2023 radiocar and outdoor radioactivities in photos :)

Most of my radioactivities in radiocar in 2023... 

First activation of Monte Lucerto I/SI-166

October 2023 - finally our holiday in Sicilia...

We tried to come here for many years. Last time we even had tickets but three days before departure the famous Covid visited us and we had to cancel the whole trip. 

Finally this year tickets bought, Covid somewhere else and on Monday, 9th October we landed in Palermo Airport.

But this intended to be a radio story...  A few days before I started to print a special edition of magnetic loop antenna - right for this trip. Why special edition? Because usually we travel by car and this time we fly. So the antenna should be possibly light and not taking too much place. 

I have designed new central element (holding all the arms of the antenna), new "joiners" inserted into central element, etc. All together much lighter and smaller than before. 

A few days of printings, testing and almost ready. I used some parts of previous antenna but the construction is redesigned and based fully on glass fiber 8mm pipes. The antenna is not as stable as before but enough to survive :) And what is the most important - more tiny and light - easier to transport by plane. 

All was packed into two bags - one containing all the plastic elements, wires, capacitor and one with all the pipes. 

And guess what... the one with pipes did not reach Sicilia... 

Was put somewhere while we were packing our bags :)

While staying in some apartments the construction of the loop was possible using the nearby objects...

With really nice results:

But there was a special plan... to do the first SOTA activation of one of Sicilian summits... 

I wasn't sure if we will find on the top any object which would support the loop antenna.

So... we went to some outdoor shop in Sicilia and bought the cheapest fishing rod. This rod served as a mast.

First test on the beach:

So finally, 15 of October we reached Monte Lucerto...

Done :)