GW/SW-001 – Pen y Fan

GW/SW-001 – Pen y Fan (8 points)

30/08/2018

A very busy summit

Perhaps we should have decided to visit another summit but the sun was shining and we both wanted something easy to try and ease our way back on to the hills and mountains. Not only had John GW4TQE alerted but also Rod M0JLA and Viki M6BWA ….. useful s2s points would be in the bag if all went to plan.

My GPS track

Busy car park

Great views today

Val with Fan Fawr, Fan Gyhirych and Fan Brycheiniog visible...all SOTA summits

As we approached Bwlch Duwynt I could hear John calling.  I gave a call and informed him I would be on summit in 10 minutes and with that I sprinted ahead and left Val to make her way to the summit alone and amongst the growing number of visitors.

View from Bwlch Duwynt

View from Bwlch Duwynt

John was very soon in the log from Black Mountain GW/SW-041 so I then looked around for a suitable spot to set up. Val wasn’t long arriving at my chosen spot so she helped me get the station in order then went to take a few pictures. With the HF bands in poor condition I opted to start on 2m and very soon had a pile up of chasers after my spot hit Sotawatch…thanks everybody.

Unpacking KX2

10:01z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s GW/SW-041
10:25z	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal..Treharris
10:26z	GW0PLP	144MHz	FM	Don..Aberporth Nr Cardigan
10:27z	MW6IUT	144MHz	FM	Brian..Aberdulais Nr Neath
10:28z	MW6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki Heading foir GW/SW-003
10:28z	MW0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod heading for GW/SW-003
10:29z	G4WTF	144MHz	FM	Ian..Herford City
10:30z	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don..Holsworthy Devon
10:35z	G0JMD	144MHz	FM	MIke..Avon Nr Bristol
10:38z	MW0OFA	144MHz	FM	Frank..Blaenffos Pembs
10:43z	MW1CJE/M	144MHz	FM	Andrew..heading for GW/SW-030
10:50z	MW6BMM	144MHz	FM	Billy..Waunarlwydd Swansea
10:54z	G0XAE	144MHz	FM	Mike..Westbury on Severn
11:19z	GM0VWP/P	7MHz	SSB	Terry s2s GM/SI-153
11:21z	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel..Pamplona
11:22z	DL3RBF/P	7MHz	SSB	Franz s2s DM/HE-045
11:23z	DL3HXX	7MHz	SSB	Lothar..Wittenberg
11:24z	DJ5AV	7MHz	SSB	Mike..Heiligenberg
11:25z	DL1CR/P	7MHz	SSB	Christoph s2s DM/NS-161
11:26z	M0MDA	7MHz	SSB	Mick..Leeds
11:26z	HB9DHA	7MHz	SSB	Ray..Switzerland
11:45z	IK2LEY/IA5	14MHz	SSB	Fabio s2s I/TO-200
11:46z	SA4BLM	14MHz	SSB	Lars..Sweden
12:05z	MW1CJE/P	144MHz	FM	Andrew s2s GW/SW-030
12:07z	MW0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod s2s GW/SW-003
12:10z	MW6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki s2s GW/SW-003
12:11z	MW6BWA/P	433MHz	FM	Viki s2s GW/SW-003 diff band

2m pile up

There were no takers on 60m but 40m seemed to be working although rapid QSB was a major problem. It was nice to get three s2s in the log on this band. We had a surprise visit from the National Park warden who promptly told me to carry on and moved away quite quickly to chase someone who was using a drone…he was not amused. 

Busy summit now

Sugar Loaf visible in the distance..SOTA summit....Val listening to Viki

Within a short period of time Andrew, Rod and Viki were in the log from their respective summits. Rod and Viki were on Fan Brycheiniog having followed a South approach along the ridge line to the summit…must try that one.

Busy Corn Du from Pen y Fan

We had been on summit for over two hours but the weather had been kind to us…we will probably be back for a few winter bonus points before Christmas so I hope the HF bands will be in better shape.

 (HF) Elecraft KX2 (5 watts) and 4Ah LiPo

(VHF) Yaesu FT2 with cable dipole on fishing mast

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

Antenna support - 4m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX