Guernsey Airport, GU/GU-002 - 107m ASL - WV 291 754 - OS Bailiwick of Guernsey Official Map - 1 SOTA point           

Monday 29th July 2019

After my DXpedition to Sark with Jimmy M0HGY in 2018, I'd realised that this would be the perfect destination to bring Marianne celebrate the occasion of our silver wedding anniversary.  We flew out from Manchester Airport on the Monday morning, and without doubt, this would be the first time I had ever arrived on a SOTA summit from the air above!  After landing and clearing security, I walked over to the bus stop across the car park from the terminal building.  

While waiting for the 71 bus that would take us down to St Peter Port, I tried a few CQ calls on my 2m FM handheld.  I had hoped to at least manage one QSO from somewhere to record an activation, even if not a point-scoring one, but there were no answers, and no activity to be found anywhere on the band.  We spent a little time walking around St Peter Port itself, before catching the 3pm boat to Sark.

Thursday 1st August 2019

We returned from Sark and immediately made for the bubble waffle place on the front at St Peter Port.  Marianne had been craving one of these ever since spotting the place on the Monday!  We then caught the bus back to the airport.  Marianne went straight into the terminal, declining a short walk with me.  Due to the logistics of appropriate repacking ahead of checking baggage in for the flight, with special consideration of reels of wire, lithium batteries etc - plus me not wanting to "push my luck" by asking Marianne to take care of my luggage - it was necessary for me to cart my big black suitcase with me as I walked to the back of the airport.

It was further than I'd remembered - although last time we drove this short distance of course!  It took me around 15 minutes to walk around to the other side of the runway.  I found a patch of grassy waste ground with a hedge corner, beside the road to the rear of the airport, and set up there.  I was conscious of inquisitive looks I was getting from passing motorists, and even more conscious of the check-in closure time!  There was a potentially impatient XYL to bear in mind too!

I went straight onto 20m CW and self-spotted on 14.032MHz.  Five stations were worked, and with no-one else calling at that very moment, I quickly packed up and started to make my way back around to the terminal building.  We had a pleasant short flight back to Manchester, and that concluded a fabulous four days celebrating 25 years of marriage.