Common Barn Field Weekend, Rainow

The Macclesfield & District Amateur Radio Society held a "Field Weekend" on 19-21 October 2007.  This event was the brainchild of MDRS member Greg Acton 2E0RXX, who identified the site, negotiated the club's use and organised and cajoled members into a 48 hour continuous schedule.

Most of the club's 36 members were present at some stage in the weekend, taking turns at operating, logging, checking aerials and brewing tea!  There was not a great deal of exotic DX to be worked, but contacts were made into four continents on HF, and all around the North-West on VHF.  The club's callsign GX4MWS/P was used by all operators throughout the weekend, with Full (Advanced) licence holders permanently available to supervise other licencees.  The club took its Kenwood TS480 and Yaseu FT-857 transceivers as the main station equipment, with a selection of antenna arrangements including verticals, dipoles and beams.

The Society wishes to place on record its thanks and appreciation to Greg 2E0RXX for devising, planning and organising this successful and enjoyable weekend.

Some hardy members manned the station throughout the night on the Saturday night/Sunday morning, taking it in turns to get some sleep at the guest room in the B&B facilities at Common Barn Farm.  The Sunday morning session saw several contacts made with SOTA (Summits on the Air) stations on 2m FM, 2m SSB and one on 40m CW (Belgium).  A pleasant and welcome interlude on the Sunday morning came in the form of a hearty traditional English breakfast in the Common Barn Farm tearoom!

Common Barn Farm - Peak District Holiday Cottages
Cheshire has two self catering holiday cottages and five bed and breakfast rooms available, located in the beautiful rolling hills of the Peak District National Park. Tea room on site.
http://www.cottages-with-a-view.co.uk