[UK-CONTEST] Farmers and Contests

[Adrian Rees (MW1LCR)]

I hope the RSGB CC are reading this....


Hello all

At first this may not appear too relevant to Contesting or Amateur Radio for
that matter, but just go with me for a while...

We moved into our home 3 years ago. Its an old Welsh Hill farm comprising
Farm house, barn, dairy and about 7 acres of land. We are some 1,300 feet
asl with a clear take off to the horizon, around North _ East _ South. Due
West is  reasonable. Not surprising we have hill farmers as neighbours and
the area is sparsley populated. HF and VHF Radio wise the location is
superb. 

As good neighbours we have become very friendly with the local farmers and
inhabitants, some of whom have farmed and lived in the area through many
many generations. As a community they are wary of newcomers, and wary of
most things. This is quite understandable, given the fly tippers, boy
racers, 4x4 heroes, boom - boom music lovers, Bar B Q nuts and random
campers all messing up the country side,  land and more importantly  lively
hoods, because they don't know or don't care about the Countryside code, or
common decency.

I know the local Farmers, and I have secured an excellent contest location
to use, much better than my own back yard, and only 100 yards or so away. A
local amateur used this site successfully in the PW QRP 144MHz contest this
year. My neighbours have expressed how pleased they were with this operaton,
because of how the amateur had requested use, cleaned up afterwards and
expressed his thanks. This then paved the way for a more elaborate request,
on this same particular site, for large HF Contest operation by a local CG. 

(The site is not suitable for a high powered VHF contest due to the close
proximity of VHF / UHF PMR and Home Office Comms systems in the form of a
comms tower. In fact on 144MHZ a bandpass filter is recommended to prevent
break through from 144MHZ TX to the higher bands in use. Low pass filters
are used for HF), this is because of known breakthrough problems from
amateur to commercial / Home Office.  

So as you can see a pretty reasonable site for low power VHF, full power HF
and well negotiated (over a 3 year period) with my neighbours and local
farmer. 

So what has this to do with contesting ? Read on....

Last weekend, the local farmer stopped at the gate and was chatting away. He
was particulary annoyed with a group of "radio amateurs" who had turned up
in the afternoon, to use the field at the top of the hill (the one I refer
to above) and thought I had something to do with them. I explained I hadn't.
He then went on to tell me that this group of "radio amateurs" had shown up,
out of the blue, parked 8 (or so) cars and a mast on a trailer in the middle
of the field and then asked to use the field for a contest, and if possible
move higher up the field next to the PMR Mast.He suggested that they do not
go near the PMR mast as the local amateur who lives over there (meaning
me....) had expressed concerns over interference "with that mast".

The farmer was some what peeved, to say the least, as there is no public
right of way across the field and they had set up their gear before asking
permission to use it. Then when they left they didn't offer any thanks or so
on. I said I would look into it, but doubted if it was a group of radio
amateurs, because of the way they had conducted themselves and setting up a
station directly under a PMR mast is asking for trouble. 

I have now ascertained that it was a group of radio amateurs (who shall
remain nameless, but hopefully they will read this email) who set up a
station to operate in the 144MHz UKAC contest on Tuesday 4th August. 

So to summarise this group set up blindly ignoring the countryside code
(bulls in fields spring to mind...) or common decency to ask permission, or
thank the farmer. Neither had they considered any EMC or RFI problems that
they may create. 

And now for the bomb shell...the particular group also included at least one
person who is "high up" in the RSGB...and who teaches the Foundation
licence. You would have thought they would know better eh ?

It's a good job I wasn't home that evening, as I would have also operated in
the UKAC 144MHz Contest, with my newly built linear (pair of 4CX350B's) to a
stacked pair of Yagi's...some 170 yards from their site. 

The farmer acknowledged that I had nothing to do with this group and the
site's use by the local CG is still possible. (Admittedly after buying a few
pints in the pub last night).

So if you are going to play radio /P ask about before stomping across
peoples land, and ask if there is a local amateur who is also active.
Getting full chat from a big linear to pair of Yagi's at a range of 170
yards will be painful. 

  

Adrian Rees MW1LCR QRA: IO82KW 4.5 Miles E. Llangollen North Wales