Two one pointers today
GW/MW-028 Frenni Fawr
25/05/2015
Another ‘keep fit day’ for the group although I was going to
pick up a few activation points and hopefully a few s2s would make the log.
GPS track - Frenni Fawr
After a long discussion with Carolyn G6WRW and Helen M0YHB at the 2015 Norbreck
Rally on the Pros and Cons of an FT817, small linear amp and battery as opposed
to an FT857 and battery I decided to follow their lead and opted for the first
option which weighed considerably less than the second. All this was to give that little extra punch
to my audio under the various difficult band conditions we have been
experiencing during the last few months.
Now this combination would also enable me to share the load with my wife
carrying the linear and Len carrying the battery in their respective rucksacks
for these two summits :) We have a mini
SOTA expedition lined up in the very near future so today would also be a good
day to try things out. Now the summit of Frenni Fawr is 2km from the lay-by at
SN188359 on the A478 just to the South of Blaenffos with just one false summit
to upset you on the way up :)
Frenni fawr distant
False summit in the distance
It was cold on top and a good opportunity for our little
group to try out the Bothy bags leaving me out in the cold wind to activate by
the fence...I didn’t have enough cable on my 2m dipole to join them :( 
A quick call on 2m brought Aled and Bruce and a difficult s2s with Viki M6BWA/p on G/WB-007 Heath Mynd..thanks Viki.
10:11z
|
MW3DLA
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Aled
|
10:15z
|
GW4XXF
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Bruce
|
10:28z
|
M6BWA/P
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Viki
s2s
|
No joy on 60m despite sending a spot so I quickly sent another
spot for 40m and I was away. As Don RQL loves his multi band contacts I offered
to pop down again to 60m and we exchanged 5/9 reports.... he later popped up on 2m
also :)
10:33z
|
G6TUH
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Mike
|
10:34z
|
2W0XOT
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
John
|
10:34z
|
M0MDA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Mick
|
10:35z
|
DK1WI
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ed
|
10:35z
|
M0IML
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Barry
|
10:35z
|
G0HRT
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Rob
|
10:36z
|
G4JZF
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Graham
|
10:37z
|
PA0B
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Rob
|
10:37z
|
G0RQL
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Don
|
10:38z
|
EA2CKX
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Pedro
|
10:40z
|
G4DFI
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Owen
|
10:42z
|
M6RUG
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Dave
|
10:43z
|
M3FEH
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Karl
|
10:44z
|
ON5SWA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Francois
|
10:45z
|
G0RQL
|
5MHz
|
SSB
|
Don
|
11:01z
|
G0RQL
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Don
|
For the WAB net I set up the linear to see if was
functioning properly and worked down the list quickly with Brian G0BFJ as net
controller. It was great to hear
Dave G4ASA calling from EI with such a strong signal as band conditions during
our last contacts have been quite dismal and difficult.
11:14z
|
G0BFJ
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Brian
|
11:14z
|
G7BGA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Geoffrey
|
11:14z
|
MM3PDM/M
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Peter
|
11:15z
|
G0VWP
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Terry
|
11:15z
|
G0CQR
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
|
11:16z
|
DL7UCW
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ben
|
11:16z
|
G4DUE
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
|
11:16z
|
G4ZRP
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Brian
|
11:16z
|
G6LKB
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
David
|
11:17z
|
G0ABY
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
|
11:17z
|
G7AFM
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Phil
|
11:18z
|
EI/G4ASA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Dave
|
11:20z
|
M6KVJ
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
David
|
11:21z
|
G3RXA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
John
|
11:22z
|
G4SQA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Dave
|
The icing on the cake for this summit was an s2s with Angel
and Eva on GW/SW-001 Pen y Fan. I had spoken to them the previous day and
suggested that they might like to try PyF on their way home so thank you both
(and little one) for the contacts. Mal
got in on the act and made my log also. I had all but given hope of getting
Simon on GW/NW-30 Moel Cynghorion but as I was just ready to pack away up he
pops on 2m calling “CQ SOTA” ....thanks Simon.
11:24z
|
MW0HJV/P
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Eva s2s
|
11:25z
|
MW0HDF/P
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Angel
s2s
|
11:27z
|
GW6OVD
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Mal
|
11:37z
|
MW0RHD
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Bob
|
11:46z
|
GW4TJC/P
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Simon
s2s
|
Ready to leave...not without a selfie :)
As we made our way down we could see our next destination in
the distance....Mynydd Carningli
GW/MW-033 Mynydd Carningli
25/05/2015
On numerous occasions I have tackled this summit from the
East which means quite a stiff climb so today I decided that we would approach
from the West which is a longer (2.75km) but a more pleasant walk in with only a short kick up
at the end. We parked the car at SN038365 and proceeded East along a well
defined path.
GPS track - Mynydd Carningli
Nearing Mynydd Carningli
Newport and Dinas Head
I had been in 2m contact
with both Aled MW3DLA and Roy GW6DGU for most of the day so a quick call for
Aled brought an immediate response from
Mal who had gone mobile to chase me..thanks Mal. Soon after setting up another quick call
brought Don with a 5/5 each way followed quickly by Simon.....I had qualified
my summit :)
14:06z
|
GW6OVD/M
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Mal
|
14:07z
|
MW3DLA
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Aled
|
14:29z
|
G0RQL
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Don
|
14:30z
|
GW4TJC/M
|
144MHz
|
FM
|
Simon
|
I set the linear up which is the UK MX P50 HF Power Amplifier
as used by John G4YSS on his many, many activations and linked to my 9Ah LiPo. Along
with the normal antenna connections there is also a TX switching lead which
connects to the ACC of the FT817.
Running the FT817 off a 4Ah LiPo I set the
power level to 5 watts and from some rushed preliminary tests at home I estimate
that I would get around 35-40 watts out...I need to perform some more accurate
tests when time allows. See ( http://gm4slv-geek.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/mx-p50m-amplifier-for-ft817.html
) for some test results.
I sent a spot via RRT for 40m and I was away however this
time I did let the chasers know that I was running the linear and hoping for
reports. Those running Flexradios said I
was well within bandwidth and the audio reports were also pleasing. However, in
the heat of a pile-up I forgot to ask for reports with the amp switched
off...doh! At the end of this stint the
heat sink was slightly warm to the touch. If this little amp is reliable I will
be more than happy....it remains to be seen.....
40m in full swing
14:43z
|
M0IML
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Barry
|
14:43z
|
G6TUH
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Mike
|
14:44z
|
M0MDA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Mick
|
14:44z
|
G4OBK
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Phil
|
14:44z
|
G0RQL
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Don
|
14:45z
|
G0HRT
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Rob
|
14:46z
|
F/G4AFI
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Andrew
|
14:46z
|
G0TRB
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Roger
|
14:47z
|
MW0YCC/P
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Alan
s2s
|
14:47z
|
MW6MMI/P
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ryan
s2s
|
14:48z
|
GW4CQZ
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Martyn
|
14:49z
|
EI9GLB
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Jim
|
14:49z
|
G4TSQ
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Mike
|
14:49z
|
G0EVV
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
David
|
14:49z
|
G0LGS
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Stuart
|
14:50z
|
G4WYL
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Christine
|
14:50z
|
M6RUG
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Dave
|
14:51z
|
GW2HFR
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Jonathan
|
14:52z
|
G4APO
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
|
14:52z
|
PA0B
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Rob
|
14:53z
|
2E0MDJ
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Matt
|
14:53z
|
G4EHT
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Bill
|
14:54z
|
G0WRE
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Paul
|
14:54z
|
GM0AXY
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ken
|
14:55z
|
DK1WI
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ed
|
14:55z
|
M3HJH
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Harry
|
14:56z
|
GM4YMM
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Christine
|
14:56z
|
2I0DJM
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Joe
|
14:57z
|
G4AZS
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Adrian
|
14:58z
|
LA1ENA
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Aage
|
14:58z
|
GW6DGU
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Roy
|
14:59z
|
G0PJI
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Peter
|
14:59z
|
EA2CKX
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Pedro
|
15:00z
|
2E0TVX
|
7MHz
|
SSB
|
Ray
|
Thanks to Alan MW0YCC/p and Ryan MW6MMI/p for the s2s from
GW/SW-003 Fan Brycheiniog .....icing on the cake and bringing that Gold s2s
certificate within grasp in the next few months. There were other s2s opportunities but we were
just out of sync as David M0YDH knows only to well...sorry.
Frenni Fawr in the distance
As a group we had a wonderful day and thanks once again to all
the activators and chasers for just being there. Once again thanks for the extra pics Len. Expect a rush of summits over
the next few weeks and I hope the weather will be kind....oh yes and the bands.
73 Allan GW4VPX
