Radio Tales from West Wales and beyond...: October 2020

GW/NW-033 – Tarren y Gesail

11/10/2020

A long day – first of 2

I’d been putting these two off for years so as it was within my range to activate and not stop off anywhere on the way I decided to make these two my target for the day. As there are various approaches to these two I discussed my route with my friends and fellow activators Simon G4TJC, Gerald MW0WML and Karen 2E0XYL…thanks everybody. From the discussions I stitched together a circular route which would give me a good work out. I’d like to point out that two parts of my route (including downloadable GPS files) are on the SOTA Mapping page as uploaded by Simon https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks A wonderful resource which should be your first port of call when planning an activation. My route today is not the only one but did not involve any bog trotting or having to climb over fallen trees in the forestry. However, it was a fair test of stamina. I only saw two people all day but thoroughly enjoyed my day on the mountains playing radio.

My GPS track (and G4TJC tracks)

My second of the day on my way up to the first

My station with Tarrenhendre across the valley

Dovey estuary in the distance

Cadair Idris in the distance

Ridgeline I have to follow to Tarrenhendre across the valley

Great run of chasers on 2 bands. With a long way to go to the next I packed up quickly when the 60m went quiet..long walk ahead.

10:07	GW0JAI	144MHz	FM	Glyn
10:08	MW3DLA	144MHz	FM	Aled
10:09	MW0WMW	144MHz	FM	Mike
10:10	2E0TDX	144MHz	FM	Neil
10:11	MW7JAB	144MHz	FM	Janet
10:12	GW3KCQ	144MHz	FM	Eric
10:13	G6FIT	144MHz	FM	Tony
10:15	GW4TQD	144MHz	FM	John
10:17	2W0LVE	144MHz	FM	Chris
10:19	GW4TJC/A	144MHz	FM	Simon
10:21	GW6DGU	144MHz	FM	Roy
10:24	GW3XRM	144MHz	FM	Dave
10:31	MW0JLA	5MHz	SSB	Rod
10:32	GW4CQZ	5MHz	SSB	Martyn
10:34	2E0XYL	144MHz	FM	Karen
10:35	MW0VLO	144MHz	FM	Barry
10:35	2W0LLJ	144MHz	FM	Jenny
10:36	GW4TGT	144MHz	FM	Tony
10:39	M0MDA	5MHz	SSB	Mick
10:40	M0BKV	5MHz	SSB	Damian
10:40	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken
10:41	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
10:42	G0HIO	5MHz	SSB	Mike
10:43	G0KKQ	5MHz	SSB	Ed
10:44	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David
10:45	MW0IDX	5MHz	SSB	Roger
10:46	G4IAR	5MHz	SSB	Dave
10:47	G3RDQ	5MHz	SSB	David

Good track through the fire break at SH 717053 to get up onto the ridgeline

Long way to go but getting there slowly

GW/NW-036 – Tarrenhendre

11/10/2020

Second of the day

It’s a long haul of 5.22 km from Tarren y Gesail with a stiff energy sapping climb to the top…or maybe it was just my energy running a little low. Nevertheless, I was soon on the air and enjoying the radio after munching on an energy bar. I qualified easily in 5 minutes with John GW4TQD and Glyn GW0JAI hovering in anticipation and others just hanging back until the pile subsided…thanks everyone.

It was nice to get Chris 2W0LVE (nr Newcastle Emlyn) in the log for the second time. He was using his little Baofeng in the garden and surprised on contacting me on both summits. We also had a contact on 80m when I called into the Carmarthen ARS club net….fun day….thanks Chris and everybody on the net.

Great views

My station on Tarrenhendre..convenient post for pole.

13:36	GW4TQD	144MHz	FM	John
13:36	GW0JAI	144MHz	FM	Glyn
13:38	MW0NLG/P	144MHz	FM	Malc s2s..Aran Fawddwy..GW/NW-007
13:41	GW4ZHI	144MHz	FM	Bryn
13:45	MW0OFA	144MHz	FM	Frank
13:47	2E0XYL	144MHz	FM	Karen
13:50	MW0WEE	144MHz	FM	Andy
13:51	2E0TDX	144MHz	FM	Neil
13:52	MW0WMW	144MHz	FM	Mike
13:54	GW8GLW	144MHz	FM	Irfon
13:54	2W0LVE	144MHz	FM	Chris
13:56	GW3KCQ	144MHz	FM	Eric
14:03	G0HIO	5MHz	SSB	Mike
14:04	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
14:06	MW0OFA	5MHz	SSB	Frank
14:17	GW4XUE	3.5MHz	SSB	Dave
14:19	2W0LVE	3.5MHz	SSB	Chris
14:20	GW4JQP	3.5MHz	SSB	Peter

Packing up...with sandwich

It’s a tricky 300m steep descent down the gully from SH 678047 to the forestry track. It is used quite frequently but footfall and water erosion has made it a little more difficult and slippery in places…tread carefully.