Monday 12 October 2020

GW/NW-033 & GW/NW-036

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.

Steep from summit

Cross fence to get to the gully

Tricky down to the forestry road below

My printed waterproof map of my route..worked well..no rain though

Heading for the car with my first summit directly ahead.

My activation set-up

HF:- Elecraft KX2 (8 watts) and 4Ah LiPo

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

(VHF) Yaesu FT270 & Yaesu FT2 (5watts) into a ‘Slim G’.

Antenna support – 5m Fishing pole

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX 

1 comment:

  1. Superb effort and results Allan .I Was surprised to work you so easily from near the Teifi valley on a handheld ,your station certainly did all the work .
    73 Chris 2w0lve

    ReplyDelete