEAMS 2M bandpass filter, and as usual it worked fantastically.

Trig pics, and the Flush Bracket.....

so, all setup, quick spot.. and off we go! first to bite was M0MOL-Gareth in Barrow-in-Furness with a cracking signal 5/9 across the scale! (told you this was a good hill)... ended up with a total of 14 across Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales with the final call 40 mins after I started!

With that, it was time to go. but not before we had a quick look at the ROC nuclear warfare observation bunker on the way down. sadly not much of it left, and what is left has been filled with concrete!

The underground access hatch would have been on the top of this concrete block

Access Hatch from the other side, sadly missing the air vent and louvres

Extant green paint

The FSM tube, missing its metal cap

And sadly that is all that remains! I couldn't find the vent stack or the BPS tube sadly, but hey ho!

If you wish to know more about ROC posts WIKI is a good start and there is TONS of info on google!

Anyway, as usual thanks to the Chasers/SWLs and huge thanks to those who follow my ramblings!

73, 2E0JWA - Alan