GW/MW-035 Rhos Ymryson

Unexpected activation

GW/MW-035 Rhos Ymryson

03/11/2015

It wasn’t all that early in the morning and with other activities planned I just happened to look at the alerts on Sotawatch and was surprised that Mal GW6OVD was heading for Drygarn Fawr GW/MW-003.  I immediately sent him a text to find out what his ETA was on summit..’30 minutes ‘ was the reply!!  A quick word with Val, an alert up on Sotawatch and a text to Mal to say we were heading out to Rhos Ymryson we were soon on our way as the rucksacks are always ready and batteries fully charged:)  The summit is only 20 minutes from home so I calculated that Mal would either be on 60m or 40m and as a last resort I could call him on 2m.

He was calling ‘final calls’ on 60m when I finally switched on the FT817 after setting up on the fence close to the underground reservoir on Rhos Ymryson.  A short chat to Mal and thanking him for the summit I took over his frequency as he had finished...thanks Mal.  I soon qualified the summit with a good run of regular chasers and one activation point in the bag (first time on this one this year) ...thanks everybody.

11:38z	GW6OVD/P	5MHz	SSB	Mal s2s
11:41z	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill
11:41z	G3RMD	5MHz	SSB	Frank
11:42z	G0TDM	5MHz	SSB	John
11:43z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don IO70uv
11:45z	G4ZRP	5MHz	SSB	Brian
11:46z	PA5V	5MHz	SSB	Bob
11:48z	M0EMM	5MHz	SSB	David

 

I plugged the linear in for 40m and looked for a clear frequency knowing that Mike G6TUH was around so I sent him a text saying that I was calling on 7.114 knowing he would spot me.  Also hovering was Bill G4WSB so they were both very quickly in the log followed by Ken G0FEX keen to get my summit in his log. Most stations were really strong with Christine and Ken from Scotland and Pedro once again making my log from Spain. 

11:57z	G6TUH	7MHz	SSB	Mike
11:59z	G4WSB	7MHz	SSB	Bill
11:59z	G0FEX	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:00z	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
12:00z	G1BLJ	7MHz	SSB	Steve
12:01z	M0IML	7MHz	SSB	Barry
12:01z	G0ELJ	7MHz	SSB	Dave
12:01z	M3FEH	7MHz	SSB	Karl
12:02z	G4OBK	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:02z	G4WHA/A	7MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:03z	G8AVK	7MHz	SSB	Bob
12:03z	M3TAW	7MHz	SSB	Tom
12:04z	G0TDM	7MHz	SSB	John
12:04z	2E0SCS	7MHz	SSB	Steven
12:04z	LA3NGA	7MHz	SSB	Henning
12:05z	GM0AXY	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:05z	GM4YMM	7MHz	SSB	Christine
12:07z	DL8DXL	7MHz	SSB	Fred
12:07z	G0VWP	7MHz	SSB	Terry
12:11z	ON6DN/P	7MHz	SSB	Alfons s2s
12:12z	ON9CBQ/P	7MHz	SSB	Franz s2s

The office...showing some of my 'dry bags' which I use to protect the equipment in transit

I finished my activation with a bonus s2s with Alfons and Franz on ON/ON-029 over in Belgium...thanks both.  As this was an unexpected activation and we had rushed out of the house we didn’t have time to prepare coffee and sandwiches so it was time to pull the plug,  head back down the hill and make tracks for home.

My activation set up:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  UK-MX 50M linear (for 817) and 12V 9.2 Ah Lithium Ion battery,  3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m+80m extensions),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) into a ‘cable tie’ dipole.. Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts and spots

73 Allan GW4VPX

Cyrniau Nod GW/NW-034

 Busy day on the bands

Cyrniau Nod GW/NW-034

31/10/2015

Val and I  started out early to get to the rough track at SH9463 2734 which eventually leads to the point where you have to turn off  and proceed over the boggy bits to get to the true summit.

 Dark blue line is my GPS route from the rough track to the summit

From the small cairn at the side of the track follow a narrow trail to fence seen in the distance, turn right and follow fence to next fence then left along this fence to summit

Follow second fence to summit

I had already notified Barry M0IML via text that I was nearing the summit so that he could start out and get me s2s.  Having bungeed the pole to a convenient  fence post  and as we were early I gave a few calls on 2m and quickly qualified the summit...what a difference to a few days ago...location, band conditions and operating on the weekend no doubt contributed to this..there would be more action on 2m later.

11:51z	GW0JAI	144MHz	FM	Glyn
11:55z	MW0XOT	144MHz	FM	John
11:56z	MW0YCC	144MHz	FM	Alan
11:59z	G0LGS	144MHz	FM	Stuart
12:00z	M6DHK	144MHz	FM	Dave
12:00z	2E0MDJ	144MHz	FM	Matt
12:03z	2E0SOZ	144MHz	FM	Robert

The cairn on Cyrniau Nod

With the FT817 already on 60m I heard Barry calling from G/SE-015 Cheriton Hill and very soon he was in the log with my first s2s of the day..thanks Barry.  It was evident that band conditions were really good with request from a few chasers for me to turn the linear off as I was 5/9 plus everything :) 

12:06z	M0IML/P	5MHz	SSB	Barry s2s
12:08z	GI4ONL	5MHz	SSB	Victor
12:08z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
12:09z	G0VWP	5MHz	SSB	Terry
12:10z	G0TDM	5MHz	SSB	John
12:10z	EI9GLB	5MHz	SSB	Jim
12:11z	M0SGO	5MHz	SSB	Scott
12:12z	M0YAF	5MHz	SSB	Bill

My  visit to 40m produced a massive pile-up including  s2s with David G3RDQ/p,   Juerg HB9BIN/p, and Daniel HB9RDD/p....thanks everybody....it was hard work and I’d  forgotten to put on my headphones .

12:27z	G4WSB	7MHz	SSB	Bill
12:28z	G8ADD	7MHz	SSB	Brian
12:28z	G4AFI	7MHz	SSB	Andrew
12:29z	M0JLA	7MHz	SSB	Rod
12:30z	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
12:30z	DK7ZH	7MHz	SSB	Manfred
12:31z	M0BKV	7MHz	SSB	Damian
12:31z	G7BGA	7MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
12:32z	G3RDQ/P	7MHz	SSB	David s2s
12:33z	G0FEX	7MHz	SSB	Ken
12:33z	M6KVJ	7MHz	SSB	David
12:34z	G6TUH	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:34z	M6RUG	7MHz	SSB	Dave
12:34z	MI0TGO	7MHz	SSB	Brian
12:35z	DL1HA	7MHz	SSB	Harald
12:36z	G4OJB	7MHz	SSB	Bill
12:36z	G4OBK	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:37z	SM7DIE	7MHz	SSB	Tore
12:37z	HB9BIN/P	7MHz	SSB	Juerg s2s
12:38z	M0YMA/M	7MHz	SSB	Andrew
12:38z	DL8NH	7MHz	SSB
12:39z	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
12:40z	M6RJA	7MHz	SSB	Robert
12:40z	M0WBG	7MHz	SSB	Neil
12:40z	MW0PJJ	7MHz	SSB	Phil
12:41z	HB9AGH	7MHz	SSB	Ambrosi
12:41z	G1FOA/P	7MHz	SSB	Peter
12:42z	PA0B	7MHz	SSB	Michael
12:42z	G1BBY	7MHz	SSB	Walter
12:43z	G4BLH	7MHz	SSB	Mike
12:43z	LA5WNA	7MHz	SSB	Odd Harald
12:44z	G4ZRP	7MHz	SSB	Brian
12:45z	2E0GBK	7MHz	SSB	John
12:46z	HB9RDD/P	7MHz	SSB	Daniel s2s
12:47z	M0MDA	7MHz	SSB	Mick
12:47z	M0KLK	7MHz	SSB	Bill
12:48z	G4RYV	7MHz	SSB
12:48z	G8VNW	7MHz	SSB	Nick
12:49z	HB9CYV	7MHz	SSB	Christian
12:49z	DF1OM	7MHz	SSB	Ludwig
12:50z	GW6DGU	7MHz	SSB	Roy
12:51z	G4XRO	7MHz	SSB	Stan
12:51z	G0URY	7MHz	SSB
12:52z	M0TTE	7MHz	SSB	Simon

Val checking RRT on the phone

Ending my session on 40m I went to add my little extensions to the links so that I could work on 15m then on 2m I heard Denis calling from G/SP-004 Shining Tor and he was quickly in the log...thanks Denis.  I could not resist calling  special event station GB2OGG and spoke to William then picking up the ever present John GW4ZPL/p from his caravan.  It was very evident that there was a lift on 2m as French stations were booming in and most ‘channels’  were busy.

13:05z	M0USV/P	144MHz	FM	Denis s2s
13:10z	GB2OGG	144MHz	FM	William
13:12z	GW4ZPL/P	144MHz	FM	John

Now after that pile-up we had a quick cup of coffee then I ventured on to 15m with a host of regular chasers and not so familiar stations calling me...

13:18z	VE2JCW	21MHz	SSB	Jean
13:19z	N4EX	21MHz	SSB	Rich
13:19z	VE1WT	21MHz	SSB	Phillip
13:20z	SQ8JLU	21MHz	SSB	Adam
13:21z	NE4TN	21MHz	SSB
13:21z	K4DY	21MHz	SSB	Leslie
13:23z	UK7UZ	21MHz	SSB
13:24z	US6IKF	21MHz	SSB	Nickolay
13:24z	UT7LA	21MHz	SSB	Sergey
13:25z	F4FHV	21MHz	SSB	Christophe
13:26z	YE0PO	21MHz	SSB	Roedi
13:26z	UR7EZ	21MHz	SSB	Mykhailo
13:27z	RN4HIT	21MHz	SSB	Oleg

Lowering the pole I changed the links to 20m but as I was settling down and getting the office organised again I was truly surprised to hear Caroline calling from the Isle of Wight on G/SE-012 Brighstone Down on 2m.  I replied immediately and delighted that she responded to my s2s call...then with a ‘stand-by Martyn  was also in the log..made my day...thanks both.

13:40z	M3ZCB/P	144MHz	FM	Caroline s2s
13:41z	M1MAJ/P	144MHz	FM	Martyn s2s

Mist in the valleys

Headphones on and I was away on 20m with a load of regular SOTA chasers including Sean MW3PZO....well done Sean (5/1-5/1).  It was a frantic eighteen minutes but one station took me by surprise as he came booming in over the top of everyone else and that was James KK1W..great to get you in the log James.

13:50z	OH4EBD	14MHz	SSB	Juha
13:51z	LA3NGA	14MHz	SSB	Hennig
13:51z	OK2PDT	14MHz	SSB	Jan
13:52z	EA3EGB	14MHz	SSB	Manel
13:52z	DL8DXL	14MHz	SSB	Fred
13:53z	SO9EWA	14MHz	SSB	Henrik
13:53z	MW3PZO	14MHz	SSB	Sean
13:53z	SP9AMH	14MHz	SSB	Mariusz
13:54z	EC4TR	14MHz	SSB	Jose
13:55z	DJ5AV	14MHz	SSB	Michael
13:55z	OE8SPW	14MHz	SSB	Paul
13:55z	OE7WGT	14MHz	SSB	Karl
13:56z	DL/OK1MCS/P	14MHz	SSB	Pavel s2s
13:57z	I7YJU	14MHz	SSB	Giuseppe
13:57z	EC1DJ	14MHz	SSB	M
13:58z	I0KHY	14MHz	SSB	Claudio
13:59z	KK1W	14MHz	SSB	James
13:59z	LZ4GL	14MHz	SSB	George
14:00z	DJ5YL	14MHz	SSB	Johanna
14:01z	UA1ADZ	14MHz	SSB	Leonid
14:01z	I5FLN	14MHz	SSB	Luciano
14:02z	DF1XC	14MHz	SSB	Carstan
14:02z	EB2JU	14MHz	SSB	Jose Luis
14:02z	RA1AVP/P	14MHz	SSB	Alexei
14:02z	IK5ZAI	14MHz	SSB	Michele
14:03z	R9WKV	14MHz	SSB
14:03z	SP6XQX	14MHz	SSB	Jacek
14:04z	LZ1UBO	14MHz	SSB	Georgi
14:05z	IK1DFH	14MHz	SSB	Roberto
14:05z	F5ILV	14MHz	SSB	Michael
14:05z	EA4YT	14MHz	SSB	Luis
14:06z	DP5R	14MHz	SSB	Special event
14:07z	SP9GFI	14MHz	SSB	Kaz
14:07z	RU6YZ	14MHz	SSB	Alexandar
14:07z	IK7MOF	14MHz	SSB	Giuseppe
14:08z	I3QDK	14MHz	SSB	Paolo
14:08z	UT5ZC	14MHz	SSB	Vyacheslav
14:08z	IZ2XNY	14MHz	SSB	Mario

It all went quiet on the band so I pulled the plug as it was time to head for home. During my last few contacts we had a visitor on the summit....our one and only of the day. It was Steve Smith and he was working his way over the mountains following the Nuttalls routes. We had a nice long chat as I was packing up and during the conversation he gave me the link to his blog..interesting reading..nice to meet you Steve. http://stevejsmith56englishnuttalls.blogspot.co.uk/

On our way home we decided to visit a Geocache next to Llyn Vyrnwy. By this time the  sun was setting and the mist was forming over the lake...photographic opportunity :)

Towards the Dam

From the Dam 

My activation set up:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  UK-MX 50M linear (for 817) and 12V 9.2 Ah Lithium Ion battery,  3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m+80m extensions),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) into a ‘cable tie’ dipole.. Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts..very busy day :)

73 Allan GW4VPX