Days 256 – 265 and more Alimast building

Another bumper update so again it’s a list – It makes sense (to me anyway) to provide a list like this as it saves extra typing!

I’m especially pleased by the QSO with TR8CA using PSK125 – I’d seem them work a few stations and suddenly there was a change in the audio, I was no longer decoding them and there seemed to be nobody replying.  I first thought there was some interference on the frequency but then I remembered that someone had mentioned PSK125 on Twitter so I switched to that mode and there they were, calling CQ with no takers.  I worked them first call and just a few minutes later they dropped down to PSK63.

Today is Saturday so I spent some time working on my Alimast sections.  I was right when I said on my previous update that I thought it would be quicker to assemble subsequent sections and it really didn’t take very long before I had the main edges of the remaining sections all put together and laying out next to each other, glinting in the sun.

The remaining Alimast sections ready to link together

The remaining Alimast sections ready to link together

One section boxed and the other ready to go

One section boxed and the other ready to go

I assembled the next two pieces into the box section and started to tighten up all the nuts and bolts (they’re left finger tight on the initial put-together) but had to stop when I was just over half way through.  I managed to badly skin one of my knuckles against the mast and because it was right on the joint of my middle finger, I had real problems keeping the wound closed while I was tightening up the bolts due to my finger flexing.  There was no real pain, just a lot of blood and I didn’t want to taint that nice new aluminium surface!  I shall finish tightening everything off tomorrow.

My timescale for getting the mast and aerial up is now set to the end of October.  I want to be all ready to go for the CQWW contest over the weekend of the 29th/30th October so that’s not long to go.  Everything has been measured up for the bracket and a winch has been ordered.

 

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