GW/NW-043 & GW/NW-042

GW/NW-043 & GW/NW-042

25/05/2017 

Doing the double

We were based in Llangollen within easy reach of the classic SOTA double of Cyrn y Brain and Moel y Gamelin.  The sun was shining with hardly a breeze as we made our way up to Cyrn y Brain from the car park across the road from the Ponderosa Complex. (maximum stay for Ponderosa car park is 2hrs so park opposite)

GPS track for Cyrn y Brain

Cyrn y Brain - GW/NW- 043

The Activation Zone is large and takes in the Trig next to the Sir Watkin’s Tower (ruin) …this is where I would set up for the activation... 3.31km to my activation point.

The Ponderosa with the track to Moel y Gamelin to the left of the Quarry

Keep left here as you pass the first Comms tower and head for the second

09:34z	G4VFL/P	144MHz	FM	Andrew s2s
09:54z	MW0XOT/P	144MHz	FM	John GW/HHW-071
09:58z	G4DQB/M	144MHz	FM	Geoff
10:00z	GW4ZPL/P	144MHz	FM	John, Anglesey
10:02z	M0CQE	144MHz	FM	Paul, Oldham
10:04z	M0WBG	144MHz	FM	Neil
10:05z	G0HRT	144MHz	FM	Rob
10:07z	EI9GLB	144MHz	FM	Jim
10:07z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s
10:09z	G8MIA	144MHz	FM	Andy
10:11z	G0AXY/P	144MHz	FM	Ken s2s
10:12z	G4YMM/P	144MHz	FM	Christine s2s + TP2773
10:15z	M6HMK	144MHz	FM	Helen
10:23z	G0AZA/P	7MHz	SSB	Esther s2s + Trig 0760 t2t
10:24z	G0AZB/P	7MHz	SSB	Ian s2s
10:31z	G4OBK	5MHz	SSB	Phil
10:31z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
10:31z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
10:31z	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David
10:32z	G4AFI	5MHz	SSB	Andrew
10:33z	M0JLA	5MHz	SSB	Rod
10:34z	G0VWP	5MHz	SSB	Terry
10:35z	GM4COX	5MHz	SSB	Jack
10:37z	G0GWY	5MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
10:50z	G4YTJ/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s
10:57z	G0VWP	3.5MHz	SSB	Terry
10:59z	GM4WHA/A	3.5MHz	SSB	Geoff
11:00z	G4IAR	3.5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:01z	G0GWY	3.5MHz	SSB	Geoff
11:07z	G3TQQ/P	144MHz	FM	Dave s2s

The activation went well with a good run of chasers including some notable s2s and trig2trig. A few of the s2s gave me completes so thank you fellow activators for the contacts and brief chats. 

Sending a spot to Sotawatch

The ruins of the tower behind the marker post.

This summit is excellent for VHF although some activators have experienced break-through from the Comms Towers…nothing heard on Yaesu FT270 even when I stopped by the compounds.

Moel y Gamelin GW/NW-042

We stopped at the Ponderosa for a cup of tea before venturing up on to our second summit of the day.

Moel y Gamelin from the Ponderosa

Long way to the summit

More SOTA summits in the distance

It’s 2.55 km to the summit with quite a few ups and downs so I was not operational until 3.22 BST and decided  to start the activation on 2m hoping to qualify quickly if the chasers were still around.

2m activation

I was not be disappointed and also picked up some valuable s2s and completes…thanks everyone.  Only one contact on 60m.  If we do the double again I think I’ll activate this one first then Cyrn y Brain….

14:22z	GW4ZPL/P	144MHz	FM	John
14:24z	MW1FGQ	144MHz	FM
14:25z	G4IOQ	144MHz	FM	Tony
14:27z	G4ZRP	144MHz	FM	Brian
14:29z	M0CQE	144MHz	FM	Paul
14:32z	EI9GLB	144MHz	FM	Jim
14:35z	GW4OOE/P	144MHz	FM	Nick s2s
14:37z	MW0PYG/P	144MHz	FM	Geoff s2s
14:47z	G4VFL/P	144MHz	FM	Andrew s2s
14:51z	GD4SVD	144MHz	FM	Tony, Onchan IoM
14:52z	GW8OGI	144MHz	FM	Ian
14:55z	GW8HEB	144MHz	FM	Tom
14:58z	2E0LKC	144MHz	FM	Peter
14:59z	2E0LMD	144MHz	FM	Ann
15:08z	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	Dave

Heading back....Cyrn y Brain in the far distance (to the right)

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

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX