310TE/DX & 311TE/DX Report & Photos

310TE/DX & 311TE/DX Photos & Report

 Full report coming soon, just difficult to fit in at the moment with work etc.

This year (2024) is the Tango Echo (Thames Estuary) DX Group 45th Anniversary and in that time, I'm not aware of the group doing an overseas activation, so Adam 26TE032 and I where thinking of what we could do, to celebrate this milestone.
Our friend Tom 310AT101 suggested we should visit him and it quickly turned into the Tango Echo DX groups 1st and 2nd activations, with visits to Lithuania and Latvia.

Trip to the airport was pretty uneventful, chucked cases in the car and off, thank you to Samantha TE012 for the lift to Stansted Airport, only minor delays getting through express security but once we were clear of that, we found our flight had been delayed for a short time, so rather than wait for the inflight food, a afternoon cheeky breakfast was in order. The place was absolutely heaving and we struggling to find an available table in the restaurants. By now, we were both getting really hungry, an expensive but I must admit tasty meal was on the table, closest thing to a full English, but they certainly know how to empty your wallet out for the privilege!

So, after a little food, we ended up settling down for about an hour or so on the most uncomfortable seats in the main terminal, I know this is get you wander around the duty free. Then suddenly the gate was announced, everyone started racing to the gate, followed by us LOL. Just to be kept waiting there for an eternity, with nowhere to sit... flying used to be exciting, but the experience is just ruined by the terrible Irish cattle service.  Eventually they let us out to the plane, only to left standing at the aircraft steps for another 10 minutes in the cold. Thankfully its only a short flight

After landing in Latvia and navigating our way through passport control, where I lost Adam for ten minutes, it was absolutely fantastic to meet up with our old friend Tom 310AT101 again, especially as we don’t see him so much nowadays, with his new job, but we try to keep in touch on the radio. It was then off to stay in a hotel, a couple hours drive away, before crossing over the Lithuanian border early next morning.

Arriving in Lithuania

Early start and a few hours drive down to the coastal town of Palanga in the northern part of Lithuania, but we had to stop at the border to get a couple of photos of the crossing point and to add one of our group stickers to the Lithuanian sign, along with all the others that had been left.

Alan 26TE011 and Adam 26TE032 at the Lithuanian border

Day one, transmitting from just outside the town of Palanga, using a single element delta Loop and a 5/8 wave coaxial antenna

Adam 26TE032 and Tom 310AT101

Day two transmitting from between Palanga and Sventoji

Not knowing the area, we tried to get down to the Baltic sea, which proved to be very difficult with all the vehicle restrictions, around Palanga and didn't discover a little seaside village of Sventoji until our last day, just a few miles up the coast. On our second day, we were set up in a little country lane, after a almost a day transmitting the Police arrived and questioned these crazy Brits and a Paddy, with a mast up and Lithuanian flag. Passport checks and a bit explanation on what we were doing, they were happy and we were fit to go back on air again

  

Day three from a fantastic spot near Sventoji

Arriving back at the Latvian boarder