Tuesday, 23 February 2016

GW/SW-041 Black Mountain

Tarps on SOTA summit

GW/SW-041 Black Mountain

23/02/2015

A SOTA badge in a car window attracted my attention today as I pulled up in the parking space above the Gospel Pass. It was Pete G4ISJ and he was ready to make his way to the summit. 
Pete GW4ISJ and  Allan GW4VPX 
A quick selfie and he was away as he had plans to activate Sugar Loaf later in the day. Val and I followed as soon as we had kitted up on what was a sunny but cold day…3.65km to the summit of this one from the car.
Gospel Pass and the car park below

Trig- Hay Bluff
Looking back towards the Trig at Hay Bluff
As we arrived on summit Pete was well into his activation and saying that he had finished on 40m and moving on to 20m. 
Pete GW4ISJ/p
Like Pete I was also using a Tarp today
My first three entries in the log were s2s so thank you John (GW/NW-031 Esgair Gwynion) and Viki (GW/SW-003 Fan Brycheiniog)…Viki was 5/9 on both bands.
11:34z
GW4TQE/P
144MHz
FM
John s2s
12:06z
MW6BWA/P
144MHz
FM
Viki s2s
12:11z
MW6BWA/P
433MHz
FM
Viki s2s 70cms
I gave a call on 5.398.5 and Don RQL answered me immediately….we had a chat and then with an offer of a spot I was immediately into my second contact on that band namely Rod calling from GW/SW-003 for an s2s….another short chat and I promised him the frequency when I was finished.
12:12z
G0RQL
5MHz
SSB
Don
12:14z
MW0JLA/P
5MHz
SSB
Rod s2s
12:15z
G8ADD
5MHz
SSB
Brian
12:16z
G7BGA
5MHz
SSB
Geoffrey
12:18z
G0ELJ
5MHz
SSB
Dave
12:18z
G4IAR
5MHz
SSB
Dave
Only another 4 chasers on what was a very quiet band so Rod quickly took the frequency as I announced a QSY to 7.118Mhz. 
The population of grouse is healthy on this mountain...could the Tarp population be on the increase?  
Mike G6TUH had heard my QSY announcement and was waiting for me…another brief chat and with a spot from Mike I was into a nice orderly pile-up with only one instance of someone calling repeatedly…..me answering but obviously not hearing me….say no more… Highlight of this visit to 40m was an s2s with Bill G4WSB/p on G/SC-008…thanks Bill.
12:29z
G0RQL
7MHz
SSB
Don
12:29z
G6TUH
7MHz
SSB
Mike
12:30z
ON5SWA
7MHz
SSB
Francois
12:30z
ON4TA
7MHz
SSB
Filip
12:31z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:31z
M6RUG
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:31z
ON6ZQ
7MHz
SSB
Christophe
12:32z
DK7ZH
7MHz
SSB
Manfred
12:33z
G0FVH
7MHz
SSB
David
12:33z
G4CFS
7MHz
SSB
Glyn
12:34z
G3VCG
7MHz
SSB
Don
12:35z
EA2DZX
7MHz
SSB
Luis
12:35z
F5PLR
7MHz
SSB

12:36z
G4WHA/A
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:36z
2E0KVJ
7MHz
SSB
Dave
12:36z
EA2CKX
7MHz
SSB
Pedro
12:37z
DL2EF
7MHz
SSB
Franz Josef
12:38z
M0NTC
7MHz
SSB
Gez
12:38z
G4WSB/P
7MHz
SSB
Bill s2s
12:39z
GW6DGU
7MHz
SSB
Roy
12:39z
G8XYJ
7MHz
SSB
Matt
12:41z
PA0SKP
7MHz
SSB
Sake
12:41z
G4AFI
7MHz
SSB
Andrew
12:41z
2E0SCS
7MHz
SSB
Stephen
12:42z
MW0BYS
7MHz
SSB
Bill
It was nice also to hear a string of ON stations and the ever present Pedro EA2CKX…thanks everyone. A number of WAB chasers called in for the square but it should be noted that the Trig at Hay Bluff is well out of the SOTA activation zone and must be activated separately. 
Happy activator..coffee and a full log :)
It was getting cold so we had quick cup of coffee, packed up and went in search of a Geocache…found in 10 minutes then we headed back down to the car.

 My activation set up:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo), 3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) into a ‘cable tie’ dipole.. Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.


Thanks everyone for the contacts and spots
73 Allan GW4VPX

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