EI/IE-064 – Slievecoilita

EI/IE-064 – Slievecoilita

04/11/2018

Our first EI summit

We survived our crossing on Saturday. We had booked with Stena for the Fishguard –Rosslare crossing but as we were lining up ready to board Val had a text to say that our crossing had been cancelled due to the weather but there was room for us with Irish Ferries down in Pembroke…we made it but it was a rough crossing with Val not feeling too good to put it mildly.

We had made it to Pembroke Dock

Leaving the Haven...it get's worse..end of pics

Sunday was a miserable day so we decided to activate one of the easy summits that I had on my list. I had prepared a list catering for all eventualities as the weather forecast was not good for the week. This is more or less a drive on summit and is approached by taking the road opposite the John F. Kennedy Arobretum (S 7293 1941 OSi map 76)….summit is just South of New Ross. The gates for this road are locked at the end of the day.  From the car park I walked to the trig and viewing point then found a spot away from the other visitors…despite this I was buzzed by drone.  It was raining now but I had brought the brolley….

Trig in sight

Summit Information and History

Spot up for 60m and I was away with a good run of regular chasers and qualified the summit in a few minutes…thanks everyone

13:09z	GI0AZA	5MHz	SSB	Esther
13:10z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
13:11z	G6LKB	5MHz	SSB	David
13:12z	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken
13:13z	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David
13:14z	G4OOE	5MHz	SSB	Nick
13:15z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave

Another band of rain moving in

A visit to 40m brought a few contacts with a surprise call from Barry IML in Dover excited that he could hear me above is noise level. Don RQL couldn’t resist calling in again…great fun.

13:26z	ON5SWA	7MHz	SSB	Francois
13:29z	M0IML	7MHz	SSB	Barry
13:31z	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
13:32z	HB9DHA	7MHz	SSB	Reinhard
13:33z	ON8JJ	7MHz	SSB	Robert
13:45z	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don

Dry under the brolley

Val had stayed in the car but visited me to take a few pics in-between the showers having got lost on the way but used my antenna to locate my operating position. 

7m pole today...good landmark for Val!

Great run on 20m with an s2s with Lezek and Wioletta…thanks both.

13:46z	OK/SQ9MDF/P	14MHz	SSB	Leszek s2s
13:48z	OK/SQ9NOT/P	14MHz	SSB	Wioletta s2s
14:01z	HB9MKV	14MHz	SSB	Rudi
14:02z	HB9BHW	14MHz	SSB	Hans
14:09z	SP9AMH	14MHz	SSB	Mariusz
14:11z	SQ9PUW	14MHz	SSB	Krzysztof
14:12z	9A5O	14MHz	SSB	Sado
14:13z	OE6GND	14MHz	SSB	Gerhard

My first EI summit was in the bag but with the weather closing in we were not sure what the next few days would bring.  The weather had taken a turn for the worst so we decided to visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross as it was on our way back to Knocktopher where we staying. This is a not to be missed experience recording a very sad time in history.  https://www.dunbrody.com

Dunbrody

My Activation equipment

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

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

EI/G4VPX/p in Ireland