GW/SW-011 Sugar Loaf

GW/SW-011 Sugar Loaf

13/03/2018

Interesting day

With the weather forecast saying that this would be the best day of the week Val and I decided to head for Sugar Loaf as part of our ‘get fit again’ plan…we have some big mountains to climb in the coming months.

Val ready to go

Nearly there...

Gets a bit steeper now... :)

As I arrived on summit I could hear Paul calling from Pen y Garn GW/MW-004…he was quickly in the log using the handheld…nice to hear you on the hills again Paul.  Michael G0POT/p was on one of the famous five Welsh Border  summits and hoping to complete them all during the day...he was also quickly in the log with a 5/9 each way from Brown Clee Hill.  I’d heard Rod on 2m but only managed an s2s when he came on to 60m.

12:05z	MW0PLA/P	144MHz	FM	Paul s2s
12:22z	G0POT/P	144MHz	FM	Michael s2s
12:31z	MW0JLA/P	5MHz	SSB	Rod s2s

 I then spotted myself for 60m with Barry M0IML coming back with a 5/9 then disappearing completely??  Others were hearing me so I worked through my mini pile-up.

12:37z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian
12:39z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
12:41z	G4OBK	5MHz	SSB	Phil
12:41z	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill
12:42z	G0TDM	5MHz	SSB	John
12:43z	GI4ONL	5MHz	SSB	Victor
12:44z	G4WHA/A	5MHz	SSB	Geoff

A quick visit to 80m brought in some more regular chasers with Rod unable to resist another contact with me on this band as well :)

12:49z	G4WSB	3.5MHz	SSB	Bill
12:50z	G0FEX	3.5MHz	SSB	Ken
12:51z	MW0JLA/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Rod s2s diff band
12:54z	M3FEH	3.5MHz	SSB	Karl
12:55z	G6NHW	3.5MHz	SSB	Peter
12:56z	G3RDQ	3.5MHz	SSB	David

My visit to 40m was disappointing with some very weak signal reports although Geoff on the Isle of Hoy was a booming in with 5/9 each way.

13:09z	HB9MKV	7MHz	SSB	Rudi
13:10z	CT2HOV	7MHz	SSB	Nuno
13:11z	HB9DHA	7MHz	SSB	Reinhard
13:13z	GM8OFQ	7MHz	SSB	Geoff.. Island of Hoy

HF qso..... 

The time of day was just about right for a Stateside contact so I thought I’d change links and give it a go…bingo… Charles from Virginia was in my log with 5/5 each way…made my day.

13:24z	K4QS	14MHz	SSB	Charles, Virginia, USA
13:25z	OH3GZ	14MHz	SSB	Jukka, Finland
13:26z	SV2OXS	14MHz	SSB	Cristos, Greece
13:27z	RW3XZ	14MHz	SSB	Alexi, Russia

I phoned Barry M0IML to see if he was on for another go at 60m…this time 5/5 each way with no sudden QSB, Brian and Michael also made my log.  Barry had given me the ‘heads up’ that David EVV/p  was on 60m CW but when I arrived on his frequency he had obviously gone. Up he pops on RRT so I was able to add another s2s to my log including a QSY announcement to pick up Don RQL who had missed me earlier…..no more takers so I moved on to 2m for a final fling from Sugar Loaf.

13:35z	G4ZRP	5MHz	SSB	Brian
13:35z	M0IML	5MHz	SSB	Barry
13:36z	EI3GYB	5MHz	SSB	Michael
13:43z	G0EVV/P	5MHz	SSB	David s2s
13:45z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don

Sheltered form the wind

Now this was an interesting visit to 2m. Lee had been waiting for me but what followed was a bonus s2s and a real surprise.  I was called by a station with a 5/9 signal and the only part I caught was VK3… ???  It was Brian VK3BCM on Pen y Fan GW/SW-001 on his first UK activation…listen for him during the coming weeks…thanks Brian.   After 3 more contacts with Geoffrey, Mark and Neil I decided to pack up. As always I keep the 2m handheld switched on…paid dividends again as in comes Michael G0POT/p again on his final summit of the day Titterstone Clee Hill…another bonus s2s. Thanks everyone.

13:50z	MW6LPU	144MHz	FM	Lee
13:55z	GW/VK3BCM	144MHz	FM	Brian s2s
13:56z	G7BGA	144MHz	FM	Geoffrey
13:58z	M0LXQ	144MHz	FM	Mark
13:59z	M6NSV	144MHz	FM	Neil
14:18z	G0POT/P	144MHz	FM	Michael s2s

My Activation set up

 (HF) Elecraft KX2 (10 watts) and 4Ah LiPo

 Antenna - 3 band link dipole (60/40/20 (+15m extensions +80m loading coils)

(VHF)  Yaesu FT270 (5watts) and Kenwood TH-F7(70cms)  into a ‘cable tie’ dipole

Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX