G/SC-005 - Selworthy Beacon

G/SC-005 - Selworthy Beacon

15/10/2018

Couldn’t get anybody on 2m??

I’d only moved a few miles and the weather had changed completely. The rain had stopped although there was a cold wind blowing off the sea. Park at SS 922478 for this one and walk up the track.

Wales in the distance across the Bristol Channel

Up went the linked dipole and I was straight on to 60m as a spot was showing for Rod M0JLA/p on 5.3715…no sign of him by the time I was ready to transmit.  I’d hidden behind a gorse bush out of the cold wind that had now picked up hoping that if I spotted on the same frequency Rod might see it and pop back to get an s2s…it later transpired that he had packed away and was heading down hill…you win some and you lose some.

11:59z	GW0PLP	5MHz	SSB	Don .. nr Aberporth
12:00z	G3RMD	5MHz	SSB	Frank .. Cheltenham
12:01z	M0TMD	5MHz	SSB	Helen .. Glossop
12:02z	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken .. Leicester
12:03z	G3VQO	5MHz	SSB	Les .. Horsham, West Sussex
12:04z	G6NHW	5MHz	SSB	Pete .. Birmingham
12:07z	G4ZRP	5MHz	SSB	Brian ..
12:08z	GW6OVD	5MHz	SSB	Mal .. Nelson, Treharris
12:12z	G4AZS	5MHz	SSB	Adrian .. Shrewsbury, Shropshire
12:14z	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill .. Wiltshire
12:15z	G6LKB	5MHz	SSB	David .. Cumbria
12:24z	G3RMD	3.5MHz	SSB	Frank .. Cheltenham .. diff band
12:47z	M3FEH	3.5MHz	SSB	Karl .. Saltash, Cornwall
12:56z	G0HIO	3.5MHz	SSB	Mike .. Burton upon Trent, Staffs

I had a good run of chaser on 60m with a few on 80m...nearly finished

I had a good run of chasers which I was very grateful for. The little pile-up soon came to an end so I moved over to 2m and spotted myself…not a single contact. It was strange that on the previous summit 2m was my saviour and yet now…nothing. I got up and added the coils for 80m but only three chasers made the log.  I contemplated moving higher up the band but as we had a really long drive home I decided to pull the plug and pack away although I did try a CQ on 4m without any success even though Peter GW4JQP near Ammanford was listening. 

My trio of handies today for different bands..FT270, TH-F7, KG-699E

As I walked back to the car I had a nice QSO with my friend Roy GW6DGU through our home repeater GB3CM near Carmarthen on 70cms…excellent path across the Bristol Channel.  Really looking forward to adding a few more G/SC summits to my list in the near future…watch this space.

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

(VHF) FT 270 with cable dipole on fishing mast & Kenwood TH-F7 for 2m/70cms

4m Wouxun KG-699E with loaded  flexiwhip antenna

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

Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX

G/SC-001 – Dunkery Beacon

G/SC-001 – Dunkery Beacon

15/10/2018

Wet and Windy

This trip had been on the ‘to do list’ for a few years. The intention was to visit the Holsworthy rally down in Devon and meet up with my top SOTA chaser Don G0RQL.  We left home on Saturday afternoon as the rain stopped after 48hrs of storm conditions bringing misery to many in the Teify valley.   My new drainage pipes held so we started our journey feeling a lot happier. 

I enjoyed the Holsworthy radio rally on Sunday and it was really good to spend some time with Don and picking up some ‘radio goodies’ from some of the stalls.

We headed back home on Monday taking in two summits on the way back. The first of these was  Dunkery Beacon. The weather was not conducive to HF as it was blowing a gale and there was nowhere to hide. 

Val opted to stay in the car...it was 50yds from here to the track for Dunkery Beacon

Track to a wet and windy summit

The summit

2m was my saviour so with the RH770 telescopic whip in the FT270 and standing on my feet in close to the cairn I had a good run of chasers...only one 4m contact with Kevin to end the activation. All my contacts were into Wales??

10:09z	2W0JMK	144MHz	FM	Mark .. Efailwen, Pembs
10:11z	MW6IUT	144MHz	FM	Brian .. Aberdulais, Neath
10:12z	GW7MMG	144MHz	FM	Philip .. Clydach, Swansea
10:13z	GW7HJN	144MHz	FM	Stuard .. Ammanford
10:15z	MW0COD	144MHz	FM	Cliff .. Maesteg, Mid-Glam
10:23z	MW0VKD	144MHz	FM	Kevin .. Kidwelly, Carms
10:25z	MW0PLP	144MHz	FM	Don .. nr Aberporth. Cardiganshire
10:26z	G0KEV	144MHz	FM	Kevin
10:31z	MW0VKD	70MHz	FM	Kevin .. Kidwelly, Carms

DoE group arriving as I was leaving the summit 

(VHF) Yaesu FT270 with RH770 telescopic whip

4m Wouxun KG-699E with loaded  flexiwhip antenna

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX

GW/MW-034 - Mynydd Cynros

GW/MW-034 - Mynydd Cynros

10/10/2018

360 degrees blue sky

What a cracking day. John GW4TQE/p was in my area with great opportunities for s2s and a chance to meet up with him and his XYL once again.  As usual I parked opposite the Church and Abbey at Talley (SN 632328) and made my way up the zig-zag path towards the summit….felt the weight of my rucksack today as I had packed the linear and lunch.

Early morning at the Abbey

Autumn leaves

Not far now

I’d have qualified easily within a matter of minutes if my friend Peter GW4JQP had been able to hear me on 4m, he was suffering QRM and I wasn’t making the trip to Ammanford ...he was 5/9 with me. I quickly moved to 60m and Mike G0HIO called in to give me my fourth contact to qualify the summit…he was pleased as it was a complete for him (activate and chase of a summit).

Ready for the activation

08:46z	MW0VKD	144MHz	FM	Kevin .. Kidwelly
08:50z	MW0VKD	70MHz	FM	Kevin .. diff band
08:54z	MW0ZVR	144MHz	FM	Barry
08:55z	GW0PLP	144MHz	FM	Don .. nr Aberporth
09:03z	G0HIO	5MHz	SSB	Mike .. Burton upon Trent
09:06z	M0IML	5MHz	SSB	Barry .. nr Dover
09:10z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don .. Holsworthy
09:11z	G4OKM	5MHz	SSB	Mike .. Berkshire
09:17z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s.. GW/SW-036 Mynydd Sylen
09:26z	GW4JQP	144MHz	FM	Pete .. Ammanford
09:39z	EI3GYB	3.5MHz	SSB	Michael .. County Mayo
09:42z	G6NHW	3.5MHz	SSB	Peter .. Birmingham
09:44z	G4OBK	3.5MHz	SSB	Phil .. Pickering
09:44z	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don .. diff band
09:45z	M0TMD/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Helen .. nr Glossop
09:57z	DL/OE9EGI/P	7MHz	SSB	Egon s2s .. DL/AL-110
09:59z	IK2LEY	7MHz	SSB	Fabio
10:00z	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro .. Spain
10:01z	OE5AUL/P	7MHz	SSB	Peter s2s .. OE/OO-265
10:02z	OE5YYN/P	7MHz	SSB	Sylvia s2s .. OE/OO-265
10:04z	PA7ZEE	7MHz	SSB	Geert .. Netherlans
10:05z	ON4FI	7MHz	SSB	Karel .. Belgium
10:05z	SQ9MDF	7MHz	SSB	Leszek .. Poland
10:06z	OK3KW	7MHz	SSB
10:10z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s .. GW/SW-039

My Log

Cracking day

I had a busy time on the summit without the use of the linear.  I never even had time to eat my dinner as my last s2s with John brought a comment that he was ready to head for his next summit. This meant that I had better pack up as I had a long way to go to meet up with him.

Talley below...SOTA summits in the distance

GW/SW-031 - Mynydd Uchaf

Arriving at the car park (SN 717095) at Mynydd Uchaf you can’t but notice the wind generators that have been erected lately.  I was on summit in good time to catch John 2m on Mynydd y Betws..he would soon be with me  .... I even had time to eat my lunch. Not wishing to spoil John’s activation of Mynydd Uchaf I decided to stick to chasing as I knew Rod would be on summit soon from the Scottish Borders…bingo, soon in the log..thanks Rod. Keeping away from 2m I called on 4m and back came Peter in Ammanford then as John arrived on summit Dave and Nick made my log from the Lake District…thanks everyone.

GW4TQE/p

12:07z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s .. GW/SW-028
12:18z	M0JLA/P	5MHz	SSB	Rod s2s .. G/SB-004
12:35z	GW4JQP	70MHz	FM	Peter .. Ammanford
13:05z	G3TQQ/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Dave s2s .. G/LD-018
13:06z	G4OOE/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Nick s2s .. G/LD-018
13:07z	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal .. Nelson
13:12z	GW0PLP	144MHz	FM	Don .. nr Aberporth
13:13z	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don .. Holsworthy

My Log

80m loading coils in place...wind turbines now close to the summit

It was great to see John again after our last Joint activation. He soon qualified the summit on 2m with me picking up a quick ‘hello’ with Mal, Don PLP and Don RQL.  It had been a great day but John was keen to move on to Trichrug for his last summit. I chased him on the way home by stopping in a lay-by on the Black Mountain…thanks John.

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

(VHF) Yaesu FT2 with cable dipole on fishing mast

4m Wouxun KG-699E with loaded  flexiwhip antenna

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

Antenna support - 7m Fishing pole.

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX