Macclesfield members brave the elements on Field Day

Soggy National Field Day for Macclesfield members

On the weekend of 5th/6th July 2008, the Macclesfield & District Radio Society participated in the VHF National Field Day, an annual radio contest run by the Radio Society of Great Britain.

This was the first full contest participation by Macclesfield's amateur radio club for many years, and was the first experience of contesting for several of the more newly licensed members.

The contest lasted from 3pm on Saturday afternoon to 3pm on the Sunday. Despite it being early July, the weather was miserable, including storm-like conditions overnight.

Contact was made with 103 stations across six nations - England (G), Wales (GW), Scotland (GM), Ireland (EI),
Northern Ireland (GI) and Belgium (ON).

Operation was entirely on the 2m band, and used three modes - SSB (single side-band), FM and CW (morse code).

The site used was a field at Common Barn Farm, Rainow. Club members made use of the tea room at the farm when open, for a break between operating shifts. An unpleasant walk in hostile wind and rain was usually necessary to transfer between the tea room and the small caravan in which we were operating, but it was worth it for the fine cookedbreakfasts being served up!

The operators involved were:
Allan Denny G0JNJ, Keith Kelly G3VKF, Greg Acton 2E0RXX, Tom Read M1EYP, Sean Amesbury M0GIA, Ray King M1REK, Roger Bell M0GMG, Liam Acton M3ZRY, Bob Murphy M3UVM and Jimmy Read M3EYP.