G/DC-001 – High Willhays

G/DC-001 – High Willhays

25/11/2018

Four of seven

I’d been looking forward to activating this summit for such a long time.  I don’t know why, maybe just the name suggesting some sort of Western/Cowboy summit :)  The forecast was for some sunshine, where it went to we still don’t know....

Route from camp to parking

We parked at SX 590912 having followed the tarmac road from the camp at SX 591931. As soon as you enter the ranges at the gate turn right immediately and don’t cross the small bridge.

From parking to High Willhayes ...2.86km

With Simon and Helen out to get me from Hail Stone Hill I was keen to get to the summit on time.

At the parking spot....end of tarmac road.

On our way

Rain and mist as we head up

As I was just setting up I received a text from Simon saying that Helen was nearly ready. 

Setting up

This  prompted me to get going on 60m with a ear for the ‘summit to summit ‘ call which eventually came…they were both in the log in less than a minute…thank you both. It transpired that it was wet and windy with them also.

11:51z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
11:54z	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:54z	G0HIO	5MHz	SSB	Michael
11:54z	G3TQQ	5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:55z	GI0AZA	5MHz	SSB	Esther
11:55z	GI0AZB	5MHz	SSB	Ian
11:56z	G6NHW/P	5MHz	SSB	Pete
11:57z	G0GWY	5MHz	SSB	Geoffrey
11:57z	G6LKB	5MHz	SSB	David
11:58z	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill
11:59z	G0ELJ	5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:59z	MI0RTY	5MHz	SSB	Martyn
12:00z	G0LGS	5MHz	SSB	Stuart
12:00z	GM4WHA	5MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:01z	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David
12:03z	M0TMD/P	5MHz	SSB	Helen s2s G/SP-009
12:03z	G4TJC/P	5MHz	SSB	Simon s2s G/SP-009
12:04z	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken
12:05z	G0TDM	5MHz	SSB	John
12:06z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian

80m and M3FEH in the log

It all went quiet on 60m so a quick call on 80m brought the two ‘locals’ to my log and a cracking signal from Mark up in the Lake District.

12:16z	M3FEH	3.5MHz	SSB	Karl
12:17z	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don
12:17z	M0NOM/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Mark

It was getting colder by the minute…it does when you are sitting down on an activation, nevertheless I gave a call on 40m which brought a mini pile-up with the occasional UK station calling in for the points…ones that I hadn’t heard from in quite a while. Thanks to Ralf for the s2s.

The rocks gave us some protection

12:27z	HB9AGH	7MHz	SSB	Ambrosi
12:27z	M3FEH	7MHz	SSB	Karl
12:28z	2E0WDX/M	7MHz	SSB	Vin
12:28z	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
12:29z	PA1BR	7MHz	SSB	Pascal
12:29z	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
12:29z	PA7ZEE	7MHz	SSB	Geert
12:32z	G4IPB	7MHz	SSB	Paul
12:33z	IK1GPG	7MHz	SSB	Massimo
12:37z	G0RQL	7MHz	SSB	Don
12:38z	EI7GEB	7MHz	SSB	David
12:39z	EA3HP	7MHz	SSB	Daniel
12:39z	EA2IF	7MHz	SSB	Guru
12:40z	HB9GKR/P	7MHz	SSB	Ralf...s2s HB/SG-035
12:40z	GI0AZA	7MHz	SSB	Esther
12:43z	M0MDA	7MHz	SSB	Mick
12:44z	SP9AMH	7MHz	SSB	Mariusz
12:48z	SP9TKW	7MHz	SSB	Marek

The view  :(

It all went quiet so a quick pack away...we moved away from the rocks and into the full force of a biting cold wind…we were glad to get back to the car today.

My activation set up

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

UK-MX 50M linear and 4Ah LiPo

 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