GW/SW-001 – Pen y Fan

GW/SW-001 – Pen y Fan

09/01/2019

Cold but the sun was out  (8 points +3 winter bonus)

Early start today to catch a few s2s. I parked at SN 987198 (Pont ar Daf car park) and followed the well trodden Beacons Way to the summit. 

Low cloud awaits

Cloud clearing above Corn Du..

Corn Du, PyF, Cribyn

More cloud as I approach the summit

Clear on top

Surprised myself a little today as it only took an hour to reach the top …my best time is 1hr 5minutes. -5C on top but the icy cold wind was making it feel a lot colder.  As usual I moved away from the summit cairn and looked for a dip to hide in out of the wind and made sure I was facing the sun….not many places to hide on PyF.

5m Dipole again today with end supports

My early start ensured that John was first in the log with an s2s from Corndon Hill.  I soon qualified the summit with Mal booming in with 5/9 each way, indeed both Derek and Bryan were 5/9 to give the 4 contacts. As can be expected PyF is a great summit for VHF as can be seen from my log below as I was kept busy for the next 10 minutes.

10:31z	MW0XOT/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s..GW/MW-013..Corndon Hill
10:35z	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal nr Nelson South Wales
10:36z	2W0FLW	144MHz	FM	Derek nr Swansea
10:37z	MW6IUT	144MHz	FM	Bryan nr Neath
10:38z	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don..Holsworthy
10:39z	MW0OFA	144MHz	FM	Frank nr Blaenffos
10:40z	GW0PLP	144MHz	FM	Don nr Aberporth
10:41z	M0JLA	144MHz	FM	Rod, Hereford City
10:43z	2E1CAF	144MHz	FM
10:46z	GW4TQD	144MHz	FM	John nr Llandysul
10:49z	G0JMD	144MHz	FM	Mike nr Bristol
10:51z	MW0VKD	144MHz	FM	Kevin nr Llanelli
10:52z	GW4TGT	144MHz	FM	Terry nr Pembroke Dock
10:55z	G0XCF	144MHz	FM	Colin nr Bideford

Towards Corn Du and other SOTA summits...not much protection from the wind

I was soon on to 60m as the 2m contacts dried up and knowing that there were quite a few waiting I nevertheless sent a spot via SOTA Spotter. Even before the spot hit Sotawatch I was well into a pile-up…thanks everybody. A surprise s2s on 60m was from Adrian on Beacon Hill as these days he rarely visits HF when activating.. ..is this a New Year’s resolution Adrian? :)…thank you anyway.

10:58z	GW0PLP	5MHz	SSB	Don nr Aberporth
10:59z	M0TMD/P	5MHz	SSB	Helen
11:00z	G0ELJ	5MHz	SSB	Dave, Norfolk
11:04z	GI4ONL	5MHz	SSB	Victor nr Bushmills NI
11:04z	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don, Holsworthy
11:05z	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill, Wiltshire
11:05z	G3RMD	5MHz	SSB	Frank nr Cheltenham
11:06z	GI0AZA	5MHz	SSB	Esther, Dungiven, NI
11:07z	M0BKV	5MHz	SSB	Damian, Cornwall
11:08z	G0GWY	5MHz	SSB	Geoffrey, Lincolnshire
11:08z	G3RDQ	5MHz	SSB	David, Stockbridge
11:09z	GB9WAB	5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:09z	G0VWP	5MHz	SSB	Terry, York
11:09z	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken, Leicester
11:10z	GW4AZS/P	5MHz	SSB	Adrian s2s..GW/MW-009..Beacon Hill
11:10z	M0NTC	5MHz	SSB	Gez nr Dudley
11:12z	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian, Birmingham
11:21z	MW6VLO	144Hz	FM	Barry nr Aberporth
11:23z	G3RMD	5MHz	FM	Frank, Cheltenham
11:25z	G3RMD	3.5MHz	SSB	Frank, Cheltenham

Great to get newly licensed and fellow Carmarthen ARS member Barry MW6VLO in the log for his first SOTA chase…let’s hope it’s one of many.  I was still reasonably comfortable so I moved on to 80m with a spot from Frank G3RMD although my visit was delayed by an s2s with John on Foel Fenlli. Due to a local QSO I couldn’t hear John TQE/p on his working frequency but Adrian AZS/p was able to let him know I was waiting on 145.500…another s2s in the log…thank you both.

Corn Du and beyond

11:29z	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s..GW/NW-051..Foel Fenlli
11:33z	2E0FEH	3.5MHz	SSB	Karl nr Saltash
11:35z	G8ADD	3.5MHz	SSB	Brian, Birmingham
11:35z	G4OBK	3.5MHz	SSB	Phil, Pickering
11:36z	GI0AZA	3.5MHz	SSB	Esther, Dungiven, NI
11:36z	GB9WAB	3.5MHz	SSB	Dave
11:37z	G6NHW	3.5MHz	SSB	Pete, Birmingham
11:38z	EI2KD	3.5MHz	SSB	Rodney, Co.Donegal
11:40z	MM0XPZ	3.5MHz	SSB	SW, Greenock
11:40z	G0HRT	3.5MHz	SSB	Rob nr Liverpool
11:41z	GW0WPO/P	3.5MHz	SSB	Neil s2s ..GW/NW-029..Maesglase
11:42z	G0VWP	3.5MHz	SSB	Terry nr York
11:43z	G0PLP	3.5MHz	SSB	Don nr Aberporth
11:44z	G7AFM	3.5MHz	SSB	Phil nr Hereford
12:18z	M0XOT/P	144MHz	SSB	John s2s..G/WB-003..Stiperstones

Nice run of chasers on 80m with a bonus s2s from Neil on Maesglase,  East of Dolgellau..thank you Neil.  I began calling ‘Final calls’ as soon as I had finished with Neil as the wind was picking up and it was getting really cold again…I had been on summit for over 2 hours. I packed up, headed for the cairn to take some photos when I heard John XOT/p on 2m calling from his second summit…he was soon in the log…thanks John. 

Cribyn, Fan y Big and Waun Rydd (GW/SW-004) in the distance

Next time I'm coming in from the NNE...summer time I think

I stopped for some coffee after dropping down out of the icy blast just below the bwlch between PyF and Corn Du.  Just before the car park I was approached by two of the resident Brecon Beacons Rangers asking me how far I had got…had a nice chat with them.

My activation set-up

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

VHF:- Yaesu FT270 and dipole

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

Antenna support – 5m Fishing pole with end supports

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX