CUMBRIA RAYNET GROUP

2009 - Lakeland 100

North Pennines Group assisted Manchester Scouts Raynet Group with this event, having assisted with this event in its first year in 2008.  This year we were asked to provide radio coverage at four checkpoints, Wasdale Head, Dockray, Dalemain and Howtown.  The event was based in Coniston, where Raynet control was located, and the start was on Friday evening 31st July.  It continued until Sunday afternoon 2nd August and competitors reaching Coniston had either completed the full course of 100 miles, or had completed 50 miles from Dalemain where the shorter course started.  Radio communications were through two talk through stations, located on Great End for the early checkpoints, and High Street for the remainder.

Our involvement was split into two, either a late evening / night shift on the Friday, or an early morning and all day shift on the Saturday.  Stuart did the night shift down at Wasdale Head and communications worked well, although flat batteries became a problem due to the extended hours that the checkpoint was in operation.  The daytime shift started with John (G4ISS) at Dockray, followed by Peter and I setting up at Dalemain, and finally Steven and I setting up at Howtown.  During the period that Steven and I were setting up, the talk through station at High Street developed a fault and this caused us some problems at Howtown.  The Howtown checkpoint was located at the Bobbin Mill which was in a very enclosed area.  We decided to erect the 33ft mast with a co-linear on top.  We could not get a readable signal from the talk through so we took the mast down and put the beam on top before putting the mast up again.  All in heavy rain.  The reception was no better so I went back to Dalemain with a view to setting up a talk through there for the Howtown checkpoint.  On reaching Peter I found that both he and John were having problems with the High Street talk through.  During the checks carried out by Manchester Scouts Group on the talk through there was an amusing request from Raynet control: could Peter move the aerial to a different position to try it.  We had one of the 20ft masts erected with a co-linear on top!!

After the problems with the talk through on High Street had been sorted out the radio communications worked well. 

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Dalemain check point

Dalemain start

Howtown