GW/SW-031 – Mynydd Uchaf

 

GW/SW-031 – Mynydd Uchaf

22/11/2020

Easy summit in sunshine

It was nice to be back on Mynydd Uchaf after several years. It’s an easy summit to access and not too far from home by car. I didn’t see any walkers throughout the morning and the only visitors that did pass through were a few off roaders on motorbikes.  The bands have certainly woken up although 80m and 60m were not as good as usual but 40m and 20m were buzzing and I soon had pile-ups on both. End-fed antenna again today in a slightly different configuration to the last time as I’m still playing around with getting the best setup…work in progress.

Park here at SN717095 and head for the gate...go through the kissing gate, step off the road to the left and on to the mountain...aim for the track leading to the summit...easy.

My Log

I’d expected a few more takers on 2m but I think I was a little early for a Sunday morning.  I noticed the band picked up later. Qualified the summit easily so thanks to all those that called in.

10:40	GW7MMG	144MHz	FM	Philip
10:43	2W0FLW	144MHz	FM	Derek
10:44	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don
10:46	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal
10:47	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don agn now 5/9++

 

My 2m set up with Mynydd Betws GW/SW-028 in the distance

80m was working quite well but once again I’d expected more to call me, nevertheless most were very good signals and my reports ranged from 5/5 to 5/9.

11:04	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don
11:05	G4WSB	3.5MHz	SSB	Bill
11:05	G0FEX	3.5MHz	SSB	Ken
11:06	M0JLA	3.5MHz	SSB	Rod
11:07	GW4JQP	3.5MHz	SSB	Peter
11:08	2W0FLW	3.5MHz	SSB	Derek
11:09	2E0ESY	3.5MHz	SSB	Mike

 

The office in a mess..I'd cable tied the end of the HF antenna to the 2m pole today...yes 2 poles today

A short stay on 60m with some good signals all round. Simon G4TJC never made my log on this band as his noise level is high....we tried…I hoped that he would make it on 40m

11:13	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
11:14	G0FEX	5MHz	SSB	Ken
11:15	G8ADD	5MHz	SSB	Brian
11:16	G4OBK	5MHz	SSB	Phil
11:18	G0VWP	5MHz	SSB	Terry
11:19	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David

 

I was ready to go on 40m when I saw a spot for Simon GM4JXP/P…he was in the log in seconds so thank you Simon for my first summit to summit of the day.  I was then prevented from sending a spot for 40m  when I heard Aled MW3DLA calling and I couldn’t ignore Aled.  A brief chat with Aled brought John TQD to my log followed by Kevin MW7KVJ/p. My qso with Kevin was interrupted by a call from Philip GW7MMG telling us that Kaan  MW0UCL/p was calling from Fan Brycheiniog GW/SW-003…s2s in the log..thanks Phil.

11:27	GM4JXP/P	7MHz	SSB	Simon s2s..GM/ES-077..Milestone Hill
11:36	MW3DLA	144MHz	FM	Aled
11:37	GW4TQD	144MHz	FM	John
11:40	MW7KVJ/P	144MHz	FM	Kevin
11:46	MW0UCL/P	144MHz	FM	Kaan s2s..GW/SW-003..Fan Brycheiniog

 

2 poles today...just trying out a few ideas

Spot up and I was away on 40m with reports from chasers that they couldn’t hear me on 80/60m due to either high noise levels at their QTH or rapid QSB…there followed 10 minutes of fun on 40…thanks everyone.

11:50	M0MDA	7MHz	SSB	Mick
11:51	2E0FEH	7MHz	SSB	Karl
11:51	G4TJC	7MHz	SSB	Simon
11:52	G3TQQ	7MHz	SSB	Dave
11:52	GI0AZA	7MHz	SSB	Esther
11:53	GM7NZI	7MHz	SSB	Ray
11:54	CT2GSN/P	7MHz	SSB	Jorge s2s..CT/MN-031
11:55	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
11:55	G0FVH	7MHz	SSB	David
11:56	G0SLR	7MHz	SSB	Roy
11:56	2W0FLW	7MHz	SSB	Derek
11:56	G4AFI	7MHz	SSB	Andrew
11:57	MM0XPZ	7MHz	SSB	SW
11:57	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
11:58	G0TKQ	7MHz	SSB
11:59	EA3EBJ	7MHz	SSB	Roca
11:59	M3MWT	7MHz	SSB	Bob
11:59	G4YBU	7MHz	SSB	Tim
11:59	M0TMD	7MHz	SSB	Helen
12:00	G4WTF	7MHz	SSB	Ian
12:01	G0MHF	7MHz	SSB	John

Short break and I was away on 20m. Not having to get up to change links on the end-fed makes for a nice flow of the activation. Another pile-up followed with 3 Summit to Summits so thanks once again to the chasers…very enjoyable. 

12:05	EA5K	14MHz	SSB	Miguel
12:07	OH3GZ	14MHz	SSB	Jukka
12:08	F5JKK	14MHz	SSB	Eric
12:08	SP9AMH	14MHz	SSB	Mariusz
12:09	EA1DHB	14MHz	SSB	Ricardo
12:10	OE7PHI	14MHz	SSB	Hansjoerg
12:10	EA3Y	14MHz	SSB	Manel Lopez
12:12	DL8DXL	14MHz	SSB	Fred
12:14	CT7AOV/P	14MHz	SSB	Hugo s2s..CT/ES-004
12:14	CT2HOV/P	14MHz	SSB	Nuno s2s..CT/DL-008
12:14	OM8KT	14MHz	SSB	Martin
12:15	SO9TA/P	14MHz	SSB	Sergiy s2s..SP/BZ-015
12:16	EA7GV	14MHz	SSB	Jose
12:17	EA2CP	14MHz	SSB	Carlos
12:17	IK2LEY	14MHz	SSB	Fabio

 

My contacts from SOTA mapping

Ready to go.....

Breacon Beacons behind me as I get ready to leave the summit

This shed on the summit has given many an activator some shelter from the elements but too dangerous now to hide behind ...those are concrete panels!

My activation set-up

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

Antenna – End –fed 80m – 10m (Bantenna Pocket rocket with 80m loading coil)

(VHF) Yaesu FT270 & Yaesu FT2 (5watts) into a ‘Slim G’…4m pole

Antenna support – 5m Fishing pole..HF

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX