Saturday 23 May 2015

GW/NW-009 Cadair Idris-Penygadair



GW/NW-009  Cadair Idris-Penygadair

21/05/2015

Bit of a slog today

I met up with Mal GW6OVD at the car park at SH731115. We kitted up for the long 4.8km journey up to the top of Cadair Idris via the Minffordd path. Maybe not the easiest route but the most picturesque on a fine day!
GPS track of the journey
On our way
 Mal had opted for 2m today with his 400ohm slotted wire J-Pole so I packed the FT817 and 60/40/20m linked dipole hopeful  that the bands would be a little better than of late. Now the initial steps up from the river are steep and I knew I would dread this part on the way down :(  We made good progress with many photographic opportunities presenting themselves. 
 The dreaded steps
Could be busy on top?
Track repairs
On our way up we could see that Cadair was continually shrouded in low cloud which did not bode well for any chance of a nice view from the top.  
 It's a long way to the top
Pause for a drink
Well worth the walk. Llyn Cau, Craig Cau middle and Cadair Idris right
A glimpse of Llyn Cau from Craig Cau
Llyn Cau
Final push to the summit ahead
GW4VPX/p above Llyn Cau
It took us 2hrs and 51minutes to reach the top and we soon set up and got the activation underway as it was a little cold to say the least.
GW6OVD/p - Cadair Idris
As I finished setting up I could hear Mal had already had a few contacts having been spotted and was in the middle of an s2s with Viki MW6BWA/p on Y Llethr GW/NW-017. I quickly got in on the action and both Viki and Rod MW0JLA/p were in the log in quick succession...thanks both although Viki was quite disappointed that I did not have my 70cms set up with  me....oh dear  :(
12:15z
MW6BWA/P
144MHz
FM
Viki s2s
12:16z
MW0JLA/P
144MHz
FM
Rod s2s
12:24z
G8TMV
5MHz
SSB
Colin
I tried to get a spot out for 60m on RRT and Droidspot (SMS based with good phone signal?) but was unsuccessful although when I did call Colin G8TMV came back to my calls then silence.... I changed the links and hunted around 7.118 only to find Barry M0IML/p and Andrew GW4XZL/p in the middle of an s2s...bingo.  Thanking Andrew for the s2s I was then able to announce that I would look for a frequency higher up but Mike G6TUH told me to QSY to 7.125Mhz...the rest is history....thanks Mike
12:30z
GW4XZL/P
7MHz
SSB
Andrew s2s
12:32z
G6TUH
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:33z
M0IML/P
7MHz
SSB
Barry s2s + TP6473 t2t
12:34z
G4AFI
7MHz
SSB
Andrew
12:35z
G0TDM
7MHz
SSB
John
12:35z
M0MDA
7MHz
SSB
Mick
12:35z
G0TRB
7MHz
SSB
Roger
12:36z
M6KVJ
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:37z
GI4ONL
7MHz
SSB
Victor
12:37z
G8MIA
7MHz
SSB
Andy
12:37z
MW0YCC
7MHz
SSB
Alan
12:37z
M3FEH
7MHz
SSB
Karl
12:38z
G0DRM
7MHz
SSB
David
12:38z
M6EBC
7MHz
SSB
Mark
12:39z
G6LKB
7MHz
SSB
David
12:39z
G4GEW
7MHz
SSB
Peter
12:40z
EI/G4ASA
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:41z
M3NHA
7MHz
SSB
Tony
12:41z
M6NHA
7MHz
SSB
Sara
12:42z
EB2CZF
7MHz
SSB
Jose
12:43z
GW6DTN/P
7MHz
SSB
Dave s2s
12:43z
G4OIG
7MHz
SSB
Gerald
12:44z
G0HRT
7MHz
SSB
Rob
12:45z
GW6STK
7MHz
SSB
Robert
12:45z
G4WHA/A
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:46z
G4HOM
7MHz
SSB
Fred
12:47z
EA2CKX
7MHz
SSB
Pedro
12:47z
G4AYO
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:48z
G6ODU
7MHz
SSB
Bob
12:49z
G0VWP
7MHz
SSB
Terry
It was great to have an s2s with David GW6DTN/p  on GW/NW-034 Cyrniau Nod who had hung around in order to get the contact...thank you David.   
My office
With no more chasers I announced a QSY to the Worked all Britain net and with Ken G0FEX as net controller both Barry and I were worked simultaneously.  Some of the WAB chasers had already worked me so it was a quick run down the list.  I felt a little sad that I was not able to work Bill G4WSB/p who I think was on an ‘island somewhere’ but each time Bill spoke he was being wiped out by an Euro station......sorry Bill.
12:55z
G0FEX
7MHz
SSB
Ken
12:56z
G0BFJ
7MHz
SSB
Brian
12:56z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:57z
G4JZF
7MHz
SSB
Graham
12:58z
MM3PDM/M
7MHz
SSB
Peter
12:58z
G7BTP
7MHz
SSB
Poul
12:59z
G4CQR
7MHz
SSB
Dave
13:00z
G0FVH
7MHz
SSB
David
13:00z
G7BGA
7MHz
SSB
Geoffrey
13:01z
G4ZRP
7MHz
SSB
Brian
Just about half way into the WAB net I felt a cold shiver and suddenly realised that I had not put on those extra layers so as soon as I finished I called to Mal to say I was packing up. “Me too” came the reply   ”Getting cold here”.   As soon as we got up and dismantled the antennas we were soon warm again also taking the opportunity to partake of a few sandwiches and commentating on the fact that any photo opportunity was a lost cause in the mist and cloud.
This is Mal’s log for the day
12:10z
MW0YCC
144MHz
FM
Alan
12:12z
MW6BWA/P
144MHz
FM
Viki S2S NW-017
12:13z
MW0JLA/P
144MHz
FM
Rod S2S NW-017
12:16z
G0HRT
144MHz
FM
Rob
12:19z
GW8SFT
144MHz
FM
Dave
12:22z
G6LKB
144MHz
FM
David
12:23z
G6ODU
144MHz
FM
Bob
12:28z
2E0DLF
144MHz
FM
Andrew
12:30z
M6CEQ
144MHz
FM
Roy
12:33z
G0OHY
144MHz
FM
Arthur
12:35z
GW3XRM
144MHz
FM
Dave
12:36z
GW4CQZ
144MHz
FM
Martin
12:37z
M0MTJ
144MHz
FM
Mike
12:46z
EI9GLB
144MHz
FM
Jim
12:47z
G8MIA
144MHz
FM
Andy
12:48z
G7TCQ
144MHz
FM
Shawn
12:50z
G3VWH
144MHz
FM
Brian
12:52z
2W0JCN
144MHz
FM
John
12:56z
MW0UTC
144MHz
FM
Paul
15:15z
GW6DGU
144MHz
FM
Roy
An incident on the way down made us smile...as we crossed the ladder stile on top of Craig Cau we came across three walkers happily munching sandwiches and drinking tea. We exchanged pleasantries and were asked if we were going far...”just back down to the car park....we’ve been up on the summit.  Now that brought the response of “Do you mean to say that this is not Cadair Idris?” .... we then had to explain that they were not on the summit and that involved another mile or so of walking....gloomy faces...ah well.  Took us 2 hrs to get down including those dreaded steps at the bottom :(
 On the way back-Llyn Cau
Craig Cau ahead - return journey
The long way back over Craig Cau
One of the many waterfalls near the start/finish point
Thanks to all the chasers and spotters for yet another enjoyable activation and to all the other activators for the s2s and brief QSOs.

Till the next time....

73 Allan GW4VPX and Mal GW6OVD

2 comments:

  1. Good to read your report Allan and Mal. I hope to go to Cadair Idris one day. Your preview picture on the SOTA Reflector I instantly recognised as I have the same photo above the fireplace in my lounge. This picture was purchased as a large framed photograph from a shop in Ruthin over 10 years ago before I got into SOTA!

    73 Phil

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Phil

    Yes, it's a nice pic...wonder if you have blue sky instead of clouds? If you want a high res. copy of mine let me know but no doubt you'll want to activate it for yourself and take your own pic :) 73 Allan GW4VPX

    ReplyDelete