GW/MW-003 Drygarn Fawr

Poor band conditions.

GW/MW-003 Drygarn Fawr

05/04/2016

We arrived in Tregaron and headed for the mountain road which would take us towards Abergwesyn. We’d had no warning but after quite a few miles a sign and contractor informed that the road was closed as they were re-surfacing it…I was not amused as this would now involve a good 30 mile diversion for us. I decided to take the Cwm Ystwyth road and head for Rhyader then Beulah and approach Abergwesyn from the South to our parking spot at SN/8383-5566 by the locked gate that leads into the forestry. 

My GPS track

Locked gate

Now there is a Public Right of Way across the valley but from what I could see this is impassable due to fallen trees and the brash left after recent tree felling.

PROW across the valley..runs along the edge of the trees then straight up

Looking back down towards our start point

Turn left after gate..NNE to summit

Follow the tracks...Drygan Fach will be to your left

So near and yet so far....

Seems further now :)

Despite the major diversion we were a few minutes early on the summit. I was delighted to hear John calling CQ SOTA from Rhobell Fawr so he was first in the log with an s2s on the hand held Yaesu FT270…thanks John.. timed to perfection :) Many of the chasers knew that I might be late as I had informed Mike G6TUH but I soon had the HF set up and away on 60m…7 minutes late...not bad timing although I had hoped to be on summit a good hour before the alert to make sure of getting John. 60m proved to be the best band of the day so thanks everyone for making my log.

10:52z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s
11:07z	G6TUH	5MHz	SSB	Mike
11:08z	M0JLA	5MHz	SSB	Rod
11:08z	GW4BKG	5MHz	SSB	Steve
11:09z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
11:09z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:10z	G0VWP	5MHz	SSB	Terry
11:10z	G7AFM	5MHz	SSB	Phil
11:10z	G7BGA	5MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
11:11z	G0GNE	5MHz	SSB	Robin
11:12z	G6LKB	5MHz	SSB	David
11:13z	GI8SKN	5MHz	SSB	David
11:14z	GM0GOV	5MHz	SSB	Fred
11:14z	G4OBK	5MHz	SSB	Phil
11:16z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian
11:17z	G4MDR	5MHz	SSB	Alan

Rocky outcrop ...protection from the wind

Despite a self-spot (good phone and 4G signal) I had no takers on 2m even though there were people calling others and QSO’s in progress. As I was setting up the linear and the links for 40m both Mal and Rod called me....both in the log fairly quickly so I was ‘getting out’..thanks both.

11:36z	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal
11:37z	M0JLA	144MHz	FM	Rod

40m was an expected disappointment but the signal strengths of the first three stations were extremely good and it was only David 2E0KVJ that struggled to make contact on the WAB net…we eventually made it with Peter MM3PDM/M acting as referee :) Peter then announced that I was moving to 3.760Mhz

11:39z	PA0B	7MHz	SSB	Rob
11:43z	GM4JEJ	7MHz	SSB	Mike
11:47z	MM3PDM/M	7MHz	SSB	Peter
11:50z	2E0KVJ	7MHz	SSB	David

We set up between the Trig and the Cairn

I quickly set up the 80m extensions and gave a call on 3.760. It was great to get an instant reply from David 2E0KVJ with 5/8 each way and a promise of a spot on Sotawatch…thanks David. There followed a steady flow of chasers for the next few minutes with a brief chat with each. Average exchange was 5/8 each way so the band was still holding up at this time of the day. I was probably running around 35 watts from the linear but regret now not flicking back and forth to 5 watts…next time :)

11:58z	2E0KVJ	3.5MHz	SSB	David
11:59z	G0FEX	3.5MHz	SSB	Ken
12:01z	G4AZS	3.5MHz	SSB	Adrian
12:02z	G7AFM	3.5MHz	SSB	Phil
12:04z	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don
12:05z	G4WSB	3.5MHz	SSB	Bill

Pen y Fan in the distance

Avoiding the 'road closed' we went home via Llyn Brianne

Llyn Brianne

Llyn Brianne dam with overspill in full flow

My activation set up today:-  (HF) Yaesu FT817 (5 watts) (4Ah LiPo),  UK-MX 50M linear (for 817) and (4Ah LiPo),  3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+80m extensions),  (VHF) Yaesu FT270 (5watts) & cable tie dipole for 2m - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts and the spots.

73 Allan GW4VPX