Thursday 31 December 2015

GW/MW-010 Gwaunceste Hill

Chasing more winter bonus points…

GW/MW-010 Gwaunceste Hill

28/12/2015

We parked at SO 1661 5339 and headed up a well trodden track towards the summit. There was a strong breeze as we started out but thankfully it was not raining and we reached the summit in 53 minutes which is 2.83km from the parking spot. 
Ready to go
My laminated route for Gwaunceste Hill
Glascwm village below
Follow the tracks
The boggy bit
The main wildlife highlights today were a Red Kite and a startled Grouse which took off as we reached the Trig point.
The Trig TP3545
Protected from the wind
I set up a short distance below the trig and out of the wind, the three of us being quite snug in the bothy bag. Not much activity on 60m and I soon moved to 40m.
11:41z
G4AFI
5MHz
SSB
Andrew
11:42z
G8ADD
5MHz
SSB
Brian
11:44z
G3RMD
5MHz
SSB
Frank
11:45z
G3XFA
5MHz
SSB
Rob

Not many on 60m today
Having qualified the summit on 60m I was out to enjoy myself on 40m. Although Rhodri had carried the linear to the summit I did not set it up as  I found the band to be in good shape for my 5 watts so with a spot I gave a call with Bill G4WSB replying immediately with 5/9 both ways… a good start :)

12:00z
G4WSB
7MHz
SSB
Bill
12:01z
G0FEX
7MHz
SSB
Ken
12:01z
M0IBC
7MHz
SSB
David
12:02z
G0TRB
7MHz
SSB
Roger
12:02z
G6TUH
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:03z
G4SQA
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:03z
G4IAR
7MHz
AM
Dave
12:04z
G4WZI
7MHz
SSB
Richard
12:04z
G0RYM
7MHz
SSB
Stan
12:05z
G1BLJ
7MHz
SSB
Steve
12:05z
M0JLA
7MHz
SSB
Rod
12:06z
G0RQL
7MHz
SSB
Don
12:07z
M0BKV
7MHz
SSB
Damian
12:08z
M0ZGY
7MHz
SSB
Gerry
12:08z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:08z
G4APO
7MHz
SSB

12:08z
G8VNW
7MHz
SSB
Nick
12:09z
M0MDA
7MHz
SSB
Mick
12:10z
2E0GBK
7MHz
SSB
Keith
12:11z
G8XYJ
7MHz
SSB
Matt
12:12z
M6VPX
7MHz
SSB
Steve
12:13z
G3RDQ
7MHz
SSB
David
12:14z
G4DUE
7MHz
SSB
Adrian
12:15z
GW6OVD
7MHz
SSB
Mal
Ending with Mal who was just waking up after being on night-shift and checking that Val and Rhodri were still warm and happy I decided to call in to the WAB net to give them the Trig....once again some had already called me earlier. With Geoffrey as net controller I was run down the list and had completed in 5 minutes with Victor GI4ONL popping up to say ‘Hello’ and to grab some points:)
12:27z
G7BGA
7MHz
SSB
Geoffrey
12:28z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:28z
G0FVH
7MHz
SSB
David
12:30z
G0BFJ
7MHz
SSB

12:30z
MI1AIB
7MHz
SSB
Paul
12:31z
G7AFM
7MHz
SSB
Phil
12:32z
SM6CNX
7MHz
SSB
Ben
12:33z
GI4ONL
7MHz
SSB
Victor
Checking RRT on the phone
Now I knew that John MW0XOT/p and Alan MW0YCC/p were out there somewhere and I was relieved that they had appeared on RRT so I went hunting for some s2s points. They were on GW/MW-006 Pegwn Mawr which I had activated a few days ago…they were soon in the log…thanks both.
12:34z
MW0XOT/P
7MHz
SSB
John s2s
12:35z
MW0YCC/P
7MHz
SSB
Alan s2s
The wind was getting stronger and we could see some storm clouds approaching…pack up time. 
Final calls at the trig
Moving back to the trig I gave Matt G8XYJ a call on 2m but to no avail…time to head down hill with 5 points in the bag….could I get some more points before Storm Frank arrived?
Heading down
My activation set up today:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  3 band link dipole (60/40/20),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts in 2015 and for reading the blog. 

A very Happy New Year to you all in 2016

2016 Happy New Year Royalty Free Stock Images

73 Allan GW4VPX

Thursday 24 December 2015

Beacon Hill GW/MW-009

Before yet another storm

Beacon Hill GW/MW-009

23/12/2015

Another window of opportunity opened up just before the approach of Storm Eva so we headed for Llandrindod Wells and Beacon Hill which lies well to the NE of the town.  Rhodri was with us today as he was home for Christmas and looking forward to a day on the hills. 
My GPS track
The footpath and our car parked in the distance
On our way in the sunshine
Wet underfoot...track to Beacon Hill to the left
This is a nice summit as the walk up is gradual although it’s still a good 2.73km to the summit taking in part of ‘Glyndwr’s Way’.
Left for Beacon Hill
Track to the trig
Now over the last week or so I have been involved with teaching the Amateur Radio- Foundation Exam to some of our club members which meant using the FT817 and battery. After setting up the antenna I noticed that a few of my usual setting had been altered and that the charge indicator on the 4Ah LIPo was not what it should be...had I charged it after the weekend?
Bothy bag deployed....priority... then HF antenna :)
 A few calls on 60m brought no reponse and RRT was not behaving from my seated position. I made a decision to plug in the linear and call into the WAB net on 40m as I knew they were expecting me to ‘pop up’ around 12:00hrs. An immediate response from ‘net controller’ Phil G7AFM and I soon qualified the summit and Trig (TP1133) with my dodgy batteries…thanks everyone. 
Working the WAB net
Shortly after Val told me that John G1STQ/p had popped up on RRT and was calling on 2m from G/WB-005 Long Mynd-Pole Bank ....he was soon in the log and sounding very happy as I was his first contact …..he was beginning to wonder if his rig was working…..thanks John.  
Cosy in the bothy bag
Sending Val out with my phone with RRT set up for her I started calling out and very soon I had a really good ‘pile-up’ as I had popped up 4 times in succession on the Spots…sorry… :)
Time
Call
Band
Mode
Notes
12:05z
G7AFM
7MHz
SSB
Phil
12:06z
G4DUE
7MHz
SSB
Adrian
12:06z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:06z
G0BFG
7MHz
SSB

12:06z
G0FEX
7MHz
SSB
Ken
12:07z
MI1AIB
7MHz
SSB
Paul
12:07z
G3PRI
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:08z
MM3PDM/M
7MHz
SSB
Peter
12:08z
G0FVH
7MHz
SSB
David
12:09z
G0NEV
7MHz
SSB
Michael
12:09z
G0IPE
7MHz
SSB
Peter
12:09z
GI0AZB
7MHz
SSB
Ian
12:13z
G1STQ/P
144MHz
FM
John s2s
12:21z
G4TSQ
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:21z
2E0MBT
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:23z
GOVWP
7MHz
SSB
Terry
12:23z
G4WSB
7MHz
SSB
Bill
12:24z
G0TDM
7MHz
SSB
John
12:24z
M0TLX
7MHz
SSB
David
12:25z
G6LKB
7MHz
SSB
David
12:25z
G4WHA/A
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:25z
EA2CKX
7MHz
SSB
Pedro
12:26z
G7BGA
7MHz
SSB
Geoffrey
12:27z
G4AFI
7MHz
SSB
Andrew
12:28z
M3FEH
7MHz
SSB
Karl
12:28z
M6RUG
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:28z
2E0SCS
7MHz
SSB
Stephen
12:29z
EA2DT
7MHz
SSB
Manuel
12:30z
GW0IRT
7MHz
SSB
Phil
12:30z
G0GRI
7MHz
SSB
Ian
12:32z
M6LXG/P
7MHz
SSB
Tim
12:34z
M6BHQ
7MHz
SSB
Lee
12:35z
2E0GBK
7MHz
SSB
Keith
12:36z
DK7ZH
7MHz
SSB
Manfred
12:47z
G6OVD/P
144MHz
FM
Mal s2s
It was cold on top and we had quite a few rain/hail showers reminding us that it was winter.  I decided to pack away leaving the handheld on 145.500 mindful that Mal G6OVD/p was due on G/WB-002 Brown Clee Hill.  Just before I switched off the FT817 I noticed that I was running on the lowest power output..doh..another button that had been depressed without my knowledge....
s2s with Mal
With HF packed away and just before the bothy bag was tucked in the rucksack up pops Mal on the FT270 with my second s2s of the day..thanks Mal.
 GW4VPX/p packing up in the distance
It was nice to see the sun now and again
Heading back down the track
Although we had a few wintry showers during the activation it remained dry on our way down but not underfoot.....looking forward to the next one.....maybe before the New Year.
My activation set up:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (0.5 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) Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.
Thanks everyone for the contacts and a very 


73 Allan GW4VPX