Thanks to Steve 2E0UEH for finding and activating a new location for amateur operation in Essex – Maldon Promenade Park.
Steve 2E0EUH, Peter G0DZB, Pete M0PSX and Sarah M6PSK visited Maldon Park on the 19th of April 2015 to set up a couple of stations and test the location’s viability as a place to operate. Here are a few photos from the afternoon of radio.
![Steve 2E0UEH operating at Maldon Park on 15m SSB](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-01.jpg)
![Steve 2E0UEH, Peter G0DZB and Pete M0PSX](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-02.jpg)
![Aerial view from Essex Ham's Flying Eye quadcopter](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-03.jpg)
The site is a nice one to operate from – plenty of places to site antennas, some nice open spaces, good traffic from passers-by, and decent RF conditions. We started off at around midday, with a rather chilly breeze blowing, but after a couple of hours, it turned into a nice afternoon – made all the more pleasant by Steve and Sarah’s hot beverage machines – a coffee-capsule (non-Tassimo) machine, plus an analogue kettle.
![A little chilly, but we warmed up in a flash](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-08.jpg)
![Peter operating CW on 30m from his bike](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-04.jpg)
At the time of writing, I don;t have the tally of contacts & bands, but we tried most bands out for size, including 2m from a Slim Jim, and a brief spell on 6m. Pete M0PSX was happy with his contacts with the Azores and Lebanon from his modest 5m HF fishing pole. Peter G0DZB was operating CW from the back of his bike, making use of his new 10m vertical SOTA beam, which straps neatly to his back for biking, with the wires wrapped around the base.
![Peter G0DZB showing off his new 10m SOTA Beam](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-07.jpg)
The park is a nice family park too – great for kids with a nearby playground and plenty of space for kite flying.
![Kathryn, listening SWL/M](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-05.jpg)
For those Essex Hams playing Ingress – lots of opportunities here – what once was green, is now blue! Amateur Radio & Ingress
![Maldon Park - Ingress Map](https://www.essexham.co.uk/images/maldonpark-apr15-09.jpg)
No doubt, Maldon Park will be active in the Summer, so watch this space!